Creating Olmsted High School wins support of School Board committee

[Linda_D]

What you don't say is that the public school system is in effect a monopoly. Monopolies increase costs, strangle competition, reduce efficiency and stifle innovation.

If people could use vouchers and/or tax credits to direct their allocation of educational dollars to the school of their choice, cost accountability and quality of education would increase. This does not mean public schools will automatically be eliminated, unless they are unable to offer educational quality on par with their competition.

If the great, benevolent government you speak of is so capable of doing a good job, it wouldn't fear real competition. Parents should be deciding what is best for their children, not the government, especially the federal government. Many people are successfully home schooled. In the climate of today's technology, home schooling could be a very effective and cost reducing alternative. Online classes could be developed that reach thousands or millions of students, that combined with parental supervision has the ability to be very good and much cheaper. Innovations like that do not occur under the present monopolistic system.

Home schooling used to be very popular. The first public high school was not opened in this country until 1821 in Boston. The system I am describing is used by many countries in Europe, a combination of public and private choices, with equal access by all. Studies have shown that the results are far superior to what we have now.

Which European countries, DD?

[Linda_D]

All successful schools have a large parent involvement. A major reason that private and magnet schools do better than typical public schools is that getting into such schools requires an active role of the parent in selecting the school, ensuring that their child is prepared, and in some cases paying for the school. This also applies to many school districts as a whole, when parents move "for the schools" into a district. Public schools suffer when a large number of students and parents coast along without any involvement, and drag down those students who may, in another environment, be better motivated. Until the attitudes of all students and parents in public schools approaches those of the most proactive, city magnet and charter schools can provide an alternative to private and some suburban school districts for parents and children who do not want to just coast along until the motivation of the student body as a whole improves.

BINGO! Give BENP a big kewpie doll!

GOOD PARENTS = GOOD SCHOOLS!

[Linda_D]

I am very suprised to see that you advocate your tax dollars being given to private entities over which you have little to no control. That is exactly what vouchers do.

I feel that, as a society, it is our collective duty to provide (and that means pay for) public education. I'm more than happy to pay my tax dollars towards that goal. But I'm NOT happy to pay my tax dollars towards something I have no say in how it's run. A private school is run however the owner wants to. A private school is exclusive, and can shut students out it find undesirable. A private school is often religious based, and I am VERY much against public money going to religious institutions.

I'm more than willing to have conversations on how to reform the public school system. But for my purposes, I'm absolutely not willing to compromise on privatizing our school system.

Giving tax dollars to a private school actually gives complete control to the parents. The individual taxpayer makes the decision on which school will best serve their educational needs. If a school is doing poorly, no one is going to choose that school. That is why competition will lead to betterment. The owner of a private school can't run it anyway he wants, he will be directly accountable to the people. It is no different that buying a car. If you have $20,000 to spend, you will pick the car that best suits your needs. Manufacturers of crappy cars don't last very long. Reforming the current system doesn't work, it has been tried over and over again. The results speak for themselves.

Your post shows you have NO IDEA what you are talking about!!!!

Actually, run4it has it exactly right. Consider this, DD and Leftie.

Are you willing to give tax dollars to support a school that teaches heinous ideas? What if some parents want to send their children to a private school that teaches that Adolf Hitler was a martyr? What if some parents want to send their children to a private school that teaches that children should have sex with their parents? What if some parents want to send their children to a private school that advocates that a person has the right to take anything he wants, and to kill anybody who gets in his way?

I could go on, but I think you get my drift. So, what are you going to do?

[leftWNYbecauseofBS]

Which European countries, DD?

Good trick question Linda. Kinda like do people in China order in Chinese food or just food?

Charter systems is a term to place for Americans vs our public system.

The CONCEPT of open enrolment, school competition and power of choice with the child or parent is the norm. Therefor is is just called the school system not a charter system.

[Linda_D]

Good trick question Linda. Kinda like do people in China order in Chinese food or just food?

Charter systems is a term to place for Americans vs our public system.

The CONCEPT of open enrolment, school competition and power of choice with the child or parent is the norm. Therefor is is just called the school system not a charter system.

Oh, you mean that Eton is free to just any young, male Brit, eh, even if his mum and da don't have any shillings?

[leftWNYbecauseofBS]

Actually, run4it has it exactly right. Consider this, DD and Leftie.

Are you willing to give tax dollars to support a school that teaches heinous ideas? What if some parents want to send their children to a private school that teaches that Adolf Hitler was a martyr? What if some parents want to send their children to a private school that teaches that children should have sex with their parents? What if some parents want to send their children to a private school that advocates that a person has the right to take anything he wants, and to kill anybody who gets in his way?

I could go on, but I think you get my drift. So, what are you going to do?

WOW, did the teachers union feed you that line?

Charter schools still have to adhere to curriculum, just as any school that wants to get funding. What you are posting is a scare tactic.

Lets call a spade a spade. Charter schools bypass union contracts and place the students first. They eliminate tenor and years of strong arm concessions won by the union. They do not have the burden of health care and pension to pay. That is it. Because of this, these schools can place more focus on the kids. Because of this, charter schools can spend more money on the kids. Because of this kids are removed from a broken system.

[leftWNYbecauseofBS]

Oh, you mean that Eton is free to just any young, male Brit, eh, even if his mum and da don't have any shillings?

Nope you jack ass. Eton is OPEN to the public but is privately funded and independent. Get your facts straight!!!

[Linda_D]

Nope you jack ass. Eton is OPEN to the public but is privately funded and independent. Get your facts straight!!!

Oh, so how is it a charter school then? That's DD's contention -- and yours apparently. You said Europe has this system of vouchers so students can attend any school they choose. Well, then, does the British gov ante up the shillings for me to send me boy to Eton or not?

[Linda_D]

WOW, did the teachers union feed you that line?

Charter schools still have to adhere to curriculum, just as any school that wants to get funding. What you are posting is a scare tactic.

Lets call a spade a spade. Charter schools bypass union contracts and place the students first. They eliminate tenor and years of strong arm concessions won by the union. They do not have the burden of health care and pension to pay. That is it. Because of this, these schools can place more focus on the kids. Because of this, charter schools can spend more money on the kids. Because of this kids are removed from a broken system.

Earth to Leftie: charter schools are public schools. They are funded with public dollars and have to be approved by the state. That's not what DD is talking about. He's saying "give everyone a voucher so they can send their kids to whatever school they want". Fine.

What if they want to send their kids to private schools that teach things that most Americans consider reprehensible? There are some pretty strange people out there who advocate some pretty disgusting things (ex the so-called "fundamentalist" Mormons in parts of Southern Utah advocate marrying off girls who are 13 or 14 years old to men who are much older). They also kick their young boys out of their towns to "protect" the girls for their future, older husbands. So, do you want your tax dollars supporting schools that teach that?

[DelawareDistrict]

FYI -- DD wants to end public education and wants all schools to be private. Charter schools are public schools.

Now you are putting words in my mouth. I said:

If people could use vouchers and/or tax credits to direct their allocation of educational dollars to the school of their choice, cost accountability and quality of education would increase. This does not mean public schools will automatically be eliminated, unless they are unable to offer educational quality on par with their competition.

Your twisting of my words is tantamount to admitting the public schools aren't capable of providing a quality education.

[DelawareDistrict]

Linda, watch the video, it shows the European countries using vouchers and compares their educational result to our "top" public schools.

As far as the extreme examples you cited about nazi schools, etc., that happens now. Extremists find ways to advance their agenda. You will never stop that unless you want to completely unravel the constitution. I am surprised that you have resorted to fear tactics just to protect a monopoly.

The government is not getting the job done. NYS spends over $14,000 per student. It is not a question of money. It is not a question of regulations. We've been going down that road to ruin with the same disastrous results for years.

You are suffering from 2 big illusions. 1. The government is good. 2. More government is better. From a psychological standpoint, you are suffering from the "escalation of commitment" syndrome.

[granpabob]

vouchers let the parents school taxes follow their children. it is their tax funds so who cares what school it goes to as long as it pays for education. and if those children are not in public schools why should the public school get those funds. the public schools that do all the complaining are those that are so bad students want to leave. if they want them to stay fix the school

[run4it]

DD, aren't you one of the people who speak so frequently of the "government taking money from hard workers and redistributing it"? How in the world would the government basically giving someone a check to send their children to school wherever they want anything OTHER than taking my (and your) tax dollars and handing directly to a third party?
And considering that the vast majority of students in this country go to public schools.....are you suggesting that our current society is just a complete failure?

[steven]

Linda your loyal to a sytem that doesnt exist like it did when you where teaching.

My youngest has been in a charter school for two years now.

Since he has been in I have had 7 visits with his teachers at MY HOUSE. Not because he did anything bad just because they wanted to stop in and sit down and chat. They even gave me a barnes and knobles gift certificate last time they came over and thanked me for letting them come! The seven school years prior to that in public school? Two visits both by the same teacher.

That doesnt happen in the Buffalo public school system anymore. That level of devotion just doesnt exist. You can say Good students = Good parents but your missing part of the equation. Good caring concerned teachers = good students. The public school system just doesnt attract those type of teachers and union contracts discourage the kind of non paid overtime work these charter school teachers do.

[DelawareDistrict]

DD, aren't you one of the people who speak so frequently of the "government taking money from hard workers and redistributing it"? How in the world would the government basically giving someone a check to send their children to school wherever they want anything OTHER than taking my (and your) tax dollars and handing directly to a third party?
And considering that the vast majority of students in this country go to public schools.....are you suggesting that our current society is just a complete failure?

The difference is that parents would at least have direct control over education. That, in my opinion, is much better. The majority attend public schools because the majority can't afford to pay for something twice. I didn't say our society is a complete failure, but the public education system is close to it.