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OTTUMWA,IOWA -- A debate about pre-school programs in the Iowa Senate quickly became heated on Monday.

Republican Mark Chelgren of Ottumwa said that he does not want to see the state or federal government mandating children's education.

But he also made some controversial comments, comparing the state control of pre-school to Nazi, Soviet, and Chinese dicatorships. Those communist governments indoctrine children at a young age and children are not allowed to question or examine what they are taught.

The comments came after Governor Terry Branstad's plan on funding for pre-school programs.

On Tuesday, Chelgren spoke with KTVO and clarified his comments. He said they were taken out of context and that he fully supports pre-school. But he wants parents to have the final say on what their children are taught.

"I do believe that education is best when it is a collaborative effort between teachers, the local community, and the parents, with the parents having the final say in how their children are educated. I personally don't trust the legislature. I don't want the state or the federal government mandating how our children are educated. Because I believe that is where the indoctrination process begins. The more we can diversify the education opportunities for our children, I think the better opportunity we have of allowing them to have a complete and thorough education."

Chelgren has two children who attended pre-school programs.

"If I didn't believe in pre-school, I wouldn't have had my own children go to pre-school. What I'm saying is that I don't want the state to be the sole controller of the purse strings and/or content of pre-school. I would like that to be something that is left to the parents discretion to work with their local schools."

To read Representative Chelgren's full comparison and argument, and to hear what other representatives had to say, visit http://blogs.desmoinesregister.com/dmr/index.php/2011/02/14/iowa-senator-compares-preschool-to-nazi-indoctrination/