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The common that is being stolen today is the right of every child to the education hesh needs to claim herm place at the workbench of ideas. Good public education has become the property of those that can afford the homes in the few good school districts and vote for the local taxes that support them. With some charity to a few who can make the trek and get in.
This is the modern stake that was once given to anyone that chose to pay attention in school. It is now denied to most.
Getting Iraq right
2 days ago
4 comments:
"TANSTAAFL" will win the day, eventually -
"The Right of every child...to the education hesh needs...."
"Here's a "Right" and it's growing in this tree; you want it; therefore, you must go and "pick it." All the reasons that education is a good thing cannot sustain it.
When the Economy is stable or growing, a Good Education appears to be affordable; when the Lean Years come and stay, the Good Education slinks back into the shadows. Even the "Good Neighborhoods" will buckle under the weight of the Need that there exists "A Right to get a good Education." [More later]
I know too many lower middle class and below kids, who were encouraged to pay attention in school, no matter how inadequate the support for that public school, and were able to earn a place in a reputable university, (these days the best are need blind, anyone that can get in will be supported.) But if the public schools common is privatized. Where will the ordinary kids get the resources to learn?
Perhaps the internet will work, although home school resources are almost all fundamentalist religion based. It will be interesting to see if those can be adapted to real schooling with appropriate supplements.
But there is no substitute for a real teacher and if society will not support those teachers for their children, welcome to the third world. Much of the USA is already there.
I don't presume to know the circumstances you and your neighbors are facing, but dire predictions about potential problems when school districts privatize have not materialized. In fact, in my state of Washington, quality went up costs went down, results went up and it freed the public schools to modernize. [Two of the "worst" innercity schools launched Magnet Programs - white suburban kids are being voluntarily bussed into the Magnet Schools, and there is a one year/plus waiting list.
The second innovation here is that high school via internet is available "free" to anyone regardless of academic standing.
When inertia for the proposed "Voucher System" collapsed, the religious-based schools were usually as badly injured by the bad economy as were the Public Schools. Who knows where this will all wind up?
The good schools and districts will do what it takes, and the good parents will find them. When the parcel taxes come up in our neighborhood, we know which side of the district lines our property values are buttered on. A few states and municipalities still care, and they will do all right. I fear for the rest of the country.
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