Don't buy the Beacon's snake oil
4:53 p.m. May 20, 2025
DUANE CROSS
MCO Publisher•Editor
Data released by The Beacon Poll says 50 percent of its respondents believe in eliminating the U.S. Department of Education and returning funding and decision-making to the states. Only 37 percent opposed this, and 13 percent were unsure. The sample size was 1,200 registered voters.
This poll and the writers of stories promoting its “results” are Exhibit A in why the Department of Education needs to be protected – if not expanded.
The Department of Education does not dictate day-to-day school operations in Tennessee. The federal government provides funding and support, while the states control school operations, curriculum, and teacher certification.
The Beacon constructed the question to get precisely the response they wanted. Now it can push its propaganda that “Tennesseans want their state leaders to determine education benchmarks!”
Let me say it a little louder for those not listening at the back of the room: Tennessee already has the say-so in how its schools operate, what is taught, and how it certifies its teachers. ... Really, you can Google it. And it should scare the hell out of you that education has become partisan politics.
If you think Tennessee can handle totin’ the freight for educating its students, explain how Tennessee cannot pay for the current system, which is stipend by the federal government. In the 2024-25 school year, Tennessee’s K-12 public education system received approximately $2.55 billion in federal funding, equating to about $2,538 per student. This federal contribution represents roughly 16.4% of the state’s K-12 education funding.
The federal funds support a variety of programs, including:
• Title I Grants: Providing additional resources to schools with high concentrations of low-income students.
• Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA): Ensuring services for students with disabilities.
• Child Nutrition Programs: Offering free or reduced-price meals to eligible students.
These programs are essential for promoting educational equity and supporting vulnerable student populations across Tennessee, including Moore County.
For perspective, in 2023, 11.3% of the Moore County population lived in poverty – a 13.4% increase over 2022. For children: 14.6 percent in 2023 compared to 13.1 percent in ’22. Yes, by all means, reject the federal funds to keep a kid hungry so we can require students to participate in sports and use facilities based on their sex assigned at birth, or so we can avoid administrative and financial burdens associated with complying with Individuals with Disabilities Education Act requirements, or limiting the teaching of certain concepts related to race and sex.
Again, we control the curriculum. Be smart. Don’t buy the snake oil.
However, Tennessee is considering rejecting federal education funding because state leaders want to avoid complying with federal regulations they believe conflict with the state’s laws and values. In short, “the feds don’t think like I do, so take your money and shove it.”
Rejecting federal education funding to avoid compliance with federal regulations would be unprecedented. It could have significant consequences, including a financial shortfall, disruptions in programs that serve low-income students and students with disabilities, and legal challenges.
Even closer to home, TISA – Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement – is off to a rough start. Moore County faces state-mandated benchmarks that may put more of a tax burden on property owners. But yes, let’s compound the problem by playing games with federal dollars because we want to be part of the American Experience only when it’s convenient.
As parents, we have the essential responsibility of educating our children. Be a beacon of hope and get involved with the Moore County Experience. You’ll realize that we can have influence within the system only if we’re educated about the system.
Duane Cross is publisher and editor of the Moore County Observer. He can be reached at editor@mcobserver.news.
