Comments on: Health Care Reform Advocates: Take a Look at Public Schools

By: Boots

Boots — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 07:33:49 +0000

Using the quality of the services which have already been “socialized” to project the quality of health care if it too is “socialized” is entirely appropriate. Most public schools are terrible places, especially in big cities. They are dangerous, and staffed with people who cannot ever be fired for poor performance, so performance tends to be poor. It would seem that public schools exist to provide jobs, not to provide education.

Public housing, there’s another fine public service paid for with our tax dollars. Who in their right mind would say that public housing is a safe, wholesome, healthful place to live and raise a family? Again, public housing is dangerous, and staffed with people who cannot ever be fired for poor performance, so performance tends to be poor. Again, it would seem that public housing exists to provide jobs, not to provide housing.

If we turn our healthcare system into a socialistic one, as the Democrats in DC are so clearly trying to do against the will of the people, I can see the day when hospitals will resemble today’s public schools and public housing. Hospitals will be dangerous and filthy, and staffed with public employee union bureaucrats whose sole function in life is to get a paycheck.

By: Albert

Albert — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 17:05:46 +0000

#6, and just about everybody else here

Canada’s public school (grade, and high school) outcomes are rated 3rd best in the world, and Canada is so much healthier than the US it isn’t even funny. The lies told about Canadian health care and public education, here, are characteristic of people with very fragile self-esteem, a fragility prompted by the realization that the US is not the best at nearly anything, except, perhaps, the number of rich people and elite graduate schools.

By: Disheartened teacher

Disheartened teacher — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 14:27:44 +0000

I’m a disheartened teacher of 9 years. Why am I disheartened? Because I have spent at least 1 out of 3 professional development meanings learning about how racist schools and teachers are and how it is our fault our black kids aren’t doing as well. Yet, no one tells me what to change or how to change it. No one considers the differences the kids come in the door with.

Because I now have to teach kids whose skills are behind 4 grade levels at the same time I have kids who are ahead by 4.

Because I am tired of parents telling me they don’t know what the homework is despite the fact that I maintain a website with assignments and they have been informed of this at least 3 times now.

Because I am tired of parents being furious when I apply strict discipline standards to their child.

Because I am tired of people that bash my union which protects my benefits and spells out clearly what I have to do and what I don’t have to do.

Because I am tired of people mocking my profession or worse.

Because I am tired of having special ed students lay hands on me and not seeing their LRE changed. Any child so out of control that they are physically violent with staff is clearly not in their least restrictive environment.

Because I’m tired of people outside education blasting the system when they really don’t have the vaguest idea of what is going on.

Am I tired of my students or actually teaching? No, it’s all the other crap I’m tired of.

By: C

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 11:37:46 +0000

Chuck,
where do you live? I want to make sure I don’t end up teaching in that system. Pay to play is one thing but pay to be punished. That is a bright one.

By: Chuck

Chuck — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 19:43:37 +0000

our local public school wants to charge kids for detention. Do you think that’ll fly?

By: myth buster

myth buster — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 19:41:38 +0000

“You have the reasoning and writing ability of a child”
I won a $2000 prize for an essay detailing the need to overhaul the tax system and why the Fair Tax is the best proposal to accomplish this task. This means I was the best essayist in the University of Michigan College of Engineering last year, hardly someone with childish reasoning and writing skills.
“Go to school, son.”
Don’t patronize me. I’ll be graduating with a BSE in Nuclear Engineering in May, and this is only my third year in college.

By: C

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 11:29:21 +0000

Larsen,
I am still accountable to parents as a public school teacher. I just get the added pressure of the government interfering.

About my first post. I said the problem with nclb was that there were to many fingers in the pot (or something like that). I think I was misunderstood. It is difficult to teach when there are so many vastly different standards we have to meet. Thus if we must be held accountable by the Feds, I want a clear nation set of standards. Otherwise, the Feds need to butt out and let local governments handle standards. The way it works now is not working.

By: Larsen E. Whipsnade

Larsen E. Whipsnade — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 06:12:52 +0000

14. Donny: “Private schools can turn pupils away or turn them out, they have no responsibility to America, what so ever.”

Right. Private schools are accountable to PARENTS, not America. That’s the way it should be. This is not Cuba.

By: Want evidence of a failed educational system? Look no farther than PJM's very own jharp

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 05:39:01 +0000

“I really and truly find it hard to be my fellow American’s could be so blinded and ignorant.”
“gives a damn about a spelling mistake.”

I guess expecting a level of literacy that was once expected of children in grammar school is too much too ask these days.

“You are a nut. And have the reasoning and writing ability of a child.”

Pot, meet kettle.

By: goy

goy — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 04:59:15 +0000

@23. silversurfer: – The public school system is the canary in the coal mine and the problems we face today are what you will all be facing tomorrow.

Yes. If that post is any indication, paragraphs will be completely extinct by 2012.