Do a little fact checking, and you find that those “other countries” don’t use “Mac Schools”.

The rich kids in Japan go to public schools. The famous Indian engineers came from a public school system. The public school model is strong in the countries that produce the best students.

Whatever problem we have is not with the buildings, not with the teachers, but with the parents, and society in general.

Public education, free and compulsory for all, is one of cornerstones of an enlightened society.

Education should not become another big business. The business of business is to make a -profit-, not a better product. The quality of the product is always weighed by the consumer against cost. And it is the -perception- of value, fine tuned by marketing psychology that moves a product. What would it be like if the people who suceeded in the marketing of SUVs took on schools as a product to schlepp off to “savvy education consumers”?

The thought makes me cringe.

I understand that there may be better educational models around the world, but you’ve taken hyperbole to the extreme John. Our teachers do a great job and, believe it or not, our children leave school with more knowledge than any of us did. If you’ve met some rude children, don’t blame schools, blame their parents. If a child graduates from High School and can’t read or write adequately— shame on him/her first, shame on his parents second, & shame on the schools last! Also, when you’ve run into these multitudes of inept fast-food workers who can’t make change, did you try to teach them or did you just complain (shame on you)?

To focus on the ills and rare exceptions in education found around the country, and project them on OUR public schools does a disservice to OUR community. We need to continue to support the current system until a better one is chosen.

I challenge anyone who feels the way John does about our public schools to spend a day in the classroom. Sit through some chemistry, calculus, computer science (I’m sure those “kids” knowledge will put a lot of “adults” knowledge to shame), English, Biology, Law & other classes. You will find that OUR teachers (your neighbors) are just as “conservative” as you, are just as “religious” as you, and truly want to succeed in the education of our children – JUST LIKE YOU. And, you’ll find that the MAJORITY of our kids are intelligent, curious, and motivated to learn – not the blithering idiots John would have you believe they are.

It doesn’t matter how much money the schools get or how fancy their facilities are. They don’t teach. Corporatons are struggling to find somebody who knows how to work and is honest enough to work by themselves. Kids who know how to read when they enter school at age 5-6 and then regress. When they graduate they are only at the 4-5th grade level. Why should we pay for more of that?
Kids work at the restaurants…ever watch them give change…if you throw in the penny to make for less change, they don’t know what to do.
Ever talk to kids? They are impolite & rude if they can get past the “kinda like, you know”.
And, why do they need to know about sex at age 6 or why do they have to watch graffic homosexual movies to indoctrinate them as if it were a sign of maturity and intelligence?
I don’t complain about the teachers pay. I complain about the teachers backbone…afraid to really teach because of the intimidation of the ACLU and the liberal school boards that hate God and want to pander to all the evils in our society.
When the freedom of religion is allowed in the schools, I’ll donate some money. Since they took religion out, they have nothing to complain about with the results.

The post that equates a Master’s degree with higher salary is laughable. I know plenty of teachers without the Masters who work their tails off to be interesting and involved and cutting edge. I know plenty with Masters (and some with Phd) who are coasting to retirement. Most Charter schools wouldn’t hire them on a bet. Let’s pay them for doing a GOOD JOB! But, I know, I know, then we have to have somebody with no clue define what that looks like and yaddayaddayadda. Everytime I hear the Teachers UNION rep on TV I feel like hurling. John Stossle did a great story on the state of education in this country and the biggest problem cited was the UNION. Rewarding mediocrity has gotten us no place. Throwing more money at it can’t really be the answer.

Ed Note–Not sure what you got, but chances are it does NOT advocate a yes vote and simply has a series of made up questions and answers along with “voter information” on where and when to vote. The Idaho supreme court recently ruled public money can NOT be used to promote a particular view in an election.