I’m curious as to whether jwallac2 lives in Texas or has kids in the schools there. My 2 sons, the 4 daughters of a good friend, and the daughters and sons of numerous other friends went through the system and have done quite well for themselves. They aren’t perfect, and how well funded the local school system is makes a big difference, but with some exceptions they are doing fine. A very rea threat to that success is reduced funding because of the voucher system.
Charter Schools have been shown to be a massive scam in every state that has allowed them, but they’re scams the 1% make millions off of so they keep pushing them. Not to mention that they want to end public education since they’re funded by property taxes aka one of the few taxes the 1% actually pay. Plus, a dumb populace is very desirable to dictators.
I might be OK with charters if they had pay and benefits that matched local public schools; the building rent was at the median or lower rate than the local market; that they could not choose who attends; that they met the same educational standards as the public schools; and that the board of directors serve without any compensation.
Schools need to improve. Teachers need to be paid more. So many burn out and can’t afford to stay in teaching. Another thing to do is bring back the old standards. A couple of years of a foreign language needs to be required again, for one. The more you study a different language, the more insight you gain into your own.
One way public school education has an advantage over voucher-optioned ones is that it puts all citizens together for, at least, a little while. It lets us start from a common beginning. Lord knows we will work hard to “silo up” once we get out. That’s the way we did it when we were the America that was “Great”. Leaders bent on authoritarianism will have it much easier in dehumanizing whichever “them” they must choose to demonize, if you’ve never met one of “them”. (Choose race, income level, religion, ethnicity, football team, etc.) The students I’ve met who go to religion-oriented schools remind me of the ones attending the Taliban’s madrasas.
jwallac2 9 months ago
Vouchers are hardly gambling since the public schools are so trashed these days
Curiosity Premium Member 9 months ago
I’m curious as to whether jwallac2 lives in Texas or has kids in the schools there. My 2 sons, the 4 daughters of a good friend, and the daughters and sons of numerous other friends went through the system and have done quite well for themselves. They aren’t perfect, and how well funded the local school system is makes a big difference, but with some exceptions they are doing fine. A very rea threat to that success is reduced funding because of the voucher system.
smartman 9 months ago
Charter Schools have been shown to be a massive scam in every state that has allowed them, but they’re scams the 1% make millions off of so they keep pushing them. Not to mention that they want to end public education since they’re funded by property taxes aka one of the few taxes the 1% actually pay. Plus, a dumb populace is very desirable to dictators.
julie.mason1 Premium Member 9 months ago
I might be OK with charters if they had pay and benefits that matched local public schools; the building rent was at the median or lower rate than the local market; that they could not choose who attends; that they met the same educational standards as the public schools; and that the board of directors serve without any compensation.
GiantShetlandPony 9 months ago
Public money should go to public schools only. Anything else, including homeschooling should be at the expense of the entitled parents.
DEACON FRED 9 months ago
The state of Texas does gamble with children. They want us to forget, but does the city of Uvalde, Texas ring a bell?
AtomicForce91 Premium Member 9 months ago
If the public schools were not garbage, this would not be an issue.
FreyjaRN Premium Member 9 months ago
Schools need to improve. Teachers need to be paid more. So many burn out and can’t afford to stay in teaching. Another thing to do is bring back the old standards. A couple of years of a foreign language needs to be required again, for one. The more you study a different language, the more insight you gain into your own.
NeoconMan 9 months ago
This is great; soon we will have a decent class system in America where the rich will be educated and employable and the poor can go hang.
Mainesailah Premium Member 9 months ago
One way public school education has an advantage over voucher-optioned ones is that it puts all citizens together for, at least, a little while. It lets us start from a common beginning. Lord knows we will work hard to “silo up” once we get out. That’s the way we did it when we were the America that was “Great”. Leaders bent on authoritarianism will have it much easier in dehumanizing whichever “them” they must choose to demonize, if you’ve never met one of “them”. (Choose race, income level, religion, ethnicity, football team, etc.) The students I’ve met who go to religion-oriented schools remind me of the ones attending the Taliban’s madrasas.