| Amanda | 09/05/08 | 5:18am | Pat I definitely agree with that and I did read it. However, those people don't need to be parents to begin with wouldn't you say? |
| Pat | 09/04/08 | 5:24am | I agree, maybe the person that comes up with the polls is having some kind of problems that's got them away for awhile. Amanda, until this poll gets changed, I thought I would respond to your last comment. Not every parent should have the choice to have home school, because some parents wouldn't teach the kids. Did you read one of my earlier comments of a sad situation of a family that I told about? If you didn't, read it. I know this happens to other kids also. Not every parent (believe it or not) have the best interest in mind for their kids. There are a lot of parents that don't care, even though there are a lot of parents that do care. I agree it doesn't matter what religion, color, race or sexual preference, a person is good, bad or both. It's too bad there is not more good than bad. I feel such empathy for so much stuff in the world, it becomes such a real burden, I have to meditate a lot, just to handle all these emotions. |
| Bam Bam | 09/03/08 | 6:56pm | Admit it Amanda, you just pick on the new people. JUST KIDDING HON! I agree NEW POLL this one has dragged on forever. Where the heck is the moderator already. They love to forget about us. |
| Paula | 09/03/08 | 4:30pm | New poll please!
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| Amanda | 09/02/08 | 6:36pm | I think that each parent should decide what is best for their kids and not society. Even in the best of schools it can be a nightmare. In went to good schools and believe me, kids are the cruelest of people sometimes. I wish I could have been kept at home. However, It doesn't matter what religion people are. If you are bad, then your bad and what you profess to be is a moot point. Should we do a voucher system. Well IMO, I think it is time to do something different and see what happens..it could get better or it could get worse but one thing is sure and that is that we won't know until we try now will we???
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| Milkshake | 09/02/08 | 3:00pm | Ok Pat.....NEW POLL NEW POLL NEW POLL!!!!! And LOL BamBam! Hope your milkshake was good! |
| Pat | 09/02/08 | 2:45pm | You know what, Milkshake? I'm ready for a new poll, also. Let's say it together...NEW POLL! NEW POLL! NEW POLL! |
| Milkshake | 09/02/08 | 11:08am | Sorry Pat. I dont believe in home-schooling. children should go to public or private schools. the teachers are much better trained than parents. getting an education outside of the home helps children to get along in society and to meet a mixture of people. home schooling???? oh well! why have this poll? why have school vouchers?? lets just have home schooling and drive both the children and parents NUTS!!!!!!! I think it's time for a new poll! And a new damn milkshake! |
| Pat | 09/02/08 | 10:03am | Milkshake, there are a lot of kids being home schooled, because there is just too much drugs, violence, sex and rape from elementary to middle to high schools. Home schooling should be monitored better if people are going to do it. A lot of kids do wonderful from being home schooled, but then you have parents that sign up for it and get it, then the parents are too lazy to get out of bed and do their duty to their kids. Amanda, yes, Jacksonville, Fl. does have a lot of horrible schools, some are good, but it won't stay that way. It never does. Bam Bam, the people I told you about were Baptists, but this happens in any belief system. My heart aches so bad for those poor little kids. This happens nationwide and worldwide. Funlife, it would be a wonderful world if everyone could have a funlife, but sadly, not in this dimension. Life should be fun for all kids, but it's not. I agree, we should have "askers" and "seekers". I also agree with "listening" and "reflecting". I've tried to talk about the spirituality part on other polls before, but it is a big no-no on here. I'm not trying to play the blame game on here, so please don't anyone get pis* off. I know that none of us are perfect, sad to say it is part of human nature. But one thing I do know for sure is people can get to higher levels spiritually. Amanda, as we have more and more progress and new gadgets, kids will be even more ignored. Kids are being desensitized. By the time all of us will be in our 70's, 80's and 90's there will be no caring from the heart about any living thing. It is happening now. Kids need love, patience, respect, a lot of talking with them, not to them. There is just way too much of an immoral and violent society that kids hear and see and then act out in one form or another. Yes, Paula, the topic changes on the polls because sometimes there is nothing else to say and people get bored and go to their own topics. |
| Amanda | 09/02/08 | 6:08am | From what little I have been able to glean I do think the vouchers ar a good idea. I too think a mandatory stint of two years in a branch of military service is a good idea too.
I does sound like a good idea to make schools compete for money instead of having money handed from the government. I know a lot of teen agers who quite frankly, they have next to no education. They too have next to no self disipline. These 'kids' are going to be calling the shots one of these days. Do I really want a nation filled with predominantly illiterate and unruly people taking care of me abnd making choices for me? Not really. You known competition in business works well. When a manager knows he/she stands to gain from encouraging employees do produce the business thrives. In this case it'd be the schools thriving. |
| Funlife | 09/01/08 | 9:39pm | I was not talking about just having fun, as in "lets party" kind of fun Amanda. You need to get your head out of your own behind, and un-clog your ears(eyes). I was NOT refering to some 'BASE pleasure' when i mentioned that we need more school classes pertaining individual happiness! I was speaking about a quest for a HIGHER form of happiness and spirituality for the individuals of the society, so that they would be better equipped mentally, in order to deal with the tricky gray areas of life once they get older. The thing we should teach our children is how to create their own happiness with the few things they have available thru out their lives. A good society is NOT measured by how many "winners" it can produce (because winners ultimately become losers at some point down the road) but rather to be able produce individuals who can cope with the difficulties of life with their spirit, integrity and elegance intact! And will you STOP clinging onto my character so much. It's utterly irrelevant to this debate, what kind of a person you think I may be, or not! |
| Amanda | 09/01/08 | 6:49pm | Funlife it's really simple. Your responses are totally unrelated to the question at hand. I think the fact that our schools are more drug pushers grounds and social clubs for teens is more important than having fun. If being adamant that the bull crap stops with **** footing around with education makes me an elitist then fine..I am an elitist! We don't need more fun..we need to wake up and pay attention to what is going on..if you don't want to do that fine, but at least consider the fact others of us do want to do that and yes..you will have a proverbial avalanche of negative comments should you keep up. If you want to have fun go to a night club..go to a night club internet site..here on this poll we want to discuss the topic at hand. With that said the ignore button is on..and yes funlife you do have a major inferiority complex..otherwise you would not try to go so far out of your way to gain attention to yourself. |
| Bam Bam | 09/01/08 | 6:06pm | I just had a milkshake. Yummy! |
| Milkshake | 09/01/08 | 4:42pm | LOL Funlife!! |
| Funlife | 09/01/08 | 12:53pm | At the very least people should be taught to debate over issues in a correct and proper manner, Amanda. There are far too many 'monologues' in these debates where nobody seems to care much for the others opnions, instead of having TRUE dialogues among people. People need to be taught that 'compromises' do NOT equal to "losing the discussion", and as a matter of fact they are even more important and valuable than trying to win over the discussion. Also if you need to debate over an issue, you need to be just as good in LISTENING and REFLECTING as in speaking your opinion. |
| Funlife | 09/01/08 | 11:57am | I like your comments Milkshake. LoL |
| Milkshake | 09/01/08 | 10:56am | Uh.....Funlife, what does this have to do with government issued vouchers?? Um...Uh...I think you need to have some fun. |
| Funlife | 09/01/08 | 10:16am | On the contrary Amanda. Eventhough my previous comment SEEMINGLY bears a not-so-serious tone, it is still a protest (if you will) against becoming too elitist a society. And it does NOT come from some kind of a personal inferiority complex, but just a comment against all the kinds of FAKE intellectualism that i've seen everywhere lately. There is something rather insincere about this new trend that leads me to think that we all somehow do it only from a sense of hunger for moral superiority and pompousness, and even more so, a thirst for each other's blood by trying SO HARD to be morally above one and other. In my eyes this should NOT be the point of wanting to reach intellectual heights in a person's life, but to ultimately reach a point in one's own moral growth where we realize that we no longer need to shove our own opinions down other people's throats all the time. We've become a nation--or a WORLD-- of "relativists"(askers) and have consequently doomed the "absolutists"(seekers for answers) to Hell, which is a worrying developement in my eyes because of the balance turning too one-sided! Mind you, I am a so-called "relativist" myself. Btw I'm NOT on John McCain's side politically, but i have a GREAT sense of admiration for the man! Infact I'm on the side of Obama. |
| Amanda | 08/31/08 | 9:12pm | I agree totally..either discuss the pole or get us a new one. there is a chat room on this site for idle chatter. Funlife it sounds like perhaps an education in what is going on around you is in order..I think I will vote yes to those vouchers ..Funlife is a case in point of our kids really needing a good solid education so they can understand that the world around them is falling to bits and pieces. The costs of living going up and jobs being harder to find, the fact the oil nations rule the world..hmmmm sounds like we have had a bit too much fun in this country and need to get to the business at hand.That is no fun at all. |
| Paula | 08/31/08 | 7:38pm | They do it all the time Jessig. Boredom perhaps? NEW POLL PLEASE! :) |
| JESSIG | 08/31/08 | 7:03pm | WHAT DO ANY OF THESE COMMENTS HAVE TO DO WITH VOUCHERS? HELLO????? |
| Bam Bam | 08/31/08 | 12:33pm | Funlife are you a republican? |
| Amanda | 08/30/08 | 11:22pm | Funlife exactly where did that come from? Sounds to me like someone has a bit of an inferiority issue going on. |
| Milkshake | 08/30/08 | 6:41pm | Funlife, have a milkshake and have some fun! |
| Funlife | 08/30/08 | 6:18pm | We should ALL strive to have fun in our lives. Infact there should be a law for this, stating something like: "Anyone or any persons who refuse to have fun in their own lives will be sentenced to time in prison. In addition s/he will be subjected to intense sessions of TICKLING and other physically-invigorating 'torture' sessions during his/her prison term." Also in further expansion of this law, the society should also encourage the individuals to NOT become 'over-thinkers', meaning that NO ONE should be made to feel himself/herself un-intelligent or stupid just because others try to SOUND like a bunch of know-it-all, and try to carry "intelligent conversations" or debates with one another. And at schools, there should be several mandatory courses pertaining individual happiness. |
| Funlife | 08/30/08 | 5:45pm | Happy birthday John McCain |
| Amanda | 08/29/08 | 8:11am | Sorry..but I fail to see what most of this has to do with vouchers being a better way to save and run our schools.... |
| Bam Bam | 08/29/08 | 8:06am | No offense here, but what the hell religion do they practice that preaches sex in front of chldren and prostitution? That woman has destroyed those children. |
| Amanda | 08/29/08 | 4:07am | Actually a lot of people I know in Jacksonville are homeschooling and doing a great job. The schools there for the most part have become so bad that kids that want to learn can't because o continuous disruptions. Most either end up putting their kids in private schools if they can afford them or end up home schooling. |
| Milkshake | 08/28/08 | 5:24pm | Pat's Comment-----------I AM AGAINST HOME SCHOOL! I am so sorry about those abused children. |
| Pat | 08/28/08 | 5:17am | It has already been reported, that's why a lot of that family is in deep sh** now. I got it from one of the outside family members. This family lives in the southwest of the U.S. I could say more, but I won't, except that I asked the person why was it kept quiet and no one helped these kids...this person said they had no idea, except that the little girl started being promiscuous and very rebellious at around 10 yrs. old. Who could no, not know that something was going on? I don't understand it at all, unless know one really cared. Also the "mother" got paid $900.00 or more a month to adopt Native American kids. Huh, I guess that explains it, doesn't it. I just hope both kids get taken away and never have to go back. Also these people are VERY religious, not spiritual |
| Bam Bam | 08/27/08 | 4:23pm | Sounds like you should be telling it to the children services and the police. This is child abuse and if you feel bad about it, that's because you know it's wrong. You need to tell the right people hon and help those kids. She is doing a disservice to them and they will suffer for it far worse than they are now. God only knows what they see when she is out having her sexcapades. HELP THOSE KIDS. You can report it and no one ever has to know it was you. |
| Pat | 08/27/08 | 11:27am | Hi everyone. Get this...I know of this woman and her husband that adopted two Native American kids. At the time the little girl was 4 yrs. old and she had a little brother. They were to be home schooled and when it was time for the little girl to take certain tests on the internet, the "mother" would take the test for her so she would pass. No one ever checked on the kids. The little girl is now 14 years old and can't spell, writes and reads on a first grade level. The "mother" is now in trouble. The "dad" died of cancer a few years ago. The "mother" even messed around on her husband while he layed in bed dying. Now she is a dating internet whor*. She meets men on the internet, goes to whatever city they are at, has sex...if it was just her as a single woman, who am I to jugde...but she has always taken her kids with her. It is a long, very sad story I won't tell, but it gets worse. I had to get this off my chest, because it breaks my heart for these kids and others that go through so much at home that we know nothing about. I know this doesn't pertain to this poll, but I just had to tell it. |
| Amanda | 08/26/08 | 5:33pm | Well Jeff it does seem a better idea all around.Admittedly I have not read through all the posts here but I do agree with the idea of making people step up and be accountable. One thing though that is an unfortunate trend is lack of parental involvement. I don't see a voucher fixing that. I do feel that parents need to be heald accountable for what their kids do and if they won't cooperate..well..then what ever measures it takes to help the child should be implemented. Parental involment is needed too. maybe parents should have to pay fines when their child drops below grades or is more than the average behavior issue. I am not in favor of removing a child unless it is unavoidable. My Manager at work has a simple discipline with all of us..she gets us where it hurts..our wallets. We get a few days off..that we don't want. Works great. I do want to say I think fines should only be imposed if the parent refuses to cooperate. |
| Jeff | 08/26/08 | 10:40am | School vouchers are government issued certificates that parents can use to pay for their child's education at a school of their choice. This type of system would replace the existing public educational system where parents currently must send their kids to their "assigned" school which is usually dependent on where they live. Besides the obvious benefit of giving parents a choice on where to send their kids, it also encourages schools to compete for your business. This kind of competition is currently absent for the existing public education system. Right now a public school that gets funding directly from the government do so even if children are graduating without the ability to read and write. A school like this with a bad reputation would go belly up unless they got their act together and started to provide better education. Education has always been shown to be superior wherever a voucher system has been implemented. It's a great alternative to a socialized education system that inherently lacks the necessary market driven motivational factors that lead to better education. |
| Bam Bam | 08/25/08 | 5:53pm | It's okay, Stewie. It was kinda funny. If the recruiter stopped calling you after you said that...I will say it too! They just called here again today wanting to know how my son was doing in school and what his plans were for graduation. I said well he's thinking about going to college, he's definitely NOT thinking about putting a gun in hand to learn to kill people. BTW...why is it kids aren't allowed to drink alcahol until their 21, but they can carry a weapon and become a soldier at 18? I think that's hypocritical. Our whole family has served in one way or another, my kid doesn't want to. Why can't they leave him alone and repsect his wishes? |
| Stewart | 08/25/08 | 5:06am | Sorry Bam Bam no offense, but everytime I have to deal with any government agency it is always a women. I dont' mean to say every women is like that. Sorry. I do agree with you on the recruiters calling and being nasty. I had the same thing happen to me when they tried to call my son. I reamed them out and told them to stop calling, that my son never signed up for them to call and to take us off their call list. He tried to make me feel guilty about not letting my son sign up. I told him to go after the illegal aliens that are living off our country and make them sign up for a tour if they want to live here. It got quiet on the other end of the phone and he hung up. I have never received another call again. |
| Amanda | 08/25/08 | 3:38am | Hi Jeff..thanks. It's been cold and lonely without the polls. Seriously though what would these vouchers be for? |
| Jeff | 08/24/08 | 11:39pm | Wow, Amanda is back! Where have you been? :-)
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| Bam Bam | 08/24/08 | 2:12pm | Claire if you have to ask that question, the answer is you. LOL just teasin! |
| Claire | 08/23/08 | 5:38am | Who needs schools and who needs governments? |
| Amanda | 08/22/08 | 2:42pm | Ok..I have been off for a couple of months now...what are the vouchers for? I haven't voted yet... |
| Bam Bam | 08/22/08 | 2:11pm | I agree stupid people at the gov't. see my story below....But, Stewart why did it have to be a woman? Ouch...just say "a person" there are equally dumb men out there! BTW everyone...the military keeps calling my kid wanting him to join. Some Marine had the nerve to tell my husband to "enjoy your freedom sir" simply because we requested he be removed from the a list we did not sign up for. I was pissed...my kids dad is an officer with over 20 years of service and those guys have that kind of nerve to say that in a pissy way? I do enjoy my freedom as does everyone I'm sure and we're grateful for their service and courage. But, this is a free country that we can choose whether or not to serve as well. Now that is poor customer service with the gov't. |
| Cheri | 08/21/08 | 9:25pm | If parents would become involved in their children's education and support their local schools, we would improve public education. If parents keep assuming that all the teaching is up to the teachers and don't be become involved, we will never win this battle. We need to be in control of our children and their educations, not the government |
| Stewart | 08/21/08 | 2:13pm | It's the idiots you have to deal with in the government offices. Whenever I have had to call any government office I always get some stupid person who chomps her gum or pops her gum in your ear. They have no idea what the hell is going on but they have these jobs because we have to fill a quota and I end up dealing with some stupid woman who looses my paperwork half the time or missplaced it. I guess they cannot chew gum, talk and work at the same time. We need to get rid of quota's and give jobs on experience and skill, and not the skill of chewing and popping gum. Maybe we would then have a government that would work properly. |
| Kelly | 08/21/08 | 10:48am | Anything that involves the government will have a bad ending! |
| Pat | 08/19/08 | 2:43pm | Might be down for a few days due to Fay(hopefully not). |
| Pat | 08/19/08 | 7:19am | Miz H., you are the only one that has been as concerned for all kids' futures besides me. If things do not change for the better, there will not be much of a future for any kids worldwide. Thank you. |
| Silk | 08/19/08 | 5:32am | While it seems intuitive that vouchers would solve the low-quality education problem in some school districts, it will only create an even greater gulf between the haves and the have-nots in our society. Vouchers will only benefit those who can afford to supplement their child's education - and transport their child to the new school. Poorer school districts will end up having even less to offer their impoverished population and become a bigger gateway to the prison system. |
| Jeff | 08/18/08 | 3:44pm | Being a teacher is one of many occupations. Like any job, they must provide a valuable service/product or risk loosing that job. Like any occupation, there are good teachers and bad teachers, there are good principles/administrators, and there are bad. Poor service is a result of everything from the organizations policies, employees, bosses/supervisors, etc. The same can be said about good service. Without competition, there is no incentive improve. This is why vouchers are a very good thing. It gives families a choice on where to send their kids, which means schools must perform well and have a good reputation in order to earn your business. |
| Miz H | 08/18/08 | 3:07pm | Thank you to some of you for your positives. Patricia- you had better be darned glad that I am in this job. I love kids and work very hard for them, not for you. I would love to also be able to go to the pool. Alicia, some of my co-workers leave school on time every day because a great number of them have second full or part time jobs to get to. I choose to work full time at a different job in the summer. It helps to keep one's head from exploding from the many pressures during the regular school year. While school is in session, I believe that it is better for me to stay after the 'payday ends' to help kids with their work and get the extra help some need with the state testing. Summers off?? We need to work more than one job in order to make ends meet. Do people understand that teachers only get paid for the days actually worked during the school year? We don't get year-round pay. One may choose to take that earned paycheck and spread it out over the year. But holiday, vacation, snow or weather days, etc.; we aren't earning any money at all. Do you have paid vacation, overtime, or bonuses? We don't. Pat, thank you. I know exactly what you speak of. I think your 'earning the right to attend' policy is a good idea! I am so very pleased that you took the time to actually walk around the schools and not just see the administration's 'showrooms'. Please attend the school board meetings, folks. Write in to the local paper. Get people talking. Help to FIX your local schools, or pay to attend the private schools with your OWN money. I too don't want my taxes funding your educational bail-outs... So, I guess it must really be that we educators actually do care about 'our kids'. We care about their present and their future- because it sure isn't about anything else. It is about THEM. I still say that I have a positive effect upon the future- do you? Get involved with your local schools. Make a difference for kids. Hard task to accomplish? You 'betcha- but still attainable....for all schools, all kids. |
| Pat | 08/18/08 | 1:18pm | Excellent, Miz H. I have talked to many teachers and know quite a few and they are not happy at all with how they are treated. Yes, most everyone expects the teachers to do it all. Not fair. Only thing is, if a black school is in an all black neighborhood with a mix of blacks, mexicans and some whites, most good teachers won't stay and all that is left are awful teachers (I even hate to put them in the teaching category). The school board totally ignores black families complaints about the school and good teachers can't get help through the school board. Not just anyone should get vouchers, only good kids that make good grades and the FEW parents that want their kids somewhere safe with a very good teaching environment where they can learn. I hate to say this, but trash should stay where trash belongs. I visited one of these schools one time and it was truly scary. There was gang paint inside on the walls and outside. Trash littered the floors and I could never in a hundred years describe the rest rooms.OH MY!!!!!!!!!!! It was a middle school and most of the kids were a lot taller than my 5"4". Alicia, that's true. Teachers do not get paid well at all, not for all the things they go above and beyond to do to teach our kids. One teacher told me that the school board has the teachers doing more paperwork than actually getting to teach all they can to the kids. Everything is all scre*** up. |
| Alicia | 08/18/08 | 8:59am | More power to you Miz H. and what you are doing to educate the kids. The administrators make way to much money and it should go to good teachers like you. I still feel the vouchers are not a good idea though. I believe the vouchers would be better spent keeping kids in their neighborhood schools and helping teachers with the supplies, etc to better educate the kids. I also agree that parents need to take an active role in their childs education and discipline. That is not a Teachers job! Giving them vouchers to go to so called better schools is wrong. Parents, teachers, students and administrators in areas where they say are bad schools need to come together and make their schools the best and it can be done. Moving kids to so called better schools will not solve anything , you will have the same issues but in a different school and it will disrupt the kids that live in that so called school's neighborhood. Most teachers I talk to have the summer off, why are you working in the summer? Summer school? Keep up the great work with the kids, but I do not agree with vouchers. Keep the kids in their own neighborhood schools. |
| Victoria | 08/17/08 | 8:11am | I do volunteer, a lot. I volunteer in the classroom, for class trips, I tutor the learning disabled, I help organize the Campbells soup labels, various milk labels and caps, I have given many children a ride home when they are left standing on the sidewalk outside of the school without a teacher anywhere to be seen. I have volunteered to give kids without rides to and from summer school for the entire summer school and swimming lessons program. I donate extra materials to the school for the kids who's parents can't afford it. No one at any school has ever bought my kids their school supplies, clothes or anything else. I send extra snacks every month so that the younger kids can make sure they have a snack as is scheduled, but not all kids' parents can afford it. This teacher Miz H is apparently in the wrong job as she obviously thinks that all parents of children in public schools are the scum of the earth. Yes, higher up administrators are overpaid and don't do their job, but the voucher program would also mean that I don't have to allow my kids to go to schools where they are abused, mentally, sexually, and physically. I do what is my job, being a parent, teaching my kids how to take care of themselves when they are all grown up, what is right from wrong. No kid is allowed in my yard to play if they bully, but the schools don't do anything when they see bullying, they let it continue, to let those bullies think that it's okay to do what they are doing. The teachers, principles, bus drivers and guidance counselors don't get paid enough to step in, I've actually been told that it isn't their job. |
| Bam Bam | 08/15/08 | 6:14pm | Wow! Well, said Ms. H. - thank you for your point of view. Who better than a teacher to tell us what we should be doing. She's right on too! |
| Milkshake | 08/15/08 | 4:55pm | Damn Miz H. Very well said. Have a milkshake! |
| Miz H. | 08/15/08 | 1:11pm | I am a teacher. I make a positive difference for your kids- vouchered or not. Do you?
Schools are big business that have gotten out of hand. Why don't you check out the salaries of the administrators of BOTH schools? How is that funding being spent? There are loopholes large enough to dance the cha-cha through and divert monies for the 'personal gain' and 'working vacations' for those in upper management calling the shots.
Compare those amounts to the teacher salaries, available learning materials, and general support.
We teachers are the one's buying supplies, clothes, food, etc. for our students. Showing up early to work and staying late not only to educationally help those kids interested, but also to provide a safe place for some kids when dropped off or until a parent becomes available. All while watching out for the health and well-being of each kid in every overcrowded period or classroom, all day. Overtime? HA! We are doing our utmost to make the schools better for the kids we instruct.
Low salaries paid for the need to keep up our unsubsidized educational credentials, and job demands? Time off in the summer? Are you kidding?
Step back and take a look at what you are helping to create and multiply in your schools with your vouchers. Please do sit down before doing so. You might hurt yourself in the fall from the shock.
In effect, you are screwing kids out of education in all areas by running to a school in another area. Don't like your own local school? Then get active in your OWN area. Teachers can't raise your kids for you! You would be surprised how many parents believe that they should pass that task on to us!! Get involved! You work a job and don't have the time? Hmmmmm.... what is wrong with this picture?
What if you didn't have the educators who work with the kids we love- vouchered or not? This little 'musical chairs' with schools game is not the answer.
What is going on in your local schools? Who is in charge- and how are they treating or supporting the efforts of their teachers and students? Do you know first-hand? It is easy to find fault or blame from the distance you create.
Volunteer to help, give the teachers some time to work towards improvements and a chance to make things better. Again, check out the administration and their actual involvement or commitment to their staff. (They don't often DO the job. Most don't even support their staff's efforts.)
No wonder your local schools aren't working out- where have YOU been in the process? What is the teacher burn-out rate? Have you ever wondered why it is so high? Dedication and love for kids can only carry one so far.
Sorry folks, you are quick to skip out but loathe to help out. Better yet, keep listening to the politicians- most couldn't pass their state standard testing themselves. Could you?
The trend of the moment is to not give a well-rounded education. Nope. Just teach to the test. Did you know that the original standardized tests that were touted by one state as the best thing in education since the invention of the chalkboard, had actually knowingly skewed their own miraculous results? But it sure looked great for the public. Everyone bought in to it.
You want good schools for all and positive environments for kids? What are YOU doing to help your local level?
One more myth-buster from the trenches of the dedicated...most countries separate their students into different avenues of school concentrations. For example; early in a student's educational career, they may be shuttled towards the academic pathway, or towards the vocational pathways. (after all- didn't you know all of what you wanted to achieve in life at that young age?) When you hear how wonderful their student's educational scores are, and how they are soooo much better than ours here in the US, you go off the deep end. Of course they are 'better'. You don't hear anything about ALL of the the levels of the various pathways of student achievements. You only get a reading of 'the best of the best'. It is a no-win situation for us.
The U.S. stands upon and uses an outcome overview of all kids- all levels- all backgrounds- even those from the schools you all deem to not want to have YOUR CHILD attend. Politicians have made brilliant career fodder out of these partical presentations of the facts on education. Got them elected. YOU voted for them.
The next loudly demanded trend will most likely be the calling for manditory bussing for your child TO the voucher schools you have chosen outside the local district.
Property values? Bussing those 'horrible' students into MY area? Some don't even know what vouchers are. For crying out-loud! I guess it really does boil down to;"after me, you come first"...and the devil take the hind-most.
Shame on you. If things are so awful at your local level- it is called; private school. You should pay extra for YOUR child's education. If your area school is so bad, and you are too busy to help remedy the local situation, then you should have to pay for that desired education. Your demands- your pockets. Special-interest schools for your child? Pay for it.
Can't afford it? Then what are YOU doing to improve your OWN LOCAL SYSTEM? Whose job is it? Teachers are doing their part- what's your excuse?
Sorry for any mistakes- I'm hurrying so that I can begin to correct and grade today's student work. Then work on lesson plans, school paperwork, class forms, mid-quarter reports, and parental contacts. Then I will take up the tasks of my manditory coursework in order to keep up my credentials so that I can continue working with my students.
Will I see you coming in to ask how you can help out in our local schools next Monday?
Vouchers........oh, please!!!! |
| The Eternal Shag | 08/15/08 | 12:59pm | Oops sorry! Wrong door :p |
| Victoria | 08/15/08 | 7:31am | This issue has actually been around for quite some time now. The vouchers would allow parents to decide which school their children attend and therefore the money would accompany them. They would not be forced to go to the school which school district they actually live in. Therefore, if the school district you live in is not a top notch school with excellent teachers and programs, you could enroll your child in one that actually does have those traits us parents are looking for our children. The only down side to this, I believe, is transportation to and from the selected school. I agree that we as parents should be able to select the school our children attend based on the schools performance and what they can actually offer our children, this means that we would actually have more of a say in how that school is spending our hard earned tax money which is allocated to our childrens' education. This would cause the schools to compete for the best teachers and to actually try harder to set up programs to help our children. I hope this clears up the confusion of 'school vouchers'. |
| Pat | 08/14/08 | 11:19am | I only know about daycare and pre-school. A low income mother OR dad signs up for vouchers to pay most of the daycare and pre-school depending if she/he is working or back in school. Working: The vouchers pay most of daycare/pre-school. It goes by her/his income, she/he would pay anywhere from $5.00 to $60.00 or so a week. Getting an education:Vouchers would pay for the child or children until she/he got out of school and went to work. Some mothers OR dads work and go to school and vouchers help until she/he gets on her/his feet. Mothers OR dads that want to stay on welfare inevitably, can't. After a child or childrens certain age, the parent has to go to work or school, then vouchers help with the one or more kids care. But on the badside...many men and women have kids together and don't get married, she won't report that they are together and still gets voucher help. As far as elementary school, I'm not really sure. |
| Milkshake | 08/14/08 | 10:37am | I agree with BamBam. I need to know about these vouchers and what they are for? Books? Computers? Lunches? Field Trips? What exactly are they for and for what age group? I don't have much to say on this unless I knew more. |
| Catherine LeAnn | 08/13/08 | 9:16pm | I believe it's just another tool to be taken advantage of. |
| Bam Bam | 08/13/08 | 5:28pm | I need to know more about these vouchers before saying anyting. Right now, the gov't doens't have much to say about how the school's are run. If they start paying out vouchers that may give them the right to step in and start running things and that can be disastrous! It may not be a real good idea. But without knowing more about them or the program as a whole I think we can only speculate. |
| Paula | 08/13/08 | 1:46pm | Thanks Jeff & Pat. I don't really know if the vouchers would improve public education or not. With the federal monies paid to each school, in all actuality the bigger schools no matter where they are located should really have a bigger slice of the funding. State and Federal. Each attending child is worth so much per full day to the district. The school board and the school district are the financial keys. |
| Alicia | 08/13/08 | 12:52pm | I don't think it is a good idea to have the vouchers. An example is when my nephew was in grammar school, it was a nice neighborhood school. Then the BOE (Board of Education) decided to bus in some mexican kids from another school. It was a pilot program. Well it lasted about 3 weeks, the mexican kids brought guns to school, they carved up the floors and countertops in the kids bathroom, they broke playground equipment. The parents from the school went nuts and demanded that the program be stopped. They stopped it and all the crazieness stopped. People pay a hell of alot for their homes and also in taxes to keep the troublemakers away from their schools so their kids get a better education. If the government wants to get involved, work with the BOE getting the schools in the inner cities working properly to give the poor kids a chance. The parents need to be accountable for thier trouble making kids with huge fines and jail time and also lock up the kids and put the fear of God into them. |
| Pat | 08/13/08 | 10:59am | That's right, Jeff, and when they become magnet schools, it is even better. But one area that is still tough on the good kids that want to learn and just be happy kids enjoying their day is the trouble making bullies. I don't mean just voucher kids, I mean also kids from families that don't need any financial help. Schools and school buses these days need a lot of cool, calm, and collected relatives, neighbors, friends, etc.(not everyone works) to volunteer to monitor the halls, rest rooms, the grounds and buses. Even in the good schools are still bad kids that make a school day hell for other kids. So even if a voucher kid can get into a good school, with all the trouble our youth now have to deal with, it will still not improve public education. Kids can't cope and learn with the stress that in my days was no such thing happening. But vouchers do give an even ground for low income families that want a good education for their kids. |
| Jeff | 08/13/08 | 9:19am | School Vouchers in lieu of tax funded public schools would definitely improve education. With vouchers, parents have a choice of where to send their children. That means schools actually have to compete with each other for your business, which means better education. Competition is the key element that is missing from our existing public education system. With school vouchers, parents still have government help for their kids education. If a school is not performing well, parents will not be sending their children there which means they go out of business if they don't get their act together. This is the way it is in the private sector which is why private schools have such a great reputation. This kind of voucher system has always been a success in every place it has been tried. When a school is forced to compete for your business you can bet they will do what is necessary to give the best education possible so that they can get more students with vouchers. Good education is rewarded while failed education is penalized... all by the market place. |
| Paula | 08/13/08 | 5:45am | School vouchers? For what? Public schools = Big business. The difference between private industry and public schools are that all schools in the U.S. have federal and some local or State funding. Special needs are heavily funded by federal and state means. The regular education population are subsidised at a rate of so much per student per day. Exactly why children are held to 1pm on an early day - No federal funding for half days. So, my question remains; Government issued school vouchers for what? Lunches? We have that. A better education? With the taxes we pay there is no reason our children shouldn't have that too! |
