What good is the federal Department of Education?

To the editor:

The U.S. Department of Education became a Cabinet level department signed into law by Jimmy Carter in 1979. According to the agency's website, the total estimated 2010 expenditures were $56 billion.

In the 30 years of this department's life, have our students' grades improved or graduation rates soared?

The federal politicians decide which programs are worthy of endowing and which states get pork awards based on the party in power. The states must pay employees to apply for the grants, audit expenditures to conform to guidelines, and then submit a report to the federal government. We pay bloated federal salaries and benefits to administer, audit and disburse funds for the Department of Education. These billions of dollars should go directly to the states.

If Sharron Angle actually said she would eliminate the Department of Education -- as is claimed in Harry Reid's ad -- I think she is right.

Each state has qualified personnel to determine their school's needs. Politicians in big government add departments to promote their pet projects, but no one ever grades their performance and eliminates the poor performing ones.

Joyce Albert

Henderson

Bad choices

To the editor:

Ex-first lady Dawn Gibbons, a Republican, says Democrat Harry Reid is the right choice for the U.S. Senate. Well, so was GOP Gov. Jim Gibbons for her a few years ago.

Probably similar choices.

Vance Cannon

Las Vegas