Self-reliance, Private Sector, and Churches simply better at teaching Kids, they say

From Eric Dondero:

An unbelievably nasty controversy has emerged in Frederick County, Maryland, after two Republican County Commissioners voted in favor of cutting the Head Start budget by 50%. They had the audacity of suggesting private alternatives to raising kids.

From (Maryland Community News) Gazette.net:

Frederick County has been in an uproar this past week over the meaning behind comments made by Commissioners C. Paul Smith (photo) and Kirby Delauter during a meeting in which they voted to pull $2.3 million in county funding from Head Start.

The commissioners argued that the cut would help fill a nearly $12 million budget gap in fiscal 2012, which starts July 1.

In explaining their votes, both men espoused the virtue of marriage and praised their wives for staying home to raise their children.

Commisioner Smith remarked:

"I know everybody isn't able to survive doing that, but clearly as we can strengthen marriage, we can decrease the children that we have to reach. And I think the best approach, ultimately, will be through the private sector, churches, in doing this."

Commissioner Delauter:

"I agree, again, with Commissioner Smith. You know, the marriage thing is very important. I mean, education of your kids starts at home, OK?"

Commissioner Smith again:

"I never relied on anyone else to guarantee the education of my kids. I was, my wife and I are the ultimate decision makers on the education of our kids."

Maryland Left blogs and news sites are in a feeding frenzy over the statements.

Sample of reactions from ProgressiveDelMarVa:

these two Republican officials feel its appropriate to cut the program in order to foist their chosen family structure onto society at-large, and in the process, hurt low-income families and the futures of their children in Frederick County.

Note - Frederick County lies northwest of Baltimore.