Yeah, I’m reviving this one from yesterday only because I wasn’t able to jump in sooner. Random rambling responses to the various postings on this thread:
I wasn’t likening “public education” to, as John describes, the “certain peculiar” institution of slavery. I was merely stating that there have been other institutions considered to be “woven into the fabric of America” that have since been eliminated. But since he brings it up, for a long time slavery wasn’t considered “peculiar” or even immoral, which shows how big a blind spot we had despite establishing perhaps the most moral system of government ever known to man.
One could say there are other questionable practices that are “woven into the fabric of America.” How about public funding of the arts, including PBS? A couple of generations have now grown up on “Sesame Street” — part of the fabric of America. Does that mean we should stop fighting the funding of it, since it is so deeply woven in?
Or what about mass transit? Or sending public money to Third World nations? Or anything else that we grew up with that romanticizes our idea of America as unique?
I don’t understand why so many think that it’s possible to convince folks that public school choice is a better alternative, but it’s not possible to convince them that private schools or homeschooling are better alternatives. Choice is choice; the only reason people stick to public education is because they think they are entitled to it because of how much taxes they pay.
Look at the U.S. Postal Service. It is dying because of technological developments and private shipping services, which are proving that it is rapidly becoming an ineffective dinosaur. People are, for lack of a better term, “voting against” it with their pocketbooks. If they continue to do so it will collapse under the weight of its own ineffectiveness and financial loss. Why isn’t that possible with public education? That’s probably already beginning to happen anyway…just look at the signs: growth of homeschooling, private school enrollment, growth of other educational alternatives like Internet schools, etc.
John says such a collapse will haunt us for years to come. Maybe, maybe not. Many believe we are still paying the price for slavery, but do you doubt that the right thing was done by eliminating it?
By the way, I am not delusional enough to think such a collapse is anywhere near happening. Nor do I believe that poorer children should be left without access to education. But I do believe the market, churches, charities, etc. are capable of meeting that need. Maybe that’s where I’m delusional, huh?
The reason we homeschool our kids is because public schools are extremely high risk with comparatively minimal reward. I consider the academic issue of small importance. I am much more concerned about my kids’ souls, and turning them over to the culture rot that pervades public schools is not an option for us.
A couple of weeks ago I spoke on a media panel for a youth group that was supposed to be selected from among the best and brightest students in North Carolina’s public schools. They were considered to have the greatest potential for leadership in their respective schools.
A fellow panelist asked the 200-or-so students that day, “How many of you have a television in your bedroom?” I would say about 2/3 of them raised their hands. I’m guessing that almost all of them have unfettered Internet access in their rooms also. Somehow I doubt their parent(s) consistently monitored their media consumption. And this was supposed to be, as I said, some of the best and brightest public school students in the state. Nice kids, very polite, very smart…but what is going on here?
As long as you have public funding of education and as long as the NEA is still fighting for control, as Roy said, you will only be “extending the monopoly and not breaking it up.” There is no market force to change within the publicly-funded, government-enforced model. Change has to come from a market pressure outside that system.
