Part II
I put this in two parts because I prefer to keep my blogs short, and easier to read. This seemed like a good way to divide it.
Now for the pros: The school system is becoming increasingly repetitive, and programs that I feel are important are being cut in order to make more room for standardized tests. Kids are finding fewer and fewer outlets for creativity. The individual student is being lost and replaced by numbers. The schools are getting their priorities wrong, and becoming more and more bureaucratic.
And maybe having more control over my child’s studies isn’t such a bad thing. For example, say my student has gotten all he ever will out of history, and wants to learn more physics instead. If he is homeschooled, I can find a tutor, or sign him up for a class. If the parent has more control over what a child is learning, then so does a child.
There are also the possibilities of more hands on experience. Private schools have more funds for field trips or speakers, and parents can take children to museums and historical sites during the day and during slow seasons when there are fewer crowds.
Finally, private and home school students often do better, and I have yet to see much hard evidence that their schooling has impaired them socially for life. They find it easier to start college at an early age, and may even have larger opportunities for an after school job, as their schedule is more flexible.
I think your discussion is reasonable as far as it goes.
But there seems to be an unspoken assumption that all public schools are equal. I'm glad that you got a good education in public school but large numbers of kids who attend these institutions are not enjoying similar outcomes.
I'm sure that you are aware that there is a lot of variance between public schools. Most public schools are fine and are providing the kids who attend them a decent start at life. Some public schools are absolute failures and the children that attend them are being completely deprived of anything that resembles a reasonable education. The majority of these schools are located in urban inner city areas and these are the precise places where kids need education the most. In many cases, homeschooling is not even an option for the parents of these kids because they are poor and need to work and because they themselves are ignorant and not competent to educate their children.
As I reread this I realized I might need to clean it up a little bit, to make it more clear that this is part is about private schools and homeschooling.
Of course, some public schools are better than some private schools. Others, students are in danger every time they walk into the building. My cousin works in an inner city school, and her mom made her take self-defense classes to protect her from the students. No matter how badly students do, they are always passed on to the next grade. That reminded me of the Herdmans, in those books.
I went to two separate school districts, but it is difficult to compare the two because they were different levels and things changed, such as no child left behind. Of course, I am guilty of making generalizations, which is difficult to do when writing a blog, but I try my best, and this is based mainly on my own experience and knowledge.
Finally, thank you for your comment.
Like what you've read? Well, then here's more:
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/tricia0711
The teachers unions seem to have effectively ended the possibility of introducing competition and variety into publicly funded schools in the form of vouchers. I can see why they feel threatened by the idea, but just wish it could get a fair trial.