Boy Scouts Returning To Public Schools

In a move sure to anger a variety of people, The Christian Science Monitor is reporting that The United States Department Of Education is poised to require that organizations such as The Boy Scouts Of America be given greater access to public school facilities, if those facilities are made available to other groups.

In recent years, many schools have limited or even eliminated access to facilities by the Scouts because of their controversial positions regarding homosexuality and atheism.

While the subject of access by the Scouts (or any organization) is open to much debate, here at The Education Wonks we feel that such questions are better addressed by local school boards.

School boards enjoy the mandate of the community that can only be provided through the ballot. Therefore (at least in theory) boards are accountable to the communities which they represent.

The problem with any federal regulatory agency such as The United States Department of Education is the fact that there is no accountability for the decisions which it imposes.

It is hypocritical that this particular agency places such emphasis on accountability for educators while exempting itself from any (and all) responsibility for changes in policy. We believe that is wrong.