The spreading GOP destruction of public education

1) Why assume that schools are not being fixed (whatever that means)? 2) Schools will never be perfect; neither will children or their parents, or teachers, or principals, or school board members. Was USF perfect? No, because education is an extraordinarily complex endeavor. Consider the complications that children face at home and bring to school and one should reach the understanding that schools and their constituents can only do their best to provide a quality education. Blanket statements about schools not being fixed, though, are useless other than to try and promote a certain agenda.

 

I attempted to answer this question, but the English teacher in the story linked by @philnotfil does a better job. In response to a successful businessman chiding teachers who he felt needed to do better, she said:

"Mr. Vollmer," she said, leaning forward with a wicked eyebrow raised to the sky, "when you are standing on your receiving dock and you see an inferior shipment of blueberries arrive, what do you do?"

In the silence of that room, I could hear the trap snap. I was dead meat, but I wasn't going to lie.

"I send them back."

She jumped to her feet. "That's right!" she barked, "and we can never send back our blueberries. We take them big, small, rich, poor, gifted, exceptional, abused, frightened, confident, homeless, rude, and brilliant. We take them with ADHD, junior rheumatoid arthritis, and English as their second language. We take them all! Every one! And that, Mr. Vollmer, is why it's not a business. It's school!"

 

I'm not invested in guv funding of private entities, so I don't have an informed response to your Q. Not sure why you're asking me that. Guv funding of private entities is not (or rarely) analogous to that of public schools. I agree that a better attempt at improving schools is in order, but I promise you that the guv is not capable of fixing it, nor should it be in a position to.

 

Another quality quote from the link phil provided.
The Blueberry Story: The teacher gives the businessman a lesson | Announce | University of Nebraska-Lincoln

The contract that exists between the American public and America's public schools has changed. For decades, the terms were reasonable. Parents asked schools to help them teach their children the things they needed to know to become successful, responsible adults. Those days are gone. Over the years, we have heaped a mountain of academic, social, and medical responsibilities upon our schools. With each new session, legislators from both parties add more to the burden, but they've not added a minute to the school calendar in decades. As a result, the contract has changed. It no longer reads, "Teach our kids." It now reads, "Raise our kids."

Our schools cannot do this alone. Educators must have the understanding, trust, permission, and support of the American public if they are to accomplish this unprecedented goal. But rather than rally public support, shortsighted politicians, business leaders, talk-show hosts, and neo-reformers have chosen the opposite tack. They cite statistics out of context, make false comparisons between public, private, and charter schools, and present test scores in the worst possible light. The failure of some schools is attributed to all schools. Teachers and administrators are often vilified but rarely praised. These critics claim that greater student achievement is their goal. But if this is true, then everything I have learned in 22 years of working toward that end tells me that their negative campaign is misguided and wrong. Rather than expedite reform, their speech and actions retard the process by destroying the intellectual and emotional ties that bind the American people to their schools.

 

You are the only one discussing covid on this thread. I am discussing policy and why Cooper is someone with no credibility when complaining about public education.

 

Just realized I needed to move this back over here...

And we disagree. It was not a solidly balanced plan. He did not allow full in person learning for the Fall of 2020. We knew kids needed to be in the classroom. He allowed for a hybrid. Which was wrong. He should have allowed full 100% 5 days a week in school learning for kids. Especially those without the resources like you or I have...

 

Sort of like letting employees decide when they return to in office work.

No way a school board would bend to a teachers union who didn’t want to go back to in person learning.
Nice job letting the kids do all online without having to actually teach material.

 

A significant % of public schools would go under also if they didn’t have the largess of the Gov to keep them open.

 

The other funny thing is @philnotfil wants to complain about "freedom" and the governor as if plan B and C were the only options for "freedom" which is what the governor chose. The governor did not choose plan A until later causing more harm to the kids of NC. But the state dictated things regardless. Which is why his "freedom" ploy carries no weight.

 

So would most police departments and the military, I guess that's why we do vouchers for PMCs and such too. Violence choice, wouldnt want a government monopoly on that.

 

Your first post in this thread . . .

 

Many charter schools are run like businesses, because they are run by businesses.
Chartered for Profit: The Hidden World of Charter Schools Operated for Financial Gain - Network For Public Education

This is not true for public schools.

 

Try reading the thread before you make such an ignorant accusation. Sadly some are just so obtuse they will agree with ignorance. I know you are smarter. Not sure on the latter who agreed with your post.

But my first post was Post 128...

"To start. We spend more money than we ever have on education. And I am not saying we should spend less or more.

But the bigger issue is you start a thread with this FOOL that vetoed a bill requiring schools to reopen in March of 2021. March of 2021! He is part of the biggest public health disaster of our lifetimes. He caused generational damage. Most to those with the least. Roy Cooper has caused far more damage to public education than any dollar will ever make up for sadly.

It is pure folly to start a thread with this idiot about public education.

Cooper vetoes bill that would force K-12 schools to reopen"

Not going to let you imply I am talking covid. As I was not.

 

I have read the thread. Maybe you should read it and maybe, just maybe you can rid yourself of covid cray cray for three seconds to get on task here. I quoted post 128. Your first post was about covid. But I guess this all makes me "obtuse."

 

It was about the policy the Governor of NC pushed that makes him a fool and one that should not be listened to on public education. I purposely never mentioned “covid”.

Sadly your and others obsession with Covid and me triggers you and them!

 

To the contrary. "My" side of the aisle has lost its way in this matter to a large extent imo. I believe my opinion about vouchers is more aligned with the thinking of a pro-ACA or pro-welfare view.

Frankly I am surprised that vouchers are a conservative view being that it is basically welfare.

My view is not based on any of the "woke" arguments etc. My view has been consistent that it should be an alternative available because sadly we do have failing schools.

 

You called them government run schools as a matter of influence. It's also evidenced in your final phrase.

 

That was a month before he vetoed the bill that would reopen schools. I was with him up until that point. School had been closed for over a year by that point. It was time to open for at least partial in person.

This was about the point where I went from supporting Cooper to being frustrated by his lack of leading. He was governing scared at this point.