Pope Benedict Urges Government Subsidy of Faith-Based Schools

[rlg94086]

Home schoolers have done spectacular work. But I do hope the government keeps an eye on them for the sake of the children of the functionally illiterate who might take a notion to be home schoolers, too. Not everyone is intellectually capable of homeschooling.

Freedom is more important. It is very rare that someone incapable would even try to homeschool. If anything, most people are afraid to homeschool because they think they are incapable.

It is not a concern for me, any more than I am concerned with what religion someone else teaches their kids or what kind of food they eat. As Catholics, I think we need to be there to help those who need it and teach what we believe to be the Truth, but we don’t need the state to decide things for them.

 

[pnewton]

Freedom is more important. It is very rare that someone incapable would even try to homeschool. If anything, most people are afraid to homeschool because they think they are incapable.

I’ve known this to happen on several occasions. In the situations I am referring to, the parent doesn’t do jack to educate but feigns home-schooling to keep the teen in for family needs. The kid mostly has to learn on their own, or they just treat the whole thing as a sham ant then try to re-enroll in a year or two.

 

[vern_humphrey]

A voucher-based system, where a set amount was available to every student to use at either a public or private institution would not run contrary to anything in the Constititution. As long as our government is not mandating a particular religuous private school, no religion is being established.

The fundamental shortcoming of the Public School Sysrtem is that it is not customer-oriented.

My proposal would be to take 90% of the education budget and set the per-pupil share of that amount as tuition – to any school, public or private, that the parents choose.

Let the good schools prosper and the bad ones wither and die.

 

[rlg94086]

I’ve known this to happen on several occasions. In the situations I am referring to, the parent doesn’t do jack to educate but feigns home-schooling to keep the teen in for family needs. The kid mostly has to learn on their own, or they just treat the whole thing as a sham ant then try to re-enroll in a year or two.

I’ve seen many, many more public high school graduates with absolutely atrocious English and math skills. I’m more worried about that than I am the few irresponsible homeschoolers who may be out there. I believe a voucher program would help.

 

[rlg94086]

The fundamental shortcoming of the Public School Sysrtem is that it is not customer-oriented.

My proposal would be to take 90% of the education budget and set the per-pupil share of that amount as tuition – to any school, public or private, that the parents choose.

Let the good schools prosper and the bad ones wither and die.

 

[FishMonger]

I’ve seen many, many more public high school graduates with absolutely atrocious English and math skills. I’m more worried about that than I am the few irresponsible homeschoolers who may be out there. I believe a voucher program would help.

I’m not sure the failings of public school students relieves us of an obligation to ensure a kid is protected from parents who are either incapable of home schooling or are engaged in a fraud.

I’d suggest we should do what we can to remedy the poor performance of under-performing students, and, at the same time, make sure home schooling parents are capable of the task. We don’t have to choose one or the other.

Vouchers are a fine idea. One aspect of vouches I haven’t heard addressed is how they would work with home schoolers. Would they be paid for each home schooled kid? There cerainly is a case for that.

Suppose the voucher was worth $6,000 per year. Suppose a family had three kids. $18,000 is a powerful incentive to take a sudden interest in home schooling. It’s so powerful that I am afraid we would have to devote considerable effort to make sure parents really were engaged in home schooling rather than just going for the cash.

 

[rlg94086]

I’m not sure the failings of public school students relieves us of an obligation to ensure a kid is protected from parents who are either incapable of home schooling or are engaged in a fraud.

I’d suggest we should do what we can to remedy the poor performance of under-performing students, and, at the same time, make sure home schooling parents are capable of the task. We don’t have to choose one or the other.

Vouchers are a fine idea. One aspect of vouches I haven’t heard addressed is how they would work with home schoolers. Would they be paid for each home schooled kid? There cerainly is a case for that.

Suppose the voucher was worth $6,000 per year. Suppose a family had three kids. $18,000 is a powerful incentive to take a sudden interest in home schooling. It’s so powerful that I am afraid we would have to devote considerable effort to make sure parents really were engaged in home schooling rather than just going for the cash.

What is your hang-up with homeschoolers? Do you inspect your neighbors’ homes to make sure they are meeting health and nutrition standards, as well?

As far as how vouchers would apply to homeschoolers, I don’t think anyone has proposed they receive any money. I agree that the possibility of abuse would be much higher. However, I do think that actual school expenses could be reimbursable. That would make sense to me. When we homeschooled we used a Catholic program from a private school.

 

[vern_humphrey]

I’m not sure the failings of public school students relieves us of an obligation to ensure a kid is protected from parents who are either incapable of home schooling or are engaged in a fraud…

But I am sure the failings of public school students place upon us an obligation to ensure a kid is protected from schools who are either incapable of educating them or are engaged in a fraud.

 

[FishMonger]

What is your hang-up with homeschoolers? Do you inspect your neighbors’ homes to make sure they are meeting health and nutrition standards, as well?

As far as how vouchers would apply to homeschoolers, I don’t think anyone has proposed they receive any money. I agree that the possibility of abuse would be much higher. However, I do think that actual school expenses could be reimbursable. That would make sense to me. When we homeschooled we used a Catholic program from a private school.

I actually have no hang-up with home schoolers. However, I do have a hang-up with providing every kid the opportunity to have an education. Sometimes this means fixing schools, hiring teachers, changing curriculums, testing, applying new techniques, or reapplying old ones.

It also includes ensuring children who are being home schooled have the same opportunity for an education. Parents who are poor and ineffective teachers should be removed from that role just as paid teachers should be. The concern is not with the adult; it’s with the children.

Regarding payment to home schoolers, I anticipate it will become an issue if vouchers are used. Does anyone know how these cases are handled in the few pilot progams around the country?

 

[FishMonger]

But I am sure the failings of public school students place upon us an obligation to ensure a kid is protected from schools who are either incapable of educating them or are engaged in a fraud.

Absolutely. And that’s a task at which we are failing.

 

[goofyjim]

I don’t understand how a voucher system would effect a single person’s donations to private schools. You would be able to “afford” them the same as you do now.

Until such time as there is tax relief from donating to private schools, it is highly unlikely I will contribute to private schools.

 

[Nohome]

Until such time as there is tax relief from donating to private schools, it is highly unlikely I will contribute to private schools.

Uh Jim, there already is. All your contrubutions are 100% deductable unless you receive something in exchange. My kids go to public school and I still contribute to the local Catholic school.

Get a crowbar and crack open your wallet!

Nohome

 

[pnewton]

Until such time as there is tax relief from donating to private schools, it is highly unlikely I will contribute to private schools.

I can surely understand your point. I know it would make paying school taxes easier if some of it would go to help parents choose their own children’s education. Personally, I will accept my own responsibility to pay for my child. I know this will be difficult and require cutting corners somewhere, but it is my problem and no one elses. The one’s I feel sorry for are those who have no choice due to financial difficulties.

 

[goofyjim]

Uh Jim, there already is. All your contrubutions are 100% deductable unless you receive something in exchange. My kids go to public school and I still contribute to the local Catholic school.

Get a crowbar and crack open your wallet!

Nohome

Only if you have enough to contribute to itemize. That’s for the wealthy. I believe every dollar I donate to a private school should offset my local school tax. That would be similar to a voucher system for parents, which I am all for by the way.

 

[vern_humphrey]

Absolutely. And that’s a task at which we are failing.

And that is why I think we should cut the Gordian Knot. Let us recognize that public education (paying for the education of every child) is one thing and public schools (owned by the government) are another.

We should pay a standard tuition for each child, and let the parents pick the school – any school, public or private. Let good schools flourish and bad ones wither and die.

 

[estesbob]

Home schoolers have done spectacular work. But I do hope the government keeps an eye on them for the sake of the children of the functionally illiterate who might take a notion to be home schoolers, too. Not everyone is intellectually capable of homeschooling.

I wish the Govt would keep a better eye on the hordes of functionally illiterate kids our Public School systems turns out.

 

[vern_humphrey]

I wish the Govt would keep a better eye on the hordes of functionally illiterate kids our Public School systems turns out.

Government keeps a very close eye on these kids – they count on them to vote for politicians who will give them more handouts, since they cannot support themselves.

 

[goofyjim]

Government keeps a very close eye on these kids – they count on them to vote for politicians who will give them more handouts, since they cannot support themselves.

Yes by all means let them go homeless just because they didn’t want religion.

 

[vern_humphrey]

Yes by all means let them go homeless just because they didn’t want religion.

How does religion come into this?

If they go homeless, it’s because the state government failed to educate them, and the federal government failed to enforce their constitutional rights to equal protection under the law.

 

[estesbob]

Yes by all means let them go homeless just because they didn’t want religion.

Say what?