Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Now I'm not talking about all Republicans. But ever since I got my teaching degree, I noticed that conservatives, in general have a much more hostile attitude toward public ed. than liberals. My Democrat friends have always encouraged me in my career choice, while some conservative friends act like "well...whatever floats your boat man...". One friend even tried to get me to switch careers because public schools were so "anti-God". I got the impression that you can't be a true conservative and agree with universal public education. I really believe that what I'm doing is very beneficial to society.
Now I know public schools have problems, and there needs to be reform, but why are so many conservatives wanting to throw the baby out with the bathwater?
Because public schools for the most part underperform in comparison to private?
Because they teach curriculum that directly contradicts our faith?
Why does that myth persist? It's not about isolating anyone; intellectual ability cuts across all racial and socioeconomic lines.
"It (high intellectual ability) cuts across all socio-economic, ethnic and national groups. In every culture, there are developmentally advanced children who have greater abstract reasoning and develop at a faster rate than their age peers. Even though the percentage of advanced students among the upper classes may be higher, there are amuch greater number of advanced children among the lower classes, because the poor far outnumber the rich. Therefore, when provisions are denied to the advanced on the basis that they are "elitist," it is the poor who suffer the most. The rich have other options. (Silverman, 2007)"
It's about actually getting an education that meets the students' educational needs. At least you're one of the few brave enough to admit that you want to perpetuate the current socioeconomic elite class by trapping those without the financial means to attend a school of their choice in the public schools that are undereducating them, instead of allowing a meritocracy composed of people who have achieved position on the basis of their merit rather than by birth or privilege.
Is your state on this chart? Do you have any idea that what most states claim as 'proficient' achievement for their students is actually far below where they should really be? Are you aware that states set ridiculously low NCLB test 'passing' scores like 50%, or even 33%? NAEP Researchcenter - NAEP and State Equivalent Percent Table
If after DECADES of asking for this, most parents who want that option have still not been able to get their public school system to let them break out of the stranglehold the school has on their kids, it sure as hell isn't going to happen now. The school has a firmly entrenched monopoly; administration and teachers have guaranteed jobs. They're not going to give that up just because parents want a better education for their kids. It's not about the kids anyway - it's about 'reforming' society to make it 'fair' for everyone by educating ALL (except those who attend private school, etc.) to the below average level at which the majority of students are able to achieve (earlier post), and it's about their jobs and the HUGE amounts of money that disappear in the public schools' black hole.
Just to clarify ... you want the government to pay for private school. Is that right?
Now I'm not talking about all Republicans. But ever since I got my teaching degree, I noticed that conservatives, in general have a much more hostile attitude toward public ed. than liberals. My Democrat friends have always encouraged me in my career choice, while some conservative friends act like "well...whatever floats your boat man...". One friend even tried to get me to switch careers because public schools were so "anti-God". I got the impression that you can't be a true conservative and agree with universal public education. I really believe that what I'm doing is very beneficial to society.
Now I know public schools have problems, and there needs to be reform, but why are so many conservatives wanting to throw the baby out with the bathwater?
Well they sure hate using Google, that's for damn sure.
One of the goals of school choice is to prevent that type of segregation from happening by giving EVERY student the opportunity to choose their school on the basis of individual merit, NOT race or income - much like our higher ed system works now. Currently, racial segregation is able to continue because those against school choice are supporting the perpetuation of a socioeconomic elite class regardless of actual merit, to the exclusion of everyone else.
One of the goals of school choice is to prevent that type of segregation from happening by giving EVERY student the opportunity to choose their school on the basis of individual merit, NOT race or income - much like our higher ed system works now. Currently, racial segregation is able to continue because those against school choice are supporting the perpetuation of a socioeconomic elite class regardless of actual merit, to the exclusion of everyone else.
Just to clarify ... you want the government to pay for private school. Is that right?
School CHOICE - public or private. There are people who are satisfied with their public schools, and that's fine for them. But there are others who believe the public schools are undereducating their children, and want a choice so that their children aren't trapped into being undereducated by their public school.
Several of the European countries whose students outperform our country's students publicly fund both public and private schools. That info has already been provided in this thread.
What letting public $ go to private schools does, besides letting those racists and people who want to use the schools system to spread their own theology, is to deplete even faster the $ for the public schools, and to place kids in private schools which are not closely monitored by the state.
But if that's the route you want consider this caveat:
Where public money goes, public accountability always follows.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
