NationStates Jolt Archive

What do people think about the privatization of education? Specifically I am talking about voucher programs or even just differentiation among schools.

I believe the egalitarian/socialist basis of the current system does a disservice to the students. Not every child benefits from sending them through an identical system, lumped in with every other student based on nothing more than what neighborhood they live in.

I believe that students would benefit greatly from having a choice of programs to go through. If schools were differentiated into different types geared towards different methods of learning and different levels of ability, we would see a great improvement in education. Lumping smart students in with dumb students does no one any good. The class can only move at the speed of the slowest students, so the smart students are held back and the dumb students get frustrated because they struggle yet see the kid next to them breeze through it.

Some students do really well just reading a textbook and having someone around to answer the occasional question while other students need creative class projects with a high level of interaction.

Privatizing schools would allow for students to study in an environment that benefits them the most. Students should be able to apply to a variety of schools. Likewise this allows schools to exclude the disruptive and failing students. I find it appalling to put a violent and disruptive student with no intention of learning in with a class of students who are making a genuine effort to learn. If a child has a history of horrendous behavior, it deserves to be stuck in a school for disruptive students. Yes this will likely carry a social stigma, but I believe that it should. That is far better than giving a rubbish education to a whole classroom of students.

Currently, the county I live in spends around $14,000 per student each year. This is an appalling amount for a mediocre education. DC is almost as expensive and has terrible schools. This level of funding should be able to provide a great education. You could send a kid to an amazing private school for this much money.

Likewise, I also believe that pushing every child to go to college is inappropriate. There are some students that will never go to college and would be far better served getting an education geared toward some vocation and the basic skills they will need to join the working world.


I went to public school through a system that refused to allow students to skip a year, shoved students up a grade even though they were failing a class because they would not split education levels (for example having a kid in 5th grade math but 6th grade English) and thought it would be elitist to separate the smart kids from the dumb. Essentially the whole education system worked at the pace of the dumbest kid. Now I know that there are some schools which have slightly different systems, but keep in mind that this is rather typical across the country, and unless your parents can afford private school, you have no choice in the matter.

I apologize for making a very American thread, but that is the system I am talking about.
Please try to keep this at least vaguely on topic.

Well, that would work, but it'd be ver expensive... then again, Pythogria does spend 26% of it's money on education.

There are many flaws in the education system, wether it be the US, or any other country. But the thing is, a flawed public education is better than no public education. The goverement shoudl put more money into it. Raise taxes on rich people and start speding more on education and healthcare.

There are many flaws in the education system, wether it be the US, or any other country. But the thing is, a flawed public education is better than no public education. The goverement shoudl put more money into it. Raise taxes on rich people and start speding more on education and healthcare.
Money's not the problem. Organization is.

There are many flaws in the education system, wether it be the US, or any other country. But the thing is, a flawed public education is better than no public education. The goverement shoudl put more money into it. Raise taxes on rich people and start speding more on education and healthcare.

We have continuously spent more and more on education in both nominal and real terms, and education has gotten worse and worse. We need to reform the organization of the system before we can even consider increasing funding; anything else is a waste of money.

Money's not the problem. Organization is.
You can get better organization by putting money in it. I knwo it can be fixed, but a bigger education budget is not gonna hurt anyone.

You can get better organization by putting money in it. I knwo it can be fixed, but a bigger education budget is not gonna hurt anyone.
We've put money into it. Look at what that's done.

im more in favor of the charter school program that allows for innovation within the public school system. there are just too many freaky private schools i dont want to pay for

Finally, a class where I am not surrounded by imbeciles.

If my money is going in any way, shape, or form to a private school, then I demand that I have a say in how it is run and what is taught, same as I do with public. The idea of charter schools interests me tho...I haven't seen enough about them to really decide one way or the other, but it is an interesting option.

vouchers are a bad idea except for in a disaster like hurricane Katrina where students need school somehow, and even then, there are alternatives.

Private schools aren't always better than their public counterparts. Additionally, there are aspects people don't look at. Here are a few.
First, when your family is spending several thousand on your education, you will do well. Or else.
When you do poorly at a private school, they can kick you out. Public school can't.
The families that send their children to private schools clearly care about their childs education. The same can not be said for all children in public school.

We have continuously spent more and more on education in both nominal and real terms, and education has gotten worse and worse. We need to reform the organization of the system before we can even consider increasing funding; anything else is a waste of money.
agreed.

you said it yourself.



Money isn't fully the problem, nor is it fully the solution. More money won't hurt, but that isn't the only thing that needs to be fixed.
I'm sort of confused because I think we're share the same views. :confused:

I'm sort of confused because I think we're share the same views. :confused:
haha...okay, I'm an idiot and misinterpreted what you said. I'm gonna go back and delete that, then go back in my little hole. Sorry.

I went to a British state school and got an excellent education. Virtually all classes were segregated by ability into 10 streams, and I was in the top one for everything, so I sailed through. Under this system, the dumbasses in the bottom classes never held anyone back. We did calculus, they did rudimentary arithmetic, etc.

Call it intellectual elitism if you will, but streaming works. The system (and I refer to the system that is the nation), does not need everyone to succeed, merely a sufficient number to ensure its function. Thus a section of society gets a substandard education, but only through laziness. The important thing is that those who put in the time and effort, get rewarded with attention from their educators, undivided by disciplinary matters.

One does not need to widen private schooling to achieve this, merely a few changes in the way the state school is run. Namely, don't be afraid to leave the incapable behind.

private school is the way to go.

One does not need to widen private schooling to achieve this, merely a few changes in the way the state school is run. Namely, don't be afraid to leave the incapable behind.
That would never work in the US. Too many whiny American-style liberals and neo-cons.

private school is the way to go.
Puppet school is the way you go. Away, hopefully.

so my brother scraped up enough money to send his daughter to a private school.

at the end of first grade, she was 7 and still didnt know how to read. they went to the teacher and the teacher said "oh dont worry, she'll learn when she's ready"

they took her out of that school and put her in the local public school where she promptly learned to read

the point being that not all private schools offer a superior education, some just have great marketing.

I went to a British state school and got an excellent education. Virtually all classes were segregated by ability into 10 streams, and I was in the top one for everything, so I sailed through. Under this system, the dumbasses in the bottom classes never held anyone back. We did calculus, they did rudimentary arithmetic, etc.

Call it intellectual elitism if you will, but streaming works. The system (and I refer to the system that is the nation), does not need everyone to succeed, merely a sufficient number to ensure its function. Thus a section of society gets a substandard education, but only through laziness. The important thing is that those who put in the time and effort, get rewarded with attention from their educators, undivided by disciplinary matters.

One does not need to widen private schooling to achieve this, merely a few changes in the way the state school is run. Namely, don't be afraid to leave the incapable behind.
we have something similar to that...ours is broken down into remedial, regular, accelerated, honors, and AP or other college level. I never delt with the "idiots" untill my senior year when I wanted to slack off and chose to take regular brit lit instead of AP.
At the same time, we can't just reject everyone who is a behavior or learning problem...many, if not most, of these students are in some way in the sped programs or have atleast one disability (autism, ADD/ADHD, retardation, etc.)

so my brother scraped up enough money to send his daughter to a private school.

at the end of first grade, she was 7 and still didnt know how to read. they went to the teacher and the teacher said "oh dont worry, she'll learn when she's ready"

they took her out of that school and put her in the local public school where she promptly learned to read

the point being that not all private schools offer a superior education, some just have great marketing.
Private school teachers don't need to pass state licensure. They can literally be any ass off the side of the streets. Atleast public school teachers must have a degree in what they teach and must pass an exam.

Private school teachers don't need to pass state licensure. They can literally be any ass off the side of the streets. Atleast public school teachers must have a degree in what they teach and must pass an exam.
I doubt that this is so in Britain though. Here, particular emphasis is given to qualified teachers in private schools. They wouldn't be competitive otherwise.

That would never work in the US. Too many whiny American-style liberals and neo-cons.
Well then that's their problem. A school which sacrifices practicality for principles, is sacrificing the education of its children.

You can get better organization by putting money in it. I knwo it can be fixed, but a bigger education budget is not gonna hurt anyone.
Well, except for the other organizations and individuals who are deprived of their money/financing so that the education budget can be expanded in a futile gesture.

Private schooling is not a solution because "private schooling" means nothing more than "you pay money to go to school." It doesn't mean you receive a better education. What we need is a completely redone education system, not support for a misleading system like private education.

Well then that's their problem. A school which sacrifices practicality for principles, is sacrificing the education of its children.
Too true.

the point being that not all private schools offer a superior education, some just have great marketing.
Another point one could draw is that, when that private school failed its student, the student was immediatly withdrawn and moved along to a better school with ease. Further, when that student moved away the school lost money as a penalty for failing in its given job, the same cannot be said for public schools which continue to have cash dumped on them as they crumble.