WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.040 --> 00:00:04.360 It's night time with Dan Ray. I'm telling you Easy 2 00:00:04.759 --> 00:00:05.960 Boston's Radio. 3 00:00:07.879 --> 00:00:10.279 All right again, we're going to close the books on 4 00:00:10.359 --> 00:00:13.679 that story out of Connecticut. It was an appalling story. 5 00:00:14.800 --> 00:00:20.280 Not happy about it, but I wish more people responded 6 00:00:20.359 --> 00:00:23.960 to it because I think it was It is indicative 7 00:00:24.079 --> 00:00:27.359 of where we are, where we have gone as a 8 00:00:27.399 --> 00:00:32.560 country in terms of our concern for our physical neighbors. 9 00:00:32.840 --> 00:00:36.479 You know, the people who live on our block, in 10 00:00:36.560 --> 00:00:42.439 our streat, on our street, in our apartment complex. How 11 00:00:42.479 --> 00:00:46.399 many of those people do you really know? And take 12 00:00:46.439 --> 00:00:49.359 it into taking into some consideration, because I think that 13 00:00:50.039 --> 00:00:53.320 it's great to think about all great programs and all 14 00:00:53.320 --> 00:00:57.520 of that, but when it comes down to it, this country, 15 00:00:57.679 --> 00:01:02.280 and by extension, all of us left this young man. Now. Anyway, 16 00:01:02.920 --> 00:01:05.239 I'm not going to preach that. I'm not going to 17 00:01:05.239 --> 00:01:07.760 preach at you tonight, that's for sure. We're going to 18 00:01:07.760 --> 00:01:12.879 talk about Donald Trump's effort to dismantle the Department of Education. 19 00:01:13.000 --> 00:01:15.319 So let's put some context on it here, and I'd 20 00:01:15.400 --> 00:01:16.680 love to hear from you. If you think it's a 21 00:01:16.680 --> 00:01:19.040 great idea, great if you think it's not a great idea, 22 00:01:19.159 --> 00:01:23.480 let me hear either way. The Department of Education has 23 00:01:23.599 --> 00:01:30.200 been a target of many Republican presidents over the years 24 00:01:30.239 --> 00:01:35.400 and and Republican presidential candidates. I do not know the 25 00:01:35.439 --> 00:01:39.000 precise scope of the department, but like any federal agency, 26 00:01:40.000 --> 00:01:41.799 the one word that you could use to describe it 27 00:01:41.840 --> 00:01:46.640 would be big. It was created by Congress in nineteen 28 00:01:46.719 --> 00:01:50.599 seventy eight nineteen seventy nine, when Jimmy Carter was president. 29 00:01:51.400 --> 00:01:54.120 Now I have not gone back and read the Congressional 30 00:01:54.159 --> 00:01:58.560 record on this, but my suspicion is that at that 31 00:01:58.719 --> 00:02:03.000 time in our country, the feeling probably was that there 32 00:02:03.000 --> 00:02:07.200 were states like Massachusetts, and I guess probably Connecticut and 33 00:02:07.239 --> 00:02:10.080 New York, which are doing a pretty good job educating 34 00:02:10.120 --> 00:02:13.479 their students, and there were other states around the country 35 00:02:13.960 --> 00:02:19.599 that didn't have as much wealth as states like Massachusetts, 36 00:02:19.639 --> 00:02:24.439 New York, maybe New Jersey, Connecticut, and that it would 37 00:02:24.520 --> 00:02:29.400 be better for kids in whatever state they were born, 38 00:02:29.479 --> 00:02:34.240 children whichever a state they were born, who have support 39 00:02:34.439 --> 00:02:40.800 from the federal government. So the Department of Education was created, 40 00:02:41.080 --> 00:02:46.599 and of course it's been funded by Congress now for 41 00:02:46.599 --> 00:02:51.759 forty five forty six years. It has been funded by 42 00:02:52.120 --> 00:02:59.599 Democratic legislatures and Republican legislatures. It's been supported by Republican 43 00:02:59.639 --> 00:03:06.639 presidents and Democratic presidents. President Trump who is doing things 44 00:03:06.680 --> 00:03:09.159 at an incredible rate, whether you agree with him or not, 45 00:03:09.840 --> 00:03:12.919 I mean, it just seems that every day he's taking 46 00:03:12.960 --> 00:03:20.159 on four or five battles. He spoke today late today, however, earlier, 47 00:03:20.759 --> 00:03:26.080 his Press Secretary Caroline Levitt spoke about this, and we 48 00:03:26.159 --> 00:03:29.280 were a couple of soundbites from her addressing some of 49 00:03:29.319 --> 00:03:33.520 the concerns and the criticisms. First of all, before I 50 00:03:33.560 --> 00:03:37.560 go to that, the White House released a statement today, 51 00:03:39.159 --> 00:03:41.639 which they do a lot of statements. This one is 52 00:03:41.680 --> 00:03:44.639 on education and President Trump knows we can do better. 53 00:03:45.280 --> 00:03:48.759 This was released today. Since nineteen seventy nine, the Department 54 00:03:48.800 --> 00:03:53.159 of Education has spent over three trillion dollars with virtually 55 00:03:53.199 --> 00:03:58.039 nothing to show for it. Despite per pupil spending having 56 00:03:58.080 --> 00:04:00.159 increased by more than two hundred and forty five five 57 00:04:00.199 --> 00:04:03.919 percent over that period, there's been virtually no measurable improvements 58 00:04:03.919 --> 00:04:07.479 in student achievement. Talks about math and reading scores for 59 00:04:07.520 --> 00:04:11.759 thirteen year old's lowest level in decades, six and ten 60 00:04:11.919 --> 00:04:16.120 fourth graders are in Nearly three quarters of eighth graders 61 00:04:16.120 --> 00:04:20.199 are not proficient in math. That's bad. Seven and ten 62 00:04:20.279 --> 00:04:24.279 fourth graders, fourth and eighth graders are not proficient in reading, 63 00:04:25.240 --> 00:04:28.160 while forty percent of fourth grade students don't even meet 64 00:04:28.160 --> 00:04:31.199 basic reading levels. Now you can look back and say, well, 65 00:04:31.240 --> 00:04:33.759 these students, these were the kids who were most impacted 66 00:04:33.800 --> 00:04:38.480 by COVID nineteen, twenty twenty eight, twenty twenty one, twenty 67 00:04:38.560 --> 00:04:42.439 twenty two. Standardized test scores have remained flat for decades. 68 00:04:43.160 --> 00:04:47.639 US students ranked twenty eight out of thirty seven countries 69 00:04:47.920 --> 00:04:52.600 in math. So, of course the president talks about his 70 00:04:52.680 --> 00:04:55.600 bold action. He's going to return education where it belongs 71 00:04:55.639 --> 00:04:59.079 with individual states, which your best positioned to administer affective 72 00:04:59.120 --> 00:05:02.720 programs in service is that benefit their own unique populations 73 00:05:02.759 --> 00:05:06.720 and needs, Instead of a bloated federal system that burdened 74 00:05:06.720 --> 00:05:10.000 schools with regulations in paperwork. The Trump administration believed states 75 00:05:10.000 --> 00:05:13.399 should be empowered to expand the educational freedom and opportunity 76 00:05:13.399 --> 00:05:17.759 for all families. Okay, those remarks were echoed by the 77 00:05:18.040 --> 00:05:20.720 White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt rob if you'd be 78 00:05:20.800 --> 00:05:22.519 so kind cut twenty four place. 79 00:05:23.959 --> 00:05:27.600 Where was their criticism of our nation's failing test scores 80 00:05:27.639 --> 00:05:31.160 for the last several decades? The Department of Education was 81 00:05:31.199 --> 00:05:33.920 founded in the nineteen seventies, and since then we have 82 00:05:34.000 --> 00:05:38.720 spent more than three trillion dollars at this federal bureaucracy. 83 00:05:39.120 --> 00:05:41.240 What has been the return on that investment for the 84 00:05:41.240 --> 00:05:46.279 American taxpayer? Levels that are less than ideal, less than proficient. 85 00:05:46.600 --> 00:05:49.839 Our children's test scores are incredibly concerning when it comes 86 00:05:49.879 --> 00:05:55.319 to reading rates, literacy rates, math and science test scores. 87 00:05:55.720 --> 00:05:59.160 The numbers prove that, and the President is finally, this 88 00:05:59.240 --> 00:06:03.319 president is by taking much needed action to return education 89 00:06:03.399 --> 00:06:06.759 to where it belongs, and that's to educators closest to 90 00:06:06.839 --> 00:06:09.560 students in their classrooms in their respective states. 91 00:06:11.199 --> 00:06:17.920 So that's pretty strong indictment of the federal rule over education. 92 00:06:18.040 --> 00:06:21.720 I mean, for the first two hundred years of the country, 93 00:06:22.720 --> 00:06:26.360 we did pretty well educationally without a Department of Education. 94 00:06:27.879 --> 00:06:34.000 Many of you, like me, completed our elementary, middle and 95 00:06:34.079 --> 00:06:39.879 high school education without benefit of a federal Department of Education. 96 00:06:40.879 --> 00:06:44.600 And like anything else ament once a government agency is created, 97 00:06:46.879 --> 00:06:48.800 they stick around for a long time. There are a 98 00:06:48.839 --> 00:06:52.199 lot of people who did very well had careers in 99 00:06:52.399 --> 00:06:56.199 Washington and elsewhere. But are kids any better off today? 100 00:06:56.319 --> 00:06:58.720 I don't know. This is one more sound bite from 101 00:06:58.720 --> 00:07:04.240 Caroline Levitt, which I think encapsulates what the Trump administration 102 00:07:04.279 --> 00:07:04.800 would like to do. 103 00:07:04.879 --> 00:07:08.279 Cut twenty five, so the Department of Education will be 104 00:07:08.560 --> 00:07:10.519 much smaller than it is today. As you know, the 105 00:07:10.560 --> 00:07:15.680 President's executive Order directed Linda McMahon to greatly minimize the agency. 106 00:07:15.800 --> 00:07:18.040 So when it comes to student loans and pelgrants, those 107 00:07:18.079 --> 00:07:20.079 will still be run out of the Department of Education. 108 00:07:20.600 --> 00:07:22.399 But we don't need to be spending more than three 109 00:07:22.439 --> 00:07:25.160 trillion dollars over the course of a few decades on 110 00:07:25.240 --> 00:07:28.879 a department that's clearly failing in its initial intention to 111 00:07:29.000 --> 00:07:30.319 educate our students. 112 00:07:31.720 --> 00:07:35.519 Yeah, she said, Pelgrant student loans will be administered by 113 00:07:35.519 --> 00:07:41.680 the Department of Education in a much stripped down form, 114 00:07:42.360 --> 00:07:46.560 and then other included of that will also, I guess 115 00:07:46.560 --> 00:07:50.519 be Title I and funding for students with disabilities, others 116 00:07:52.040 --> 00:07:58.759 funds which might be transferred other obligations of the Department 117 00:07:58.800 --> 00:08:02.079 of Education could be transferred to the Small Business Administration 118 00:08:02.160 --> 00:08:06.120 of Commerce Department. The bottom line is Donald Trump is 119 00:08:06.160 --> 00:08:11.879 thinking about doing things differently, and most people don't like change. 120 00:08:12.279 --> 00:08:14.439 I think that's and of course anybody who is working 121 00:08:14.439 --> 00:08:17.680 at the Department of Education does not like change. But 122 00:08:17.839 --> 00:08:21.680 when you look at the amount of money that we 123 00:08:21.800 --> 00:08:27.000 have spent on public education. When you look at the 124 00:08:27.040 --> 00:08:34.559 amount of money that has gone to teachers all over 125 00:08:34.559 --> 00:08:37.960 the country, we're talking about you know, billions of dollars, 126 00:08:38.000 --> 00:08:42.240 trillions of dollars. And most teachers I think do a 127 00:08:42.240 --> 00:08:45.639 great job. They do the best job they can. And 128 00:08:45.720 --> 00:08:48.600 I know that society has changed in the last few 129 00:08:48.679 --> 00:08:53.159 decades and all of that, but the bottom line is 130 00:08:54.480 --> 00:08:59.679 the teachers' unions, the union leadership has not allowed for 131 00:08:59.840 --> 00:09:05.080 as much innovation and opportunity as I would have liked. 132 00:09:05.480 --> 00:09:08.159 I would have liked to have seen more charter schools. 133 00:09:08.679 --> 00:09:12.559 I would like to see more private schools. I would 134 00:09:12.600 --> 00:09:19.360 like to see money that parents pay in their local taxes, 135 00:09:20.919 --> 00:09:23.159 your real estate taxes, for example, if you live in 136 00:09:23.159 --> 00:09:25.759 a city or a town, A lot of that goes 137 00:09:25.799 --> 00:09:31.639 to the up upkeep of the local middle schools, elementary schools, 138 00:09:31.639 --> 00:09:34.240 and high school So we're going to change it up. 139 00:09:35.519 --> 00:09:40.320 If our statistics were off the chart and the US 140 00:09:40.440 --> 00:09:42.679 was doing better than any country in the world, I 141 00:09:42.679 --> 00:09:46.960 would argue, why change it. But everything that we've seen, 142 00:09:47.120 --> 00:09:51.960 we keep seeing all of these scores that are not improving, 143 00:09:52.759 --> 00:09:55.399 and look, I like to joke. And I say this 144 00:09:55.840 --> 00:09:59.399 in all honesty. I want kids to be educated, and 145 00:09:59.440 --> 00:10:03.320 I've always wanted them to be educated as much as possible, uh, 146 00:10:03.679 --> 00:10:05.799 not necessarily at all. Go to college, Some going to 147 00:10:05.840 --> 00:10:07.960 go to college, some go to go to trade schools. 148 00:10:08.720 --> 00:10:11.799 I think we need more people who are looking to 149 00:10:11.919 --> 00:10:17.559 actually start businesses and uh and become electricians and plumbers 150 00:10:17.600 --> 00:10:24.159 and craftsmen and heating and ac uh technicians and roofers 151 00:10:24.159 --> 00:10:27.679 and all and plumbers and all the skills that we need. 152 00:10:27.720 --> 00:10:34.799 And those people will have a lifetime of occupational professional 153 00:10:35.080 --> 00:10:38.440 professional security. If you're a plumber, if you're an electrician, 154 00:10:40.559 --> 00:10:42.600 You're never going to be without a job. It's as 155 00:10:42.600 --> 00:10:46.720 simple as that. So are you worried? Are you worried? 156 00:10:48.159 --> 00:10:51.039 I'm not. I say I think it is time to, 157 00:10:52.000 --> 00:10:54.720 you know, change it up. Let's see if we can 158 00:10:54.759 --> 00:10:58.240 get our students in a better case. The final point 159 00:10:58.279 --> 00:10:59.759 I'd like to make, and I want to hear you 160 00:11:00.039 --> 00:11:04.039 whether you agree or disagree, is that each community, each 161 00:11:04.120 --> 00:11:09.759 state knows what type of education they need for their students. 162 00:11:10.279 --> 00:11:13.480 In a state like Massachusetts or Rhode Island or Connecticut, 163 00:11:14.399 --> 00:11:18.679 we have different needs than more rural states. I think 164 00:11:18.799 --> 00:11:21.679 not only of parts of New Hampshire and Vermont and Maine. 165 00:11:22.240 --> 00:11:24.360 You have New England. There's really six states, but three 166 00:11:24.399 --> 00:11:28.279 of more rural New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, and three of 167 00:11:28.399 --> 00:11:32.279 more urban Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut. Doesn't mean we 168 00:11:32.279 --> 00:11:35.720 don't have rural areas, doesn't mean that New Hampshire and 169 00:11:35.799 --> 00:11:38.679 Vermont don't have cities and towns. But on a whole, 170 00:11:38.799 --> 00:11:42.799 it's quite different, very different feels to those states. Needless 171 00:11:42.799 --> 00:11:47.799 to say, states across the country go to Kansas, go 172 00:11:47.840 --> 00:11:52.440 to Oklahoma, go to Texas. Very different world. In Massachusetts, 173 00:11:53.799 --> 00:11:56.480 we don't need a one size fits all. And by 174 00:11:56.519 --> 00:12:00.279 the way, all the money that comes to Massachusett, it's 175 00:12:00.279 --> 00:12:03.120 from Washington that all the politicians are don't we're losing 176 00:12:03.159 --> 00:12:06.080 those money. Who are losing that money. Guess where Washington 177 00:12:06.120 --> 00:12:09.960 gets the money? They they don't have trees down their 178 00:12:09.960 --> 00:12:14.759 money trees. We send our taxes to Washington. People in 179 00:12:14.840 --> 00:12:18.200 all other states send their taxes to Washington. And I'm 180 00:12:18.200 --> 00:12:21.000 gonna say the money gets laundered down there, which has 181 00:12:21.200 --> 00:12:24.159 of course a bad term. But the money, some of 182 00:12:24.200 --> 00:12:27.240 it goes to support Washington, and then we get some 183 00:12:27.440 --> 00:12:30.360 of it that comes back. Now, maybe there are some 184 00:12:30.480 --> 00:12:32.919 states that send less money and get more back, and 185 00:12:32.960 --> 00:12:35.399 I know that that argument is made, but I think 186 00:12:35.480 --> 00:12:38.799 Massachusetts sends, on a per capital basis, much more money 187 00:12:38.840 --> 00:12:43.679 down than we get back. You can't. You're only gonna 188 00:12:43.679 --> 00:12:45.200 be able to get so much, and you're never gonna 189 00:12:45.200 --> 00:12:47.600 get more than one hundred percent. In my opinion, six 190 00:12:47.960 --> 00:12:52.039 seven four thirty, six seven nine three one ten thirty. 191 00:12:52.320 --> 00:12:57.399 Is it time to bring the education of our kids 192 00:12:57.480 --> 00:13:01.960 in our respective states back home to our respective states. 193 00:13:02.600 --> 00:13:05.080 And if you're a teacher, talk to me. Tell me 194 00:13:05.120 --> 00:13:07.960 why I'm right, or tell me why I'm wrong. If 195 00:13:07.960 --> 00:13:11.600 you're an educational professional, tell me what the problem is. 196 00:13:12.399 --> 00:13:15.879 If some of these programs are brought back to each 197 00:13:15.919 --> 00:13:22.279 state and are patterned for the students in each at 198 00:13:22.320 --> 00:13:25.600 every at each and every different state. Back on nights 199 00:13:25.639 --> 00:13:26.200 out after. 200 00:13:26.039 --> 00:13:29.879 This, Now back to Dan ray Line from the Window 201 00:13:29.919 --> 00:13:33.720 World night Side Studios on WBZ News Radio. 202 00:13:34.600 --> 00:13:36.639 Throw over, a couple of folks call and drop off. 203 00:13:36.720 --> 00:13:39.679 If you're too shy, don't call. And if you're going 204 00:13:39.759 --> 00:13:41.799 to call a talk show, Rob is not going to 205 00:13:41.879 --> 00:13:43.960 take a message from you and say, oh, one of 206 00:13:43.960 --> 00:13:46.559 our call has said this, No, this talk show gives 207 00:13:46.559 --> 00:13:50.039 you an opportunity to speak to the eastern half of 208 00:13:50.039 --> 00:13:52.159 the United States. That's all I can do for you. 209 00:13:52.240 --> 00:13:55.200 Six one seven, two, five, four ten thirty, six one seven, 210 00:13:55.279 --> 00:13:59.519 nine three one ten thirty. Education everything ends up. Look, 211 00:13:59.559 --> 00:14:04.840 here's the Washington has some responsibilities. There's no question about that. 212 00:14:04.879 --> 00:14:08.200 They have to run the government. Uh, they run Congress. 213 00:14:08.320 --> 00:14:12.639 They they we have to support the White House. When 214 00:14:12.639 --> 00:14:14.399 I when I say the White House, we have to 215 00:14:14.720 --> 00:14:17.919 fund at the White House, fund the Supreme Court, fun Congress. 216 00:14:18.600 --> 00:14:20.759 We all need to pay for an army and a navy, 217 00:14:20.759 --> 00:14:22.720 and the Marines and the Air Force and all of that. 218 00:14:23.519 --> 00:14:28.759 But beyond that, there's a few other things that that 219 00:14:28.879 --> 00:14:32.919 I think are important. You know, federal programs, ocean programs 220 00:14:32.919 --> 00:14:36.799 are important, FDA programs are important. But when you get 221 00:14:36.840 --> 00:14:40.799 to education, I think that's a state obligation. I really do. Uh, 222 00:14:40.840 --> 00:14:43.240 And that's why I'm not freaked out about it. Maybe 223 00:14:43.279 --> 00:14:47.600 you are six one seven ten thirty or six one seven, 224 00:14:47.720 --> 00:14:49.600 nine three one ten thirty. Let me start off with 225 00:14:49.679 --> 00:14:52.919 Steven Lynn. Steve love to know what your thought is 226 00:14:52.960 --> 00:14:54.799 on this. Thanks so much for calling it right head. 227 00:14:56.120 --> 00:14:58.360 Hey, Dan, it seems like I always call you about 228 00:14:58.480 --> 00:15:00.679 education issues. I spoke to you a months ago. 229 00:15:01.159 --> 00:15:04.600 Well, I'm happy you do. Are you involved in education 230 00:15:04.879 --> 00:15:06.799 as well? Give me a perspective. 231 00:15:07.720 --> 00:15:11.919 Yeah, a wife who's a teacher, and you know, involved 232 00:15:11.919 --> 00:15:15.000 in the school systems and whatnot. But hey, so I 233 00:15:15.039 --> 00:15:19.120 agree that the Department of Education spends more money than 234 00:15:19.159 --> 00:15:22.720 the benefits that they generate. You've made a statement that 235 00:15:22.799 --> 00:15:24.879 you know the money goes to the teachers. It doesn't 236 00:15:24.919 --> 00:15:28.159 go to the teachers. It goes to bureaucrats and administrators. 237 00:15:28.559 --> 00:15:32.960 There's a superintendent, a super assistant superintendent, there's a curriculum instructor. 238 00:15:33.000 --> 00:15:36.879 There's all of these administrative positions that have been created 239 00:15:36.960 --> 00:15:40.799 because of the Department of Education that do not benefit 240 00:15:40.840 --> 00:15:44.360 students directly. And the money is certainly not going into 241 00:15:44.399 --> 00:15:46.879 the classrooms. It's going to everybody else but the people 242 00:15:46.919 --> 00:15:51.600 who need it. And I agree that block funding back 243 00:15:51.639 --> 00:15:54.639 to the States is the way to go. 244 00:15:55.639 --> 00:15:59.399 By the way, unless you have a question, don't hang up, 245 00:15:59.440 --> 00:16:02.039 because I want to make sure that I'm clear with you. 246 00:16:02.159 --> 00:16:05.039 First of all, thank you for that clarification. What I 247 00:16:05.159 --> 00:16:08.639 meant to say was that in order to have a 248 00:16:08.679 --> 00:16:12.759 school system, whether it's funded by in large part by 249 00:16:12.799 --> 00:16:16.559 the federal government or funded in large part by Massachusetts. 250 00:16:16.759 --> 00:16:19.600 The backbone of the school system are the teachers. I 251 00:16:19.639 --> 00:16:24.080 don't have a beef with the teachers because I've watched 252 00:16:24.159 --> 00:16:28.320 teachers I worked as when my kids were young, because 253 00:16:28.360 --> 00:16:30.559 I was working nights on Channel four, I worked as 254 00:16:30.600 --> 00:16:33.159 a teacher's aid once a month or so. Every parent 255 00:16:33.399 --> 00:16:37.039 had to be the teacher's aid, you know, in the 256 00:16:37.399 --> 00:16:40.600 school where my kids wet. But but you're right when 257 00:16:40.600 --> 00:16:44.879 you talk about the structure that has built, the superintendents 258 00:16:45.000 --> 00:16:49.159 and the assistant superintendents, You're absolutely right. That's the bureaucracy 259 00:16:49.720 --> 00:16:53.039 that does nothing to educate kids or very little to 260 00:16:53.200 --> 00:16:57.559 educate kids. The teacher. The education occurs in the classroom, 261 00:16:57.679 --> 00:17:00.720 There's no question about that. And all the money that 262 00:17:00.879 --> 00:17:05.519 either is taken out of your property taxes or comes 263 00:17:05.559 --> 00:17:08.680 back money that you sent in your income taxes to Washington, 264 00:17:09.359 --> 00:17:11.559 all of that does not go directly to the teachers. 265 00:17:11.599 --> 00:17:14.079 And what the most of it that doesn't go to 266 00:17:14.160 --> 00:17:17.880 teachers doesn't really help with education. So I agree with 267 00:17:17.920 --> 00:17:21.839 your pointed and I'll take your criticism if it was 268 00:17:21.880 --> 00:17:24.000 intended as a criticism. 269 00:17:24.160 --> 00:17:27.279 Now, just just a clarification that's fine. 270 00:17:27.359 --> 00:17:30.279 I like the word clarification better, but but I can 271 00:17:30.359 --> 00:17:33.000 still take it as a criticism. Don't worry about it, Okay. 272 00:17:33.680 --> 00:17:35.200 All right, thanks Dan, appreciate it. 273 00:17:35.720 --> 00:17:41.359 Thanks Steve, talk to you soon. Six triple eight nine 274 00:17:41.400 --> 00:17:44.680 ten thirty. I think this is an important question. Let 275 00:17:44.680 --> 00:17:48.119 me ask you this, and maybe I have to simplify 276 00:17:48.160 --> 00:17:52.640 it to get people to respond to this issue. The 277 00:17:52.960 --> 00:17:59.960 Trump administration is basically changing the relationship of the state 278 00:18:00.240 --> 00:18:03.440 to the federal government. Okay, A lot of power now 279 00:18:03.599 --> 00:18:07.039 is existing at the federal level. We've seen it in 280 00:18:07.079 --> 00:18:11.880 so many different ways. This is one that I agree 281 00:18:11.920 --> 00:18:13.759 with Trump on. I don't agree with all of them, 282 00:18:14.119 --> 00:18:16.680 but this is one that I think can be returned 283 00:18:17.200 --> 00:18:23.160 to the states, meaning the government that is closest to 284 00:18:23.319 --> 00:18:28.200 you in whether it's the Massachusetts government or even better 285 00:18:28.240 --> 00:18:32.680 than that, the town in which you live. If there 286 00:18:32.759 --> 00:18:39.039 are wealthy towns, they can provide they don't need support 287 00:18:40.279 --> 00:18:45.599 from Washington other federal government. As much as poorer communities 288 00:18:46.119 --> 00:18:48.839 want to support poorer communities, that's fine. We can. We 289 00:18:48.839 --> 00:18:51.759 can have programs like that that if the city has 290 00:18:52.079 --> 00:18:54.880 whatever the percentages of students that there were ways to 291 00:18:54.920 --> 00:18:58.839 figure this out. There are ways to get money either 292 00:18:58.960 --> 00:19:03.920 through the state camp or from Washington to communities to help. 293 00:19:04.759 --> 00:19:07.400 But the system we have right now is not working. 294 00:19:08.000 --> 00:19:10.759 And if the system isn't working that we have right now, 295 00:19:10.880 --> 00:19:13.000 and it seems to be taking us in the wrong direction, 296 00:19:13.319 --> 00:19:17.000 why stay with it? That's my question. Love to hear 297 00:19:17.039 --> 00:19:19.799 from you if you have an interest in the education system. 298 00:19:19.799 --> 00:19:21.319 One of the reasons I have a great interest in 299 00:19:21.359 --> 00:19:25.240 the education system is I have a grandson. He's only 300 00:19:25.279 --> 00:19:27.359 two and a half. He's going to be going into 301 00:19:27.400 --> 00:19:30.839 the education system. He's going to learn a lot for 302 00:19:31.039 --> 00:19:34.160 me and my family before he goes in the education system. 303 00:19:35.480 --> 00:19:38.279 I have sung the alphabet to him as I did 304 00:19:38.319 --> 00:19:42.799 to my own children. I want him to have every opportunity. 305 00:19:42.839 --> 00:19:46.640 I want every child to have every opportunity. But I 306 00:19:46.720 --> 00:19:49.359 don't think the best way to give kids an opportunity 307 00:19:49.720 --> 00:19:53.200 is to simply continue to send our money on a 308 00:19:53.240 --> 00:19:57.440 pipeline to Washington. Have Washington take a lot of that money, 309 00:19:57.799 --> 00:20:00.240 keep it, keep it in Washington, spend it on the 310 00:20:00.279 --> 00:20:03.079 bureaucrats or whatever in Washington, and then send some of 311 00:20:03.119 --> 00:20:07.039 it back to Massachusetts and the other forty nine states 312 00:20:07.400 --> 00:20:10.799 six one, seven, two, five, four, ten, thirty six, one, seven, nine, three, one, 313 00:20:10.880 --> 00:20:14.640 ten thirty. Here's a simple question. If you're satisfied with 314 00:20:14.799 --> 00:20:19.000 our public education system today, you should oppose what President 315 00:20:19.000 --> 00:20:23.920 Trump is doing. If you're dissatisfied with it, and whether 316 00:20:23.960 --> 00:20:26.759 you have kids in the school system or not, you 317 00:20:26.799 --> 00:20:30.160 can read the studies that say the kids are not 318 00:20:30.319 --> 00:20:34.240 doing well in math and reading scores. If you're dissatisfied 319 00:20:34.480 --> 00:20:37.640 with the public education system, and if you want more 320 00:20:37.720 --> 00:20:43.359 options for education generally I eat more charter schools, more, 321 00:20:43.720 --> 00:20:48.839 more opportunity for homeschooling, more parochial schools, all of that, 322 00:20:49.799 --> 00:20:52.480 all of that, you should support this. We'll be back 323 00:20:52.519 --> 00:20:54.680 on Night's side. I got a bunch of lines here, 324 00:20:54.759 --> 00:20:56.680 fill them up, coming back right after the news at 325 00:20:56.720 --> 00:20:57.480 the bottom of the hour. 326 00:21:01.720 --> 00:21:05.200 If you're on Night Side with Dan Ray on wz 327 00:21:05.599 --> 00:21:06.839 Boston's news radio. 328 00:21:07.880 --> 00:21:12.000 If, by the way, you have kids in school right now, 329 00:21:12.640 --> 00:21:15.759 I'd love to know how you feel they're doing. And 330 00:21:15.839 --> 00:21:18.160 if they're in a public school, private school, or whatever. 331 00:21:18.480 --> 00:21:21.480 Love to know. And you don't have to tell us 332 00:21:21.480 --> 00:21:23.599 what school system they're in. If you want to, you can. 333 00:21:24.000 --> 00:21:26.039 And if you think your school system is doing a 334 00:21:26.079 --> 00:21:30.000 great job, for whatever, your taxes, your pay I love 335 00:21:30.079 --> 00:21:32.240 to know are you getting a bang for your buck, 336 00:21:32.279 --> 00:21:35.960 because I'll tell you your kids only have one shot at 337 00:21:36.000 --> 00:21:38.880 those twelve grades from first grade to twelve. It's as 338 00:21:38.880 --> 00:21:42.599 simple as that. And when it's over, it's over. Believe me, 339 00:21:42.920 --> 00:21:46.119 it can be over pretty quickly. I've gone through it. 340 00:21:46.119 --> 00:21:48.119 It doesn't when you don't. When you're there, it doesn't 341 00:21:48.160 --> 00:21:50.359 seem like it's going quickly, but it goes real quickly. 342 00:21:50.400 --> 00:21:52.799 Joe is in Revere. Hey Joe, next on Nightside, How are. 343 00:21:52.640 --> 00:21:56.440 You can thank you for taking my call? 344 00:21:57.039 --> 00:21:57.559 I welcome. 345 00:21:58.200 --> 00:22:00.319 One of the thing that's going on is a lot 346 00:22:00.400 --> 00:22:05.319 of people think mister Trump is trying to I'm sorry, 347 00:22:05.359 --> 00:22:10.680 President Trump is trying to cut benefits for kids in 348 00:22:10.720 --> 00:22:14.519 wheelchairs and stuff like that, and they're not going to 349 00:22:14.559 --> 00:22:18.079 get the education they need. They're totally wrong. He's just 350 00:22:18.119 --> 00:22:21.400 trying to transfer that into who's supposed to be taking 351 00:22:21.440 --> 00:22:26.160 care of it. So he's aliminating a department as like 352 00:22:26.279 --> 00:22:32.039 you said, they're not producing and the state and government 353 00:22:32.759 --> 00:22:35.880 is supposed to be handling these things anyway, not a 354 00:22:35.920 --> 00:22:37.079 total different department. 355 00:22:37.799 --> 00:22:45.559 Well, as I said, Joe as Education, you know, Joe, 356 00:22:45.960 --> 00:22:51.880 as I said, the Department of Education was founded. I 357 00:22:52.079 --> 00:22:55.960 was created in seven, in nineteen seventy nine, not seventeen 358 00:22:56.000 --> 00:23:00.559 seventy nine or eighteen seventy nine. So we dive as 359 00:23:00.599 --> 00:23:03.960 a country for over two hundred years without a department 360 00:23:04.000 --> 00:23:12.200 of education, and arguably we did better. We produced a 361 00:23:12.240 --> 00:23:15.200 lot of great business people, we produced great athletes, we 362 00:23:15.279 --> 00:23:22.240 produced great businesses, we create we produced great leaders in 363 00:23:22.319 --> 00:23:24.799 those two hundred years we didn't have a Department of education. 364 00:23:25.680 --> 00:23:28.240 And now we're looking at all of these reports that 365 00:23:28.319 --> 00:23:31.960 say the reading scores are down, the math scores are down, 366 00:23:32.200 --> 00:23:35.839 so you know a lot of kids are getting left behind. 367 00:23:37.640 --> 00:23:42.519 Yes, my son is in special education himself, graduating this 368 00:23:42.640 --> 00:23:45.400 year and I'm trying to do college for him. 369 00:23:45.440 --> 00:23:45.599 Now. 370 00:23:45.720 --> 00:23:47.440 The forums and stuff very tough. 371 00:23:48.440 --> 00:23:50.640 Those Yeah, Okay, where's he looking at? 372 00:23:50.640 --> 00:23:54.559 Where's he looking to? All right? 373 00:23:54.640 --> 00:23:57.000 Dan, I can't send him an all his dame, buddy, 374 00:23:57.319 --> 00:23:59.359 He's going to try Trinity College. 375 00:23:59.720 --> 00:24:04.799 And what's wrong with that? Wait a second, what's wrong? 376 00:24:04.960 --> 00:24:05.759 I can't. 377 00:24:05.880 --> 00:24:10.640 I can't, Joe, Joe, There's nothing wrong with community. Joe, 378 00:24:10.960 --> 00:24:13.200 listen to me, please, I'm trying to have a conversation 379 00:24:13.279 --> 00:24:18.079 with you. This community colleges are great. First, First of all, 380 00:24:18.640 --> 00:24:21.279 you're not on the rat race where you got to 381 00:24:21.319 --> 00:24:24.519 get it done in four years. Maybe his pace of 382 00:24:24.599 --> 00:24:27.880 learning is a little faster, maybe it's a little slower, 383 00:24:28.400 --> 00:24:32.319 but you rack up those credits and then you take 384 00:24:32.359 --> 00:24:35.920 those credits to a state college. I graduated from Boston 385 00:24:35.960 --> 00:24:39.960 State College. That's not even in existence anymore. So, believe me, 386 00:24:40.839 --> 00:24:43.240 there are some of the most successful people I know. 387 00:24:45.680 --> 00:24:48.799 Some of the most successful people I know did not 388 00:24:48.960 --> 00:24:52.160 go to Harvard, Yale, Princeton, did not go to Notre Dame. 389 00:24:53.440 --> 00:24:56.200 You know, So your son's your son's going to be fine. 390 00:24:56.200 --> 00:24:59.240 What is he? Yeah, we're having we're talking over each 391 00:24:59.279 --> 00:25:01.000 other here a lot you so this beer with me 392 00:25:01.079 --> 00:25:03.079 for a second? Do you have a headset on or 393 00:25:03.079 --> 00:25:05.160 something or are you having trouble hearing me? 394 00:25:05.759 --> 00:25:08.440 No, let me let me totally shut the way you 395 00:25:08.559 --> 00:25:09.319 off altogether. 396 00:25:09.960 --> 00:25:12.480 Yeah. The radio being shut off is a great idea 397 00:25:12.559 --> 00:25:15.279 because what happens, folks, as Rob has explained to you, 398 00:25:15.319 --> 00:25:19.480 I'm sure there's a ten second delay. So what happens 399 00:25:19.519 --> 00:25:23.920 is if you're listening to the radio, that kills the conversation, Joe, 400 00:25:23.960 --> 00:25:29.359 because that's ten seconds ahead of where you want to be. Okay, 401 00:25:29.599 --> 00:25:31.279