Letters to the Editor
-
@lmwilker
Nope, the ones I know are just regular young girls, some married (which helps) but some single. They seem to be getting by. Trust me, you can live cheaper than you think, and still live in safe areas. It would be much nicer if they got paid more, but its hard considering the cost of tuition doesn't even cover the full cost of the education. There's girls know they can make twice as much in public schools, but they still choose the Catholic ones. Here's a site with some good info:
http://schools.archdiocese-chgo.org/public/factsheet.shtm
-
Responding
I know that in general private school teachers make less than public school teachers. Many of them are retired public school teachers who jump at the chance to finally teach in schools with better than adequate resources where they are not hamstrung by constantly teaching the kids to take standarddized achievement tests. Some have spouses who make most of the household income, some are young, single and idealistic, some are monks and nuns. I doubt that very many of them have to support families by themselves on their salaries. Ann Coulter has also raised the point of of teacher pay, as if public school teachers were in it for the money. I have met public school teachers, have seen the work that they do, and you could not pay me enough to do what they do. They could make at least 50% more in the private sector than they are paid to teach in the public schools. It is not realistic to expect an army of people who are paid less than the poverty
level to start teaching in the public schools. It hasn't happened in my town
As for teaching morals, the public schools do a heroic, unrecognized job of this. What is immoral is the alleged adults who have never set foot inside a public school demeaning the work of both teachers and students. When I was growing up nearly everyone went to public schools and nearly all of their parents respected teachers.
There are also many people who have a problem with the morality taught in Catholic schools and they should have a secular alternative. There's also that mandate in the Constitution to separate church and state. The government should not be funding religious schools.
-
What's so horrible about vouchers?
I'm sure that any Republican voucher plan is guaranteed to be a reverse Robin Hood debacle. I get that. What I don't get is why vouchers, per-se are such a cause-celebre for we liberals.
Public school is terrible. I think the main reason it is terrible is obvious -- no market pressures. Each school is its own little local monopoly, and has absolutely no reason to do anything other than fill desks. That's not education, it's daycare.
If instead, I could have the government spend exactly the same amount of money it would in public school at the school of my choice (including public shools), schools would all have to improve or they'd be out of business. Students would also have incentive to improve, because there would be so much more choice, and competition for slots in the good schools.
All our schemes to make all schools equal, through government regulation, are completely ludicrous, and are demonstrable failures. We can, however, offer every child an equal opportunity to compete, which is what the free market is all about.
-
Catholic schools
I wonder if the schools are able to turn out a better product because they have a better input. The schools can kick out kids that disruptive, and don't have to deal with parents who don't/won't follow the school's rules. Maybe the reason some people will take half as much money to teach at a Catholic school is because they don't have to deal with the social and behavioral problems the inner-city schools do? It seems like economically disadvantaged parents who are nevertheless willing to pay for something (Catholic school) that they could get for free value the education enough to ensure that their children will do well.
It's not just about the schools, and a voucher won't make your mom stop using crack or make her start reading to you, or make your community value educational achievement.
-
The government should not be funding religious schools.
Sorry to burst your bubble, but they already do. I don't want to get into the whole separation of church and state thing, but it was intended so there was not an official statesponsored religion. It was never meant that government and religion could have absolutely no ties. There are lot worse things the government can do with taxpayer money than pay for effective education, even if it is religious.
-
Already Here
We already have the equivalent of school vouchers with charter schools.
-
Typical Nonsense
If a public program doesn't work, throw religion on it! Christ will make it all better.
Now I hate sounding like your typical "throw money on it" liberal, but if we spent 1 month's worth of operating cost in Iraq on our reforming and funding screwed up education system, we would be able to start creating some significant improvement.
Of course, I know that the bill would come due eventually, but when it did we would have a far better education populus ready to face it.
We also need to make education a value in our society again. Not just college education, but training in what are traditionally called "the trades". A well-educated person, whether it is someone who can converse on matters of state and economics, someone who is fluent in multiple languages, or someone who can wire a house safely and efficiently should be a person who commands respect and admiration.
People need to stop dreaming about winning the lottery and need to start working towards accomplishing something with their lives. Kids need to stop idolizing athletes who were given free rides in spite of academic deficency and start admiring those who improve the world through the use of their minds and skills.
Taking tax dollars away from schools that serve the many in order to fund religious schools that cater to the few is nothing short of state endorsement of religion, specifically religion in the traditional Christian mold. I dare you to try securing a voucher or a "Pell Grant for Children" to send your kids to a Muslim based private school. I'm even willing to bet that the process would prove tricky for one of the increasingly rare secular private schools.
If there was just one candidate who would take a stand on education, the single most important issue affecting our nation today, I would gladly vote for them. As it stand, none of the few in power, want a truly educated populus. If the people were to re-acquire critical thinking skills, who knows what kind of trouble they might get into.