Michael writes: > I see the same difficulty with Mr. Brauer's rule that he will, > "...only listen to those with kids IN the school system." How > do you know that your children are getting a quality education > if you are not familiar with what can be achieved in other > educational systems?
Because we're parents. We're hyper-attuned to whether the kid can read, do math, reason, discuss complex concepts, social development, etc. You can certainly drive yourself crazy searching endlessly for "the best." In my case, I talked with parents who had kids in MPS, knew the neighborhood kids who had been through the system, and had no compunctions going into the system. Given their intelligence and character, if they didn't get a quality education, I don't know what one is. As for numbers, my beef in general is they hyper-reliance on statistics - which, despite valid statistical techniques, often measure the elephant's elbow rather than the elephant. > As to the argument that there are merit scholars from the MPS > system. I would agree that there are students who are > bright, self-motivated, and well supported who will excel in any > educational system, but we should be concerned about the "typical" > student, not the exceptions. Well yes, but so often the broad MPS-bashing comes from those with kids who meet the criteria above. That's what spurs me to defend the system, to this extent: if you're a parent of a bright, self-motivated, well-supported kid, you have an excellent chance of doing fine in the MPS system. It is not flawless, by any means, but neither are private schools for other reasons. Just as I listen to those with kids in the system - really listen - I respect those who choose to go elsewhere. But often, that choice is as speculative as the condemnation. MPS has problems. I don't think one of them is educating most really bright kids. I believe this system has incredible challenges education the "typical" kid - who, in Minneapolis's case, is in poverty. BUT I have yet to see another system - Edina's, Edison's, you name it - who has to meet the challenge, much less meet it better with thousands of kids. > I would be more likely to > accept Mr. Brauer's argument if he were willing to have his > child placed randomly within the Minneapolis Public Schools. Fair point. All I know is the options in my quadrant are excellent. So score one for at least a quarter of MPS. > I looked carefully at my choices in Southeast and do not > believe that schools rate as acceptable, let alone excellent. Curious - what are those options? Why did they fall short? Anyone in Southeast? Again, to agree with Michael, I know parents who move out of non-Southwest sections of Minneapolis to get into the Southwest quadrant. Again, though, I can't help but wonder how much is fear and how much is reality. For them, I really don't know. > I have to admit that what I expect for my children may not > be close to the norm expected by most parents. There are > many American families who are not interested in rigorous > academics or a challenging intellectual environment, but > there are other school systems that meet a variety of > expectations, the MPS do not. Despite what I believe is a misplaced confidence that others lack these standards, I think thousands of us who do find our kids well-served by MPS. Perhaps the difference comes down to geography, or perhaps looking at the system through mud-colored glasses. David Brauer King Field TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. 2. If you don't like what's being discussed here, don't complain - change the subject (Mpls-specific, of course.) ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
