While I've avoided taking the time to publicly participate in this thread, I
now feel the need to add a little 'diverse opinion' in an effort to balance
the discussion, or at least demonstrate that there may be more than one
version of the 'moral high ground' in this debate.
First off, I support the rights of city residents (be they doctors,
politicians, teachers, cab drivers or the unemployed) to send their children
to whichever school they think best meets their particular needs-- be it a
public or private institution, and I think it unfair to categorize and
castigate people based on that personal decision.
To date, all property tax payers support the public schools, irregardless of
their family situation, simply by paying their taxes-- and some with more
taxes than others, irrespective of their income level. It seems to me that
parental choice between public school options and private school options is
healthy, and that such competition serves to improve education across the
board.
Catherine Shreves referred to MPS' 12 Point Plan to close the learning gap
between white and non-white students, and improve learning conditions and
opportunities for all students that attend and strive to learn. I applaud
their efforts. The public schools, teachers and administrators are
increasingly being held responsible/accountable for 'measured success' in
our schools-- and rightly so. However, I suggest that parents and students
also be held accountable and share responsibility for student success--
something the 12 Point Plan is finally addressing! If some students aren't
interested in participating in the learning process, and continually cause
trouble in the classroom, skip school and slow the learning process of
others; and their parents/guardians aid and abet that errant behavior,
drastic measures are warranted. There aren't any/many guarantees in life,
and every 'right' is accompanied by 'responsibilities.' The 'right' to a
quality educational opportunity is accompanied by a 'responsibility' to
participate according to the established rules of the educational system.
When that social contract is breached, the errant students/parents/guardians
forfeit their 'right.' I expect we will soon see court challenges to such
system policies in the near future, but I think the concept is just and
defendable.
John Kelland hopes "that studies could be done as to why kids aren't
attending school - and work on fixing that problem." That's well and good,
but we are talking distinct problems here. School system improvements are
being addressed by the 12 Point Plan. Kelland disagrees, and continues,
"What we see in the 12-point plan is an educational system that ignores the
students. We see a plan that scapegoats the students. We see a plan where
a common sense solution is ignored in favor of a bureaucratic 'solution'
which in fact does not address the problem, but generates a new one." I
disagree. I believe the 12 Point Plan supports students (at least those
wishing to learn), and is aimed at improving teaching methodology and making
the classroom a higher quality learning environment via requiring better
attendance, etc. The 12 Point Plan should indeed level the playing field
somewhat between public and private schools. However, imposing an eighth
grade level test as a requirement for high school graduation speaks volumes
about our social expectations. Maybe we need to rethink the chronological
aspects associated with our educational systems (i.e. a four year stint in
high school), and recognize that some students require more time to meet
educational expectations. I digress.
In conclusion and to reiterate, I expect our elected leaders, as fiduciaries
of our tax dollars, to support quality, cost-effective public education
within their political jurisdictions by all means possible. Beyond that
standard, they should be free to send their children to school wherever they
see fit... public or private. In fact, I for one would question a
political candidate's qualifications for public office, if they applied and
supported such a biased and discriminatory standard (that it is somehow
progressive, patriotic, politically correct, yada, yada... to send one's
children exclusively to public schools).
Michael Hohmann
13th ward
http://www2.visi.com/mahco
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