Before I launch into tonight's epistle, I would like to say that I attended a public meeting of the Houston - Galveston Area Council (HGAC) forum on transportation matters. In these shindings, HGAC, as do all such government agencies, always present their "20 year" or "25 year" plans for the future. I said my two cents worth about mass transit, which was duly put into the public record, then left.
The main part of tonight's opus involves some articles that were printed in recent editions of the Houston Chronicle about public education. One of the endless slogans that you hear from anyone that is remotely involved in public education in America goes something like this: "Gosh dang it! We just absolutely have to ensure accountability of our public schools! After all, we all know that kids are mindlessly promoted, who cain't do their readin', their writin', or their 'rithmitic! And they cost too much!" Indeed, in today's (March 23, 2004) edition, the Chron writes about Texas Governor Rick Perry's plans to meet with legislative leaders to discuss school financing - yet again.
Well gentle readers, I wish I could stop this complaining about public schools here, but obviously the litany of sorrows that have been expressed about public education in America go far beyond that. In Sunday's edition of the Chron, the hotly argued debate over whether children in public schools should be compelled to say the words, "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance was highlighted. The issue, being brought up by California Doctor / Attorney Michael Newdow, will be heard by the United State Supreme Court tomorrow.
So where am I going with this? Well, the point readers should ponder is this: Despite all of the griping that various interest groups make about the "lack of accountability" in public education, I will argue otherwise. I say that the facts point in the other direction - namely that there is too much accountability in public education in America.
So how can I say that? Well, consider this. Under the political theory of Republicanism / Democracy, the government is, of course, supposed to be accountable to "the people." This holds true for the idea of public schools, since they are funded by taxation.
What I am getting at is that because of the nature of education, and because of the fact that children are for the most part compelled to attend school until they are 17 - 18 years old, there are an astronomical number of groups which have interests in the outcomes of public education. As such, all of those interest groups are all literally waging an endless and ongoing political war of cosmic proportions that is being fought over every conceivable issue that can possibly be found in the world of education.
Do you want examples? Well, how about this for a list of starters: We fight over funding issues of course, but we not only fight over funding, we fight over how funding should be accomplished and how much. We have famously fought judicial battles over segregation / desegregation, forced busing of students, political battles over eminent domain powers to be exercised by local boards, teacher salaries, student punishment, what is written in textbooks (evolution or Biblical ideas of creation anyone?), we fight over dress codes, over where school bus routes will run, over whether failing student athletes can play sports, over attendance issues, over the closing of schools with low levels of enrollment (sometimes local boards are sued by parents to prevent their school from closing), and over whether classes should be taught in English, Spanish, or as was famous done in California for a while, in about 50 different languages. This was done all in an attempt to appease literally dozens of - you guessed it! - ethnic / interest groups fighting for a share of the pot to be tailored specifically for them.
We even wage political agendas and battles over what food is served in the cafeteria. After all, don't we have a bunch of fat kids floating around out there these days? They certainly don't make for good military recruits, don't they? And all those fat kids can't be light on the pocket book for all of you who plan on America nationalizing the ol' health care system, don't you think?
Something that adds fuel to the flames of agony experienced over public schools is that while few people have a real clue as to what is going on in politics most of the time, nearly everyone has spent at least some time in the public school system. Moreover, most of those kids grow up to be parents themselves and send their kids off to public schools. As such, they might not know too much about - say - the recent elections in Taiwan, but they all have some strong ideas as to what should be going on in the public school system.
As I noted above, these matters all combine to create the "perfect storm" around the idea of public education. Consider that:
1. Teachers unions, who should be working with parents, instead become their adversaries in the war over your pocketbook.
2. Legislators in Washington D.C. and in state capitals, many of whom have never spent a day in a classroom since they've left school, try to do brain surgery from afar by passing mandate after mandate on teachers and public education.
3. Classic books of American literature like Mark Twain's "Huckleberry Finn" can't be read anymore because it's deemed racist.
4. Students can't be punished anymore. Why? Because if you try, then the parent of that child, who happens to be a taxpayer and who also happens to be compelled to follow the law and send their child to that public school, may damned well decide to hire an attorney and sue the school district! Indeed, by some estimates, about 30 percent of public school principals, teachers, officials, and administrators have been visited by a lawsuit of some kind or another.
I will argue and hold forth that the famed court case, Brown vs. (The Topeka) Board of Education, which is so revered by the Left and by American Jurisprudence for "striking a blow" for civil rights and "doing the right thing" in America, was a landmark case in one more area that what the case is generally given credit for. I say that Brown vs. Board is THE legal case that led to the tidal wave of lawsuits that have blanketed American public education over the past 50 years. After all, if you can't get what you want via the political process, then the courts are always available for you to try and shape the future to your own desires.
And what court cases came up regarding public education before Brown vs. Board? The only one I can think of is the Scopes trial of 1925, which revolved around teaching Creationism vs. science.
If you have ever wondered why some of our public schools look like jails, then maybe you have your answer. Have you ever thought of the idea that part of the purpose of public schools was not to necessarily educate you - it was to make sure that you stayed occupied and off the streets until you turned 18 years old. After all, your parents have got work to do.
So what is the answer? Support private education! Home school your kids, if you can manage to do so. These ideas revolve around the idea of choice. Words like "compulsory" and "mandatory" don't appear in the realm of private education as they do in public education. And the results are often better too! If you've ever watched C - SPAN's coverage of Congress, then you get an idea of what public education has turned out to be like.
And while you're at it, don't forget that Washington D.C. is quietly being turned into a Fortress City, much like some public schools out there. Maybe it has something to do with what goes on there, don't you think?
Posted by The Mighty Wizard at March 23, 2004 10:54 PM