CY
I am not really unsympathetic to JG’s point of view on the education of children or to him for that matter. I see chance to play devil’s advocate I take it.Just throwing out observations here and there. My kids are young I am not sure what we will do. I have read some of your other post and you are in a different league financially. The debate might be different if money were not an issue.We live in Jamul and I feel that the schools should be O.K if we use them.The area is becoming less rural and more upscale suburban which only matters to me because I think upscale suburban is better for education and crime rates than rural or inner city. My wife and I are very hands on parents. I don’t like the idea of home schooling,even though we can pull it off. Forming a group of parents with various talents is an idea we have considered.Either way I take responsibility for my childs education. If they show genius they won’t be held back by me.If they are average I will do my best to help them too.I won’t put them in private schools just so we and they can mingle with the right people and all that.
I agree that the experience,from a childs perspective at many of the public schools ammounts to cruel and unusual punishment. I feel bad for the hard working, education minded kids who must attend that kind of circus.Most of the acting out kids are parenting deficient but they are very disruptive all the same.The teachers have little authority because there is often no parent who can be counted on to back them up. School administrators do not always back them up. The kids have to be in school by law.It is very expensive and a political disaster to single them out for special treatment. I agree with you that most of the teachers, however imperfect, deserve a lot of respect and help.
I don’t believe that money is the solution to all problems in education. Look at the asian immigrants who come here. What do you imagine was spent on their education in their respective countries of origin? How much does it cost to learn calculus? Wastefulness and using money as an excuse for everything , along with the trend to abdicate personal ethics and responsibility are a big part of the problem.
