Beware! Leftists in our schools!!!

[SmallTown]

Originally posted by vraiblonde
Stunning. Education is a societal issue, not just a parental one.

Not at that level. When the governments talk about funding for things such as universities, then I stay more aware.
But for me, the elementary through highschool ages should not be a political battle. i simply assume that the powers that be, whichever side they may be on, will do they right thing for the kids.
Kind of like the police force. I assume they are out to do their job the best they can, but yet political issues pop up. Maybe I just have too much faith in people sometimes, and not enough at other times.

 

[vraiblonde]

i simply assume that the powers that be, whichever side they may be on, will do they right thing for the kids.

Well, you're a lot more trusting of the teacher's unions than I am. I'd like to invite you to come to a PTSA meeting with me so you can see the politics that prevail.

And the idea is to get kids out of crummy schools so they can actually get to the University level. You can't possibly be this dense - please admit to me that this is just an act with you.

 

[SmallTown]

Originally posted by vraiblonde
Well, you're a lot more trusting of the teacher's unions than I am. I'd like to invite you to come to a PTSA meeting with me so you can see the politics that prevail.

And the idea is to get kids out of crummy schools so they can actually get to the University level. You can't possibly be this dense - please admit to me that this is just an act with you.

I have always been an advocate of letting parents choose the schools their kids go to. Is that what this is about?

So let me sit back and listen to the speech about school vouchers. How they work, who uses them, who controls sizes, etc.
I have the IV in now, you have 10 mins to fill me in

 

[vraiblonde]

The idea of vouchers is that you get a set amount of money in the form of an education voucher that you can use to send your kid to private school - whether parochial, Montessori, or whatever.

Here is a good link with a bunch of pro/con arguments:
http://www.infidels.org/library/modern/church-state/vouchers.html


Here's how the NEA feels about it:
http://www.nea.org/vouchers/
Needless to say, they don't relish the idea of not being in control of education and relinquishing all that money. I didn't even consider their stance when I was figuring my position on the issue. To me it's like letting slave owners vote on whether to emancipate or not.

The basic Pros are obvious - more control for parents in their children's education; offers low-income kids the same educational opportunities as the rich kids; and gets the government and politics out of the school systems.

The main Cons are the use of taxpayer money to potentially fund parochial schools and taking money out of the public education ssytem. Basically, they're afraid (and rightly so) that if vouchers become the law, people will abandon public schools in droves, forcing them to close.

 

[Larry Gude]

I have an idea...

...why doesn't someone make an argument FOR keeping inner city kids in the holding cells they call school?

Make an argument for why a kid MUST go to a failed school instead of parents being able to choose to spend the education dollars where they want their child to be.

Forget money; DC and New Jersey are at the bottom of the scholastic barrel and the top of the $ spent per pupil scale.

 

[Frank]

In some cities, such as Milwaukee - they have found that it is not only better for the students - but better financially as well. The estimates find that private schools can educate a pupil cheaper than a public school - and so providing a voucher actually leaves MORE money *per pupil* remaining in the state treasury.

 

[Larry Gude]

Frank...

...mind you now, I'm not complaining to much about our schools here but they spend about $6500 per pupil per year. This covers everything (everything except the stuff myriad fund raisers are constantly seeking cash for!).

Private school up here is anywhere from $3,000 to $5,000 per year.

That's another dirty secret of this all, public education vs. private in terms of cost.

 

[SmallTown]

Re: Frank...

Originally posted by Larry Gude
...mind you now, I'm not complaining to much about our schools here but they spend about $6500 per pupil per year. This covers everything (everything except the stuff myriad fund raisers are constantly seeking cash for!).

Private school up here is anywhere from $3,000 to $5,000 per year.

That's another dirty secret of this all, public education vs. private in terms of cost.

I think one of the biggest monetary issues with the current system is that people in private schools are actually paying twice, once with taxes, second with tuition.

 

[Steve]

Yes, we pay twice: once for tuition, and again in taxes that go to Public Schools. But I suppose my taxes also pay for the roads, bridges, etc. whether I ever drive on them or not. As people have pointed out, the thing we should be questioning is how can private schools afford to educate better while needing less funds to do it.