I Run A Private School and I am Against Vouchers
"The only completely privately-funded college I know of is Hillsdale College, in Michigan. They chose to stay privately funded because of affirmative action: they were started in the 19th century by abolitionists who did not believe in discriminating based on race. In the ‘70’s, they were required by the Feds to employ affirmative action if they wanted to use Pew grants. But they considered affirmative action a form of racial discrimination. Rather than continue with it, their trustees decided the college should become entirely privately funded.
And now Hillsdale stands as one of the only ideologically unique higher education institutions in the nation. Too bad more places haven’t had the integrity to follow that path."
And now Hillsdale stands as one of the only ideologically unique higher education institutions in the nation. Too bad more places haven’t had the integrity to follow that path."
Not coincidentally, test scores and the excellence of education of our people has been declining ever since.
We in the Gulch have to make more noise on a larger stage.
Indeed! Always on point. :)
Regards,
O.A.
There's plenty of good material up on the Web already, and more will certainly follow. I really believe the task of homeschooling will only get easier and cheaper.
Also, I don't follow the logic of the second part of what you said, single payer schooling and that. Could you expand?
As to single payer, in the area of healthcare, which I am involved in, we've just seen Obamacare taking a large control over healthcare insurance. Many liberals do not think it went far enough and are demanding "Single Payer" healthcare where you still have separated providers but the government is the only insurance. This is distinguished from the National Health Service such as Britain has where the government does everything.
Vouchers are, essentially, moving from a National Health Service mode to a Single Payer mode where the government pays but doesn't provide the services.
Since this is what they are used to advocating, it's a good phrase to hang the argument on.
Of course running small private schools are optimal and I don't, in any way, mean to demean what you are doing. I just can't imagine the majority of our population being able to attend such schools -- and we can't let the government have a free hand in indoctrination.
with this forum, the movies, and maybe the TV series,
perhaps there will be an increased chance that more
kids will get a Real Chance!!! -- j
Also known as “HardWork U” the "College of the Ozarks" is based on Cultural, Patriotic, and Christian values. No tuition is charged, all students work on campus, debt is openly discouraged, and no federal, state, or private loans are made. I’m sure there are more schools like this hidden out there somewhere. If not, why not? I think it might behoove us to find one for our grandchildren. If interested see: https://www.cofo.edu/
thinking which we need for our kids -- each is a
unique person and each should get a chance to
find the productive life they love!!! -- j
I think about that school my kids went to for 13 days. The administration believed in "alternative" medicine and didn't require/support vaccination. I disagree with them strongly, but I'm glad they're down the road living their hippie lifestyle in peace. I would hate for voucher program to come along and require them to follow rules so parents can get their tax dollars back and spend them on the school.
Of course the availability of vouchers would generate a lot of schools that were more free, and better, than the public schools but still somewhat under the thumb of the state.
Whether you would be able to maintain independence as Hillsdale does, or would have to accept vouchers and battle the state regulations is a valid issue. On the other hand you would have more allies in all the other private schools that would spring into being with a city full of people who can now afford them.
Second, she suggest that a tax credit could take the place of a voucher -- but of course we know that a tax credit would have to be to a 'qualified' school and the camels nose gets back into the tent.
In reality, the government doesn't even need to give you money to dictate how a school should perform. All they do is say that if a school doesn't do x, anyone attending it is truant -- and the guys with guns come to talk to the parents. they almost just did that in California with vaccinations and home schooling.
Of course this is a two-part issue. First, should the state force people to pay taxes to pay for schools and second should the state then run the schools.
If we are going to continue to have the state pay for education, and realistically I think we have to accept that for the foreseeable future, then at least we can try to get more individual choice in the schools.
Tell your liberal friends that you are interested in "Single Payer Schooling".
Our state legislature just recently wrapped up their annual session and of course the hot topic was the budget. Public Education - even with the assistance of the Federal Government in my Red State - still consumed 55% of our ENTIRE budget. And that was on top of a school bond levy to raise money to build another two middle schools and a high school in my area (needed, I'll concede). And then everyone is complaining because the roads were underfunded. The solution is simple: turn the schools over to private groups and let them compete for parents' dollars. We already have a host of charter schools that provide a great template.
The school budgets are basically welfare for the staff. Bloated administration, support staff, and ridiculous pensions.
I was homeschooled (until college), and have strong convictions that the Government does not have the responsibility to educate us, and ought to stay out of it (though it may encourage it).
I'm a big fan of Hillsdale college, for their convictions about remaining entirely private (and the extraordinary efforts they go through to accomplish this), and its appreciation of the Constitution.
I advocate school vouchers. The article makes a good point, and I agree that vouchers ought not be our end goal. Anything "granted" by the Government comes with the control of the Government. The final solution would be for Government to recognize its proper role and limits (i.e., to protect us against those who would violate our natural rights), and get out of the business of public schools.
But most of my friends would object that just quitting cold-turkey would be disastrous. So I see vouchers (or tax credits) as a good step in the right direction. It would help toward allowing the market to operate and allow competition, and build the infrastructure that will eventually enable us to break away from the chains of Statist education. I know this is highly optimistic, maybe wishful thinking, but I think it is a good path to pursue.
(Edit: finishing a thought).