Home-schooled girl fights for band spot

[Lisa4Catholics]

Thekla:

I said my job. I went to Catholic Schools and work in the public schools.

Then please being your job fight for a change in the public schools.The only religion that is taught is anti-Religion,I really wish Christians would yank their chilfren out until they stop the agenda there and until something like that happens the ACLU will work very hard to make sure the children who spend the majority of time in school lose there faith.:nope:

 

[Thekla]

David_Paul:

So what if home schoolers and private schools are defunding government education?

You’re the one whining about band, of all things.

The US school system is a very good one because unlike many developed nations, we’ll take anyone. I remember my years in Catholic School and I enjoyed them. But over the years, a number of my classmates were “disappeared” to the public school down the street.

The public schools are required by law to do so many things that the private schools need not do; transportation, special education services, speech, school lunch, and gifted programs, to name a few

I’m sure you would support defunding public schools because there exists a hardcore minority in this country intent on destroying public education. They look wistfully back to a time when women and minorities had no right to be educated. And forget about kids with special needs. These people find flaws, and carp, and carry-on in pursuit of the “good old days,” but Reg and I will take care of them.

 

[Thekla]

Dandilion:

Thekla the school is funded by taxpayer money, if a tax payer wants to utilize a service it offers they should be able to. As for your federal funding isn’t it something that it cost less per pupil at a Catholic school than public school?I am not surprised you work in the public school system.

Did you do it? Yes, it costs less per pupil for the Catholic than the public school. The public school is required BY LAW to provide services that the Catholic school doesn’t.

I’ll give you one example: We have a student with Down’s Syndrome whose parents want him at our school instead of at an alternative placement in the district. By law, he is entitled to be placed in the “least restrictive environment;” it’s federal law. The school district must provide him with his own full-time aide during the school day and there is a special education teacher in the classroom witht he regular classroom teacher in most of his classes (not PE).

During the school year, the teachers of this child meet with the parents once every two weeks as part of his IEP and for full days at the beginning and end of the year (requiring substitutes) to do annual reviews.

That’s just one thing that we are required by law to do. And while I think that’s one of the great things about the public schools, we’re not comparing apples to apples when we compare costs for public and private schools.

 

[Lisa4Catholics]

Thekla:

Did you do it? Yes, it costs less per pupil for the Catholic than the public school. The public school is required BY LAW to provide services that the Catholic school doesn’t.

I’ll give you one example: We have a student with Down’s Syndrome whose parents want him at our school instead of at an alternative placement in the district. By law, he is entitled to be placed in the “least restrictive environment;” it’s federal law. The school district must provide him with his own full-time aide during the school day and there is a special education teacher in the classroom witht he regular classroom teacher in most of his classes (not PE).

During the school year, the teachers of this child meet with the parents once every two weeks as part of his IEP and for full days at the beginning and end of the year (requiring substitutes) to do annual reviews.

That’s just one thing that we are required by law to do. And while I think that’s one of the great things about the public schools, we’re not comparing apples to apples when we compare costs for public and private schools.

Why are the grades so low in public schools?Homeschoolers test higher

 

[Thekla]

Lisa4Catholics:

Then please being your job fight for a change in the public schools.The only religion that is taught is anti-Religion,I really wish Christians would yank their chilfren out until they stop the agenda there and until something like that happens the ACLU will work very hard to make sure the children who spend the majority of time in school lose there faith.:nope:

I don’t think that’s what’s happening. There are people determined to destroy public education who are using religion as a club. My students know that I am a Catholic, but I would never force my religion on them.

 

[Thekla]

Lisa4Catholics:

Why are the grades so low in public schools?Homeschoolers test higher

Which grades are you talking about? The average? I have students who are now attending MIT so you can’t be talking about them. My guess would have to be that the average home-schooler has parents who are very involved and committed to their children’s education. The children also receive one on one attention and have many less distractions. But I don’t know that that’s a good comparison.

 

[Lisa4Catholics]

Thekla:

I don’t think that’s what’s happening. There are people determined to destroy public education who are using religion as a club. My students know that I am a Catholic, but I would never force my religion on them.

It is happening I went to public school years ago it was bad then,I took my oldest two out because of this,my oldest sons English teacher made a comment in class about how antifeminist the Bible is, my son stood up and said I am Catholic and my Bible is not anti-feminist,the teacher shot back that Catholics are the worst anti-feminist Christians Being as he is like me he shot back that we were the only ones that honored Mary,she told him to sit down and learn history. I reported her nothing of course was done.

 

[Adonis33]

Thekla:

Did you do it? Yes, it costs less per pupil for the Catholic than the public school. The public school is required BY LAW to provide services that the Catholic school doesn’t.

I’ll give you one example: We have a student with Down’s Syndrome whose parents want him at our school instead of at an alternative placement in the district. By law, he is entitled to be placed in the “least restrictive environment;” it’s federal law. The school district must provide him with his own full-time aide during the school day and there is a special education teacher in the classroom witht he regular classroom teacher in most of his classes (not PE).

During the school year, the teachers of this child meet with the parents once every two weeks as part of his IEP and for full days at the beginning and end of the year (requiring substitutes) to do annual reviews.

That’s just one thing that we are required by law to do. And while I think that’s one of the great things about the public schools, we’re not comparing apples to apples when we compare costs for public and private schools.

I am also a High School Secial Education Teacher at a public school (I am one of FEW conservatives in the field). You are abslutely right. I think most people do not understand how the public schools are fully funded, although it might be different according to what state you live in.

Much of the property tax goes to the schools. But in my particular school district, we are capped at how much money can go to the schools (I do not fully understand it.) We also have to pass Bond Money (Get voted on) to make up for what we are loosing in tax money. I beleive we are one of the fastest growing scool districts in the country. What I think most people do not understand - is tha we get federal money based on our school population. Correct me if I’m wrong - but the tax money is for the school buildings - not programs. Youtax dollars entitles you to use the cfacilities - but not be involved with the extra curricular activities.

 

[Thekla]

Lisa4Catholics:

It is happening I went to public school years ago it was bad then,I took my oldest two out because of this,my oldest sons English teacher made a comment in class about how antifeminist the Bible is, my son stood up and said I am Catholic and my Bible is not anti-feminist,the teacher shot back that Catholics are the worst anti-feminist Christians Being as he is like me he shot back that we were the only ones that honored Mary,she told him to sit down and learn history. I reported her nothing of course was done.

I’m sorry to hear that. I teach math and the only thing we ever talk about is math. Parents should always advocate for their children and be attended to when they have concerns.

 

[Other_Eric]

Hi guys!

I, myself, am no big fan of the way that the public schools do their job but the arguments about withdrawing tax dollars from the public education system always struck me as a little weak. We would not think to approach any other public service in this way.

It seems to me that the arguments for defunding the school system are of two types:

1. 
   *]An individual sends his child to private/home school or perhaps does not have any children and feels that paying public school taxes in addition to costs associated with the specialized education are a penalty.
   *]The public school system is not able to educate its students, it also provides a poor environment for a moral upbringing and is thus not worth the taxes that are used to fund it.
   
   These arguments aren’t necessarily independent of each other and in fact are more often than not used together.
   
   Both arguments treat the public education system as a commodity that the citizens purchase individually. In other words, it’s as if the individual paying these taxes believes that his portion of the taxes should be used to directly benefit him or his children. While attractive, this argument ignores the indirect benefits that one is implicitly purchasing with one’s tax dollars. One enjoys the security of living within an educated population as a result of the government-funded public school system. It’s not as simple as drawing a one-to-one ratio of one’s tax dollars to the costs of specific public services that one gains from the arrangement.
   
   Now, of course, this only works properly if the public schools are holding up their end of the bargain and educating their student bodies (I do not believe that they are in all cases). Still, why would the answer be cutting the public school’s budget instead of, say, instituting performance evaluations for faculty and administration?
   
   Why do we not talk about this sort of thing for other public, taxpayer-funded services, such as law enforcement? Who would be taken seriously, even in a crime-riddled city, for suggesting defunding the police department in favor of “vouchers” for private vigilante groups? Why should an individual pay his taxes to support a corrupt and useless city police department when he already pays for a private security detail?
   
   In these cases, outside of the lunatic fringe, the public leans more towards law enforcement reforms and tends to balk at the idea of substituting private security for public law enforcement. Loss of public law enforcement would mean the loss of a host of intangible benefits such as the security of an objective investigative authority.
   
   I think, in the case we have in this thread, the child should probably be allowed to march with the band. If, however, the school’s education is so poor that one would be reasonably moved to home-school one’s child, I’m not sure there should be a marching band or any other extra-curricular activities until the academics are in hand.

 

[KathleenElsie]

I know some public school teachers that home-school. It is not an insult to the public school teachers, private school teachers or to anyone if some of us chose or choose to teach our own children. This is a private decision. But, it should be an option to do many of the after-school activities. Two generations of our children have not attended public schools and yet we do pay for them. We pay taxes on our home and a % of our income toward our local schools.

We don’t complain about the costs of home-schooling, as it was/is our decision to home school. DD gave up a medical research job to stay at home with her children. I also stayed home and schooled my children. We both have more then one degree and feel that it was/is well worth the loss of income. Our husbands have always supported us in this. No we are not rich in money. We are rich in faith and family.:yup:

Our children and grandchildren have music, gym and other programs that we pay for.:dancing: For gifts the children and families receive passes to the zoo, Carnegie Science Center, local gym and other places that can provide parent supervised activities.:yup:
Each of us is called to do differing things.

GOD BLESS

 

[Lizzie]

David_Paul:

john1863…we didn’t hear those complaints before the unions took over education in America. The vast majority supported public education because it reflected their views. Today we have kids coming home saying all kinds of weird stuff and their parents having to tell them what they learned in government school is not true, is not moral and is not healthy.

The real issue is the NEA problem. In areas where NEA is most powerful, the public school systems have the most problems. Look at NYC and Washington DC where funding is the highest.

 

[Thekla]

KathleenElsie:

Each of us is called to do differing things. GOD BLESS

You are right. I went to Catholic schools and our parents never said anything about the taxes for the public schools. It’s just that some people who don’t send their kids to public schools want to defund them and yet have non-public school kids go for the extras. I say let them all in but then stop carrying on about the money for public schools.

 

[David_Paul]

I will never stop talking about money which goes to government school teachers.

It is obscene.

My sis is married to guy in the AFR. Decades flying 4 engine jets. Away from home for weeks and months at a time. Not a day goes by without my sis wondering if her husband will come home alive.

A teacher in their town makes ten grand more a year than he does.

My sis works to pay taxes. To support a …oh…forget about it…I could go on and on…

 

[KathleenElsie]

We can understand the anger at HOW THE MONEY IS SPENT. We go to the public school meetings and listen to the things that the money is spent on. Those things that provide a life time of learning and a future for the children (all children) is something we must supply. It is our obligation.

But, not to the point of the poor and elderly having to use other public services to make ends meet. Our real estate taxes are some of the highest in the country and there is no exemption for those in need. We have many forclosures for tax payments and large developers take advantage for future building. 1% of all “earned” income goes to the schools. We have five other “taxes” on each person living in the district called “privledge taxes” they range from $10 to $15 each. Not alot, unless you remember that those that are not “wage earners” working for a living don’t pay. There is also no bottom line on this. So for the lower income people this can mean they need a food bank for family support.

Those districts around us are mostly suburban bedroom and have a large tax base. Yet the teachers in our rural district are amoung the highest paid in the state. Our average family income in in the mid 20’s with many retired people also (not the ones with the huge funds we read about). The teachers start at $26,000 right out of school. Many are making in the $50,000s or $60,000s not to mention the admin that make $75,000+ or more. The only time the teachers strike is when they have a new contract that they disagree with (meaning they want more money and loss of benefits). Most of us that live in this area pay for our own medical (if we have it) with large deductions, yet the teachers get family coverage free to them (they went on strike last contract so that they were not given a lower cost FREE MEDICAL insurance). Benefits can nearly double the cost per employee. Our school tests are low and we spend more on transportation and sports then on instructional materials.

So yes I get angry at HOW our money is spent. A NEW sport/music program is not going to educate the children. A NEW sport/music program is not going to provide the children the ability to support their families in the future. A NEW sport/music program is not going to teach morals and values.

Just is in our budget luxury items should be last not first. The tax and spend needs to stop. But we must provide for the EDUCATION of the children for they are our future.

Anyone know how to do this in a reasonable way? I don’t.

 

[Karin]

KathleenElsie:

So yes I get angry at HOW our money is spent. A NEW sport/music program is not going to educate the children. A NEW sport/music program is not going to provide the children the ability to support their families in the future. A NEW sport/music program is not going to teach morals and values.

Just is in our budget luxury items should be last not first. The tax and spend needs to stop. But we must provide for the EDUCATION of the children for they are our future.

Anyone know how to do this in a reasonable way? I don’t.

We have the same problem here in Northern NJ!!! I agree with you totally!!! The only way things will change is if people start voting “no” for the school budgets…one voice wont be heard but a corwd of voices will be!!!

 

[bapcathluth]

I really have to laugh about people complaining that teacher’s are wealthy and evil and trying to rip-off the public. Most teacher’s that I know would barely be able to support a family without his or her spouse working. I don’t think that 26,000 dollars for a college graduate is overpaid. If you underpay teachers so that they can’t support themselves or their families, you won’t have people going into the field.

I live in a very nice suburban neighborhood, and believe me, no teachers live here unless their husband’s have a job that pays a lot since no teacher could ever afford to live here. Most people that I know who go into teaching do so because they love kids. They certainly don’t do it because they want to get rich or impart evil atheistic plans to the students.

 

[Giannawannabe]

bapcathluth:

I really have to laugh about people complaining that teacher’s are wealthy and evil and trying to rip-off the public. Most teacher’s that I know would barely be able to support a family without his or her spouse working. I don’t think that 26,000 dollars for a college graduate is overpaid. If you underpay teachers so that they can’t support themselves or their families, you won’t have people going into the field.

I live in a very nice suburban neighborhood, and believe me, no teachers live here unless their husband’s have a job that pays a lot since no teacher could ever afford to live here. Most people that I know who go into teaching do so because they love kids. They certainly don’t do it because they want to get rich or impart evil atheistic plans to the students.

My husband is a public school teacher. He is tenured and has worked as a teacher for 5 years. He makes about 35,000/year. We live in one of the richest areas of the country—the kids in the parking lot drive better, nicer, and newer vehicles than my husband’s '96 Saturn.
BTW, I HAVE to work to make ends meet around here( as part time as I can possibly afford to do) and can’t afford Catholic school, so my children currently go to Public School.
Most public teachers love teaching–that’s why they do it. They love the kids and are trying to make a difference. They are not evil, trying to “brainwash” the kids. Most are fine, Christian, church going individuals. I think that the nature of the teaching profession attracts these types of people.
The problem goes back to the families. It is clear that the kids who are good citizens, don’t get into trouble, do well in school come from decent homes with parents who care. Most go to church or at least have an active faith life.
In public schools, there are all kinds of kids. Kids that come from broken homes, homes where both parents work 50-60 hours a week, give them every material thing they could want, but don’t give them an ounce of their time. Kids who have parents in jail or who have drug/alcohol problems, etc. Yes. In some areas, some of the curriculum, particularly in Health class may not be in line with Catholic teaching. In our state, and in MOST states, one can opt out their kids from Sex Ed with NO QUESTIONS asked.
Like I mentioned above, teachers are for the most part very caring and dedicated individuals that do the best they can every day with a very diverse population of kids. God Bless Them!!!

 

[Giannawannabe]

KathleenElsie:

The teachers start at $26,000 right out of school.
.

Honestly, is this really that unreasonable? I made this much right out of college, working full time, 18 years ago.

 

[Adonis33]

David_Paul:

I will never stop talking about money which goes to government school teachers.

It is obscene.

My sis is married to guy in the AFR. Decades flying 4 engine jets. Away from home for weeks and months at a time. Not a day goes by without my sis wondering if her husband will come home alive.

A teacher in their town makes ten grand more a year than he does.

My sis works to pay taxes. To support a …oh…forget about it…I could go on and on…

A teacher in their town makes more money than a pilot? Where? I find that incredibly hard to believe.

Look - I’'m a teacher - and I have never complained about the money I make. It’s my chosen profession. I hate it when teachers complain about the money - if they do not like it - they can find another job. But on occasion, I hear a somebody tell me I make too much money.

If you consider the work we have to do - the responsiblity we have - and more importantly the liability we face, I do not beilieve a rational thinking person can make an argument that we make too much money. As an Active Duty 1Lt, I was making nearly double what I make now. I’m not complaining, just stating the facts.

That is why I have a really hard time believing that teacher can possibly make anywhere near what a pilot would make.