Get Schooled

By V for Vendetta

March 7, 2008 10:11 AM | Link to this

Emphatic NO! The problem with some of these school boards is that they are comprised primarily of people who know squat about education. I think we need a solid balance. We need people at EVERY level who understand education working hand in hand with people that understand the basic business model and how to get results. Only then will we ever have a system that works.

I don’t understand why this is so hard to figure out. In most of the major counties, the officials “elected” to the board have no prior education experience other than they were students once long ago. In fact, in most cases, none of them were EVER involved in the field of education AT ALL. Aside from being parents of students, of course.

This has got to stop. On the flip slide, we need a few of those results-driven individuals arround to hold the educators accountable. It’s a two way street (as we have often observed on this blog), and we need input from both sides. Some parents would love it if we could blame all of our problems on the teachers, and, as we all know, the reverse is also true. But that is not the answer.

Until the state, the counties (and their respective BOEs), and the schools themselves are run by a panel comprised both of former educators (not admins, sucks to the admins!) and members of the private sector, only then will we see any sort of meaningful improvement.

Checks and balances, people!

By jim d

March 7, 2008 10:37 AM | Link to this

LOL V,

And we know that will never happen!

By Lee

March 7, 2008 11:17 AM | Link to this

Gee V, you’re coming down pretty hard on the Admins, eh.

However, in my county, I would venture to say that EVERY administrator is a former teacher. Most of the problems at the local level is that they are trying to comply with the directives and mandates from the State and Federal DOEs.

Probably, the most important job of a local BOE is the hiring of the Superintendent.

I don’t know if ya’ll have realized it, but public education as we know it is in it’s death throes. This bill, NCLB, and others to follow, are simply vain attempts to stop the hemorhaging. I think privatization of a significant portion of the public school function is inevitable. It’s just a matter of time.

By V for Vendetta

March 7, 2008 11:18 AM | Link to this

No. Sadly, it never will.

By VOICE

March 7, 2008 11:22 AM | Link to this

I think we should allow it. V, you make a strong argument on several issues, but you fail to address results. If we can get better results than we already have, let it happen. Maybe try it in pilot/test situations first. Regardless, what we are doing at present simply is not working, even with people who know about education sitting on the boards. And, everyone can agree with that.

By The Bell Tolls

March 7, 2008 11:55 AM | Link to this

At this stage of the game privatization might not be a bad idea. What we are doing is not working. Maybe the same cure for Grady is what we need in our education system.

Public schools have become baby-sitting services for slack parents, you can’t enforce dress codes , you can’t punish bad behavior, you can’t separate children by their learning abilities, etc., because you might offend someone.

Privatizing will allow schools to adopt dress codes, codes of conduct, measurable means of holding students, teachers and parents accountable for results.

The government’s ability to run the public school has been a miserable failure over the past couple of decades. You have teachers in the classrooms that should have been fired years ago. Many are tired, worn out and some are just plain incompetent, we had one English teacher in my kid’s high school that couldn’t even properly pronounce English words….not acceptable, but she’s still there.

Schools have become not unlike many public sector situations, it’s a job for life and no accountability. This has to change!

CC is a prime example of a school system that needs a major overhaul and they are certainly not the only county in metro Atlanta and elsewhere in this state that need help!!

BOE’s need to have more than just educators and administrators on them. They need to be comprised of people from the private sector to bring a real world, not just an academia perspective to education.

We are graduating too many functionally illiterate people from our schools in this country! What kind of future does AMerica have if we keep lowering the bar on education?

By VOICE

March 7, 2008 12:04 PM | Link to this

To The Bell Tolls, AMEN.

By mmm

March 7, 2008 12:11 PM | Link to this

We wouldn’t be talking about a legal contract requiring accountability if large portions of the population didn’t feel that the present structure of “we dictate” you “go through the motions” and then say “oh well, we did what you told us to” was producing acceptable results. This actually distributes decision making down because it says you can do it whatever way you say, but if it doesn’t work, we retain the ultimate ability to fire you.

Is this not the basic business assumption that we each benefit from every time we go to the grocery store and choose to buy or not buy a given brand?

It is ultimately taxpayer money, and this legislation would not have passed if the voters, who are also taxpayers, weren’t frustrated with the present results of our present monopoly.

By V for Vendetta

March 7, 2008 12:14 PM | Link to this

Lee,

Most of our admins are former teachers, but they’ve been out of the classroom so long and been drinking so much of the Kool-Aid they’ve lost all touch with reality and are effectively worthless. The sad thing is, I’m not spouting hyperbole — it’s the truth!

I’m sure you’re right, there are some good admins out there. I just get a little wary when I hear about admins making decisions. I’d prefer it to be experienced classroom teachers on the front lines.

By mmm

March 7, 2008 12:21 PM | Link to this

I think we need to extend the boundaries in our mind of what public education is. Charter school ARE public schools—-with accountability for academic outcomes and site level governance and financial management.

Please help me to understand where “privately run” became equated with evil. Believe me, no one is going to make a killing financially if they are reimburesed to the tune of what we tax ourselves with for education.

If you all are going to complain about lack of backbone or accountability of administrators—then why would you not want folks that aren’t producing results replaced?

By Dan

March 7, 2008 12:29 PM | Link to this

Can anyone run a public school of course not. That is quite evident by the state of public schools.
Of course private management would be more sucessful and probably cheaper. It is a rare thing when a goverment run enterprise outperforms a private one.

By Charter Administrator

March 7, 2008 12:32 PM | Link to this

I disagree with Lee that the most important job of the BOE is hiring the superintendent. That is actually the SECOND most important job. The most important job is for them to maintain ongoing oversight of the superintendent’s implementation of the district’s strategic plan and to hold him/her accountable for ensuring that principals spend enough time in classrooms and writing evaluation summaries in order to address the problem teachers.

By JustMe

March 7, 2008 1:05 PM | Link to this

NOOOOOO! A private company running public schools? Would this make sense to any rational person??? Think about it! A private company must show a profit. By definition, they will be looking to cut costs to increase profits (thus pocketing our tax dollars that were intended to go to education). Does this make any sense for running a school?

IMHO, administrators should be given full latitude in how they spend money and run their school. Then, they should be held 100% accountable for the success of their school.

I also believe this for teachers. Give teachers the tools to succeed, give them full latitide to make decisions in their classroom. Then, they should be held 100% accountable for the improvement of those students. Note that I did not say “success” of those students because the teacher in the classroom has NO control over what students do outside of their classroom (study at home, doing homework, etc.), so teachers cannot be held 100% accountable for student success.

By FarLeftIdiots

March 7, 2008 1:25 PM | Link to this

Absolutely. Privatize them all. Remove political correctness and and instill strict discipline and dress codes and you’ll see a huge improvement, expecially in the inner cities. Of course, since most people aren’t concerned about the black students (who suffer most under the current system) this won’t happen.

By mmm

March 7, 2008 1:26 PM | Link to this

There is such a thing as a “non-profit” corporation.

Do you consider start-up charter’s to be privately run?

By jim d

March 7, 2008 1:33 PM | Link to this

JM,

what am i missing here? did you just say that administrators should be held accountable for success but that teachers shouldn’t?

By The Bell Tolls

March 7, 2008 1:35 PM | Link to this

JustMe - not all private companies have to show a profit. The schools could be organized under non-profit status.

What you are describing is the way it should be now, but it is not working that way. As a public school receiving tax dollars, the government has too much say in how it operates. Thus like many public sector entities, it is broken.

The problems we face with public education is another prime example of why we don’t want the government managing our healthcare….just ask our neighbors in Canada how well that works…

We have got to get the government out of our classrooms and the only way to do that is to privatize as non-profits and select boards made up of educators, administrators and representatives from the private sector.

We need to teach our children the basics and how to function in the real world. They’re not getting that now unless they’re in private schools or you are among the lucky in a good public school system which are few and far between.

By The Bell Tolls

March 7, 2008 1:36 PM | Link to this

JustMe - not all private companies have to show a profit. The schools could be organized under non-profit status.

What you are describing is the way it should be now, but it is not working that way. As a public school receiving tax dollars, the government has too much say in how it operates. Thus like many public sector entities, it is broken.

The problems we face with public education is another prime example of why we don’t want the government managing our healthcare….just ask our neighbors in Canada how well that works…

We have got to get the government out of our classrooms and the only way to do that is to privatize as non-profits and select boards made up of educators, administrators and representatives from the private sector.

We need to teach our children the basics and how to function in the real world. They’re not getting that now unless they’re in private schools or you are among the lucky in a good public school system which are few and far between.

By flipper

March 7, 2008 1:44 PM | Link to this

Justme - you forget that a business also can’t make money if it has no customers. If schools were more privatized or even if parents were given more choices among public schools (school choice/charters/vouchers) then parents would pick the schools that are doing the best job. If a school wasn’t providing the type of education that they want for their kids then no one would go to that school.

I have served as a parent rep on many administrative committees. You would really be surprised to hear the amount of contempt that administrators have for parents - particularly involved parents who want an excellent education for their kids. There is no realization that the parents are actually the clients of the school because the parents have to send their kids to that school (unless they move) and they have to pay for the school with their taxes.

More choice and more privatization would mean that schools would be forced to wake up serve their clients - just like businesses in the real world do.

By The Bell Tolls

March 7, 2008 1:52 PM | Link to this

Well said flipper and excellent point about customer service…

By HB

March 7, 2008 1:54 PM | Link to this

Right you are, mmm. I’ve heard of public charter schools (sometimes new, but other times established schools converting to charter) that are part of private non-profit museums or science centers. So the school in that case is chartered by a pre-existing private entity, as opposed to a non-profit formed for the purpose of starting a charter school. Either way, profit is not a goal.

By jim d

March 7, 2008 2:06 PM | Link to this

NOW ya went and done it Flipper,

Look for JM’s rant to be forthcomming. :-)

By Teacher, Too

March 7, 2008 2:09 PM | Link to this

I have no problem with the privatization of schools if, and only if, the schools can really enforce a dress code, discipline the students in a meaningful way, and allow teachers to actually teach without all the restrictions that have been placed upon us. (Let’s not even go there or I’ll post a long rant based on my frustration!)

If that can be done, I’ll be first in line to apply.

The other consideration is what happens to all those kids who get booted out because of behavior? Send them to a military style boot camp school (we used to call them reform schools). There are quite a few where I teach that need to spend some time there. And there about 50%of my school who need to learn some manners and respect (and so do their parents).

It’s been a day, today. Thank goodness 4:30 is quickly approaching. I’ll be ready for a nice glass of vino and a good dinner to make up for the stress of my day today.

Happy Friday, y’all!

By jim d

March 7, 2008 2:10 PM | Link to this

Laura,

In response to your question NO, however that does not mean anyone can’t run a school. But To run a public school one must first kiss to many educrats As Ses.

By jim d

March 7, 2008 2:14 PM | Link to this

HB,

From what i’ve read “conversion charters” are a joke, they happen to allow school boards to circumvent some state and federal policies.

By BlueMoon

March 7, 2008 2:14 PM | Link to this

Um, why does everyone think that privatizing (private) schools is a new idea that won’t work?

Private schools in GA far exceed the academic standards of most public schools with far less disciplinary issues.

While this isn’t a true apples to apples argument, the basic premise is there. I was just surprised to see so many on here that believe privatizing schools is heresy.

Thinking the government can run anything efficiently and without corruption is a fool’s thought. Now really, when is the last time you saw the federal or state government run anything efficiently and within budget? Less government is a good thing.

By jim d

March 7, 2008 2:23 PM | Link to this

Blue,

most decenters in regard to privatization of education are educators that have been at the trough too long.

By flipper

March 7, 2008 2:43 PM | Link to this

Jim D - sorry, but this one is so bad I can’t let it slip… don’t you mean dissenters .. not decenters?

By Old Physics Teacher

March 7, 2008 2:47 PM | Link to this

Blue, “While this isn’t a true apples to apples argument…” Boy you spoke a mouthfull there. It isn’t even a decent oranges to apples comparison of public schools to private schools. There are very few things similar when comparing public/private schools.

I do tend to agree with you about the government running things; however, they “did” a good job with Social Security until the politicians stuck their hands in the trough. And they do a pretty good job with the police, water department, fire department, etc. You need to be careful when you swing such a wide brush.

By The Bell Tolls

March 7, 2008 2:50 PM | Link to this

jim d - you hit the nail on the head

teacher too - teachers need to be unemcumbered and given the ability to teach again. Too many of our really good teachers are stuck with students and parents who really don’t care and just look for someone to babysit or to blame for their kid’s failures. Heaven forbid they accept any responsibility!

As for the discipline problem children - absolutely boot camps, alternative schools, reform schools, whatever you want to call them. These students should out, if after 3 strikes, they and their parents can’t get with the program. It is not fair for all to suffer because of some.

The discipline problem in public schools is at the top of the list of issues preventing students who want an education from getting one. Too many distractions and disruption and way too much teacher time spent dealing with the scum bags and their parents who parents cry fowl.

As a parent with a child in private school (was in public, but by middle school had seen enough), I can tell you teachers and parents will not tolerate disruptive behavior. I have made it real clear and I’m sure the other parents have too, that they are there for one reason and that is to get an education, period.

I truly believe whether it’s privatized via non-profit or charter approach, giving parents a choice about where their children go to school will send a wake up call to schools who are just coasting along. It will also give parents who care about education a chance to get their children out of schools that are failing them.

By mmm

March 7, 2008 2:55 PM | Link to this

Most Conversion charters are a joke—-or they are just better schools anyway that are savy enough to apply the name and the limited flexibility to do things that would have just been done 50 years ago simply because they were good ideas. No one felt a need to ask permission further up the line for minor stuff. One of the big questions begged by this legislation is? How is this contract different from a “charter system”?

By Bus Driver

March 7, 2008 2:57 PM | Link to this

I think the should privatize public schools. It would definitely make them accountable of where your tax dollars are going. What we have is a lot of finger pointing going on saying…the administrators are responsible, no the teachers are, no the parents are. When in light of it all they are all responsible including the one not mentioned…the student.

Vouchers/school choice and all that other stuff is just a way of parents to run. When the school fails, snatch there kids out and send them elsewhere, but why not stick around assist the school in getting better. Oh, I’m sorry…your too busy in your lives to worry about the actual health of your childs school. You just drop them off and go about your business never once inquiring about what’s actually going on. Then the school fails and you quickly move your kids, until the school you move them to fails…and then what?

By JustMe

March 7, 2008 2:57 PM | Link to this

Another problem here with the ‘making public schools private’, and some of you hit on it already….

The ‘private’ schools would compete for customers, right? Pretend that you are in charge of one of these and want to attract more ‘customers.’ Would you really “require uniforms” that your customers hate? Do you think that you would keep your current customers or gain more customers? Remember, your customers include the students!

In a nut shell, if this was done, some private schools would increase their customer base by doing things such as: giving all A’s (what parent won’t be oh-so-proud!), allowing distractions to learning (such as ipods, cell phones, etc.) in the classroom, and so on. Sure, their customers would LOVE it, but would this really translate into better education? I think not.

Blue Moon Your so-called stat that currently private schools out-perform public schools is EXTREMELY misleading (and we have discussed this already in previous blogs). Private schools can select their students - public schools cannot. Private school parents are on average more involved that public school parents (they are paying the big bucks after all). And, there are many other reason to explain your stat. It CANNOT be said that public schools - on their own accord - are better than public schools.

In fact, private schools allow for teachers that are not certified. I personally know some that teach in private schools because they could not pass the tests to become certified to teach in public schools. That makes them “better”?????

Finally, regarding charter schools….. remember, charter schools are not private schools. They are part of a public school system. At least, that is how I understand them to work. I have never heard of a ‘private’ charter school and if anyone can name one in GA, I would love to hear about it.

By Sam

March 7, 2008 2:59 PM | Link to this

Consider the following excerpt from Jim Collins’ short book, Good to Great and the Social Sectors. In the excerpt I have replaced “social sectors” with “public schools” for emphasis, since public schools are the particular social sector area being discussed.

“We must reject the idea — well-intentioned, but dead wrong — that the primary path to greatness in the public schools is to become ‘more like a business.’ Most businesses — like most of anything else in life — fall somewhere between mediocre and good. Few are great. When you compare great companies with good ones, many widely practiced business norms turn out to correlate with mediocrity, not greatness. So, then, why would we want to import the practices of mediocrity into the public schools?”

Now let me ask you, what widely practiced mediocre business norms have been imported into public schools? Since when?

By Bus Driver

March 7, 2008 3:00 PM | Link to this

Bottom line…this bill is saying to the public, this is your last chance to do it right. If you can’t someone else will.

By catlady

March 7, 2008 3:16 PM | Link to this

Number 1: Vendetta was talking about school boards, not administrators. Not that it does not hold true for them as well.

Number 2: Lee, I don’t think NCLB is an attempt to STOP the hemmoraging. I think it adds to it.

Finally, I would LOVe for a business-type person to come in and run the school. What they would find very quickly is that in business you control the input and the process. In education all you control is the process. A business would never survive if it could not “send back” inferior inputproducts. Schools cannot send them back, and in addition we have to try to “be all things” to them. (Witness the BMI monitoring that the legislature wants to add to our list of expectations). Bring on the business model! Bring on a private group! They just have to adhere to the same rules the current school must follow (take all students, no punishments, etc) I would pay good money to see it, and I would cheerfully retire to watch carefully from the sidelines!

By HB

March 7, 2008 3:25 PM | Link to this

Jim d, I’m sure some conversions to charter are a joke and some aren’t, but the ones I’m referring to at museums would probably be good to look into in thinking about this bill which allows for converting failing schools to charter schools. The converted charters I referred to are less likely to be “joke” charters because the museums are working with the schools to convert to charter with a particular mission in mind that includes using the museums facilities, staff, and resources in developing the curriculum. There is a clear goal, not just an effort to dodge regulations, so these would not likely be the sort of situations that you mentioned where a school converts to circumvent the system without really changing the school itself all that much.

By flipper

March 7, 2008 3:37 PM | Link to this

Justme, well, maybe there would be families that would be happy with the schools you describe - the ones that give all A’s and allow i-pods in class. If there are families that like that, then great - they can send their kids there and they will be out of my kids’ way.

I would not select such a school. In fact a little less than a year ago, I actually emailed my child’s teacher to thank her for finally giving my child the F (followed by two C-’s) she deserved. She had been coasting along for two years with “feel good” teachers who gave her As for breathing just because she was labled “gifted.” The F resulted in tears - but boy did her work improve. She is now an A student and actually earns the As.

Parents who want their kids to actually earn their grades would find schools that suit them. Parents who want their kids to get As automatically would find schools that suit them.. Everyone would be happy - for a couple of years.

Then… the poop would hit the fan. The kid in the free As/i-pod school makes an 800 on the SAT and my kid makes a 1400. The competitive colleges catch on after a couple of years and quit admitting kids from the free As/i-pod school. Then eventually, some parents start to wake up and decide that maybe free As and happiness at all cost is not the way to raise their kids, and they start sending them to the real school with mine so they can get a real education. Then my kid’s school takes off and becomes hugely profitable and the A/i-pod school goes out of business.

Yes, it would require the sacrifice of a few kids with idiot parents before the system really kicked in, but at some point we have to do something for the greater good.

By Lee

March 7, 2008 3:44 PM | Link to this

Catlady, note that I said NCLB was a “vain attempt”.

It was a vain attempt to remedy the fact that schools were fraudulently passing students from grade to grade that could not do the work.

Even a good law has unintended consequences. A bad law (NCLB) merely compounds the problem.

By OldSchool

March 7, 2008 5:58 PM | Link to this

I wonder… If schools were run by private sector folks and run as businesses, might there be small raises for employees who get excellent performance evaluations…assuming those evaluations actually judge performance and not EQs or evidence of WordWalls? Would head football coaches and other coaches be expected to actually teach real classes? Could there actually be real consequences for inappropriate actions/responses/choices? (I’m referring to dress codes, behaviors, attendance, work ethics, and the like for all employees and all students.) Would communication be encouraged and morale be important?

I’m just wondering…that’s all.

By Tony

March 7, 2008 11:59 PM | Link to this

Y’all think educators have been at the trough too long to be able to think? There is no reason to privatize education and give our kids over to corporate America. The best way to reclaim the schools was stated by JustMe -give full flexibility to the schools and hold them accountable. I edited it just a bit.

The biggest obstacle to doing this is Federal and state interference through rules and regulations. A good portion of school funding is spent on monitoring compliance with these rules and regulations, thus taking away from funds and time that could focus on children.

There is no logic that justifies the claim that privatizing schools will save them. There are so many corrupt business people that I firmly believe the kids would lose out on their education.

If privatizing schools is to be so successful, why then have Edison schools failed? Why do KIPP schools have to have bailouts from huge donors? Where are the successes to report on? Truth is, it has been tried and failed miserably.

Do schools a favor. Get the ridiculous rulemakers off our backs and let us teach! Check out what things politicians vote on regarding education and inform them of your discontent.

By JustMe

March 8, 2008 12:29 AM | Link to this

Tony Amen, brother!

By WFC

March 8, 2008 9:02 AM | Link to this

VENDETTA: you nailed it… the “Boards” know very little about education.

Look at Fulton County”s BOE. Just a bunch of wealthy women using their Board positions as springboards to other political positions (Liz Hausmann comes to mind.) Katie Reeves is one of the least intelligent, pompous persons I’ve ever known. ‘

By Lee

March 8, 2008 10:26 AM | Link to this

Public education is doomed for failure until they get it through their thick, politically correct skulls that not all kids are equal nor are they capable of learning at the same rate.

It doesn’t matter if the Federal / State DOE’s or local BOEs are running the show as long as they maintain this false premise of equality. Whenever you have a program that segregates along racial lines, the PC crowd interjects their pathos and screws it up.

But, the fact remains that public schools do not know how, no, they are unwilling to deal, with the bottom 25% of students. You know, the ones that probably cause 95% of the discipline problems and disruptions.

The public school solution is to spread these students throughout the student body in an attempt to dilute the effect. How did that work out?

One of the primary reasons private schools work so well is that they don’t allow the bottom 25% in the door. Trust me, the difference is astounding. The only time the police come to my daughter’s private school is for crowd control during football games. How many public schools can say that?

I thought so.

By catlady

March 8, 2008 10:58 AM | Link to this

Lee, I am not quarreling with you, but I don’t think the purpose of NCLB was anything NEAR as altruistic as you seem to. I don’t think it was actually an attempt, in vain or otherwise, to help children. I mean, it LOOKED good on the surface, right? But tell me HOW could anyone who had talked with responsible educators and policy wonks (rather than yes-men and -women) or even thought about it intelligently NOT foresee the implications of NCLB? Talk about willful ignorance! Not to mention the suspected long-term goals (public schools will be only for kids who have no alternative, sorting even further the haves and havenots), and the enrichment of certain well-positioned FOBs who profit mightily from NCLB and the “solutions” that are sold to “help” schools meet NCLB (think of the Halliburtons of education). Then there are the “programs” that NCLB enables, such as Reading First with its “approved” companies (buying works that just so happen to be written by the home folks at RF!) that advocate things like scripted reading, where children learn to respond to simplistic questions IN UNISON TO A DOG CLICKER, FOR GOD’S SAKE! And the other Nazi-like indoctrination programs where students are being taught to follow the party line and parrot dull, elementary answers to rediculously shallow questions. These kids will be easily led to follow whatever leader pushes their buttons as adults. In addition to being mad as h3ll, folks should be calling for the heads of those who okayed this mess!

JMHO, of course.

By Lee

March 8, 2008 11:52 AM | Link to this

Cat, I think we are getting hung up on symantics. We both agree that it is a bad law.

We’re experiencing the same thing in the business world. Enron, Worldcom, et al played games with their accounting and financial reporting and now the rest of us are saddled with the onerous Sarbanes/Oxley Act.

Meanwhile, China is laughing all the way to the bank.

By catlady

March 8, 2008 4:00 PM | Link to this

Beautifully put, Lee. We may (or may not) differ on the WHY of the law, but we seem to agree on its fowl nature! If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, etc. :)

By Tony

March 8, 2008 6:55 PM | Link to this

not all kids are equal nor are they capable of learning at the same rate.

What Lee says here is absolutely correct. One of the fallacies of NCLB and state AYP rules is that kids are expected to all be on grade level. This is an attempt to apply an efficiency rating to schools rather than a true learning rate. The on time graduation rate test is another efficiency rating rather than a true assessment of what kids know and are able to do.

I do not agree that the bottom 25% should be excluded, though. One of the reasons those of us in public education reject the notion of privatization is this very dangerous possibility - that some people will no longer have access to an education. Already, private schools do not have to play by the same rules of accepting all students. Most do not have special education populations. They also do not have students adversely affected by poverty.

And catlady is right to bemoan the dog clicker teaching methods. The emphasis on testing and the use of methods like these will lead us down a path that has a whole generation of people who can not think at all for themselves. They will, however, be able to spend their hard-earned welfare money on whatever items they are programmed to purchase. The sound of the dog clicker over the grocery store loud speaker and all of a sudden everyone reaches for whatever is in front of them.

By catlady

March 8, 2008 7:35 PM | Link to this

whoo, Tony! I hope I am not standing in front of the tobacco when the clicker sounds!

But, remember, all students CAN be on grade level if we lower the meaning of “grade level”. At my school we are told to “make” the students “successful”. That is, to so modify the expectations that any sentient person can “achieve”. We also “expose” the kids to math concepts, even if their skills are 2 or 3 years behind and they have NO HOPE of being able to master the skill until they learn the basics.

What is funny is I hear parents bemoaning the lack of standards, expectations, behavioral requirements until it is THEIR child that does not measure up! Then it is a whole different story!

Are you old enough to remember when handicapped kids could not go to public school at all (think of the scene from Forrest Gump), and when about a quarter to a third of your sixth grade classmates mysteriously “disappeared” by 9th grade? These were kids who were subpar and they were just drummed out of school. A few were expelled or sent to reform school. The others ended up in manual labor by the time they were 16.

Private schools would get the FAPE laws changed. No way they would serve “those kids”. I truly don’t think any private enterprise would take on the public school role, if a level playing field were mandated.

So saying, the public schools COULD tackle some of the problems, IF there were political will. Won’t ever happen, however. It is too easy to blame everything on those public schools.

By jim d

March 10, 2008 8:59 AM | Link to this

Can anyone—-run public schools?

The obvious answer is yes—but not in this country.

Ed o8