the you may never know what might happen between -- within the was a countries come on with things me sure, c-span will be there. thanks to the support of these cable and satellite companies. c-span, your unfiltered view of government. powered by cable. >> c-span is your unfiltered view of government. we are funded by these television companies and more. including cox. >> homer can be hard. squatting and i diner for internet is harder. that's why we are providing lower income students access to affordable intermezzo homework can just be homework. cox, connect to compete. >> cox supports c-span as pollick service along with these other television providers. giving a front row seat to democracy. >> we are continuing our look to week at key elements of the

republicans commitment to america plan, here to talk about the education positions is rick hess. you senior fellow and director at the american enterprise institute. their education policy studies area. let's begin with what republicans laid out when they talked about to this commitment for america. they want to make sure every parents a voice.eed and give to do that to they are saying they need to advance a patient's bill -- bill of rights, and expand school choice. let's ta about recover lost learning. recovering lost learning from school closures. are these realistic, what are they actually proposing? guest: i think they are proposing a work in progress. we will see the particulars. are they realistic, it depends on what is realistic for the

federal government to a compass. certainly i think there was a lot of frustration across the country with how school closures played out, the quality of remote learning. the opportunity for congress to take a hard look at what was done with $200 billion for k-12. ask hard questions about what -- whether there was indeed a backdoor influence by a teacher union. the opportunity to ask where these dollars are going. are they being used in ways that are sensible and impactful for kids. that seems really healthy and entirely appropriate for congress. the idea that congress is going to make school districts provide better tutoring or support is a much bigger stretch. congress doesn't run schools.

in this country, by design, we have 14,000 school districts. school districts are creations of the state. 90% of school funding comes from state and local entities. in fact, the amount of federal funding for kate -- k-12 was extraordinary. in a typical year, washington spent about 70 billion on k-12. the emergency covid aid was equivalent to about three years of traditional federal aid. this is because the way this country has historically viewed education as an understanding that when you're dealing with so many teachers and schools, there is real value in making sure that these folks are accountable to the communities and parents and kids. rather than expecting a 4000 person u.s. apartment of

education to somehow run schools serving 50 million children. host: how has that money been spent, has it all been sent out to schools? guest: the majority of it has not been spent, which is one of the things which has raised some higher. the covid funds, the big part of the rational was we need these funds to make sure schools reopen safely. there was a lot of talk of the need for air-quality devices, personal protective equipment, masks, ways to help schools socially distance responsibly. very little of the money got spent in that first 15 months. the other primary charge was to help kids recover, make up for learning loss. as we saw a couple months ago,

state tests have shown kids took a huge hit in terms of academic learning during covid in addition to mental and social health. all of these were concentrated on our most vulnerable kids. the majority of funding still has not been spent. district's have a couple more years to spinach. there's a real concern that these dollars are being spent creating new positions are giving raises rather than investing in things like tutoring, per -- curricula, extended hours, or other measures that might be precisely calibrated to help kids make up for the learning they didn't get. host: let's invite our viewers to join in this conversation, we want to hear from you, if you have a child or grandchild in school. and what it's like for you where you live. what is your community doing and what education policy do you want to see from washington.

democrats, (202) 748-8000, (202) 748-8001 republicans and independents (202) 748-8003. let's talk about to the house republicans parents bill of rights. it's the right to know what's being taught in schools. it's the reading retlers, right to be heard, -- reading materials, right to be her, protect their child's privacy, right to be updated on any violent activity at school. why do these rights need to be written into law. guest: some of them are globalizing things that already exist. no child left behind, one of its recording at -- recording element's was school safety was supposed to be a part of the score parked cars. part of the problem was --

schools report cards. part of the problem was it was a big was, i got in the habit of not reporting them. if they reported them, it showed up in the ratings, schools were in danger of running afoul of federal accountability. one of the questions was, do parents deserve to know when there are violent incidents at school. i think sure, why is this a federal law, part of what is generally been understood is insisting on a degree of transparency. as far as how it's dollars are spent on serving children with special needs and low income kids. low-income schools are what we are most concerned about.

some of the other rights that you mentioned are things that came to the fore during covid. we saw parents arrested at school board meetings, we saw the national school board association send a formal request to the fbi asking that they investigate irate parents potentially as to mystic terrorists. what i think republicans are doing appropriately is saying we have to have guardrails about what is and is not considered civil liberty for parents and families and taxpayers. honestly, the federal government requires the folks who made household appliances provide extensive information on use of energy, potential climate impact appeared when you buy a new car, there's federal standards about what is to be reported. the idea that public schools

shouldn't make a good-faith effort to inform the public, here's the books we are going to read to this year, the curriculum we will be using, so that parents can be informed in advance and so we can have public conversations or debates when we disagree. it strikes me as appropriate. after the last couple years, it's a necessary response. host: here is a viewer and florida who says, and florida, they said to go to the school board meetings, get in the teachers face, they don't have to take this kind of abuse. so they quit. now they're asking the military to come in and help them with teaching. military is in no way qualified to teach these kids. they will grow up ignorant. guest: the first part, that somebody told people to get an teachers face is.

i'm not entirely sure what that is referring to. obviously when teachers are being harassed, when school board members are being threatened, that is obviously way beyond the bounds. we have legal mechanisms that should be enforced. against anyone who threatens a teacher or school board member. but, that's a given, that is not a way healthy or appropriate. part of what we are talking about is are there sensible constructive ways to deal with some of the mistrust. if we put these things in the middle of public conversation, if we are clear that parents have a right to speak and be heard at meetings, so long as they comport themselves in legally appropriate ways, that

is how democracy is supposed to work. host: let's hear from lewis in ranson, missouri. republican. you have to mute your television quickly. you are up. we are listening to you for your question or comment. you ready to go? caller: my comment was that i don't understand the debt ceiling. congress and washington to seem to use a lot of words that normal people don't understand. host: i'm denied jumping, we are not talking about the debt ceiling peered mercedes in nebraska, independent. caller: in nebraska there is a lot of things going on.

right now in the legislative body, they are trying to do away with our state board of education. so that the governor can appoint a commissioner to control all of the schools in nebraska from the top. there is a problem there. we have other republican groups that have pacs and they are using their money to drum up republican support in violent ways. we've had officials being threatened, i've received threats personally. i've seen this in real life. we've had parents that are railing against crt. they're trying to get books banned. my comment is, this is not ok, my question is, how do we help parents not get pulled in to that a factor. our kids -- my daughter's going into school, my slings are still

in school. what can we do as independent people to get people to think more critically and ask the correct questions. guest: the listener's questions great one. first off, this business of threatening public officials right and left, threatening educators, school leaders, it's beyond the pale. we all need to -- the 80 or 90% of the people who want to live in a country where we resolve these things respectfully, need to do a better job of saying so on a regular basis. nobody who runs for office being threatened, that should never be

a part of attempting to be a public servant. as far as the broader context as the appropriate materials in school, critical race theory, or the debates about how schools should approach questions of gender. it seems, from where i'm sitting, one of the ways that, when we talk about engaging parents and respect of conversation, we need to make sure folks have an opportunity to get information which puts them in a position to talks they -- talk these things through. i would disagree with that characterizing -- characterization. when you have elementary or middle school materials, which show sex, which offend the

sensibilities of parents, it's not a book banning to say these are inappropriate for k-5 or k-8 library. similarly and some of the , debates about critical race theory. there are for instruments privilege -- for instance privilege worksheet that students learn that they are supposed to deduct points for themselves if they live in a two parent household or if they are white, and it strikes me that one can talk about jim crow and the holocaust and slavery and the trail of tears without believing that this kind of caricature is good or healthy and -- instructionally. part of what we need to do and what i want to say about the parental bill of rights is to try and get more information out

there so we can unpack, and so we can have good-faith faith arguments to make, and hopefully, the situations like what the listener is talking about come to some good-faith resolution and agree to disagree. but in all of it in a way that honors our traditions rather than engaging in fear mongering or threats of violence. host doug in florida. : democratic caller. go ahead. >> good morning and i have several questions. one, you are talking about critical race theory never taught in this country unless it is postgraduate. another thing, i have never met an eight-year-old who knows anything about sexuality. how do you feel about the governor passing the don't say gay bill in the state of florida? which is all about that. guest: sure.

so on the first point, it is interesting. as we have been talking about critical race theory. one, we realize that very few people mean the same thing when we talk about these terms. a lot of what is what going on is -- the listeners right at one level it is taught in postgrad uate school of thought about how do you read historical documents . etc.. in general usage it has come to refer to particular ways of thinking about race and racism. and for instance, the american federation of teachers within six weeks, the president of the aft announced that nowhere in this country is crt taught and then within the next six weeks they had launched a legal defense fund for teachers who teach things related to critical race theory. l race theory. whether it is taught or not it

is a definitional question. it is more important to focus on what is being taught and let us disagree about the post -- about the specific. 90% of americans say that of course school should teach about jim crow, slavery and women's suffrage. of course there are disagreements about how schools ought to talk about notions of systemic racism and about whether or not they are in it -- a manifestation of institutionalized violence. look, that is one thing. on the gender question, what governor desantis passed in florida was legislation that said in grades k through three teachers should not be having classroom discussions about gender or sex. i am with the listener. i generally think, i have a

six-year-old and an eight-year-old. generally speaking i do not think gender and sexual identity are top of mind for most children in grades k through three and there are particular circumstances where children are wrestling with these issues. and there is nothing and what the legislation that would stop a teacher or counselor were talking to a child if it was raised as a particular issue. i think it is entirely appropriate to say that in matters of gender identity and sex, it is not appropriate classroom contests -- context for former class instruction. when you are dealing with public schools serving public children with public tax dollars it is appropriate for the legislature to put that in. host: holly, a republican in georgia. caller: hello. my question is i am confused why school choice -- i am not

confused. it seems like the only faction standing in the way of school choice universally is the teachers' unions. they should be a winning issue. when it is explained to people it seems like they are all for it. who would not want a $6,000 plus voucher for their kid to go to whatever school they choose. that is an easy win. it creates competition and would put pressure on public schools to improve academics. we have already discussed that we are struggling. one third of america cannot practically read. this is a crisis. we need competition. furthermore, homeschool and private schools are having better test results. my question is, and my kids are in a small, private christian school. part of that is i have a fear of school shootings, maybe that is silly but i am afraid of a school shooting and i do not

trust the capability of the counselors to actually be able to see when a child is suffering and they can see that easier in a school spoke russian a small school. how can i be involved grassroots. i'm trying to figure out what i can do to get another bill on the floor that they will pass. last year they did not pass the bill and i do not understand why six republicans did not vote on it. i would love to hear your thoughts on that. thank you. guest: there are a couple of things going on. one, quite practically the georgia -- called the georgia public policy foundation. more generally, there are two things. one that we talked about, about how that part of the house republican agenda is school choice. and one of the things that came to the floor during the pandemic was the power of making sure that families have options.

for instance it was some of the struggling urban schools in places like san francisco in new york city steve that the state close the longest and these serve kids that are academically vulnerable and these schools stayed closed half the year or more after schools across other parts of the country were open. it is not appropriate for what we talked about for washington to have made these schools reopen but there is a case important to these families who choose to have their kids back in a school environment to have those options. it is also the case that families are frustrated with the lack of offering of advanced science and math instruction in small rural schools or in urban high schools. there are questions about whether someone with special

needs is being adequately served. part of the reason that the house majority has put so much of that front and center is that because republicans generally embrace the notion that -- the power of the parents to make this decision far outweighs concerns about challenges of accommodating kids. and also because it will bring the spotlight on this. the other part on this is one reason that there are other searches of concern about this is that lots of parents and communities really like their public school. 70% of parents give the school an a or b including parents and kids of public school and when school choices talked about it has a chance to end zip code education and lots of family say

that is not for us. they want to expand options not to impact public schools. part of the challenge with the house majority would be that making sure the conversation is about expanding options. and not sounding like we are trying to go to war with the liked or loved public school systems. host: in minnesota, my credit collar. caller: thank you for the conversation, i am a retired schoolteacher and i want to know where the heck have you guys been all of this time? why now? for the last time that i have been there you guys have not given a crab. so i mean as a teacher, i worked in the middle school level. and i had parents come up to me and tell me that it was my job to teach their middle school child how to tie their shoes.

how to be respectful. how to go to the bathroom by themselves. that was not my job as a teacher, do you agree with that? i hope not. and then a couple of other places. kansas has banned charlotte's web because the main characters are animals and they talk. that is absurd, wouldn't you think? i am not sure. the other thing is that the only one screaming about crt or as i call it trip -- true history are the gop, not anyone else. i guess that is it and i am so upset about this. i would love to hear what you have to say. thank you. guest: number one, i think we started teaching at the same time. i started back in 1990. so you know as far as i'm concerned i've been training

student teachers and teaching in the last three decades. so i have certainly tried to be engaged in these in a way that seems helpful and sensible. as far as why do these priorities go to the house majority, i would not say these are new. going back decades, some of these priorities were what george w. bush talked about when he first rolled out his educational program in 2001. and some of this was debated during the 1990's. i would not say they are necessarily new. it is that when the party comes to power, whether that is the president or the house majority they sketch out the agenda of what they will focus on. and i would say, like i said. these are getting focused on because of the spotlight of the pandemic. "charlotte's web" i have not

heard that. if that is the case i am skeptical. i would need to see actual documentation. if that was the case i agree with the caller, that is ludicrous. that is exactly as much when people take issue with dr. seuss because they do not like the graphic representation of something on page 11. that stuff is mostly banned from the left, especially dr. seuss. critical race theory, look i think two things got bundled together and when we are talking about how as we americans wrestle with these tough issues. two things are true at once under the banner of critical race theory. one is that there is huge agreement that schools have to wrestle with the entire part of american history, good and bad.

the great accomplishments that we have had, what we have done together and all of the failures. jim crow, trail of tears, the greatest hits and everything else. it is also true at the same time that there are ways to talk about issues that a reasonable person will be healthy or toxic. there are school districts such as madison, wisconsin and massachusetts, they separate their children by race to talk about these issues. for my money, this is nothing more than jim crow brought back to life, it is racial segregation and it is defended as a manifestation of creative race theory. what i reject that characterization. for me it is bringing back to light some of the most reviled behavior in our nation's history. when we talk about critical race theory we do