Public Education rant

[HHandbasket]

My heart goes out to every parent who has school-age children these days. My kids are long out of school, grown and gone, but I read/hear so much about how little the schools actually have now for the students to use as learning materials & it's a real sad shame.

If I knew 20 years ago what I know now, my kids would have been home schooled. Of course, I would have liked to home-schooled them back then anyway but had to work outside the house (their dad was absent until they were about 15-17).

Seems to me that if the parents are having to foot the bill for everything from textbooks to pencils and pay fees for the rest, if at all possible, it might be more cost-effective to home school your child. I know that's not possible for most parents, beings that nowadays both mom and dad have to work outside the home just to stay afloat. There are no easy answers. Those of us not in your shoes will send you prayers and good thoughts to make it through the school year, though!

 

[serendipity22]

mom'sfolly :

Again, public school teachers are not unionized in Texas.

Yes, Texas spends way to much on sports, particularly football. My local high school has freshman A and B teams, JV A and B teams and varsity football. Five teams, one high school.

The biggest difference I see between public and private school are parent involvement and student choice. First, in private school, parents have a real, tangible investment in the school, and the success of the students. No one sends their kid to private school and then pays no attention to performance. The parents and students who are involved in private school are there because the believe in the system. Many people who send their kids to public school do not believe in the system, and are not invested. They don't actively participate in their kids' education. Many of them have never set foot in the school. Parents are much more willing to put up with a lack of library, or gym or no band program at a private school. At public school, they expect and get everything.

The second huge factor I see with private vs. public schools is the student body. Private schools have few students who are their because they simply have to be. They don't have to provide for students with disabilities; special programs for autistic, deaf, blind, mentally and physically handicapped students. Public schools must provide for all of these students. They must provide for the kids who don't have books, who don't have food on the table, who are homeless, who don't speak English, and for everyone else. Private schools seldom have to deal with the less than perfect student. The "average" cost per student of $6000 means that a huge portion of the money is spent on special needs, and less is actually left for the "average" student. In private schools, the $4000 tuition is spend only on kids in those classrooms.

A third factor is that private schools are exempt from many of the regulations that bog down public schools. Many of the provisions of NCLB do not apply to private schools. Here in Texas they are exempt from the NCLB testing requirements. So they don't have to spend their school year teaching kids how to pass the standardized tests. There are no ARDs, no 502s, etc. They also have them benefit, often, of smaller classrooms.

My kiddos go to a private school and I agree with most all of this. Kids that go to private schools typically have parents that care about their education... Granted, some things might be lacking (such as gyms and stuff) but the hands on attention more than makes up for it.​

 

[chickened]

I am at a loss on how you can teach anybody anything without effective dicipline. I had a 72 year old woman in a one room private school teach my younger son in 2 years what kids in the 6th grade new when we took him out of the private school at the end of the second grade. I have seen the effects of a private school first hand. Wish I could have afforded to send both there the 1st through 8th grade.

 

[australorpchick]

mom'sfolly :

Again, public school teachers are not unionized in Texas.

True, but I'm from California and they are.

I agree with the spending on special needs. I hear and read in the news how more money is needed for the less fortunate families to have all of these special programs, like encouraging students to finish high school, to not have kids while in high school and feeding students during school breaks. All things that in my opinion, are the responsibility of the parents. Schools are expected to handle more than I think, was ever intended. There's no minimum requirement to be a parent, no testing to make sure you'd make a decent parent. Besides who's to say who's qualified to make those decisions. I think it's quite apparent in this day and age that you cannot force people to be responsible for themselves, let alone their offspring.​

 

[EweSheep]

I send my daughter to private Christian school and I don't regret the decision we made for her. Our public school that she went to on the first semester of kindergarten was pathetic. She came home with gangsta language "Im gonna kill you momma!". That just ended it with me and her public schooling. I yanked her out so fast that the teachers were wondering!

With this private school she attends, they have their own problems. They still need Kleenex, toliet papers, wipes, etc. and any donations to the school is welcome anytime, anyday. However with so much fundraisers, it gets tiring and I often wonder how much more they really need. They wanted more volunteers, one janitor for the whole school from PreK to HS but thankfully its a small school but so outdated in heating and cooling. They put in a new cooling system above the gym, nice for parents and games but anything else, it's a waste. They have eliminated assistant principal position. School nurse, comes and goes.

However her education, her behavior, her attitude and exposed to Christianity (we don't go to church or Sunday school), it benefits her much better than the public schools. I agree parents are more hands on with the kids, a bit involved and a bit more aggressive about life in general in a Christian way. You don't backtalk or talk gangsta language in school. Simply not allowed.

Its a shame to see how public schools are going down the tubes and more parents are forced to send their kids to private schools and the public schools are suffering from lack of funds. And the teachers turnover rates are much higher as well.

 

[chickened]

The public schools can expel students that are disruptive and the parent that can afford it send those kids to private schools also. I am not sure about the public schools legitimacy and economical sense when they educate a child that is mentally disabled to the point that they will never be able to care for them selves. Private schools have to provide for the disabled it is called Americans with Disabilities Act compliance.

Sports teach kids alot more about life than how to play football, among other things it teaches them competitiveness and reward which is contrary to some liberal circles.

What you described is a just argument for getting Uncle Sam out of the education system and leave it to the local governments. The NEA and DOE (spelling abbrevs?). is the worst thing for public education.

mom'sfolly :

Again, public school teachers are not unionized in Texas.

Yes, Texas spends way to much on sports, particularly football. My local high school has freshman A and B teams, JV A and B teams and varsity football. Five teams, one high school.

The biggest difference I see between public and private school are parent involvement and student choice. First, in private school, parents have a real, tangible investment in the school, and the success of the students. No one sends their kid to private school and then pays no attention to performance. The parents and students who are involved in private school are there because the believe in the system. Many people who send their kids to public school do not believe in the system, and are not invested. They don't actively participate in their kids' education. Many of them have never set foot in the school. Parents are much more willing to put up with a lack of library, or gym or no band program at a private school. At public school, they expect and get everything.

The second huge factor I see with private vs. public schools is the student body. Private schools have few students who are their because they simply have to be. They don't have to provide for students with disabilities; special programs for autistic, deaf, blind, mentally and physically handicapped students. Public schools must provide for all of these students. They must provide for the kids who don't have books, who don't have food on the table, who are homeless, who don't speak English, and for everyone else. Private schools seldom have to deal with the less than perfect student. The "average" cost per student of $6000 means that a huge portion of the money is spent on special needs, and less is actually left for the "average" student. In private schools, the $4000 tuition is spend only on kids in those classrooms.

A third factor is that private schools are exempt from many of the regulations that bog down public schools. Many of the provisions of NCLB do not apply to private schools. Here in Texas they are exempt from the NCLB testing requirements. So they don't have to spend their school year teaching kids how to pass the standardized tests. There are no ARDs, no 502s, etc. They also have them benefit, often, of smaller classrooms.​

 

[JulieNKC]

I don't mind buying things for my DD's school. What does bug me is getting the note on wed/thursday and the item needing to be there by friday. I have other things to do, other kids, and I can't just run to the store at the drop of a hat to pick something up that needs to be brought the next day. And some people might not have an extra couple of dollars at the moment to buy something that night. I think that is pretty ridiculous. Last week I got a note on Thursday that DD's class was having a party today, and needed a snack off their list by Friday. I had gone grocery shopping Thursday while she was at school, and was pretty PO'ed about having to take my 6 year old, 2 year old, and 9 month old out in the cold to get a stupid bag of marshmallows I could have got while I was at the store if the school had been decent enough to give more notice. This isn't just occasionally either, this was the 3rd time this month they've done that.

 

[pips&peeps]

This is the salaries of the teachers in my school district. A couple years ago the District was complaining that the teachers were underpaid. Well, I see some part time people with lowere salaries and some teachers aides, but for the most part I see people who work only 180 days a year that are way overpaid.

My daughters special needs teacher's salary is about right on for how many years she has been there and what she has to do compared to regular curriculum based teachers.

http://www.myfreedomfoundation.com/files/pdf/2011teachersalaries-districtse-j.pdf

 

[EweSheep]

Yeah I can understand about dragging the kiddos out when you had to get it at the last minute for the school. It is really inconsiderate of the teacher to do that. Not everyone has money on hand until payday!

 

[chickened]

Wow! I had no idea they made that much especially for 180 days a year. It is no wonder they are needing more money.

pips&peeps :

This is the salaries of the teachers in my school district. A couple years ago the District was complaining that the teachers were underpaid. Well, I see some part time people with lowere salaries and some teachers aides, but for the most part I see people who work only 180 days a year that are way overpaid.

My daughters special needs teacher's salary is about right on for how many years she has been there and what she has to do compared to regular curriculum based teachers.

http://www.myfreedomfoundation.com/files/pdf/2011teachersalaries-districtse-j.pdf​