Staff Reports
On Wednesday, the Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions (HELP) Committee held a hearing titled “Solving the Child Care Crisis: Meeting the Needs of Working Families and Child Care Workers”. However, this hearing has only exposed how Democrats are looking for a government takeover of childcare centers, much like public schools.
Senate Hearing Sounds the Alarm on America’s Childcare Crisis https://t.co/WBlJAzW3ZT
— Diane Lange (@DclareDiane) June 1, 2023
Instead of finding ways to improve the childcare system, Democrats seem to want to impose a “one-size-fits-all” approach on childcare centers, which would be run just like public schools. In her testimony, Carrie Lukas, the president of the Independent Women’s Forum, pointed out how government approved childcare centers and policies can end up harming childcare options, as pointed out during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lukas went on to criticize the one-size-fits-all approach, pointing out the failures of public schools during and after the pandemic. She explained that public schools don’t see parents and students as their customers, as most families are captive consumers. This lack of accountability negatively affects the education of the children. Lukas pointed out how public schools have been plagued with controversies over curriculum content, pronoun and sex ed, and masking policies, and warned that these problems may come to child care centers if the government takes over and sets the rules.
She also pointed out that government-led Head Start Programs provide fewer hours at a higher cost than other daycare programs. Additionally, according to studies mandated by the U.S. Congress, Head Start does not offer any lasting benefits to the participants. The studies also indicate that parents prefer informal daycare settings to formal ones.
Lukas emphasized that the government should look to provide more options for parents rather than expanding federal provisions on childcare centers. The dangers of more government involvement in individuals’ lives are clear, and becoming reliant on government-run childcare centers can easily have disastrous results.
It is essential to keep the government from increasing its reach in what should be family affairs. If the government continues to push for government-funded childcare centers, then America will see poor quality and less variety in childcare centers. It doesn’t mean that day care and child care aren’t necessary for millions of children and families, but it means that parents should have the freedom to choose the best child care options for their children. A one-size-fits-all approach is not what America needs, especially in these challenging times.
