My own education rant ( Re: Reading, Writing, and Multiple Choice)

[melclaros]

--- In HPFGU-OTChatter at yahoogroups.com, "Haggridd" 
<jkusalavagemd at y...> wrote:
.
> 
> 8.  Vouchers, vouchers, vouchers.  Unless there is a the ability 
for  parents to opt out of a failing education system completely, and 
> thereby deny it the funds allotted for that "seat", there will be 
> little incentive to take the vigorous measures that are necessary, 
> especially in light of #'s 1,5,&7 above.  Parochial schools should 
be  eligible to participate in this voucher system, though no funds 
> should go to support religious studies. (Yes, I realize that money 
is fungible; so what?)
> 


Spoken (well written) like someone who has no idea what vouchers are 
or how they work. I defer to Barb's brilliant post as to the type of 
students who are considered acceptable by private schools, and the 
religious studies issue, but I suggest *you* do some more research on 
your own. 
Private schools are required to accept the state voucher as *full 
tuition*. Just how many schools do you think are going to accept a 
voucher for say $1,200 to cover $5,000 - $7,000 tuition? Not many I 
can tell you that right now. Here in Florida, where we have a voucher 
program, there are schools that *will* take them being set up in  
storefronts and private homes soley for the purpose of cashing state 
vouchers. Children are already being warehoused and our voucher 
program is in its infancy. These schools are not required to test 
their students. (How ironic is THAT? The public schools live and die 
by the state test, but the state is handing out checks to private 
schools and giving them Carte Blanche with it! No accountability 
requested!) When the money runs out, the children are shipped back to 
the local public school, midway through the year, woefully behind and 
TA-DA! they are then expected to pass the sacred FCAT which will 
grade the school the children haven't even been attending for most of 
the year! The school's grade drops, more students become eligible for 
vouchers based on that grade and the vicious circle begins again. 
Now you tell me. Who are the losers here? 
That's right.
The CHILDREN.


Melpomene (who *might* consider giving a voucher to a private school 
when she sees that private school's test scores printed in the 
newspaper right next to all the public school scores!)