…if the examples of British MPs from any party are anything to go by, the overwhelming majority of them send the kids to the latter (bottom option). Lip service, that’s what they’re willing to pay.
If middle class kids go to public schools, the public schools will be adequately funded. If middle class kids go to private schools, the public schools will be starved.In my day, a lot of US govt officials sent their kids to public schools. My dad was in a sub-cabinet level post, and I went to the local school where we lived in the country, about thirty miles from DC. The biggest classes were vocational agriculture, vocational auto-body shop, vocational cosmetology, and vocational dry-cleaning. There was one academic class, mostly kids of government executives. I was able to take four years of Latin, five years of French, and mathematics through beginning calculus. I’m glad I went to a public school. The private school kids I met later on when I went to college seemed to have a very narrow view of life.
So true. But if the private schools are more demanding than the public schools, and the family values a rigorous education, then what is a parent supposed to do? Conceptually, Ted is right, of course, he often is. But should a parent really sacrifice the good of their child solely to “fight the good fight?” Doesn’t EVERY parent have the duty to create the best environment for their child? If all parents were more demanding, and had higher expectations for their children, public schools wouldn’t be in such a state.
I guess you never learned how to have a civil conversation. Your contribution to intellectual interchange seems to consist of insults.Here’s a little more information about school funding:“Funding differences in the United States generate huge disparities in the quality of school buildings, facilities, curri-culum, equipment for instruction, teacher experience and qualifications, class sizes, presence of auxiliary professionals, and other resources. It would surprise most U.S. citizens to learn that disparities such as these are simply not tolerated in other developed countries, where public schools normally receive equal funding in rich and poor communities alike on the basis of the number of students enrolled. Robert Slavin (1999) explains the difference: To my knowledge, the U.S. is the only nation to fund elementary and secondary education based on local wealth. Other developed countries either equalize funding or provide extra funding for individuals or groups felt to need it. In the Netherlands, for example, national funding is provided to all schools based on the number of pupils enrolled, but for every guilder allocated to a middle-class Dutch child, 1.25 guilders are allocated for a lower-class child and 1.9 guilders for a minority child, exactly the opposite of the situation in the U.S., where lower-class and minority children typically receive less than middle-class white children. (p. 520)Poor and minority children always face problems that are not experienced by their peers, and in all advanced nations they tend to have more difficulties with education. But in the United States, those children face additional handicaps because they are often forced to attend poorly funded schools.”http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/may02/vol59/num08/Unequal-School-Funding-in-the-United-States.aspx
I’m puzzled. How can Finland not have homeschools? Unless they’re outlawed for some reason, then I’d wager it exists. We homeschooled our daughter, (who went on to get her Master’s from Hofstra) so I am very sensitive to the arguments for and against. Anyway, I took a moment to look over some homeschooling info that’s I’d saved, and here’s an interesting link on the Finland topic:http://www.hslda.org/hs/international/Finland/20100240.asp
Hey, I rent! And I’m reasonably…. oh, what’s the word?…. coherent? I rent because I like to be able to relocate as needed. I’m sitting in a nice house on a hill overlooking the Sierra Nevadas. Yeah, I know, there’s no equity, but my kids are provided for, they don’t need to be bothered with selling a house if anything happens to me. Anyway, just my thoughts on renting. It ain’t all bad.
I like how you think that teaching people to fish is cold hearted while taking fish from those who have caught them and giving the fish to those who don’t bother trying to catch fish is enlightened and compassionate.
OmqR-IV.0 over 9 years ago
…if the examples of British MPs from any party are anything to go by, the overwhelming majority of them send the kids to the latter (bottom option). Lip service, that’s what they’re willing to pay.
lonecat over 9 years ago
If middle class kids go to public schools, the public schools will be adequately funded. If middle class kids go to private schools, the public schools will be starved.In my day, a lot of US govt officials sent their kids to public schools. My dad was in a sub-cabinet level post, and I went to the local school where we lived in the country, about thirty miles from DC. The biggest classes were vocational agriculture, vocational auto-body shop, vocational cosmetology, and vocational dry-cleaning. There was one academic class, mostly kids of government executives. I was able to take four years of Latin, five years of French, and mathematics through beginning calculus. I’m glad I went to a public school. The private school kids I met later on when I went to college seemed to have a very narrow view of life.
twclix over 9 years ago
So true. But if the private schools are more demanding than the public schools, and the family values a rigorous education, then what is a parent supposed to do? Conceptually, Ted is right, of course, he often is. But should a parent really sacrifice the good of their child solely to “fight the good fight?” Doesn’t EVERY parent have the duty to create the best environment for their child? If all parents were more demanding, and had higher expectations for their children, public schools wouldn’t be in such a state.
lonecat over 9 years ago
I guess you never learned how to have a civil conversation. Your contribution to intellectual interchange seems to consist of insults.Here’s a little more information about school funding:“Funding differences in the United States generate huge disparities in the quality of school buildings, facilities, curri-culum, equipment for instruction, teacher experience and qualifications, class sizes, presence of auxiliary professionals, and other resources. It would surprise most U.S. citizens to learn that disparities such as these are simply not tolerated in other developed countries, where public schools normally receive equal funding in rich and poor communities alike on the basis of the number of students enrolled. Robert Slavin (1999) explains the difference: To my knowledge, the U.S. is the only nation to fund elementary and secondary education based on local wealth. Other developed countries either equalize funding or provide extra funding for individuals or groups felt to need it. In the Netherlands, for example, national funding is provided to all schools based on the number of pupils enrolled, but for every guilder allocated to a middle-class Dutch child, 1.25 guilders are allocated for a lower-class child and 1.9 guilders for a minority child, exactly the opposite of the situation in the U.S., where lower-class and minority children typically receive less than middle-class white children. (p. 520)Poor and minority children always face problems that are not experienced by their peers, and in all advanced nations they tend to have more difficulties with education. But in the United States, those children face additional handicaps because they are often forced to attend poorly funded schools.”http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/may02/vol59/num08/Unequal-School-Funding-in-the-United-States.aspx
Packratjohn Premium Member over 9 years ago
I’m puzzled. How can Finland not have homeschools? Unless they’re outlawed for some reason, then I’d wager it exists. We homeschooled our daughter, (who went on to get her Master’s from Hofstra) so I am very sensitive to the arguments for and against. Anyway, I took a moment to look over some homeschooling info that’s I’d saved, and here’s an interesting link on the Finland topic:http://www.hslda.org/hs/international/Finland/20100240.asp
Packratjohn Premium Member over 9 years ago
Hey, I rent! And I’m reasonably…. oh, what’s the word?…. coherent? I rent because I like to be able to relocate as needed. I’m sitting in a nice house on a hill overlooking the Sierra Nevadas. Yeah, I know, there’s no equity, but my kids are provided for, they don’t need to be bothered with selling a house if anything happens to me. Anyway, just my thoughts on renting. It ain’t all bad.
jaxaction over 9 years ago
public schools(sic) are now holding pens for practice drills, Lock-downs, and standing in lines. This prepares them for life in private prisons.
SKJAM! Premium Member over 9 years ago
Literary note: Cedric (Little Lord Fauntleroy) went to public school in New York City before suddenly finding out he was in line for an English title.
Dan1313131313 over 9 years ago
I like how you think that teaching people to fish is cold hearted while taking fish from those who have caught them and giving the fish to those who don’t bother trying to catch fish is enlightened and compassionate.