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Sounds good to me! Families still pay their local school tax and while the kids are in K-12, the family chooses to use the per student school funding to send their kids to a school that will actually educate them academically.
Communities would benefit from having better educated citizens. If public schools continue to drop the ball, as it is blatantly clear they do now, let the families pursue a better education elsewhere! ...Or are you good with the continued OPPRESSION of those children whose families can't pay TWICE (school tax plus tuition) to educate them?
I dont understand what your first para means. You ("the family") would be still paying school taxes -- you're not "getting your school tax money back". $500 goes automatically to the other school, not to you.
You're absolutely right that "communities would benefit from having better educated citizens." Too bad so many citizens want to pass that particular buck.
I dont understand what your first para means. You ("the family") would be still paying school taxes -- you're not "getting your school tax money back". $500 goes automatically to the other school, not to you.
Pay the school tax, but be free to choose a school that will best educate your kids academically. If the local public school does that, no need to look elsewhere. In other words, the school funding follows the student to the school they attend.
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You're absolutely right that "communities would benefit from having better educated citizens." Too bad so many citizens want to pass that particular buck.
They don't want to pass the buck. Their communities' children are trapped against their will in public schools that place academics at a low priority. For a historical perspective to help you understand why that has happened, read the following: ed school crisis
Pay the school tax, but be free to choose a school that will best educate your kids academically. If the local public school does that, no need to look elsewhere. In other words, the school funding follows the student.
They don't want to pass the buck. Their communities' children are trapped against their will in public schools that place academics at a low priority. For a historical perspective to help you understand why that has happened, read the following: ed school crisis
These Pell Grants for Kids would be for poor(er) families, whose kids are more likely to actually be "victims trapped against their will" than middle class kids whose families can at least move if they're that motivated. So those grants would go to the appropriate kids.
"Government schools" in standard middle class neighborhoods dont at all place academics at a low priority. They may be mediocre overall but they do offer standardized gifted programs and advanced placement tracks, for example, and they tend to have guidance counselors, teachers and principals who are starved for kids and families that actually want a decent education -- they'll bend over backwards for you -- it benefits their record to send more kids to college, the better the college the easier they breathe. Plus, there are tutors, community college classes and so on that will help a child receive scholarship(s) to academically excellent schools. Second, isnt it the family's job, not the school's, to be sure their children have a decent educational foundation?
Plus, you know, if a child is doing that well academically, the school board, principal, etc. of the desired school would make an exception, without having to take a slot away from a kid in true financial straits.
Life is what you make it, no matter where you go. With a little bit of thought you surely realize that a kid can be put in the best-endowed school in the country and still do poorly, get involved with the wrong kids, etc.
That victim routine... "trapped against their will in public schools..." -- when it suits you all you dont hesitate to apply it to yourselves. (Im presuming you're not talking about how to help destitute kids in E St. Louis.)
These Pell Grants for Kids would be for poor(er) families, whose kids are more likely to actually be "victims trapped against their will" than middle class kids whose families can at least move if they're that motivated.
Unlike you, I believe that ALL families should be free to choose a better education for their children.
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"Government schools" in standard middle class neighborhoods dont at all place academics at a low priority. They may be mediocre overall but they do offer standardized gifted programs and advanced placement tracks, for example, and they tend to have guidance counselors, teachers and principals who are starved for kids and families that actually want a decent education -- they'll bend over backwards for you -- it benefits their record to send more kids to college, the better the college the easier they breathe. Plus, there are tutors, community college classes and so on that will help a child receive scholarship(s) to academically excellent schools.
Second, isnt it the family's job, not the school's, to be sure their children have a decent educational foundation?
Yes, it is. Even more of a reason to help ALL families to liberate their children from the public schools that aren't adequately educating them!
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Plus, you know, if a child is doing that well academically, the school board, principal, etc. of the desired school would make an exception, without having to take a slot away from a kid in true financial straits.
Life is what you make it, no matter where you go. With a little bit of thought you surely realize that a kid can be put in the best-endowed school in the country and still do poorly, get involved with the wrong kids, etc.
Yes, but unfortunately, the reverse is NOT true. Many kids don't have a chance to go to a school that will actually educate them because far too many of them are trapped in low-quality public schools. And you're missing the point... the best schools are not necessarily the 'best-endowed.' Why would you think they are?
More info for you on how and why our country's public schools have declined in educational quality:
"A college professor looks at the forgotten victims of our mediocre educational system--the potentially high achievers whose SAT scores have fallen, and who read less, understand less of what they read, and know less than the top students of a generation ago."
The Other Crisis in American Education - 91.11 (http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/educatio/singalf.htm - broken link)
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That victim routine... "trapped against their will in public schools..." -- when it suits you all you dont hesitate to apply it to yourselves.
How else would you describe it? Are they free to use their per-student funding to go to the school that will best educate them? If not, then yes, they're trapped.
Location: The Chatterdome in La La Land, CaliFUNia
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Originally Posted by GregW
Very few kids fail the Londonderry School system. Of course we pay very high property taxes to pay for it. Even us folks with out any children. This may not be fair to us but I still think it is a good use of my taxes.
I think that education is a service that is not properly supplied by a market based system because education is fundamental to an aware and free Republic and is therefore not an option. Without the ability to refuse to participate the price becomes unregulated by market forces and education is returned to the privileged as in most undeveloped countries. This is a primary reason these countries are economically unsuccessful.
I'm glad to hear that the Londonberry School system has a low failure rate but not all schools in the US can boast this type of success. What about the inner city kids trapped in poorly performing schools? What other options do they have if their parents cannot afford a higher quality private school?
Location: The Chatterdome in La La Land, CaliFUNia
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Originally Posted by katzenfreund
I am not sure, it depends. If it is used as an excuse to keep funding from public schools to improve them, no. It's all a slippery slope....
So what do you suggest parents to do while their kids are stuck in a poorly performing public school and do not have the funds to send their kids to private? It takes time to effect reforms in the schools (and so many reforms such as "no child left behind" were not very successful). Parents need solutions NOW and cannot wait around for "reforms" as their child's educational future is at stake.
Location: The Chatterdome in La La Land, CaliFUNia
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Originally Posted by Magnulus
I'm against this Pell grant thing. Chances are the money will go to the people most likely to succede anyways. As already mentioned, it is mostly a stealth attempt to get funding for parochial schools and score points for the Bush base.
It is true that we are churning out more poorly educated people in this country, but I believe the causes aren't directly related to public schools. We do need to reform public schools, and get a more even distributiono funding for schools, but ultimately alot of kids in the US come from homes where education isn't all that important. Their parents are either AWOL, at work or in jail, too busy to be an effective role-model for their kids. These kids role models are hip hop stars and sports stars- when was the last time you heard a rapper say "stay in school"?
The issues I faced while in public schools was teacher strikes, an art teacher that singled me out in class, and a watered down curriculum which caused me not to perform at my potential. How was my experience not directly related to the public school system?
Location: The Chatterdome in La La Land, CaliFUNia
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Originally Posted by delusianne
Yep, right wingers love the government handouts when it benefits them. Thought you all wanted to dismantle the unconstitutional Dept of Education
Why not just cough up the dough and send your kids to private school using your own money, instead of being welfare leeches?
"giving parents choice", lol. What a slimy euphemism.
I don't have kids so school choice does not matter to me personally. My concern is for the low income students who are not receiving an adequate education in our inner cities schools. I have no issues with using tax dollars to provide parents the options of sending their child to a better performing private school. Seems that many liberals who claim to be so concerned about our children education are surprisingly mum about providing low income parents a way out of failing schools.
Location: The Chatterdome in La La Land, CaliFUNia
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Originally Posted by Katiana
Every issue seems to have its buzzwords. "Throwing money at education" is one of these buzzphrases used to justify not spending more money on education. I agree that failing schools is a multi-factorial problem, but more money would help, IMO.
We've tried this approached for years with very dismal results. The money somehow never finds its way into the classroom but rather in the pockets of the useless educrats that mismanage our public schools.
Location: The Chatterdome in La La Land, CaliFUNia
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Originally Posted by Ceece
I wouldn't have kids until I owned a home in a decent school district so this wasn't a problem for me. See, I planned for parenthood. THAT is the answer to these problems, not giving money to people who didn't plan.
And what about the parents who "planned" before having their children only to lose everything due to health issues or loss of a job? Yes, people should wait to have kids when they are financially stable to properly provide for them but nothing in life is a given and parents who find themselves facing hard times should at least be allowed to send their kids to a better school if the public school is failing their kids.
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