The State of Public Education

[WestSeattle2]

Frequently on this board, discussions occur involving the state of public education. The prevailing opinion seems to be that those pushing for reform are all Republicans, were indoctrinated by Ronald Reagan, are anti-union, are anti-teacher, or have some vested interest in privatization. The facts and evidence suggest otherwise. Public education affects every American; whether we choose that education model for our kids or not. In many urban school districts, dropout rates exceed 30 percent. Unruly behavior and violence are accepted norms; lowering achievement goals is an accepted practice to boost graduation rates to 60 percent. Any reasonable observer can't help but conclude that there is systemic failure in our public school system. Investing more money into any broken system, has never fixed anything. What makes some believe that public schools are any different? How can any reasonable person argue for the status quo, when we're allowing over 30 percent of our youth to fail? Below are a few links to articles and videos that clearly illustrate that the push for public school reform is coming from across the political spectrum. This is not a right or left issue; this is a social issue, and a national disgrace that transcends politics.

http://www.nje3.org/?p=3493

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/education/2002191433_gates27m.html

http://www.cnn.com/2009/OPINION/11/06/navarrette.obama.education/index.html

http://youngvoicesri.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/young-voices-2008-full-report.pdf

http://www.kevinpchavous.com/content/whoiskpc.htm

http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2010/03/reforming-public-education/

Public schools are now in a competitive market; many are slow to recognize that fact. In many areas the number of school age children is rising, while public school enrollment is falling. Parents from across the political spectrum are voting against the current educational system, by pursuing educational alternatives for their kids. It seems that many who are resisting reform are living in the past; refusing to acknowledge the severity of the crisis. It's like they're the high school band teacher conducting the Titanic High School marching band. It really boggles the mind; and as we dither, millions of our youth continue to be robbed of promising futures.

[anthroguy101]

1. Are there any private schools for liberals?

Since the GOP is hellbent on using "Big Government" to bastardize our textbooks and are will stop at nothing to prevent schools from teaching our kids to find solutions to today's problems. They don't want our kids to learn, for they fear that learning the truth will turn our children into liberals (as it damn well should). If the GOP continues to ruin our education system I might seek out alternatives.

[WestSeattle2]

2. The bottom line for our nation is the lost potential. We're

allowing millions of kids to fall by the wayside; that is unforgivable.

[YvonneCa]

20. And most teachers would agree with you...

...on that.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

3. There are many

Try Punahou for one (Obama went there)

[WestSeattle2]

4. Punahou School

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punahou_School

This is what we're talking about; I would love nothing more than for my tax dollars go to support tuition in institutions like this.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

5. Are you serious? Hyper expensive elite school in Honolulu where the public schools are seriously

underfunded? Or did I not grasp the sarcasm

[WestSeattle2]

12. Apologies, I forgot the /s.........the forced "chapel" every six

days is a none starter as well. That kind of thing reminds me of the Salvation Army....."You're homeless and hungry? We'll feed you, but only after you've attended our church service".....

[ProgressiveProfessor]

17. The "chapel" service is almost always non-religeous

Dave Steele and John Heidel were pretty good about that.

I also graduated from there.

[BolivarianHero]

22. I don't deal with the Sally Ann

Their bigotry discourages me from doing any work through them; but their homeless missions in Ottawa contain no religious or heterosexuality requirements (They'd stir up too much shit if they tried it around here. WE're definitely close to Burlington than to the Bible Belt.).

[anthroguy101]

18. Okay, how about in Pennsylvania and Minnesota?

[SheilaT]

6. I moved my two sons from

a very good public school system to an even better private school. The initial impetus was that my older son was being bullied. I felt as if the most important difference between the two was the smaller class sizes. I realized that we need to be willing to fund public schools, oh, say, as well as we fund the military. Public school must take everyone, and so they have to serve an incredibly diverse population. Almost every teacher I've ever known has been truly dedicated to being a good teacher. Too often they're overworked and underappreciated.

I used to make enemies of the other parents at the private school because I did not think I should be exempt from penny one of taxes just because I sent my kids elsewhere. Every single one of us, regardless of whether or not we have kids in public schools, need to understand their importance. And need to be willing to pay for them.

[Fumesucker]

7. I think the failure is more on the part of parents than it is public schools..

Certainly public schools are not perfect but many of the problems can be best addressed by parents. If a child comes to school reasonably disciplined and prepared then the education is mostly there.

Too many parents these days are not sending their children to school with a reasonable amount of discipline and preparation.

FWIW, I am not nor have I ever been a teacher.

[Raspberry]

8. I agree with you

but, if parents can't or won't parent, what do you do with the kids?

[etherealtruth]

10. The failure is on the part of our society, as a whole

that includes teachers, parents .... and everyone else.

[WestSeattle2]

11. Could not agree more. Those standing on the sidelines doing

nothing are allowing the travesty to continue.

[YvonneCa]

21. Most teachers would not be the ones...

...standing on the sidelines. ;)

[proud2BlibKansan]

13. It's parents AND the community

I have been a teacher in urban public schools for 30 years and the BEST most successful schools are supported by the community. When the community cares, the parents care. It's really just that simple.

The trick is getting the community involved. That takes a strong school leader and leadership team. And there is a definite shortage of strong school leaders.

[cornermouse]

9. Baloney.

Public school works fine if the parents get involved. The kids that aren't doing well in public schools won't do well in private schools either because nothing will actually change from their perspective.

Un.Rec.

[Starry Messenger]

14. Hey, enjoy the McSchools

You are all getting your way. We can't stop you. When all the education available is franchises run by for-profit assholes like Mr. Gates and Mr. Broad who y'all think (laugh) are doing all this out of the goodness of their big honest hearts don't come crying to us. :shrug: We told you all what the issues are. You dislike unions for standing in the way of McInnovation©. Swell, you'll probably get your wish. Enjoy.

[Dr Morbius]

15. Public schools are not all fine, or all terrible.

There are thousands and thousands of them in this country, and the quality of the schools varies.

It is true that not enough parents can or will find the time to become engaged in the education of their children, a presumably basic parental responsibility. It is not true that this applies to all parents, nor is it true that a parent who is properly engaged will automatically have a child that is successful in school. Schools where I live are progressive and effective; that's the reason I moved my family to this town in the first place. But schools in Chicago are overwhelmed and ineffective in comparison. The reason is simple: the schools in the city get less money from local sources.

Parents need to get more engaged. I'm for a small tax rebate for parents of kids with good grades, as an encouragement to get parents more engaged (pathetic, isn't it? but I bet it will work). Kids need to stay engaged in the process. But also schools need to get better. I'm for leaving the teaching to the teachers, and getting government (especially at the state level) to stop micromanaging public education.

[madfloridian]

16. Correction. It is no longer just Republicans. Our party is steamrolling privatization.

And if they keep taking resources, money from public schools....and telling them to do more of course there will be problems.

"Public schools are now in a competitive market; many are slow to recognize that fact"

WHY? Why are they in a competitive market? Why is that?

What a condescending post putting down all of us who were educators and know what the hell is going on.

This paragraph is filled with right wing talking points from the Reagan era.

"Any reasonable observer can't help but conclude that there is systemic failure in our public school system. Investing more money into any broken system, has never fixed anything. What makes some believe that public schools are any different? How can any reasonable person argue for the status quo, when we're allowing over 30 percent of our youth to fail? Below are a few links to articles and videos that clearly illustrate that the push for public school reform is coming from across the political spectrum. This is not a right or left issue; this is a social issue, and a national disgrace that transcends politics."

Amazing, really, how easily it is all being accomplished.

Your side is winning, the privatizers. We all know it.

But there will be hell to pay in the future.

[WestSeattle2]

23. Public schools are in a competitive market because that system

is broken. If the system was functioning as intended there would be no interest in changing it. The original post simply stated what tens of millions of parents, your fellow citizens and taxpayers, believe. I realize that that's an unfortunate reality for those with a vested interest in the status quo; however this debate is not about you. This debate is about the future of education for our kids. Anyone who embraces a system that accepts a 30 percent failure rate, is not to be taken seriously.

[YvonneCa]

19. Wow. You got in every Duncan talking point...

...in just one short post. FWIW, I am AGAINST the staus quo, FOR fixing public schools, FOR getting our schools up to par to compete in a global world, and CERTAIN that getting education right will affect the future of every American. I want President Obama to do it right.

Assuming otherwise is unwise.

What I fight FOR is teachers being included in the reform dialogue, the reform decisions, the reform planning and the reform implementation and evaluation. Right now, that is NOT the case. Teachers are being scapegoated and told they are the reason we have schools that fail. THAT is untrue. Obama will not succeed if he doesn't understand that teachers are part of the solution.