On one level I wouldn't be horrified if a U.S. Department of Education had five employees who researched various educational materials and published an annual list of their recommendations ... but given bureaucratic mission creep I'm opposed to even that now.

In fact, I would favor an amendment prohibiting the federal government from having any role in education whatsoever, save for the military academies and other training necessary for the military. History has demonstrated that the government cannot be trusted with education at all. In fact, those in power have an interest in keeping the general public ignorant as this makes them easily misled.

I wouldn't oppose prohibiting state governments from getting involved either.

I know people still living who attended good private colleges which did not have government funding and charged - adjusted for inflation - one TENTH what they charge now - and for a much better education. I have school books published in the 1880s for nine year olds that would be considered at least high school level, if not college level, now. Funding at the time was virtually nothing, yet literacy rates were higher than they are now.

Obviously something has gone very wrong with education, and the more that government has gotten involved the worse it has gotten.

So the first rule of holes is: when you're deep in a hole, stop digging.

I don't know precisely what the solution is, but I know what has consistently made things worse. Maybe we should stop doing that.