Public Education

[warmfuzzies]

If there were no 'public' (as in funded) schools then there would not be a monopoly.

I dont think the options we have available are really choice, in the truest meaning of the word. You can choose to do it all yourself, (homeschooling) which is not an option at all for thousands of families, or you could do private schooling, which is also not an option for the majority, or you could do it the free way.

Still seems like a monopoly. There should be many schools, using hundreds of different methods, different prices, different teachers, etc. That is freedom.

If the worry is about all of those families without money to pay, you could have some kind of voucher system for the lowest income families. But there are many many methods that would save millions in tax dollars and yet provide overwhelmingly better education then the current one.

It was proven in the past that it worked, and we should never have messed with it. I realize at this point what I am talking about is virtually impossible to aquire, but it is what I think would work the best. I am just thinking about what COULD be, and I think it helps us see just how much is wrong with the 'system' itself, and why the teachers aren't at fault.

 

[PotterWatch]

I agree that the system being the way it is ties the hands of the teachers. They are not at fault for the flaws in the system. My point about a monopoly is just what warmfuzzies said, homeschooling or private schooling is not a viable choice for the majority of people. Due to cost, whether it is the cost of a private school or the cost of their rent/mortgage requiring them to work; most people cannot afford to do anything other than public school. I don't see our system changing in any measurable way in my lifetime. I don't believe it can be fixed, and I can't see enough people voting to scrap it and start over even if we could.

 

[1stepcloser]

LOL at my isolated 7th grader who is now homeschooling. (Ended up taking him out...he learns very differently from how traditional classrooms are set up.)

Monday: Civil Air Patrol
Tuesday: Kendo practice
Wednesday: Karate
Thursday: Tae Kwon Do
Friday: Karate
Saturday: occassional extra martial arts class or tournament
Sunday: Kendo team practice

If the boy was any more "isolated" I would collapse from exhaustion.

 

[boaz]

I think the gist of the original post was that the current public school system is not working. My comments were not intended to infer that home schooled children are not socialized or well rounded. The isolationist ideal I speak of is a practical one, the public school does not work for my family; therefore, I am opting out in one manner or another.

 

[warmfuzzies]

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[English Chick]

We took our son out of the state system here in the UK (didn't with our daughter) it was failing him...... you cannot put a child in a corner each day and tell him to stay there without offering him any help ..... the class sizes where too big for the teacher to cope with, (it happens often) a child who appeared constantly bored and then became disruptive.... hence the corner each day.......... we put him in private school........ for our son it worked, he has not looked back.. his academic calender challenges him..... where the public sector failed.... I am not saying this is the case with every child... there are some wonderul teachers in the public sector... work long hours and are not paid enough to teach our children...then there are some children in the public sector who are not allowed to be challenged..... my son was one of the lucky ones..... we got him out... not every child is as fortunate as ours.....

 

[WriterofWords]

Boy that felt good, I just wrote everything on my mind concerning most of the posts,,, but then I deleted it because I get enough hate mail.

 

[warmfuzzies]

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I hope you didnt think I was bashing you, or any of the other teachers. Like I said, I think you guys have a very thankless and underappreciated job. I think the fault lies in the system itself. And if you disagree, and think the schools are great, that is fine, I knew a lot of people would disagree. I didn't want to offend anyone. I always love your writing and when I see you on the board, I know there will be something smart coming!

 

[joebryant]

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This all begs the question of how can you be a teacher in the public system (Are you licensed? If so, for what?) and find time to homeschool your son.

 

[PotterWatch]

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I hope you didnt think I was bashing you, or any of the other teachers. Like I said, I think you guys have a very thankless and underappreciated job. I think the fault lies in the system itself. And if you disagree, and think the schools are great, that is fine, I knew a lot of people would disagree. I didn't want to offend anyone. I always love your writing and when I see you on the board, I know there will be something smart coming!

Same goes for me. I have absolutely no problem with teachers. I think that they have a very difficult job and that the majority of them do it with lots of enthusiasm and knowledge in the face of many difficulties. My issues are with the school system itself, not teachers. Of course, my opinions about the school system are just that, opinions. I have no problem with people disagreeing with me. If everyone agreed, I wouldn't have a problem with the school system

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