And when you look at their results, and consider the opportunity costs, you want to cry.
Ping for later viewing.
Excellent!
Thanks for the post!
sfl
I've been saying this for years, including to defenders of public schools here on Free Republic. "Free" public education is wildly expensive. We could cut school budgets by 20%, 30%, 50% or more just by voucherizing local education. In the Washington, DC area, there are plenty of schools that would happily take half that $28K per year to educate children. The local Catholic elementary schools typically charge about one-quarter or less of that amount, and the high schools often get by with 50% - 60% of $28K.
Think about it: Save lots of money; provide a dramatically better education.
The greater problem is, it isn't just that ordinary folks don't realize this. Even folks who should know better don't realize this. A buddy of mine ran for the board of education in his local jurisdiction. He couldn't even wrap his head around the idea that you have to factor in some sort of amortized cost of capital purchases into the per pupil spending number. And this guy is a business owner.
sitetest
When it comes to educating this country’s children, I’m definitely pro-choice. Let the parents have some options as to where their kids go to school. And the education dollars allotted to those kids should transfer with the students.
Yet I have yet to read on Free Republic, or any website or news organization or anything anywhere what the effect these property taxes to pay for union teachers salaries and bennies has on the housing crash. Does no one think raising a thousand dollar mortgage to 1500 had a difference on people's ability to pay their mortgage? Why did no one, NO ONE anywhere see this connection. I gave up commenting about it years ago.
bttt
The Enemies Within Our Education system
Education Unions (the N.E.A.), School Administrators and Yes - Even Some Teachers
“In many cases it seems school districts don’t want you to see the real pricetag.” 0:16-0:22
The lie is the weapon used most often by the socialist/criminal.
“Socialism Is Legal Plunder”
“Now, legal plunder can be committed in an infinite number of ways. Thus we have an infinite number of plans for organizing it: tariffs, protection, benefits, subsidies, encouragements, progressive taxation, PUBLIC SCHOOLS, guaranteed jobs, guaranteed profits, minimum wages, a right to relief, a right to the tools of labor, free credit, and so on, and so on. All these plans as a whole with their common aim of legal plunder constitute socialism.”
Quotes - Bastiat, CAPS - mine
GRRRRREAT post, doug. Thanks. HOORAY Adam B. Schaeffer!
DISMANTLE the Dept. of Education, the Dept. of Energy, the EPA, etc., etc.
DEPOPULATE socialists from the body politic.
Much more of the damage they have done...
“Above all, if you wish to be strong, begin by rooting out every particle of socialism that may have crept into your legislation. This will be no light task.” - Bastiat (again)
C’mon November!
EXCELLENT video!
I am currently in a teacher education program, preparing for yet another direction in life after having raised our kids. It's eye opening to see what teachers and school districts are dealing with, and it helps to understand the cost picture. Because of all the rights to education mandated at a federal, and to a lesser extent, state level, the public schools have become something of a dumping ground. Students with limited English proficiency, emotional problems, and significant learning or physical disabilities are all being placed in regular classrooms. I could end up trying to teach high school science in a classroom containing students who are blind, mentally retarded, hyperactive, dyslexic or recent immigrants. It would be my responsibility to teach them along with the other students who range from very bright to not-so-academic in ability. If you could see the variations on lesson planning that are expected of teachers, you'd be stunned. A truly conscientious teacher trying to meet all these competing demands could work 24/7 and still not do all that is possible and 'should' be done.
Some of these students have special support (e.g. dedicated aides, ESL classes, pull-out classes, technology assistance) and other do not. Those who have support are costing the districts a lot of additional money. Those who don't may be driving their teachers crazy with extra work.
I don't dispute that kids all need to be helped to learn. However, this system of 'let's pretend' where we dump them all into public schools, close our eyes to the cost, and demand that they all graduate from high school and go to college is absurd, costly, and inefficient. The system has developed with an underlying assumption that resources are unlimited and that if it's for the children it's all good. Unfortunately, one of the things that happens with these mandates is that school districts that can't afford all the spending cut costs of educational services to the average kids or the gifted. They can't cut special ed or parents will sue them.
I'm all in favor of school choice so that parents can better provide for their children. Unfortunately, this may also lead to public schools that are ever more burdened by the cost of serving the special needs population. I'm not too sure how that's all going to work. School choice helps the kids who get out, but the special needs population isn't going away and with all the mandated services to support them, the cost won't either.
Ping
This is a video that I think you would enjoy. :-)
I have been saying for **years** the true cost of our socialist-entitlement system of government schools was **far**far**far** MORE than is officially reported.
Government socialist-entitlment schooling accounting practices would make and Enron accountant blush!
The true cost of government schooling is on par with many of our nation's **most** prestigious and exclusive prep schools, those with the country club facilities. Please note how much it costs to school a child in the Washington D.C. socialist-entitlement schools as compared to Sidwell ( the school the Obama girls attend).