(This post was submitted by a reader and is published here in its entirety. It does not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Tattnall Journal.)
School Vouchers
I have to address this issue as many people fail to see the importance of what is at stake here.
There is currently a bill before Georgia lawmakers that would allow, (in certain situations), parents to use vouchers for their "special needs" children.
Can you guess who is stepping up to loudly protest the idea? Well, that would be the Georgia Association of Educators, our wonderful teacher's union. One union spokesman said "It would open a floodgate to vouchers and that is our primary objection to this bill." Vouchers! Union government teachers go to sleep at night worrying about vouchers. They wake up to nightmares about vouchers. They arise in the morning shivering in a cold sweat brought on by thoughts of vouchers. They see vouchers in every dark corner and under every rock. It seems at times that their entire life is occupied by a focus on keeping that floodgate to vouchers from ever opening.
Surely I don't have to spell this out for you, do I? You do understand why these union teachers fear vouchers as they do, don't you? These teachers are unionized. Their jobs are all but guaranteed. It's terribly difficult to fire them. Politicians fear them. They get three months off a year. AND THEY DON'T HAVE TO PERFORM! Generally speaking, there is no requirement that they do their job! They have a monopoly! The government provides them with a place to work, pays their salaries, and works hard to prevent competition!
Imagine government grocery stores. Groceries are essential, aren't they? Come on, you have to eat! So let's say that about 100 years ago someone came up with the brilliant idea of establishing a system of government-run grocery stores. To make sure that every American got enough to eat, local governments created a nutrition tax. All property owners had to pay a nutrition tax every year amounting to thousands of dollars. Under this great government plan you are assigned to a grocery store when you move into a neighborhood. Every year the local government creates a credit for you at this grocery store; an account in your name. When you want to buy groceries you have to go to this store and no other. Would your assigned grocery store feel any pressure to make sure that you get the best quality foods? Would this grocery store work hard to determine what its customers want? Would you be assured of the latest technology and products? The answer to all of these questions is, of course, no! Why would they? What do they have to fear? Competition? There IS no competition! The citizen's money is taken away from him by force and put into an account at one particular grocery store, and no other store. If you want to go to a private, non-government-operated grocery store you are going to have to dig into your own pockets and spend even more money! You're trapped, and the grocery store managers and employees know it. There is no real need to deliver a quality shopping experience or the best products. Instead of focusing on their customers these managers and employees focus on getting even more money and benefits from the government.
Oh .. and government grocery store clerks would be focusing on one more thing ... preventing competition. Every once in a while someone is going to step forward with a rather radical idea. Someone is going to suggest that people be given vouchers equal to the amount they pay in grocery taxes so that they, like their rich neighbors, can go shop at those private grocery stores where fresher food and a wider variety of products are available! As soon as this suggestion is made the managers and employees of the government grocery stores are going to erupt into howls of anguish. They will say that this is all a plot to destroy public grocery stores. They will wail that groceries are a necessity and that there should not be any competition in the selling of those groceries. They will watch every politician like a hawk, making sure that none of them even utter so much as a hint that they might be willing to consider the idea of grocery vouchers, and they'll build a government employee union that is so strong and so far-reaching that only the boldest of politicians would dare to cross that line.
It's not groceries we're talking about my friends. It's your children. How long are you going to let these teacher's unions run the show like this?
The voucher program simply gives PARENTS A CHOICE in where they send their children for education. Seems logical, right? Why would school boards and teacher's unions not want parents to have a choice in their child's educaion? They are afraid that a voucher system would drain already financially srapped systems. In some cases, that is true. But what kind of edcuation are our children receiving if there is no competition?
The voucher system will allow parents to take the money that they already pay and use it to send their children to a better school. We have a choice in where we bank, we have a choice in which doctor we see, but in most cases, we don't have a choice in where we can send our children for education. This is frightning. We all know where the state of Georgia stands nationwide in education. Our government educational system is deplorable, to say the least. Say yes to school vouchers and say yes to a choice in education.
(This post was submitted by a reader and is published here in its entirety. It does not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Tattnall Journal.)
25 comments:
I want to add that I felt like I needed to make this post after this topic came up at a recent school board meeting. After hearing what some of our officals had to say about it, I thought that a differing opinion was needed to give another side of the issue. I am by no means "anti-teacher" but I am pro choice when it comes to education.
Giving my own personal opinion (and I'll have to admit that I haven't studied up on the bill yet) ... I don't think taxpayers should have to pay MORE so that some parents can send their kids to private schools, if that is part of the program. I am a product of the public school system and feel that I have gotten a very good education from Tattnall County. I don't always agree with everything our local Board of Education does (obviously) but I'd have to agree that the voucher thing sounds like a bad idea and could be costly for all of Tattnall County. Don't worry, I'll research it some and try to get an unbiased article for the paper.
No one can give special needs children the kind of services our public schools can. At the current time, if a student comes to school and he needs something we don't have -- an interpreter, a paraprofessional, anything -- the school system is required to hire that person. Pinewood or GCA couldn't possibly do that, nor would they.
Opening the door to vouchers serves to hurt small towns the most. In Tattnall County only the richest folks -- and those who don't mind going broke for it -- send their kids to private school.
If vouchers were allowed, those same kids would continue to go to private school and then even more middle class kids would have the opportunity. But private schools resist any government interference, so they could create their own rules.
As I see it, our local private schools are more social club for the wealthy rather than hardcore learning establishments. I’m sure they get a good education, but they are, by their very nature, exclusive.
So, being that they shun all government regulation, they can set their own rules. Tuition could be voucher + $1,000 a year and that would exclude just about everyone the school wouldn’t want to associate with.
Who would that leave in our public schools? You guessed it: the poorest kids in the county. And with less funding, our public schools would lose talented teachers, have fewer resources and eventually graduate a lesser quality student.
That's a death sentence to public education. It should make us all have nightmares and wake up in a cold sweat. People should be smart enough to see that opening the door to vouchers to special needs kids is one step closer to hurting our kids.
It's sad that some want to make the voucher system a "class warfare" issue and not an educational issue. One poster mentioned that private schools will "shun all government regulation". THAT'S A GOOD THING. Why do we want government in the business of educating our children? That's the problem with so many things now - GOVERNMENT. We should be preaching LESS GOVERNMENT, not more. Some people just don't want the responsibiliy of educaing their own children. They want the government to do it for them.
I don't mind "going broke" to send my child to a private school. It's the responsible thing to do as a parent. My child will graduate with a better education and will be better prepaired for college and the real world.
And no, I'm not rich. I just don't drive around in a new SUV or live in a big house. I use that money for my child's education. You can't talk about how expensive a private education is and have new vehicles, big house, satellite TV, cell phones, expensive vacations, etc. You have to get your priorities in order and at the top should be your child's education.
I don't think that the education obtained from a private school is better than one obtained from the public school system. Teachers at private schools do not have to be certified whereas the teachers in the public school system have to maintain their credentials and have to take continuing education classes so that their certification remains up to date. I have also heard that those students who chose to leave a certain local private school are always behind in math and science when they decide to come to the local public schools.
Everyone needs to read the bill and get the correct information as to why this bill should pass.
Each private school has it's own rules and regulations for it's teachers and staff. I would venture to say that a private education far outweighs a public one. You will come across some that do not have the standards that you're looking for. In that case, you would need to go find one that did. But at least you have a choice. With public schools, if you don't like the way things are going and the educaion is not up to your standards, you don't have a choice. Your kid is stuck! It's that or nothing. (Refer to the first poster's comments on this. They made a good point with the grocery store analogy.)
I know this area doesn't have a whole lot of private schools to choose from and that really needs to change. But if there is no demand for it, there won't be any supply for it. I think that the two main local private schools do a great job. I have friends who graduated from both and got into better colleges than others from the public system. I can tell you first hand that the public education I received in Tattnall County wasn't what it should have been. I graduated not knowing basic algebra. I received a passing grade just so I could graduate, not because I earned it or knew the material. You'd think that alarm bells would go off to someone when they noticed that a senior didn't know math well enough to pass. I struggled through college math because of this. Yes, I take personal responsibiliy for this. I could have applied myself more to the material but my teachers could have also applied themselves more to my education. I guess they figured that they get a paycheck either way.
I have to chuckle a little when I hear people say that they don't think private education is better than public. Maybe if I was in a classroom with 15 instead of 45, I might have received the attention and education that my parents paid for. All I have to say is good luck to all those students in public schools. Hopefully things are better for you than they were for me. I sure wish we had vouchers back then!
I would disagree that the private schools are superior to the public ones in the area. Almost every single graduate that I know of private schools in this region all have to take remedial classes at the college level. Now, this isn't EVERY student, but a good deal do -- far more than the ones that graduated with me at TCHS in 2006.
Secondly, special needs students are most certainly better served in the public system. For example, Pinewood only has the Phoenix Center for such additional assistance. As I personally know some of the people that run, I know that they do a good job for what they do. However, they are not equipped to handle MR students or even others in the special needs spectrum. The public system has federal regulations on the curriculum and all of these students are required to be served -- something that is optional in the private setting, so long as they don't discriminate towards the people they accept. Interestingly enough, you don't see many of these students in the region attending these private schools.
It's not the job of the state to fund private institutions with vouchers. It's not a matter of choice, it's a matter of common sense. Federal funding that the schools recieve, again, require regulation. If the vouchers start going to private schools, they will have to start accepting some of these federal measures, which they probably wouldn't be thrilled about doing.
Finally, I'm going to defend my alma mater for a moment. I had an excellent education at TCHS; mind you, things have improved much since it opened 10 years ago. It's now one of the best high schools in the region. I never had a class at TCHS that had 45 students in it -- at a maximum, 25 or 26. It has not been my experience, as of late at least, that Pinewood and GCA has been churning out the most qualified graduates. At one time, both of these schools were very good, but as of late, many of the teachers that I know about (though not all of the teachers) are out of field, which makes educating math, science, and other subjects difficult. In the public setting, teachers have a finite amount of time to be qualified in their field or they are let go. In the private setting, if there is a lack of teachers clamoring to enter the gates due to lower pay/benefits, they will keep them in the classroom so there is a live body.
I certainly respect the right of the parent to choose where their child is educated, but I find that most of the time, the parent isn't choosing a private school because of education matters.
I'm glad that the above poster had a better experience in Tattnall County schools than I did. Things have in fact changed from the earlier days at TCHS and I hope they are all for the better.
I think that there is a genuine hunger by private school teachers. They aren't in it for the money. They realize that if they were to teach in the public system that they would almost be guaranteed a lifetime job, better pay, benefits, etc., etc. You have to respect that.
As was stated earlier, Georgia's public educational system as a whole is one of the worst performing in the nation, with Mississippi even topping us at one point. (No offense to anyone from MS.) And with some Tattnall County Schools not making AYP in the past or struggling to do so, one can only hope that our state public education gets better. Kids who can do better in other schools should have that choice and school vouchers helps give that choice. I don't think that this issue will ever materialize in Tattnall but statewide, I think that it has a good chance, especially in areas where there are multiple private school choices and not just two or three.
Well, both of my kids are in private school and I wouldn't have it any other way. I am also a product of the public school system and have done fine, but public schools are not what they used to be. In an atmosphere of "dumbing down" and "zero tolerance" (which means zero thought)and perpetuating an entitlement mentality in today's society, I find it to be absolutely untenable. My children have never darkened the doorstep of a public school and never will, at least not unless and until the system is changed back to one that works and doesn't just ply itself to the lowest common denominator and make everyone fit one low standard, making the entire system only as strong as its weakest link.
As to the vouchers, I truly don't see where special needs children would benefit from the private schools as they tend not to have special ed - although they do have smaller classes and more individualized attention (which would go away if the schools were filled with voucher children). Also problematic is the matter of fairness...if parents get vouchers to send their kids to private schools, how about the parents of the kids who are already there? I work two jobs...I'd want the same break.
Not only that, I'd like to know what qualifies as "Special Needs." We live in a world where ADHD and "Oppositional Defiance Disorder" entitles the family to a monthly disability check and special recognition. You're basically being rewarded for having poorly-behaved children. Add those to the classroom of a private school and take away their ability to expel back to the public schools for disruption and then you've just completely eliminated any advantage the private schools have, not the least of which includes standards of behavior and discretion...the kinds of things that lend to a better educational environment.
And for the record...I have seen public school third-graders learning the same things my kids were taught in the first grade in private school. And in private schools you have to actually learn the material in order to pass the grade. Add in vouchers - and with them, government interference - and all that goes away.
I vote "no."
"And in private schools you have to actually learn the material in order to pass the grade."
No, no -- the days of social promotion are over. Done.
I wasn't necessarily addressing social promotion. But the public schools are so set on test scores that they're teaching the tests instead of actual critical thinking skills (I know, I come from a family of teachers). I have seen WAAAAY too many young adults today who don't know how to count out change for anyone to convince me any differently.
Babs -
I agree with you completely on the test score thing. However, I think that Supt. Cox is making some strides in letting the curriculum drive the test rather than the test drive the curriculum. I was on the Student Advisory Council for two years and got to work with her closely on this, so I'm a huge advocate of the new curriculum, Master Teacher, etc. And as I also come from a family of teachers, I understand what you mean.
The problem remains that many schools, public and private, aren't teaching a functional curriculum to do basic things such as count change. They'd rather teach Geometry and Calculus, which is going to be helpful in a post-secondary environment, but not particularly in real world application.
James, therein lies the problem.
When fundamentals are lost there is nothing to build upon. The fact remains that people must live in the real world even while in college. I was taught how to write a check and how to count change in the third grade. All basic things because let's be honest - if you don't know how to count change, you can't know if the change you get back is correct.
I remember as far back as 10 years ago I was checking out at a video store and noticed the screen in front of the young lady at the register and how it told her how many quarters, dimes, etc to give back in change. I naively commented something along the lines of, "Isn't it funny how they think they have to spell everything out for you like you can't count for yourself?"
She gave me this look and said, "Well some of us have problems with that."
...pulling foot out of mouth...
An informal survey among 2000 Atlanta public high school graduates a few years ago found that a disturbingly high percentage (over half, but I don't remember the exact ratio) could not correctly add 1/2 and 1/4.
And this represents the future of our society? I shudder.
I hope that school vouchers do become a reality some day in Georgia. When my child becomes school-aged, I will be sending him to a private school in metro Atlanta. These private schools run up to $20,000 a year so I will appreciate all the help I can get! Either way, whether I get help through a voucher or not, I am making this financial obligation to my son and his future. (I pray daily that he gets a scholarship to a great college!!!! :)
Babs, I agree, it's scary...but I still don't see vouchers as the answer :)
I sit back and listen to people talk about the public schools and how the private schools are so much better. Well as someone who attended both public and private schools,I can honestly say that no matter what school you go to you can learn but the desire starts at home not in the pocketbook. Parents want to put the blame on the teachers and the government controls but what about the parents responsibility? When I changed from private school to public school in the ninth grade the public schools were so far ahead in their classes. Public schools can be a great place to learn if the desire is there for the student. The idea of vouchers is beyond idiotic. If people would spend as much time trying to get raises for teachers,getting better equipment in schools, and teaching their children the importance of an education then we wouldn't have to even consider vouchers. By the way, private schools are just for the "I have more money than you kids". I know, I was one of those kids whose parents had no money but thought that private school would get them accepted in the elite club. It doesn't happen people. So keep your money. If you want your child to have a better education, work to make our public schools better, don't just give the elite more money.
Yeah, let's throw even MORE money at public schools because that's working so well. Georgia pays their teachers quite well, (just ask teachers in other states who receive a lot less.) The answer to the many, many problems in public schools isn't more money, although that's not what the teacher's unions and local schools boards want to believe. More money, more money. That'll fix things. WRONG! Here's an idea, try fixing things without asking the taxpayers for more money. Geez.
February 26, 2007 8:09 is correct about the opportunities for public school students. The opportunities are there IF a student chooses to take advantage of them! NO, success will not be handed to you! You WILL have to work for what you achieve! You see in public school everyone is held to the same standards regardless of who your parents are, how much money they make, and or what sport you excel in. This standard is called the Georgia High School Graduation Test. To bad we can’t get the private schools in this area to give the Georgia High School Graduation Test to ALL (and I mean ALL) of their students and then publish their results.
Because of my disgust with the local school systems I have homeschooled my daughter since day one. I now have a 14 year old doing junior college work. I believe the parent should take the responsibility for their child, not ask for vouchers. But I do have a problem paying property taxes to support a school system I have never and will never use.
As a future educator myself, I don't agree with vouchers. Because it's an open-ended way to segragation, as if Tattnall needs more of that. The fact is I'm a product of Tattnall County public schools and I've never been passed just to graduate. And what schools in Tattnall County has 45 students? None of them. I can and have ran rings around private schools products while I was at college. There's a whole lot more to be said but basically it's this, vouchers wont fix Ga's education problems.
No offense to the last poster who is a "future educator", but reading your comment kinda proves a good point about public education. I realize a blog is informal but if you tout yourself as a future educator and proponet of public education, you may want to proof read your message before sending. It is said that people write like they talk.
Have a good day.
Informal is the KEY word in the previous blog.
Amen to the previous blog! You need to know how to write a paragraph properly prior to being a teacher! Some of our colleges are as bad about "giving" a degree just for attending. Sadly, these people are "teaching" our future leaders. Who wants to have their hair styled by someone who does not style their own hair? Their are a lot of teachers out there who can not even speak proper english.... (Not all teachers, only the ones who took offense to the statement)
I have sent my children to private school and public school. It really depends on the teacher. A good teacher and a good parent maintain constant contact. There are no surprises. My children are in the "gifted program", which is a very good program. Some children are so disruptive to classrooms. It all starts at home. We need to manage our children and discipline them, so that they can go to school and mind teachers and allow teachers to do their jobs... School is meant to educate your child, not babysit and pamper. The alternate school does offer a good solution to this! Public schools meet the needs of most children. My child had to see a speach therapist for four years. He went during the summer also. His therapist was wonderful. He would not have received this in a private school.
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