M
manualman
Guest
Realize first here that GH is just an expressive and passionate person. You should see him in action on any Episcopal Church USA thread! Don’t get turned off just by his tone. He’s not yelling, just passionate.
All that said Gurney, you are stereotyping far worse than any of the teachers union critics here ever have. I agree with your point that a serious problem at many private schools is the phenomenon of rich, spoiled brats. Kids like that are just as destuctive of the learning environment as the crack kids are. Unlike the crack kids, that environment CAN be directly laid at the feet of the public school system. Is it any wonder that mostly rich kids are at private schools when the public school system is ripping me off to the tune of 2.2% of the total value of my house every year? Who can afford to pay both that AND private tuition that amounts to ANOTHER 2% of the value of my house EVERYyear?
I attended both catholic and public schools growing up. My wife did her student teaching in an urban public school district and saw many of the same things Gurney describes among the students. Unlike what Gurney describes, my experience and my wife’s is the OPPOSITE. The destructive kids set the tone. Why, I don’t know. Put the “jerks” (to use the brutal description of someone else) in the classroom (whether rick/spoiled or poor/neglected) and THEY are the leaders. Achievement becomes something to be mocked and derided (behind the teacher’s back, of course). “Bad” becomes the new good. The public school system (largely through no fault of the teachers, actually), has forfeited any effective means of combatting this self destructive student culture. Only private schools retain the ability to throw out suspend and expell students who consistently ruin the learning environment. And it only works in private schools if the administration is so inclined and the finances allow them to toss even rich kids.
I don’t know how to help the kids whose parents have ruined them to date. Unlike some others, I don’t claim to have all the answers. But I AM sure that the answer is NOT to adopt a “lowest common denominator” approach to education where mediocrity for all is deemed better than excellence for some and failure for others. We’ve got rather enough mediocrity and not enough excellence in this country already, thanks. Instead let’s make excellence AVAILABLE to all and let those who are able achieve it.
My kids’ catholic school is incredible. Yes, they have fundraisers and auctions and even auction off prime parking spots. What Gurney fails to recognize is that this money goes to keep tuition under control and fund scholarships for less wealthy families (the ones that otherwise coun’t pay for BOTH the public and private schools). I frankly don’t resent them their parking spot for the extra $2,000 bucks they kicked in voluntarily. And in our case, it changes nothing. The kids all wear the same uniforms. They attend mass daily and confession monthly. Their teachers are committed catholics that both teach and live the faith. The priests visit the classrooms and know the kids by name (no small feat!). They also learn their virtues, devotions and generosity. I’m sure there are spoiled brats present. But they don’t run the place, of that I’ve made sure.
Opponents of vouchers always like to paint a doomsday scenario. It’s nonsense. All you have to do to prevent major and immediate disruption is to phase the voucher in slowly like I said above. Gradually increase it in a way that benefits BOTH the public district AND the parents who want private schools.
All that said Gurney, you are stereotyping far worse than any of the teachers union critics here ever have. I agree with your point that a serious problem at many private schools is the phenomenon of rich, spoiled brats. Kids like that are just as destuctive of the learning environment as the crack kids are. Unlike the crack kids, that environment CAN be directly laid at the feet of the public school system. Is it any wonder that mostly rich kids are at private schools when the public school system is ripping me off to the tune of 2.2% of the total value of my house every year? Who can afford to pay both that AND private tuition that amounts to ANOTHER 2% of the value of my house EVERYyear?
I attended both catholic and public schools growing up. My wife did her student teaching in an urban public school district and saw many of the same things Gurney describes among the students. Unlike what Gurney describes, my experience and my wife’s is the OPPOSITE. The destructive kids set the tone. Why, I don’t know. Put the “jerks” (to use the brutal description of someone else) in the classroom (whether rick/spoiled or poor/neglected) and THEY are the leaders. Achievement becomes something to be mocked and derided (behind the teacher’s back, of course). “Bad” becomes the new good. The public school system (largely through no fault of the teachers, actually), has forfeited any effective means of combatting this self destructive student culture. Only private schools retain the ability to throw out suspend and expell students who consistently ruin the learning environment. And it only works in private schools if the administration is so inclined and the finances allow them to toss even rich kids.
I don’t know how to help the kids whose parents have ruined them to date. Unlike some others, I don’t claim to have all the answers. But I AM sure that the answer is NOT to adopt a “lowest common denominator” approach to education where mediocrity for all is deemed better than excellence for some and failure for others. We’ve got rather enough mediocrity and not enough excellence in this country already, thanks. Instead let’s make excellence AVAILABLE to all and let those who are able achieve it.
My kids’ catholic school is incredible. Yes, they have fundraisers and auctions and even auction off prime parking spots. What Gurney fails to recognize is that this money goes to keep tuition under control and fund scholarships for less wealthy families (the ones that otherwise coun’t pay for BOTH the public and private schools). I frankly don’t resent them their parking spot for the extra $2,000 bucks they kicked in voluntarily. And in our case, it changes nothing. The kids all wear the same uniforms. They attend mass daily and confession monthly. Their teachers are committed catholics that both teach and live the faith. The priests visit the classrooms and know the kids by name (no small feat!). They also learn their virtues, devotions and generosity. I’m sure there are spoiled brats present. But they don’t run the place, of that I’ve made sure.
Opponents of vouchers always like to paint a doomsday scenario. It’s nonsense. All you have to do to prevent major and immediate disruption is to phase the voucher in slowly like I said above. Gradually increase it in a way that benefits BOTH the public district AND the parents who want private schools.
