Classroom competition

National | Economics 101: Introduce public schools to the free market | Cal Thomas

President Clinton made some good points about America's public schools last week in Chicago. He opposed "social promotion" that passes children no matter how bad their grades. While he said he cares about a child's self-esteem, he added, "There is nothing more damaging to self-esteem than wanting a job and not being able to get one."

In his proposals to improve public schools, however, the president, as usual, prescribed a significant federal role, including the establishment of "voluntary" national education standards. The Department of Education was directed to produce within 90 days new guidelines on effective strategies for fixing low-performing schools and to advise states and cities how to tap into federal resources for aid.

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