The current state of educational liberty in Michigan and the United States can be stated thusly,
“The state should mandate education for all children from three years of age until high school graduation. Every child should go to a government approved school, learn government approved curriculum from government approved teachers. There should be no religious curriculum taught except secular humanism which states that government is the supreme authority, and humanity is doomed. Everything is to be tolerated except what the government deems hateful and not tolerable. This education is to be at least fifty percent of all tax revenues, but shall be free to everyone participating. The goal is to create a utopian adulthood that will espouse peace and be of one opinion regarding everything. Parents are to yield to these educational guidelines. Students are to behave accordingly. Government schools should be without racism, sexism, ageism, and hate. Of course, urban schools may flounder because everyone expects their sub- standard achievement. In fact, more money should be sent to these urban poor so as not to appear bias. Anyone may identify as anything they want. Any gender is acceptable. Sexual freedom will be highlighted as normal. The new international student will be without bias, gender, spirituality or race. Nothing shall be deemed as sinful or wrong so as not to hurt anyone’s feelings. Upon graduation a student will earn the right to a free college education. Of course, graduation will be based upon successfully navigating the godless, government compliant, and gay approved halls of the genderless, free, and Sharia- friendly school assigned to the student. By this form of education we will transform a generation.”

This vision is the normal operating procedure for most public schools today. Of course, it is absurd, but is it not increasingly the reality? While there are plenty of liberty minded teachers, administrators and local school board members, this is the cloud overwhelmingly over their head. They aspire to survive the system. They try to subtly change it in small ways. Occasionally, a rare voice speaks to the real tyranny of the current educational system we have created. That voice is too often shamed, marginalized and even silenced. The truth is that this radical view of education has failed everywhere but is still funded by everyone. It is a supreme bully.
Real liberty recognizes myriad forms of learning and training. Real liberty values family and its religious or cultural distinction. Real liberty allows spiritual training and learning from the Bible. If historical and American liberty has worked for government, business and higher education, then it should be trusted for local elementary and secondary education as well. Localities get a say and so do individual families. Private schools should have complete freedom. Parents should have complete responsibility. Localities should have complete logistical control. Public schools should have complete freedom from Washington mandates and UNESCO’s utopianism. The student should have complete freedom from leftist, Muslim, and LGBTQ designs on social engineering.
Liberty should extend into the classroom. It is having a hard time getting past the Michigan Board of Education. That has to change.