"In a McCain/Palin administration, we’re gonna put the educational choices for special needs children in the right hands, in the hands of the parents and the good responsible caretakers.
"Under reforms that I will lead as vice president, the parents and caretakers of children with physical or mental disabilities will be able to send that boy or girl to the school of their choice, public or private.”
At the same time, Palin did call for full federal funding of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), phasing in an additional $15 billion in funding over five years. She said funds could be found by reprioritizing the federal budget and ending earmarks.
Under IDEA, signed by President Ford in 1975, the federal government was responsible for 40 percent of special needs education. But that mandate was never met. Palin’s proposal would have increased the federal commitment by $3 billion a year over five years, for an eventual total of $26 billion.
I'd rather see that money, in the interim, spent by parents making informed choices and in control of their kids education than by liberals.
Now, I personally am not for federal funding of education at all, but I do believe that parents should be in the driver's seat for their children, and we have been pushing for vouchers for a long time, to allow parents to use their local and state school tax monies to allow their kids to go to the school of their choice.
There is a boat load of federal tax monies being spent on education now, like it or not (and I do not)...where the feds are matching funds gathered in the states. That needs to end.
If, in the interim, we allow parents to spend that money themselves, instead of the NEA and politicians, that is a good step in that direction.
It'sd not so cut and dried as you try and make it appear, and again, I believe this is because your own impression, attitude, and opinion of Sarah is skewed by other candidates you would rather see there who likely have their own faults.
At any rate, despite my own desire and goal to see the Federal Education Department abolished and all federal taxation for education ended, and to see the local programs put in the hands of the parents where there can be private competetion...I support Sarah. I believe she wants to see less government interference and is making proposals that will move us in that direction.
Growing up, I always heard the phrase, “You help people that Can’t help themselves, not people that Won’t help themselves”.
Nowadays, that is a dated philosophy and the Country is worse off for it.
Text of Sarah Palin's Speech on Advocating for Children With Special Needs
And today, we'll talk about three policy proposals that are going to help us fulfill our country's commitment to these children: more choices for parents, fully funding IDEA...
Under our reforms, federal funding for every special needs child will follow that child...
That's why John and I will direct the Department of Education to clarify the statute administratively. We'll make explicit that when state funds are portable, federal funds are fully portable. We're going to make sure parents have choices and children receive the education they deserve...
The IDEA is also intended to serve teens and young adults with special needs. And here, too, there is an opportunity to reform and extend the reach of federal support under the IDEA...