Get the Kids Out - 0f public school

[Joseph_L_Varga]

How about opening up some of the public schools for a competitive admission to anyone from a broader area? This is how the magnet schools that I’ve seen work, and they are really good schools with a high-level education. It is about giving an elite education to those who are more talented and wish to make greater efforts, and I see no problem with it. I love swimming and I can swim maybe one mile at once, but if Michael Phelps would be my classmate and he would leave for another school that specializes in turning out elite level athletes, I wouldn’t blame him.

 

[PaulinVA]

And the existing plan is one to brag about? The results are dismal. 47% of Detroit adults are illiterate. The solution is always - more money.

Whether Catholic children go to public school or not is a different topic than how do we fix the broken way we teach all of our children.

Breaking the cycle of despair and lack of achievement is essential to help every person achieve their potential.

How to solve the problems of inner city schools is something that is a problem across the nation.

 

[Cobbfmly]

They could be funded, or work closely utilizing the resources the publics have in co-operation with the Catholic School.

The issue is there is no will to do this.

We tried to utilize the resources of the public schools. The public schools here will not co-operate beyond what is required by federal law which equates to about $750 (or the current per student federal funding for IDEA) in services per private school disabled child that qualifies under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). For a private school student that only qualifies for services under the section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, which is what my daughter falls under, the public schools are not required to provide any services.

To top it off, under federal law if their are 10 private school students that qualify for services under idea, the pubic schools are not required to provides services to each student. They are just required to provide about $7500 in total services per year to one or more of these children.

Other than the above situation with NY, I know of nowhere that parent placed disabled private school students receive support beyond federal requirements. I have communicated with hundreds of parents of disabled children nationwide through support forums.

Why would public schools want to give money to private schools when they are not required to? The federal government does not fully fund the IDEA mandates as is and few state governments provides special ed funding that truly covers the cost of educating disabled children. Many public school parents of disabled children have to “fight” for ever service their child receives. I have been lucky that our public schools want to work with us on making sure our daughter’s needs are addressed.

We also tried to find private funding sources (i.e. grants). We could not find any. The diocese had a fund for disabled children to attend Catholic schools, but due to available funds the grants were restricted to deaf children.

 

[Annn]

How about opening up some of the public schools for a competitive admission to anyone from a broader area? This is how the magnet schools that I’ve seen work, and they are really good schools with a high-level education. It is about giving an elite education to those who are more talented and wish to make greater efforts, and I see no problem with it. I love swimming and I can swim maybe one mile at once, but if Michael Phelps would be my classmate and he would leave for another school that specializes in turning out elite level athletes, I wouldn’t blame him.

I don’t know, so many 13/14 year olds haven’t found their bearing yet, and many times in cities that have magnet schools SO many of the district’s resources go into educating an elite few. B and C students also need good educations!

 

[Joseph_L_Varga]

many times in cities that have magnet schools SO many of the district’s resources go into educating an elite few.

Yes, that’s bad. I don’t know how they do it, but something is mismanaged there. In my experience, giving an elite education in a certain area, let’s say your school specializes in mathematics and physics, or in the arts, is not primarily a money issue but rather about finding the best teachers and attracting the best students in that particular discipline.

Another funny thing I observed at high school reunion, some of the most successful entrepreneurs from my class are the people who were C grade students. Their mind works differently, they are doers who don’t like sitting and memorizing material.

 

[Beautiful]

Originally Posted by Beautiful
Most Catholic schools can’t address special needs within their walls. New York public schools are required to outsource their help not only to homeschoolers but also to students with special needs in private schools. Your daughter would not have been kicked out of a Catholic school in NY.

Also - public schools are required to provide transportation for private school student within their district…yes - a free - tax paid bus ride to school.

They could if they were funded.

This is true. Remember when I said that NY is among the highest - if not the highest tax paying state in the country? Big government has become so large - now even private schools and homeschoolers can suckle off the gross, oversized, bursting teats of the udderly out-of-control system. Yum
What this means is that even those who still have wits enough to think and breath on their own are being fed delicious milky rich government handouts - compliments THE taxpayer - of course.

 

[Sailor_Kenshin]

Whether Catholic children go to public school or not is a different topic than how do we fix the broken way we teach all of our children.

Breaking the cycle of despair and lack of achievement is essential to help every person achieve their potential.

How to solve the problems of inner city schools is something that is a problem across the nation.

How about starting off by teaching them to read, write, and add, rather than worshipping Gaia/Al Gore?

 

[PaulinVA]

Beautiful and Sailor Kenshin, did your last posts have points or were you guys just bloviating?

 

[Beautiful]

just bloviating?

You got my point. Wordiness is sometimes my kind way of avoiding expletives that sometimes offend others.

It is clear that government funded and controlled public schools have become so large, wealthy and over controlling that even parents who choose alternative schooling for their children are sometimes forced to suckle off the welfare system in forms of various services which only the public school system can provide. Big Public School has monopolized education with everybody’s tax dollar. There is really very little freedom of choice for schooling in this country unless of course you have an ideal income, family network and perfectly healthy children.
I was among the lucky few who qualified for the ideal scenario. It is still much too difficult for the majority of people desiring to freely choose schools to do so. This is evidenced by the great number of Catholic schools closing all over the country.

Some mentioned Islamic schools earlier in this thread. They too recognize the struggle and current challenges but are prepared to build with the next government handout they can get. While Catholic schools are on a submissive retreat and decline, Islamic schools are in a barrel of the gun ready to explode with even the smallest handout from Big Brother. No strings attached though - please.

Financial Issues

Most Islamic schools are long on dedication and short on money. The lack of money can and will kill your school. What steps do you need to prevent that? How can you set up a waqf (trust) to support your school? What have other successful Islamic schools done to meet the rising costs of staff salaries, insurance premiums, utilities, and more? Browse here for ideas, tips, techniques, and resources. Find links to other sites that might be useful for securing grants. Don’t forget to share your knowledge right here with others.

Your school needs long-term planning. Will you consider creating a waqf (trust)? How can you go about doing that? Learn from those who have come before you.

With the new presidential commitment to a tighter relationship between government and private schools, outside resources are likely to be more plentiful than ever in the form of services through your local education agencies or LEA’s. Find out about the E-Rate program where your school could receive government grants for 10% - 90% of your telephone, internet connection, and connectivity costs. Finally, learn about possible grants (state, federal and private) that your school might be eligible to apply for.

The days of asking overseas countries to bankroll our Islamic schools are over. Our schools must now focus on community fundraising for the bulk of their income. We need to learn how to create on-going fundraising activities that provide stability for our schools and instill confidence in our communities.

This issue will not go away, so it is best to educate ourselves about the various positions and conditions that these two new concepts bring to our Islamic schools. Enter our Vouchers/Charter Schools room and browse through the wide range of information. Are charter schools a threat to Islamic school, or are they a last ditch attempt to provide our children with some sort of schooling more connected to our way of life? Will vouchers bring government into our Islamic schools, or will it remove our Islamic schools from debt? Your school needs you to be an informed contributor to this national discussion.

Islamic School’s League of America

So you see - Islam School’s League of America is poised for aggresive growth. How are Catholic students in America poised? Are they mainly in the welfare rut of the American public school system?

Buffalo is right - Get the Kids Out of public schools - any way possible and be poised to move positively. This - opposed to being carried through the system on a conveyor belt to atrophy.

:bowdown2: excuse me ma’m? I need to use the toilet please?

 

[Beautiful]

And how about the following bit of news to nudge Catholic parents to get their children out of public schools?

Conservative Groups Declare Obama’s Stimulus Bill a War on Prayer
A provision in the House-passed stimulus bill – banning money to be used to renovate schools from being spent on facilities that allow “religious worship” – has ignited fury among those who claim it discriminates on the basis of faith and violates the right to free speech.

article

And what if all Catholics and other Christians removed their children from the public school system? Make it the biggest civil boycott in America’s history. Our Catholic kids would not only survive but thrive. What changes would it bring about? Imagine that. And it would all be very legal

 

[PaulinVA]

It is still much too difficult for the majority of people desiring to freely choose schools to do so. This is evidenced by the great number of Catholic schools closing all over the country.

Uhm, maybe people are freely choosing and that’s why Catholic schools are closing all over the country.

Your view of public schools is apparently based on your opinion that the number of water fountains are the most important measure and you advocate free access to the restrooms. You also seem to have an interesting view of private school students and parents being forced to accept public monies.

Do you have any comments about academics?

 

[pnewton]

I just found this thread and will be facing the dilemna in a year of so of what to do. I would love to send my son to the local Catholic school. Unfortunately, their tuition is so steep it may be impossible. Below a certain level, they offer free tuition. Above that level, you pay twice as much so that they can offer free tuition. The local Christian Academy has no free program and are about half the price of the Catholic School. It is an option I will be forced to consider. If I am not convinced though that they respect freedom of religious choice, I will be left with only the public system. It that is happens, the only solution I know would be to spend a portion of the money that the Catholic school would cost and make a run on the school board.

Would that Texas break the NEA death grip and allow a little help in the way of vouchers! We would probably have better private and public schools.

 

[Beautiful]

Uhm, maybe people are freely choosing and that’s why Catholic schools are closing all over the country.

Your view of public schools is apparently based on your opinion that the number of water fountains are the most important measure and you advocate free access to the restrooms. You also seem to have an interesting view of private school students and parents being forced to accept public monies.

Do you have any comments about academics?

I’m not sure why and what you are pushing for but you can analyze this and that yourself. Please consider the bias source ‘this’ and ‘that’ come from. When you get down to the brass tacks - you know the issue on this thread isn’t about academics - it is about freedom of choice. Freedom of choice has withered from hands of most parents, just as the freedom to toilet and get a drink as nature calls has withered from public school students.

 

[Beautiful]

I just found this thread and will be facing the dilemna in a year of so of what to do. I would love to send my son to the local Catholic school. Unfortunately, their tuition is so steep it may be impossible. Below a certain level, they offer free tuition. Above that level, you pay twice as much so that they can offer free tuition.

Before you discount the possibilty of Catholic school, sit down with admin. and discuss what you can afford. Many school/parishes are flexible in ways that aren’t readily made public. Every situation is unique.

 

[buffalo]

Before you discount the possibilty of Catholic school, sit down with admin. and discuss what you can afford. Many school/parishes are flexible in ways that aren’t readily made public. Every situation is unique.

Beautiful is right.

 

[PaulinVA]

\When you get down to the brass tacks - you know the issue on this thread isn’t about academics - it is about freedom of choice. Freedom of choice has withered from hands of most parents, just as the freedom to toilet and get a drink as nature calls has withered from public school students.

Freedom of choice?
You have the freedom to do anything you want.
Send your kids to public school.
Send your kids to Catholic school.
Send your kids to military school.
Home school your kids.

Most states have laws about home schooling, but come on. No one is preventing any of these choices from being made.

Now, individual people might have constraints against choosing some of these options, such as not being able to afford tuition, but that is the individual’s problem. The government is not forcing anything on anyone.

And, my kids have a combined 30 years in the public schools and have never had trouble with bathroom breaks or water fountains. In fact, their school system bottles it’s own water. I do not understand your obsession with that subject.

 

[buffalo]

Freedom of choice?
You have the freedom to do anything you want.
Send your kids to public school.
Send your kids to Catholic school.
Send your kids to military school.
Home school your kids.

Most states have laws about home schooling, but come on. No one is preventing any of these choices from being made.

Now, individual people might have constraints against choosing some of these options, such as not being able to afford tuition, but that is the individual’s problem. The government is not forcing anything on anyone.

And, my kids have a combined 30 years in the public schools and have never had trouble with bathroom breaks or water fountains. In fact, their school system bottles it’s own water. I do not understand your obsession with that subject.

Every one except the public will cost me more money. That is discriminatory and not totally freedom of choice.

 

[Beautiful]

Freedom of choice?
You have the freedom to do anything you want.
Send your kids to public school.
Send your kids to Catholic school.
Send your kids to military school.
Home school your kids.

Haven’t you been reading what other contributors on this thread are saying?

Most states have laws about home schooling, but come on. No one is preventing any of these choices from being made.

and the limitations incurred because of this psuedo freedom?

Now, individual people might have constraints against choosing some of these options, such as not being able to afford tuition, but that is the individual’s problem. The government is not forcing anything on anyone.

But we do all pay huge taxes and the bill ain’t getting smaller.

And, my kids have a combined 30 years in the public schools and have never had trouble with bathroom breaks or water fountains. In fact, their school system bottles it’s own water. I do not understand your obsession with that subject.
Do you think that cows ever think about the odor of their hind end? Just wondering. I mean considering how far removed it is from the cow’s nostrils.

 

[Ame]

I posted ealier and no one else seems to be able to give firsthand experience as I have - I TAUGHT IN A CATHOLIC SCHOOL and I TAUGHT IN A PUBLIC SCHOOL…I would not send my dog to a Catholic school, unless the public school district I lived in was unsafe for my children.

In our area, the schools are BEGGING for substitute teachers. Why don’t you guys go sub in a Catholic school one day and a public school another day and see what I’m talking about it. They’ll pay you to do it. It is a shame that people are using the word “Catholic” to label these schools. As the campus minister told me on my first day teaching at a Catholic school - “This school is Catholic in name only.”

 

[buffalo]

I posted ealier and no one else seems to be able to give firsthand experience as I have - I TAUGHT IN A CATHOLIC SCHOOL and I TAUGHT IN A PUBLIC SCHOOL…I would not send my dog to a Catholic school, unless the public school district I lived in was unsafe for my children.

In our area, the schools are BEGGING for substitute teachers. Why don’t you guys go sub in a Catholic school one day and a public school another day and see what I’m talking about it. They’ll pay you to do it. It is a shame that people are using the word “Catholic” to label these schools. As the campus minister told me on my first day teaching at a Catholic school - “This school is Catholic in name only.”

If it is CINO then it deserves to close. Tell the admin why you won’t send your kids to a CINO school.

If it is truly Catholic then we need to support it.