Simply put, they have the right to control all of our public schools.  The USDE is at the top of the education ladder.  The only options are to either home school your child, or put them in a private school; if you want to avoid the gov't assignments.  While I do not agree that it is right for Duncan to control all of our childrens assignments, I do believe that the school boards need an intervention.  As a parent, I know everyone at our school board and choose to deal with the state dept. of ed, over our local one.  I have had to bring laws to the attention of both the local and our state dept. of ed. before, and this is why I believe that having the US dept. of ed to step in is necessary.