How NOT To Sell Someone on Public Education Part II

Published on December 17, 2004 By Gideon MacLeish In Current Events

So, I'm at the grocery store the other night, and I run into one of our locals, a very intelligent man, although one whose intelligence is mitigated by the fact that he thinks he's the most intelligent man in town and doesn't have time to entertain opposing viewpoints (the same one cited in my "What Qualifies as 'Research' Nowadays" article). He asks me if I'm going to the school board meeting tonight.

My reply was simply that, as a homeschooler, I expected minimal oversight from the state and think it fair and reasonable that I shouldn't be too involved in the politics of the local school board (besides, with city council meetings, volunteer firefighter meetings and the local community action group, I'm frankly "meetinged out"). He explained that the fate of the school was linked to the fate of the town (the school went $900,000 in the red over a six year span), and that we need to influence the school board as to their budget, which is $60,000 in the red for the year thus far (after promising that they would get the school board back on track and receiving a tax increase for funding).

Now, understand, this man has been urgently trying to get me to enroll my children in the public school. Well, he has so far only succeeded in advancing arguments AGAINST enrolling my children in the public school. My two school aged children (Even if I were pro-public school, I believe that, if it is possible, children should be at home with their parents until they're about 5 years old at least) would not recoup $60,000 in debt, and if the school DID go under, we'd have to choose between bussing them 15 miles or homeschooling them once again. No choice there, as far as we're concerned.

His proposal is analagous to a failed businessman approaching me and saying "My business has been hemmhoraging cash for the last 6 years. Would you invest in it?" It would be absolutely foolish for me to invest in that sort of fiscal irresponsibility, and is equally foolish for me to consider the local school system a viable solution. After all, if they can't balance a budget, how can I expect them to teach my children mathematics to any level of competence?

Respectfully submitted,

Gideon MacLeish

Comments

Myrrander

on Dec 17, 2004

"After all, if they can't balance a budget, how can I expect them to teach my children mathematics to any level of competence?"

With all due respect, it's two different "theys" that you are referring to. The people actually teaching the math have nothing to do with school budgets. That's all your local superintendant and school board's domain. I don't like that system at all, and you make a great many valid points in your article -- but the people actually in the classroom aren't the reason that budgets are short.

Homeschool students tend to score higher on standardised test scores and college entrance exams, though, so your decision to do so for your child (children?) is perhaps a wise one. It makes me wish we could have smaller classrooms so that each student might get something approaching the attention a home schooled child gets.

I'm one public school teacher who thinks homeschooling is a very viable and good alternative for the parent(s) who want to take that work on themselves (in addition to all the other stuff they do) -- having more students enrolled isn't the answer IMO, having smaller classrooms and small student:teacher ratios is.

Cheers.

Gideon MacLeish

on Dec 17, 2004

myrrander,

Good points. Virtually every public school teacher I know homeschools their own.

I actually have a potential solution for the school district's ills, and if they would be inclined to consider it, would possibly consider sending my children to the school. There are about 200 children in grades K-12, and Texas school districts are independent and self governing (which leads to top heavy budgets in smaller communities). As such, the idea of running the school as an "educational co-op" would be the best way to streamline funds. My plan would be this: have three elementary classes: preK-K, 1-3, and 4-6. This would approach the "one room schoolhouse" concept at the elementary level, while still segregating the grades enough to allow for learning differences. Then, have secondary level teachers contracted to teach junior high half the day and high school half the day. This would allow for more diverse courses. Have teacher aide positions, cafeteria and custodial positions run on a coop basis; that is, that the parent contributes so many hours to assisting in these areas or hires out a "proxy" to fill their hours.

And I do realize that administrative decisions are made by the board and the superintendent. But the fact is, these people are responsible for hiring and firing the teachers (we have one teacher that should be fired that the school board will not allow the superintendent to fire because she's the wife of a board member...good way to make your school board look like hicksville, eh?)

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