Zeev's Turnips Talk Politics (ZTTP)

[sarai]

Ergo, A couple of questions...

Why do you think private school teachers are second rate?

I think studies would prove private schools provide better education at a cheaper cost. Look at the Catholic Schools in places like Asbury, Neptune, Newark or Jersey City, as an example of cost effective and superior ed alternatives. Their kids do get a better ed and discipline at a fraction of the cost of their public schools. Parents are eager to put their kids in those Cat. schools and are very willing to pay tuition. The ave tuition in the NJ Cat. schools is less than 3k per yr, while those public schools are getting enormous public funding (approx 14k per child per yr!!!) and have very little in the way of academic results to show for it.

Public education is a "class system" in the US. Don't kid yourself, and there's no need for any of us to take the moral high road on that one. If one can afford a more expensive home in a "nice" neighborhood, and pay higher RE taxes, one's child will get at least an adequate education. If one is less fortunate, the public education of their children suffers. That's a fact! Yet gov continues to funnel money into failing district, and those districts continue to fail. Proving that throwing money at a problem is usually not a solution. The system even encourages failure. Because the lower the educational standards, the more money the school recieves....

Lastly, if we were to close or outlaw private schools, that would remove parent's freedom of choice in education, and that is unAmerican. I would fear the day when gov. controlled the ed. was the only choice in America. You are suggesting a frieghtening loss of a most basic freedom. The freedom to choose how to raise and educate our children. Think about it...

If you were poor and living in Jersey City, would you still be an avid supporter of public ed? Or would you be looking for alternatives in education? Public school is not all it's cracked up to be, and it's anything but fair. If you have money, your children will probably recieve a good education, if you don't -- your children will not.