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Education debate desk
Is the U.S. Department of Education Essential to American Schools? Washington supplies a small share of school funding and no classrooms; the department grew from a 1979 political bargain and its record does not show gains. Do Charter Schools Cherry-Pick Students and Do Worse Than District Schools? Charters admit by lottery when oversubscribed, and lottery studies find strong gains for urban students; results vary and bad charters should close. Is Homeschooling Bad for Children's Education and Social Skills? Homeschooling is legal in all fifty states, homeschooled students score at or above their peers, and the socialization worry has little evidence behind it. Should Religious Schools Be Excluded From Public Programs Like Vouchers? The Court has held that states may not exclude religious schools from neutral aid programs; the old Blaine amendments were born of anti-Catholic bias. Does School Choice Drain Money From Public Schools and Hurt Students? Funding follows the child, not the building; choice serves families who want alternatives, with modest gains and no harm to those who stay. Should Parents Leave Curriculum Decisions to the Education Professionals? Schools act for parents, not instead of them; parents have a constitutional liberty to direct their children's upbringing and a right to know what is taught. Do America's Schools Fail Mainly Because They Lack Enough Money? Real spending per pupil has more than doubled since 1970 while test scores stayed flat; how money is spent matters more than how much. Do Teachers Unions Always Put Students First in Their Policies? Teachers deserve respect and fair pay, but contracts that protect seniority over performance and slowed 2020 reopenings put adult interests first. Should College Be Free for Every American Who Wants to Attend? Free tuition would be paid by all taxpayers and mostly benefits families who can pay; apprenticeships and shorter routes serve more people. Do Colleges Still Need Race-Conscious Admissions to Be Fair? The Supreme Court held in 2023 that racial preferences in admissions violate equal protection; the law and the principle call for colorblind treatment. Are Standardized Tests Biased and Should Colleges Drop Them? Tests predict college success better than grades alone and help find talented students from poor schools; MIT and other schools brought them back. Should Campuses Bar Speakers Whose Views Offend Students? A university exists to test ideas; shouting down or barring speakers teaches students to avoid argument, and public campuses are bound by the First Amendment. Should Washington Cancel Student Loan Debt for Millions of Borrowers? Canceling loans shifts the bill to taxpayers who did not borrow, rewards rising tuition, and the Supreme Court ruled against the 2022 plan.