Not really...private schools by definition serve a population that wants something different and is willing to pay for it...and frequently, if parents feel strongly enough about it to pay private school tuition, they are going to insist that teachers provide what they want and that their children comply with the rules.
Usually private schools have higher academic standards and stricter discipline than public schools.
By contrast, how many times have you heard of parents suing public schools (or threatening to do so) because said parents thought the discipline and academic standards were unduely harsh toward their little darlings? I'm convinced that part of the lowering of standards in public schools is due to threats of such lawsuits. By contrast, if you don't like the policies of a private school, they can tell you to go elsewhere.
I agree that parental involvement can have a profound effect in the school system; the problem is there simply isn't enough of it.
Often, there isn't. Sometimes, there is too much, of a negative nature. I frequently think that parents who worry too much about their child's "creativity" and "self-esteem" are detrimental to a school system.
Everything is fine... The NEA knows what to do. Go back to sleep.
Sorry for the sarcasm, but rationalizations are not going to cut it. The public school system is controlled by liberal relativists intent on destroying every last moral absolute.
All this teacher-as-hero propaganda aside, if public school teachers really thought there was something wrong with the system, they would change it. The truth is, the ones that think there’s a problem go along with the program anyway because of.. well, some rationalization or another.
Isn’t the point of a teachers union to represent the teachers?