I would love to hear from one of your CA. Education contacts, or someone from FAIR about their thoughts. Do they believe the curriculum is incorporating the teaching of pagan Aztec religious ritual in the Ethnic Studies Curriculum that has just been implemented?
Excellent article. I especially liked the linked article by MacGillis about the Baltimore Public Schools. The state of education in our country is very sad. The kids that need school the most are the ones whom the system is failing. What is worse: A case of covid or a lifetime of failure and ignorance? I feel very sorry for the children who are being denied a good education.
It is bad when we have any monopoly. It is potentially disasterous when it is of by the the government ——as it is in our school systems. Most of our public schools are very good. That is irrelevant however. First, it is about income redistribution. Everyone pays thru (largely land taxes) whether they use the schools or not. Second, the dollars it costs per student are not transferable thus locking in parents who simply want freedom of choice. 3) This becomes an enormous disincentive for the creation of “small school businesses” as the parents have to extra. 4) the wealthy who can afford private schools get an advantage—-it is not that they should not have that opportunity—-it is that all people—who in fact most already pay—-do not have that opportunity. 4) not only is it a monopoly, but schools give themselves the right to what they want —from science to language all the way to propaganda 5) while this is democrat controlled—-and self reinforcing due to 99% of teacher union political contribution goes to Democrat party—-it is unclear if a party change could make a difference. It is a difficult story to,tell, we are ingrained in free school for life (it’s not free, and public schools will not disappear—-they would get smaller,however). Further, I,am not sure there is enough demand to change. My guess is 20% would chose differently —-and if successful that would grow—-but minorities tend to get ignored.
Cecily Myart-Cruz Is as corrupt and racist as the day is long. She is the perfect radical leftist teacher union leader to destroy LA’s public school system. Imagine the kickbacks she receives.
We homeschooled 3 for 13 years (I've been "retired" for 9. Public school was never an option, even then, because the only thing new here is that they don't even care to hide it anymore. YES, we've known dedicated teachers. YES, I went to public school and "turned out fine." YES, we paid property taxes for schools that wouldn't even let my kids use their library. And it was all worth it because I have 3 educated, responsible, hard-working, entrepreneurial adults who can think, read with comprehension, write extremely well, pay for their own lives, don't have student loan debt, own their cars outright, and have traveled enough of the world to understand how things are and what's really important. There is NO WAY I would entrust my child to a public school in any state these days.
This is probably the wrong place, but I can't find anywhere else. I just saw an article on how Amazon Web Services threatens Websites like Substack. Please, God, tell me that Substack is not hosting its site on an Amazon Web Services. Say the wrong word - just any wrong word - and they will shut you down just like they did Parler. I just took off all my home security cameras from there and am trying to disengage from Amazon.com in general. Not that easy.
After residency, I opened up a medical practice in my home town, and though I had no children yet, managed to get myself elected to the county school board in the very same district where I had attended high school and what was then called primary school. I was hoping to bring some experience and perspective - even help to make some changes. Boy was I naïve.
The school system, which as a child I'd always perceived as orderly and goal-oriented, had become chaos. Make educational changes? You have to be kidding. We spent our time refereeing grievances brought by the teachers' union, the service personnel union, the parents, students - just about everybody - against the system. One local newspaperman had it perfect: The school system had become a giant school bus, with a driver who had an accelerator and a brake pedal. The rest of the seats were filled with students, teachers, supervisors, union hacks, cafeteria workers, janitors - and of course, lawyers for all the above. At each of their seats was a giant brake pedal. The moment any one of them got his panties in a twist, he could stand on his brake with both feet and bring the entire system to a grinding halt.
Which, of course, they did. The school board was powerless to perform a single act that made learning simpler, faster, more organized, less expensive to the taxpayer. We were powerless to cut costs; as a child, we'd had one bus - full - make a morning and afternoon run through our valley. Now, I watched three buses - nearly empty - make the same runs. The costs were staggering. The school board office had grown from four people to over a hundred in the intervening years. The Board itself? We were limited de facto to lobbying the public at election time for more, new, fancier, brighter schools - at exorbitant cost. I earned the hatred of the entire system by a) being the first board member in that county's history to publicly oppose tax increases for new school construction and b) when the union president testified at a board meeting in favor of demolishing and rebuilding our "old" school buildings, I simply asked her how old were the buildings at Oxford. (She had to look "Oxford" up, by the way.)
Don't think for a minute that the school administration and teachers' unions are natural enemies or that they balance each others' interests for the public good. They are natural allies and behave that way - against the public and the children they purport to educate. The entire system is a bloated mess - a full-employment scheme in which education, when it occurs - and that is very rare - is merely collateral damage.
I believe there is one possible way to get our children well and truly educated: school choice. Now, neither the system nor the unions give a tinker's damn about what you think. A man with a gun (the sheriff - the county taxing authority in my state) comes and takes your money in the form of taxes and gives it to the "system." The system's goal is not education - it is to prevent you from taking your complaints to the newspaper. Period. Give the parents back their own money and let them choose their schools and old-fashioned competition will do the rest. This pandemic/lockdown is the perfect trigger for universal school choice. As the Democrats say, let's not let this crisis go to waste.
The union helps the school board get elected. And then the union and the board bargain. There is no one that speaks for the public. And money is no object.
In our city the schools got a huge bond issue for new schools. Three years ago they spent like $100,000 to redo the parking lot at an elementary school slated to be torn down and rebuilt. They’ve done the tear down and the rebuild and in doing so ripped out the brand new highly landscaped, replaced and relit parking lot. But it’s only taxpayer money right?
I’m so excited for this series. I learned so much about education during the pandemic and homeschooling my 3 kids last year. we are now trying a private school that we like so far. I cannot believe how different my kids feel about school than they did I’m public school. I’m the daughter of a wonderful public educator and sister to 3 siblings who also taught in public education. In a million years I would not have believed that I would take my kids out of our local district to give them something better. My oldest was in third grade when he said to me, “Mom, it feels like my teacher doesn’t like boys.” I brushed it off at the time and have since acknowledged how I admittedly passed over that way too quickly. He really felt it, the agenda. At that time “Me Too” was full storm. He was 9. One dimensional conversations have these kids bored as hell and I know I am lucky I could choose between continuing to homeschool or send my kids to private. I will say though, if you can homeschool and that’s your only financial option, or your preferred option….do it! There are so many ways to find support. Give back your kids the gift of wonder, reading great books and open discussion! Thanks Bari. Your timing is always spot on and Happy New Year to you!
I started homeschooling back in 1996, loved it so much I began teaching Latin, history, writing, and literature to small groups of other homeschoolers. My dear friend taught the sciences to those same students. We formed a nice little community and when one of our students lost their father my friend and I waived our fees so their children could continue homeschooling while the Mom started back to work. Community where people know, love and care for one another is everything. Public school should be that but it most definitely is not.
Eventually we broadened to form a co-op which grew to become a Christian classical school. The classical school always looked to scholarship some students from less than ideal situations. We always felt an obligation to help others. I continued to teach both out of my home and at the school. Other than caring for my Mom it was the most rewarding of endeavors. By the way my own children have grown into successful critical thinking adults (one is a lawyer and the other in the military) with their own families. One of them will be homeschooling their own children.
I don’t know how to reach more disadvantaged communities? Is there a homeschooling outreach program? Perhaps one that can come alongside a parent or parents and provide some kind of financial and emotional support? I am looking forward to what you report.
Bari, have you seen this? https://legalinsurrection.com/2021/09/lawsuit-californias-proposed-ethnic-studies-curriculum-violates-the-establishment-clause/
I would love to hear from one of your CA. Education contacts, or someone from FAIR about their thoughts. Do they believe the curriculum is incorporating the teaching of pagan Aztec religious ritual in the Ethnic Studies Curriculum that has just been implemented?
𝘚𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘢 𝘛𝘰𝘷𝘢 to you too.
Excellent article. I especially liked the linked article by MacGillis about the Baltimore Public Schools. The state of education in our country is very sad. The kids that need school the most are the ones whom the system is failing. What is worse: A case of covid or a lifetime of failure and ignorance? I feel very sorry for the children who are being denied a good education.
One has to be left-wing to think that American education only recently started experiencing problems.
Honest, good-faith question: Why weren't public school teachers considered essential workers? Aren't they "essential workers"?
L'Shana Tov'a
It is bad when we have any monopoly. It is potentially disasterous when it is of by the the government ——as it is in our school systems. Most of our public schools are very good. That is irrelevant however. First, it is about income redistribution. Everyone pays thru (largely land taxes) whether they use the schools or not. Second, the dollars it costs per student are not transferable thus locking in parents who simply want freedom of choice. 3) This becomes an enormous disincentive for the creation of “small school businesses” as the parents have to extra. 4) the wealthy who can afford private schools get an advantage—-it is not that they should not have that opportunity—-it is that all people—who in fact most already pay—-do not have that opportunity. 4) not only is it a monopoly, but schools give themselves the right to what they want —from science to language all the way to propaganda 5) while this is democrat controlled—-and self reinforcing due to 99% of teacher union political contribution goes to Democrat party—-it is unclear if a party change could make a difference. It is a difficult story to,tell, we are ingrained in free school for life (it’s not free, and public schools will not disappear—-they would get smaller,however). Further, I,am not sure there is enough demand to change. My guess is 20% would chose differently —-and if successful that would grow—-but minorities tend to get ignored.
Cecily Myart-Cruz Is as corrupt and racist as the day is long. She is the perfect radical leftist teacher union leader to destroy LA’s public school system. Imagine the kickbacks she receives.
L'Shana Tova :)
We homeschooled 3 for 13 years (I've been "retired" for 9. Public school was never an option, even then, because the only thing new here is that they don't even care to hide it anymore. YES, we've known dedicated teachers. YES, I went to public school and "turned out fine." YES, we paid property taxes for schools that wouldn't even let my kids use their library. And it was all worth it because I have 3 educated, responsible, hard-working, entrepreneurial adults who can think, read with comprehension, write extremely well, pay for their own lives, don't have student loan debt, own their cars outright, and have traveled enough of the world to understand how things are and what's really important. There is NO WAY I would entrust my child to a public school in any state these days.
“It’s OK that our babies may not have learned all their times tables. . . They know the words insurrection and coup”
————————————
A coup has two doors and is more sporty.
You must be a recent graduate of public schools…..a two-door is a coupe, but hey, who ever said spelling is important?
thatsthejoke
This is probably the wrong place, but I can't find anywhere else. I just saw an article on how Amazon Web Services threatens Websites like Substack. Please, God, tell me that Substack is not hosting its site on an Amazon Web Services. Say the wrong word - just any wrong word - and they will shut you down just like they did Parler. I just took off all my home security cameras from there and am trying to disengage from Amazon.com in general. Not that easy.
After residency, I opened up a medical practice in my home town, and though I had no children yet, managed to get myself elected to the county school board in the very same district where I had attended high school and what was then called primary school. I was hoping to bring some experience and perspective - even help to make some changes. Boy was I naïve.
The school system, which as a child I'd always perceived as orderly and goal-oriented, had become chaos. Make educational changes? You have to be kidding. We spent our time refereeing grievances brought by the teachers' union, the service personnel union, the parents, students - just about everybody - against the system. One local newspaperman had it perfect: The school system had become a giant school bus, with a driver who had an accelerator and a brake pedal. The rest of the seats were filled with students, teachers, supervisors, union hacks, cafeteria workers, janitors - and of course, lawyers for all the above. At each of their seats was a giant brake pedal. The moment any one of them got his panties in a twist, he could stand on his brake with both feet and bring the entire system to a grinding halt.
Which, of course, they did. The school board was powerless to perform a single act that made learning simpler, faster, more organized, less expensive to the taxpayer. We were powerless to cut costs; as a child, we'd had one bus - full - make a morning and afternoon run through our valley. Now, I watched three buses - nearly empty - make the same runs. The costs were staggering. The school board office had grown from four people to over a hundred in the intervening years. The Board itself? We were limited de facto to lobbying the public at election time for more, new, fancier, brighter schools - at exorbitant cost. I earned the hatred of the entire system by a) being the first board member in that county's history to publicly oppose tax increases for new school construction and b) when the union president testified at a board meeting in favor of demolishing and rebuilding our "old" school buildings, I simply asked her how old were the buildings at Oxford. (She had to look "Oxford" up, by the way.)
Don't think for a minute that the school administration and teachers' unions are natural enemies or that they balance each others' interests for the public good. They are natural allies and behave that way - against the public and the children they purport to educate. The entire system is a bloated mess - a full-employment scheme in which education, when it occurs - and that is very rare - is merely collateral damage.
I believe there is one possible way to get our children well and truly educated: school choice. Now, neither the system nor the unions give a tinker's damn about what you think. A man with a gun (the sheriff - the county taxing authority in my state) comes and takes your money in the form of taxes and gives it to the "system." The system's goal is not education - it is to prevent you from taking your complaints to the newspaper. Period. Give the parents back their own money and let them choose their schools and old-fashioned competition will do the rest. This pandemic/lockdown is the perfect trigger for universal school choice. As the Democrats say, let's not let this crisis go to waste.
This was excellent, thank you for writing it.
This is a great article. Thanks for taking the time to share your experience with us.
The union helps the school board get elected. And then the union and the board bargain. There is no one that speaks for the public. And money is no object.
In our city the schools got a huge bond issue for new schools. Three years ago they spent like $100,000 to redo the parking lot at an elementary school slated to be torn down and rebuilt. They’ve done the tear down and the rebuild and in doing so ripped out the brand new highly landscaped, replaced and relit parking lot. But it’s only taxpayer money right?
I’m so excited for this series. I learned so much about education during the pandemic and homeschooling my 3 kids last year. we are now trying a private school that we like so far. I cannot believe how different my kids feel about school than they did I’m public school. I’m the daughter of a wonderful public educator and sister to 3 siblings who also taught in public education. In a million years I would not have believed that I would take my kids out of our local district to give them something better. My oldest was in third grade when he said to me, “Mom, it feels like my teacher doesn’t like boys.” I brushed it off at the time and have since acknowledged how I admittedly passed over that way too quickly. He really felt it, the agenda. At that time “Me Too” was full storm. He was 9. One dimensional conversations have these kids bored as hell and I know I am lucky I could choose between continuing to homeschool or send my kids to private. I will say though, if you can homeschool and that’s your only financial option, or your preferred option….do it! There are so many ways to find support. Give back your kids the gift of wonder, reading great books and open discussion! Thanks Bari. Your timing is always spot on and Happy New Year to you!
I started homeschooling back in 1996, loved it so much I began teaching Latin, history, writing, and literature to small groups of other homeschoolers. My dear friend taught the sciences to those same students. We formed a nice little community and when one of our students lost their father my friend and I waived our fees so their children could continue homeschooling while the Mom started back to work. Community where people know, love and care for one another is everything. Public school should be that but it most definitely is not.
Eventually we broadened to form a co-op which grew to become a Christian classical school. The classical school always looked to scholarship some students from less than ideal situations. We always felt an obligation to help others. I continued to teach both out of my home and at the school. Other than caring for my Mom it was the most rewarding of endeavors. By the way my own children have grown into successful critical thinking adults (one is a lawyer and the other in the military) with their own families. One of them will be homeschooling their own children.
I don’t know how to reach more disadvantaged communities? Is there a homeschooling outreach program? Perhaps one that can come alongside a parent or parents and provide some kind of financial and emotional support? I am looking forward to what you report.
Shana Tova