Education is best provided by the free market, achieving greater quality and efficiency with more diversity of choice. Schools should be managed locally to achieve greater accountability and parental involvement. Recognizing that the education of
children is inextricably linked to moral values, we would return authority to parents to determine the education of their children, without interference from government. Parents should have control of all funds expended for their children’s education.
Source: National platform adopted at Denver L.P. convention
May 30, 2008
Poor kids end up at worst schools in current system
Poor children suffer the most under the current education system. Wealthy parents can afford to send their children to better or safer schools. Poor parents have no choice. Their children generally end up in the schools with the worst problems.
These children end up at a public school, which is obligated to accept every local student, even those who are not interested in learning or who have a reputation for being disruptive or dangerous. The current system traps poor children in poor schools.
Source: The Libertarian Party’s Legislative Program
Nov 7, 2000
Separation of education and State
We advocate the complete separation of education and State. Government schools lead to the indoctrination of children and interfere with the free choice of individuals. Government ownership, operation, regulation, and subsidy
of schools and colleges should be ended. We call for the repeal of the guarantees of tax-funded, government-provided education, which are found in most state constitutions.
Source: National Platform of the Libertarian Party
Jul 2, 2000
End compulsory busing & compulsory education
We condemn compulsory education laws, which spawn prison-like schools with many of the problems associated with prisons, and we call for an immediate repeal of such laws.
Until government involvement in education is ended, we support elimination,
within the governmental school system, of forced busing and corporal punishment. We further support immediate reduction of tax support for schools, and removal of the burden of school taxes from those not responsible for the education of children.
Source: National Platform of the Libertarian Party
Jul 2, 2000
Libertarian Party on School Choice
Support a market in education to provide more choices
The most important step in the crisis in education is to end government control of education. We must move toward a system where parents have good, safe, affordable choices for educating their children. To transfer control of education from
bureaucrats to parents and teachers and encourage alternatives to the public school monopoly, the Libertarian Party would:
Support a true market in education -- one in which parents and students would not be stuck with a bad local school, because they
could choose another.
Implement measures such as tax credits so that parents will have the financial ability to choose among schools.
Provide financial incentives for businesses to help fund schools and for individuals to support students other
than their own children.
Eliminate the U.S. Department of Education, which spends billions on education and educates no one. The growth of this agency and its numerous regulations is a major reason for runaway costs in American schools.
Source: The Libertarian Party’s Legislative Program
Nov 7, 2000
The state should stay out of education
We advocate the complete separation of education and State. We oppose denial of tax-exempt status to schools because of those schools’ private policies. We support the repeal of all taxes on the income or property of private schools, whether for profit
or non-profit. We condemn compulsory education laws. We further support immediate reduction of tax support for schools, and removal of the burden of school taxes from those not responsible for the education of children.
Source: National Platform of the Libertarian Party
Jul 2, 2000
Treat private school funding the same as public schools
As an interim measure to encourage the growth of private schools and variety in education, including home schooling, we support tax credits for tuition and other expenditures related to an individual’s education. We likewise favor tax credits
for child care and oppose nationalization of the child-care industry. We oppose denial of tax-exempt status to schools because of those schools’ private policies on hiring, admissions, and student deportment.
Source: National Platform of the Libertarian Party
Jul 2, 2000
Click here for definitions & background information on Education.
