Comments on: No Child Gets Ahead http://www.flashpointblog.com/2006/05/15/no-child-gets-ahead/ The Unpredictable Union of Pragmatism, Idealism, and Cynicism Mon, 08 Sep 2008 11:51:21 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Fed up http://www.flashpointblog.com/2006/05/15/no-child-gets-ahead/#comment-11 Fed up Mon, 15 May 2006 22:36:33 +0000 http://www.flashpointblog.com/2006/05/15/no-child-gets-ahead/#comment-11 What business is it for government to establish standards? Is the government responsible for feeding, clothing, and housing my children? Why should I let the government interfere with my children's education even in the smallest way? The government's primary reponsiblity is to inflict pain and punishment. The sooner it stops doing everything else the better off we'll all be. What business is it for government to establish standards? Is the government responsible for feeding, clothing, and housing my children? Why should I let the government interfere with my children’s education even in the smallest way? The government’s primary reponsiblity is to inflict pain and punishment. The sooner it stops doing everything else the better off we’ll all be.

]]> By: morningcoffee http://www.flashpointblog.com/2006/05/15/no-child-gets-ahead/#comment-10 morningcoffee Mon, 15 May 2006 16:20:46 +0000 http://www.flashpointblog.com/2006/05/15/no-child-gets-ahead/#comment-10 I completely agree with you about applying free market principals to our education system. There must be however, specific standards established for a high school diploma to actually mean something. Students must be able to read a specific level, must be able to calculate at least basic math problems, and a basic understanding of history. The federal government involvement in education need only to be to establish the standard. How each State, Local School District, Charter School, or Private Institution meet these standards should be up to them. I completely agree with you about applying free market principals to our education system. There must be however, specific standards established for a high school diploma to actually mean something. Students must be able to read a specific level, must be able to calculate at least basic math problems, and a basic understanding of history. The federal government involvement in education need only to be to establish the standard. How each State, Local School District, Charter School, or Private Institution meet these standards should be up to them.

]]> By: Carson Sasser http://www.flashpointblog.com/2006/05/15/no-child-gets-ahead/#comment-9 Carson Sasser Mon, 15 May 2006 15:48:37 +0000 http://www.flashpointblog.com/2006/05/15/no-child-gets-ahead/#comment-9 I'm with you on NCGA. A system that depends entirely on standardized tests for evaluating students and schools is bound to fail in the long run. What we need is a system that gives the principal the responsibility and authority for hiring and firing teachers, and parents the responsibility for hiring and firing the principal (by deciding what school their children will attend). I have suggested that it is time that we completely abandon the practice of public education. It is clear to me that it is not working. Big government doesn't do anything very well and the temptation is too great to indoctrinate instead of educate. We could transition from public to private education by building on the voucher concept. Over a period of, say, ten years we could move all students to vouchers and phase out all the public schools. Then we could phase out the vouchers by not taking the money (through taxes) from the parents in the first place. Some say: but what about the poor kids? I believe that there will be plenty of scholarship money available to pay their tuition. I, though of modest means, would happily sponsor a child every year. I’m with you on NCGA. A system that depends entirely on standardized tests for evaluating students and schools is bound to fail in the long run. What we need is a system that gives the principal the responsibility and authority for hiring and firing teachers, and parents the responsibility for hiring and firing the principal (by deciding what school their children will attend).

I have suggested that it is time that we completely abandon the practice of public education. It is clear to me that it is not working. Big government doesn’t do anything very well and the temptation is too great to indoctrinate instead of educate.

We could transition from public to private education by building on the voucher concept. Over a period of, say, ten years we could move all students to vouchers and phase out all the public schools. Then we could phase out the vouchers by not taking the money (through taxes) from the parents in the first place.

Some say: but what about the poor kids? I believe that there will be plenty of scholarship money available to pay their tuition. I, though of modest means, would happily sponsor a child every year.

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