POLL: Are you pro public school? - Page 3

[RiverSky]

Originally Posted by cass

Please explain the reasons for your answer.

Pro. It's a vital service for many and I don't mind paying taxes to support them. We won't be using them, though.

[mamaGjr]

I wanted to appreciate you Flor! First for posting her and second for being a Public School teacher.


While others may not agree and think you are copping out for not sending your kids to public school even though you teach at one , i understand.

maybe not YOUR particular situation but I get it!

My ds will either go to ps or be homeschooled for the younger ages ...not sure what we will do beyond 8th grade

we do not have the money for the private schools. I try to incorporate montessorri

[muse]

Pro public school

It's interesting, the split between what we may believe in in principle and what we want for our own children. I've seen it at our waldorf school; many parents there would consider themselves extremely liberal and would never in principle be in support of sending their child to private school, and yet they are drawn to an approach to education that is simply not catered for by state/public school. I've been surprised to catch myself entertaining the notion of a private waldorf school, and yet when it comes down to it a lot of it for me is fear of the unknown.

Ultimately though my principles need to come first because how can I pass on my own values to my children if I'm not willing to stick by them in practice? My own values include the right of every child to recieve an equal education and the importance of diversity and multiculturalism. No way is my child going to be exposed to a diverse and multicultural group of children by going to an insulated and selective private school. For me the benefits of that outweigh any shortcomings of an educational approach that we may be able to compensate for at home.

Another value of mine is based on the importance of activism in the community. How can I stick by that if I'm not willing to engage and participate in the public schols and give them my support and send my own child there?

That said, I can say this becasue we are willing to forego owning our own home or having much space in order to live in a school district where the schools are half decent. If they were as bad as they were in a different area we lived in (as in, couldn't afford to open more than one block of toilets for the entire high school because they couldn't afford to clean them; guns and knives being checked in at the school gates, etc) I'm not sure what I'd do; lean more and more towards homeschooling, most likely.

[philomom]

My kids have gone to a wonderful public elementary school. All the bells and whistles; language, art, band, strings, a play once a year for every grade, amazing field trips, full time clinic nurse and etc, etc. It's also an IB school.

I moved into this wealthy neighborhood to provide my children with these experiences. I do without new cars and clothes to be able to live here, but it has so-o been worth it.

Also, the middle school here is good, but overcrowded. I have homeschooled my daughter this year hoping they would get their act together for next year. They are seeking the IB status for themselves and hope to hire new staff for next year. I'll hold my breath and hope for the best.

I think the key is to do what's best for your child. Nothing is written in stone. Don't be afraid to change if things aren't working out.

[EnviroBecca]

Pro!

I think public schools are crucial to our society and are the best FIRST choice. There are some kids for whom the local public school is not a good match. In those cases, I think moving (if possible) is preferable to private or home schooling. I believe it is important to be involved in the local community even if it's not perfect and to get involved and help make things better for all the kids, not just your own.

I went to public schools except in 1st grade, when I went to Catholic school. We're not Catholic, so the religion lessons and mandatory prayer were uncomfortable for me--being immersed in that "foreign" culture was interesting, but I was anxious about what God thought of me for saying prayers I didn't believe, and I didn't like not being allowed to talk about my own beliefs. Religion aside, it was better than public school in some ways and worse in others; the differences were similar to the differences between public school districts. Given the choice between spending an hour in carpool each day and paying a few thousand dollars a year, or walking down the block to a free school of equivalent quality, I agreed with my parents that I should go back to public school. While there were some lousy teachers, some wasted time, and some stupid policies, I also learned a LOT there.

It's true that the "factory model" of education that guides public schools at some level (affecting more aspects of some schools than others) is wrong and needs to be replaced. I believe in working to improve our public schools from within. I also believe that a lot can be gained from public schooling DESPITE the factory model. Also, I think it's a mistake to believe that whatever form of schooling your child gets will be his/her only opportunity to learn. About 50% of what I learned in childhood came from school and the rest from recreational reading, family activities, Girl Scouts, etc.

momsincmay, I think it's interesting how your post contrasts with the quote in your signature...

[CarrieMF]

There are good/bad public, private, alternative schools. There are positives and negatives to unschooling and homeschooling. You need to pick what is best for your child.

I had a good public school experience. My kids are in public school and it is on par with what I grew up with. If we are still here when they hit middle school they will not be attending the middle schools here. If i have my way we'll be in my hometown by then and it won't be an issue.

[Schmangus]

How can public schools improve unless we as good parents get in there and fight for them? So many say they think public schools are broken, then why don't we fix it? Instead everyone is keeping their kids home. This is something I just don't understand.

[FrederickMama]

No way.
The only reason i have a child in school is that it is a Montessori public charter school.
I have a child in public school, went to it myself, and my hubby is a public school teacher. I know enough to not support it.

[LindaCl]

Originally Posted by Schmangus

How can public schools improve unless we as good parents get in there and fight for them? So many say they think public schools are broken, then why don't we fix it? Instead everyone is keeping their kids home. This is something I just don't understand.

This question was posed in an earlier thread.

This sounds good in theory, but the reality in this state contradicts the theory.

The schools here only began to change *after* so many families started to reject them and look for alternative options, especially homeschool. They still aren't dramatically improved everywhere (to be honest, there are even more idiotic mandates driving parents away), but at least now there are so many more charter schools and independent study programs in the public school system, and magnet school programs which are conscious educational experiments designed to lure families back into the public school system. These improvements were a direct result of the growing abandoning by families of their neighborhood public schools.

I don't exaggerate--there are some school districts I've seen which are *hopelessly* broken. By my definition, it isflat-out child endangerment to send students to some of them. The most promising solution to help public education in those districts would be to just bury the schools altogether and allow radically different, locally inspired and community invested, visions of high quality, free education to sprout up in their place. Frankly, the best way to hasten this along would be if children stopped being sent to them.

Linda

[RubyWild]

I will do everything in my power to avoid putting my Dd in the public schools. I want her to be able to follow her own interests rather than being forced to sit in a chair and learn about a topic that sparks no interest in her--nor, sometimes, the teacher.

I also want to avoid the type of socialization that goes on there that has absolutely no relationship to future work, family, and friendship situations.

We were hoping to homeschool, but now we have signed up for Montessori.

[jkpmomtoboys]

Originally Posted by RubyWild

I will do everything in my power to avoid putting my Dd in the public schools. I want her to be able to follow her own interests rather than being forced to sit in a chair and learn about a topic that sparks no interest in her--nor, sometimes, the teacher.

I agree with this; I'm sorry that's all that public schools offer in your district. We are just very, very lucky in our district, I guess...

[Flor]

Originally Posted by Schmangus

How can public schools improve unless we as good parents get in there and fight for them? So many say they think public schools are broken, then why don't we fix it? Instead everyone is keeping their kids home. This is something I just don't understand.

I think fixing the schools is a long term goal and I am very much a part of it.

I am getting the feeling that it is ok to feel like the schools are unsafe/broken/factory model and then homeschool, but elitist to feel the same way and then send your kid to a private school. Personally, I'd like to HS, but have to work, so feel that Montessori is thenext best option.

[RubyWild]

Originally Posted by Schmangus

How can public schools improve unless we as good parents get in there and fight for them? So many say they think public schools are broken, then why don't we fix it? Instead everyone is keeping their kids home. This is something I just don't understand.

Even if they could be fixed in the next decade, I'm not offering up my child as a virgin sacrifice. My parents did that to me. My Dh's parents did that to him. If I have to work two jobs, I won't do that to my Dd. It was bad enough when I was a kid. Now, it's unmeasurably worse.

jkpmomtoboys, I've heard good things about the schools in your area.

[mommy68]

It depends. I have no problem with public schools persay. Where we live now we aren't in a good area for public schools. The ones in our area are not the type I would send my child to so we use a private school and will continue to do so until we move one day down the road.

[RiverSky]

Originally Posted by RubyWild

Even if they could be fixed in the next decade, I'm not offering up my child as a virgin sacrifice.

[ancoda]

I voted no, because schools here in oregon are not getting near the funding they need and are becoming WAY overcrowded.

[Alenushka]

"I don't want my children to go to a public school because I don't agree with everything they teach. Mainly the darwin THEORY as fact. Please don't These are my beliefs and I don't see them changing anytime soon."
that why I believe in Public education. I want my kids to make up his mind iwth fact available not just repeat what I say.
Seriously, research word like fact and theory. Theory in lay terms mean something completely different in scintific terms.
The joy of living and learning si changin one's minds
As soon as you present me with proof (Radiological and biological) that worl created in 7 days or that human ahve beena round just just few thousand year, I will be right there with you, chaning my mind

[lesley&grace]

I believe that public schools, like any other choice you make for your children, has to be researched. We moved into a neighbourhood that has a great school, and we are also active in our son's classroom. Next year I plan to be even more active with the PTA, which can go a long way to making a school great.

That said, there are elements of Public School that frighten me, like the increasing rate of teen violence in schools, use of weapons and drugs. I would like to shelter my children from these elements, but private school is not an option, nor is home-schooling because by that time I will need to be in the workforce in order to support our family (unless of course we win the lottery ) We figure for now the best we can do is teach our children how to deal with situations, get involved with community and hope it all works out in the end.

[beanandpumpkin]

Not quite sure what you mean... I'm anti-school for my own kids, but I certainly don't want all public schools shutting down. So I'm pro-keeping public schools open, LOL.

[beanandpumpkin]

And I do think lots can be done to "fix" schools...maybe once my own kids are grown, I'll have time to dedicate to that cause. In the meantime, though, I'm not willing to send them to school in the hopes that I alone might make some small difference.