Pamela Kruger

November 15, 2006

Corruption in the Education Department?

Put another item on Congress' to-do list.

For quite a while now, there have been allegations of cronyism and corruption in the federal Reading First program. This program was supposed to implement a more effective, scientifically proven method for teaching reading to children, as literacy rates among kids--especially children of color--remain appallingly low.

Instead, an investigation found that the Reading Panel was engaging in all kinds of questionable practices, stacking panels with people who agree with them, awarding contracts to people who have major conflicts of interest, and so on.

The upshot? People who had legitimately worthwhile programs, reading curriculum that helped kids learn to read well, were shut out of the system. Let's hope more of them find their way in--and Congress takes the steps it needs to take to clean up the federal program.