Deconstructing Public Education

www.newsmax.com ^ | July 26, 2002 | Diane Alden

[Stand Watch Listen]

Too late... ;-)

[yendu bwam]

Great resolution, Saundra. It speaketh the truth. Good luck in lefty loony Democralifornia!

[Jonathon Spectre]

But it is even more important that a teacher have something valuable to teach.

One of the proudest moments of my life took place at the end of my first week of substitute teaching at my local high school. I was subbing for an English teacher who had left me the usual busywork worksheets for the kids to do, "and send up anyone who talks." As usual, I did the worksheet with them in class, which took literally about 5 minutes, then proceeded to do what I do: Ask a political question like, "Who is the US Senate majority leader?" or "What amendment to the Constitution guarantees the right to keep and bear arms?". Sometimes someone knows the answer; more often no one does. This provides a great opportunity to start a discussion, which quickly devolves into a lecture on the real-world effects of governmental decisions and historical events.

So anyways, I walk into this English class, do this stupid worksheet, and ask my question. No one answers, so I gently berate the class for being so ignorant about something so important. Two students in the corner start talking with one another rather loudly. I'm just about to open my mouth to tell them to hush when my students start doing it for me.

"You two idiots shut up!" one girl says. "This guy knows a lot and you can learn something about the real world from him!"

Another kid chimes in: "Yeah, he's awesome. He actually knows what he's talking about, unlike Teachers X, Y, and Z."

Yet another: "Really. Now you two shut up so we can learn something."

Since that very moment I've regarded my job not as a mere occupation but as a holy crusade. I've learned that even the "stupid" kids, the ones in the SLD classes who are supposed to be "slow" or "troublemakers" are quite honestly desperate to learn. They realize this "public education" is the very foundation of their future lives. They understand that doing worksheets and watching filmstrips isn't helping them learn how to make or keep money. They know they are being fed horsesh*t by the vast majority of their teachers, fully 95% of whom are only interested in grimly clinging to their job until they can retire with a full pension and who approach every day with the enthusiasm of a week-old corpse.

It is that kind of who-gives-a-damn attitude I am at war with, and my war has already paid spectacular dividends. I've seen several dozen of my former students this summer, some of whom I only subbed for once. Without fail they come up to me, call me by name, ask me what I think about this-and-such or that-and-whatever, and tell me they hope their regular teacher gets a debilitating illness so I can teach them all year. THERE IS NO BETTER FEELING THAN THIS ON EARTH.

I don't make a lot of money, and my job is almost universally reviled (especially among "real" teachers, who hold themselves regally above me while they Xerox worksheets out of forty-year-old textbooks), but I wouldn't trade it for the world. School starts in one week here, and I can't wait to get back in there and start swinging.

Conservatives need to realize the public school system is not going away. The only way to make this monolithic system better is to infect it and take it over. Talented people need to stop bemoaning the state of public education and f**king do something about it.

I'm in there every day, fighting lies and opening eyes. What are you doing about it?

[j271]

Congratulations on doing a great job!

[j271]

Only in the perverse world of government-run education does failure justify more funding.

In real life, if you have a method that works you should be able demonstrate success on a small scale and use that success to justify increased funding to expand the scale.

Otherwise, all you're demonstrating is that you don't know what to do with the money you're already receving, so why would anyone be foolish enough to trust you with more?

[LibKill]

"You two idiots shut up!" one girl says. "This guy knows a lot and you can learn something about the real world from him!"

Another kid chimes in: "Yeah, he's awesome. He actually knows what he's talking about, unlike Teachers X, Y, and Z."

Yet another: "Really. Now you two shut up so we can learn something."

Sounds like they thirst for real knowledge.

[George Frm Br00klyn Park]

"I honestly believe that my grandmother, sitting in her one room schoolhouse with five grades at one time"

Guys, If I am considered a "normal" person, this is very true. In 1955 We moved to Maryland from West Virginia where I had attended the first 6 grades in a one room elementary school with all six grades going at once. The first year of high school, {7th grade} including algebra {which I had never heard of}, in Maryland was a breeze. Today is MUCH worse. And MUCH more expensive. The more it costs, the WORSE it gets. There can be NO DOUBT that our higher institutions teach a very successful course in "DUMB" that is intentionally trickled down to the public school systems. What passes for education today is EVIL!! And deliberately so. Peace and love, George.

[capecodder]

When will parents face the truth?

The only way to fulfill their responsibility for educating their children is to homeschool or to send them to a well-monitored private school--one with a well-articulated sequence of ACADEMIC study and that takes NO government funds.

[Carry_Okie]

My program for California education:

1. Enforce the U.S. Supreme Court decision re Communications Workers v. Beck (487 US 735, 1988).
2. Assist formation of corporate service associations. Offer State funding for local school districts to divest into smaller, more personalized institutions.
3. Use the private and home education market to develop and test learning tools and services. Private validation services could assess product performance against product claims. School boards would be free to select guaranteed products for use in public schools.
4. Insurance on the guarantee would cover the cost of remedial education if the product fails to meet warranted performance.
5. Veto any bill requiring home and private educators to conform to State teacher certification standards.
6. Veto any bill requiring State supervision of home schools.
7. Analyze any Federal program for insufficient funds and unintended consequences suspecting unfunded mandates. Cite New York v. United States (505 US 144, 1992).
8. Publicly excoriate Bill Lockyer at every opportunity.

[madfly]

ping

[TxBec]

bump!

[2Jedismom]

Ping!

[homeschool mama]

Shameless Homeschool Bump

[homeschool mama]

Awesome post! The kiddos you teach, if only for a day, are blessed...obviously.

Last night we watched 'To Sir With Love' as a family. Your post reminded me of the movie.

[Vic3O3]

Well, do keep up the good work, but in the mean time, I'll homeschool my kid, than you very much. Good teachers are at the mercy of the NEA in this country...

[Khepera]

Thanks to HSLDA I am afforded the opportunity to live in a educational free state.

Indiana Law
Compulsory Attendance Ages: “Earlier of the date on which the individual officially enrolls in a school or… the beginning of the fall school term for the school year in which the individual becomes seven (7) years of age until the date on which the individual;

(1) Graduates;
(2) Reaches at least sixteen (16) years of age… and the requirements under subsection (j) concerning an exit interview are met enabling the individual to withdraw from school before graduation; or
(3) Reaches at least eighteen (18) years of age; whichever occurs first. ~ Indiana Code section 20-8.1-2-17.
Required days of Instruction: “For the number of days public schools are in session in the school corporation in which the individual is enrolled in Indiana: or… if the individual is enrolled outside Indiana for the number of days the public schools are in session where the individual is enrolled” (Generally 180 days) Section 20-8.1-3-17.

Required subjects: “Instruction equivalent to that given in public schools.” Indiana Code Section 20-8.1-3-34.
“A school that is:
(1) non-public
(2) non-accredited: and
(3) not otherwise approved by the Indiana State Board of Education;
is not bound by any requirements set forth in IC 20 or IC 21 with regard to curriculum or the content of educational programs offered by the school. “Indiana Code Section 20-8.1-3-17.

Home School Statutes: None

Alternative Statutes Allowing for Home Schools: A child may attend “Some other school which is taught in the English language.” Indiana code Section 20-8.1-3-17.

1. The child must be “Provided with instruction equivalent to that given in public schools” IC 20-8.1-3-34, However, IC 20-8.1-3-17.3 has removed all subject requirements (See Above). Furthermore, the state board of education has not been given authority to define “Equivalent Education.” Nor to approve home schools.
2. The Indiana appellate court has held that the Indiana Compulsory attendance law allows the operation of home schools. State vs. Peterman, 32 Indiana App. 665, 70 N.E. 550 (1904). Essentially, the court said a school at home is a private school.

The court defined school as “A place where instruction is imparted to the young… We do not think that the number of persons, whether one or many, make a place where instruction is imparted any less or more a school” Peterman, 70 NE at 551. The court explained further; “Under a law very similar to ours, the supreme court of Massachusetts has held that the object and purpose of a compulsory educational law are that all children shall be educated. Not that they shall be educated in a particular way.” Peterman, at 551. The court concluded “The result to be obtained, and not the means or manor of obtaining it, was the goal which the lawmakers were attempting to reach. The law (Compulsory attendance) was made for the parent who does not educate his child, and not for the parent who…. So places within the reach of the child the opportunity and means of acquiring an education equal to that obtainable in the public schools….” Peterman at 552.

3. In Mazanec v. North Judson-san Pierre School Corporation, 614 F. Supp. 1152 (N. D. Ind. 1985) (affd. By 798 F. 2d 230). A federal District Court recognized that parents have the Constitutional Right to educate their children in a home environment (at page 1160). The court wrote concerning the qualifications of home school parents that, “it is now doubtful that the requirements of a formally licensed or certified teacher… would pass Constitutional Muster..” (at page 1160) On appeal, the circuit court rulledthat a school corporation is not immune from a 1983 action for improper enforcement of compulsory attendance.
4. Parents must keep attendance records “Solely to verify the enrollment and attendance of any particular child upon request of the superintendent of public instruction or the superintendent of the school corporation in which the private school is located.” Indiana Code Section 20-8.1-3-23.
5. A private school administrator shall furnish, on request of the state superintendent of public instruction, the number of children by grade level attending the school.” Indiana Code Section 20-8.1-3-24.

[knak]

HOMESCHOOL

[Aquinasfan]

Deconstruct public education –please!

[Aquinasfan]

Ayn Rand had it right when she wrote ... "If men are to be ruled, the enemy is reason."

She was right about that one anyway.

[narses]

+

Freep-mail me to get on or off my pro-life and Catholic List:

Add me / Remove me

Please ping me to note-worthy Pro-Life or Catholic threads, or other threads of general interest.