Zeev's Turnips Talk Politics (ZTTP)

[Jar]

>>2) small school that was like a community

This is the key. More local interaction therefore more accountability. The nationalization of education is a huge mistake. I support Bush in general but I am very much against the fed. govt having more control over schools. Bush didn't start this, but he's afraid to challenge it. He's trying to tweak it, but it needs to be scrapped and rebuilt. It's crazy that a govt. school requires $7000 to $10000 per student when a private school can do it for about 1/2 that and do a far better job. But again, money is not the issue - local mgmt and accountability is.

I hope our whole public school system implodes. After that, I think it would take about 2 weeks for local folks to band together, cut out the nonsense, and start real teaching in the existing buildings. Purge the huge sports emphasis, latchkey enabling after-school care, political correctness training, fundraising, silly field trips, class parties, etc. Expel the trouble makers - parents can send them to a behavior correction school on their own nickel.

The implosion would really just convert the public behemoth to a lot of local community schools funded by parents. Of course it's not that simple, but slaying the federal/state dragon and unions, etc. would get us 75% of the way there. Definitely need a safety net for special-needs kids, etc. - but that is not justification to keep the current sad system intact.

The current public system will implode eventually. The sooner the better for the sake of all involved. No way will such a needed transformation happen slowly via politically legislated corrections. The public would not stand for it. But desperate times will come, the system will fall, and true education can once again be established on the ruins.