public school rant.

[Shane]

this is exactly why it wont happen. If you go to vouchers and allow private schools to keep entrance requirements, it will drain all the good students from public education and it will become the slums of the education world. The government wont allow for that. So, if you allow for vouchers and force private schools to take any student, how will that affect the quality of instruction and learning at the private school? You see, it isn't about the school, its about the population the school serves. Its not the public schools' fault that they are charged with teaching every kid who walks through their doors. If I could kick out 50% of the students at any public school and just keep the ones I want, everyone would say it was the best school anywhere!

The public school system already works that way in a lot of places - in bigger cities with more than one campus for each grade level, serving different neighborhoods. You want a better school? Fine. Buy a more expensive house in a better neighborhood and pay higher property taxes or pay private school tuition. But currently, there are families with good students that want to have a better educational opportunity that are trapped in their public school because they can't afford the alternative. For those families, an honest voucher system would be a God-send. For the families and kids that have no desire to get a good education or contribute to society in any way, it won't make a difference. The current system doesn't make a difference for them either. It can't. It starts at home.

The problem with the current public education system is that everything about it is geared toward taking care of the lowest common denominator at the expense of the students and families that want more and better. Currently, private education is only available to people who have the ability and the willingness to sacrifice financially to go buy it. There are a lot of families who would like to send their kids to a different school, but they can't under the current system.

I don't know of any system we could design that wouldn't have pros and cons to it. There aren't any perfect answers. But I am in favor of people having more freedom to decide where and how their kids are educated. And I'm definitely in favor of people having more say in how their tax dollars are spent.

If we ever did have a clean voucher system, it would either turn out the way you predict or it would force those in power to change the public education system in ways that would make it more attractive. If they dumped all the idiotic liberal stuff and ran their schools the way public schools used to be run 30 years ago and the way most private schools run their schools still, there wouldn't be nearly as many people looking for an alternative. Either way, the families that truly care would benefit.

Also, please understand.... I'm not blaming local educators. I have lots of friends and family who are the best people in the world that are teachers, coaches, and administrators - all doing the best they can for the kids they serve in a flawed system. The mess that is the public education system wasn't created at the local level.

[Dudley]

[ If they dumped all the idiotic liberal stuff and ran their schools the way public schools used to be run 30 years ago and the way most private schools run their schools still, there wouldn't be nearly as many people looking for an alternative. Either way, the families that truly care would benefit.[/QUOTE]

Agreed. But it aint gonna happen. When I was in school 35 years ago, about 25% or so of my class didn't make it to graduation. So instead they went to the military or worked in a gas station or another job that didn't require a high school diploma. Now, the state would cut off funding to my school if 25% of my kids didn't graduate, and the federal government would do the same, and I would lose my job and be replaced by a monitor from TEA. Times have changed, and the schools didn't change them. The schools are just a reflection of the world we live in.

Public school is what you choose to make of it. It is an opportunity. I know great kids that got great educations and became very successful, and I know others who didn't get a good education and didn't turn out successful but attended the same school and the same classes as the other person.

[Captain39]

Here we go with all the white guys who are Indian......

[Shane]

Times have changed, and the schools didn't change them. The schools are just a reflection of the world we live in.

Public school is what you choose to make of it. It is an opportunity. I know great kids that got great educations and became very successful, and I know others who didn't get a good education and didn't turn out successful but attended the same school and the same classes as the other person.

True, but the changes that those in power in the education industry have implemented have contributed to some of the negative change in education and in society in general. No accountability, lower standards, left-wing ideology in the curriculum..... The biggest problems are societal and home life issues, for sure. But "Big Education" has done more harm than good to all of you good people at the local level who just want to educate kids. If they'd untie your hands and let you do your job, as educators used to get to do (my grandparents included), it would sure be nice.

My kids private school is very, very similar to the public school I grew up attending. That school isn't the same anymore though.

[scdavis50]

I have taught my grand kids to challenge the teachers. If something does not seem right speak up.

My daughter came home a few years ago (2nd grade) talking about electric cars and how they were supposed to be good for the environment. Before I could say anything she asks "But what about the factory where they make the electricity for the cars, doesn't that pollute, too?"

I'm no candidate for father of the year, but if you teach them right at home they'll carry it with them. Your kids are too important to outsource their education to a school teacher, no matter how good you think the teacher may be.

[ladrones]

Here we go with all the white guys who are Indian......

It adds entertainment value.

[Shane]

One last comment.... We're definitely not past the point of no return with public education, even though the trend in recent years has been negative. There are still lots of really great schools in a lot of places, thanks to strong teams of local educators, administrators, and parents. Abilene is blessed to have loads of awesome people in those positions. In fact, it makes it hard for our little private school to grow! The public schools are still (mostly) good. I just hope the political winds shift so that the trend in education quality can turn back in the other direction again, either through vouchers and more private control or through less big government control and more local control of public schools.

[lovemylegacy]

Not trying to hijack this thread but common core is being taught in Tx.
My daughter is In Second grade and has yet to have a regular math problem.
Nothing but word problems. Lots of squares and circles and Jonny has this and Linda wants that type stuff. I have tried to help her with that stuff and it confuses us both. I teach her math at 2-3 grades above her 2nd grade level and she does great. My wife visited with her teacher and the teacher said she hates teaching along with the rest of the other teachers but have no choice

Home School baby! Real Math, real writing skills. The rules for schools is coming from Austin which is extremely liberal.

[lovemylegacy]

This is all part of House Bill 5. In a nut shell it did away with the "all kids go to college" mindset and now allows kids to choose the path in which they feel is best for them. It has flaws like everything else, but is a great step forward in education. The largest issue being that most 8th and 9th graders are not mature enough yet to understand the importance of their future and cannot think that far ahead.

Why does the state have to pass a bill to "allow" a student to choose what they want to do with their life. Last time I checked the state has no hand in that matter. The truth being if the education system would just TEACH everything else would take care of it self. Having 3 children that went through the Tx Ed system and saw the way the school administration discriminated against the students was very frustrating. The principal had his child in a "elevated" program that gave her an advantage to get to college, that was not offered to other students. Just sayin.

[jruss]

Jruss,
Are these new teachers? I know we have quite a bit of new blood this year (am assuming our kids go to same school). My oldest graduated last year and youngest is a Sophomore this year. I guess it depends on the teacher but I have been pleased with several they have had over the years that were pretty much just the opposite of what you explained. There is always that one or two that are off the wall and I dont blame you for being ticked. Hopefully over the years your kids will experience both sides of the spectrum which is an education in itself. Is good for you to be there to set the record straight when things like this happen. Overall I have been very pleased with the school and think my kids have gotten a great education. Shoot, oldest got a full academic scholarship coming out of there.

Yessir. It is the same school. We have had no problems at all tell this year. And one teacher in particular. For the rest of y'all i do use it as a teaching moment for my kids. The Indian comment was a great opportunity to teach. The other stuff is crap. The affair and the lover question has no place in a 5 th grade class. And if a grown women cannot answer an intelligent question without calling a 10 yo names. She is in the wrong field.

[HR3]

pray and ask for patience and wisdom.......the folks that are in the business educating our children reside within our homes.........as the public school system is filled with some very unusual people who are driven by a system based on standardized testing and not always focused on the best interest of the student but on the numbers that are produced by the facility.......my boy is more than a rough customer so I have to make quite a few visits to the school and have learned how to speak my mind in a way that won't get me a ride to the pokey but gets my point across.....have several kids there they know me well and they know where I stand....... you can't go wrong by teaching your kids what's right....

[RiverRat1]

4 years ago my wife graduated and wanted to be a teacher. This was right when all schools were doing massive layoffs. Thanks for the prayers back then BTW. She landed a job in the most difficult environment possible. Now she's been teaching 3 1/2 years and it's changed in just that short time also. She said a year or two ago how she can totally understand why good teachers don't make it long in the public school system any more.

I could type all night... but we all get the drift of this thread. Liberals ruined schools, people were mean to Indians and at some point in the future someone else will be mean to us