Should we keep throwing money at public education?

Question

Certainly, education ought to be among the highest priorities in the United States. The popular advocacy for the improvement of our education system has always been that 1) it is underfunded and 2) if it were better funded it would be more effective. However, no school district receives more federal dollars than the District of Columbia. But DC's schools are also among the worst, and the results within the city are clear. 1/3 function illiteracy in the city (source: http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8NVBUV81&show_article=1 ).

Is this evidence sufficient to justify looking beyond the "throw money at it" solutions that are so often advocated? What other changes should be made to improve the American public education system?

Answer 1

NOT ONLY NO, BUT HELL NO!

I think the public education system gets more than enough money. I think they spend it poorly. I think their priorities are out of line with what the public expects them to be doing.

For instance. When I was in high school, our Xerox machine quit (dating myself there). There was no money in the "budget" to fix said machine. However, there was plenty of money to add 500 concrete parking blocks(at the end of the spaces) to the student parking lot. Ok. Which is the priority.

With my money, I have to pick and choose. Make the house payment...go to the strip club. I have to make choices with real ramifications. Apparently schools do not have to do that.

How to fix it? Brother, where to start. Pay for performance. Incentives for fiscal responsibility. Moving away from the teachers union. Bring discipline back to school. Teach what school is designed to teach...don't teach what should be taught at home. Stop catering to the dumbest student in the class...this is adversly affecting the average students, and really hurting the smart kids.

I do know I don't buy the traditional arguments. Teachers are low paid. No ****. You knew that when you majored in education during 4 years of college. Dilapitated buidings - really, does the quality of the building you are sitting in affect learning...can you learn outside? If not, how does one train a framing carpenter? I tell you what. When I went to boot camp, I had no AC, no shiney new busses to move me around, poor living conditions - a few weeks in tents for instance. I sure learned plenty. All these arguments are whining and smoke and mirrors to get around the real subject:
EDUCATORS ARE DOING A POOR JOB.

Just some Ideas. I don't know. SOMETHING SOON!

I will tell you this: I will double up on my mortgage to pay for private schools for my kids before I send them to public schools. Not because I want them to be upity snoby kids, but the quality of education is so much better.

Answer 2

If it has to be public, then it should be run by either the local or state government as opposed to the Federal government. Blanket "solutions" made up by the Feds are obviously not working (No Child Left Behind?). Why? Because every school system has it's own unique problems - inadequate funds, dilapidated buildings, violence amongst students, not enough teachers...the list goes on, but each school is affected differently. Don't the people who are the closest to the situation understand the problems the best? It's logical that they should be in charge of fixing them.

Answer 3

Last time I did a poll, the consensus seems to be that the govt should fund education as a necessary service. Personally, I think education should be privatized, but then I'm not a liberal.

As far as DC, remember that DC is not a state. Congress makes all laws and approves all funding for DC. So, given what Congress has been up to for 6-12 years, is there really any question why DC schools are so bad?

Answer 4

Money is A problem, but it's not the only problem. There are many problems and they go beyond the school. It goes to the very fabric of the society in which we live. How can you expect an inner city student with one parent who doesn't have enough food to eat and who works nights to help pay for rent.. how can we expect this child to excell in school? It won't matter how many dollars you throw at his/her education.

If a school is under-funded, yes it will definately have an impact. but once a school has enough money.. throwing more at it won't help.

Answer 5

i've got have been given a sturdy thought. How a pair of area of my property taxes that are allotted to faculties, how approximately i'm getting area of that funds decrease back as a "voucher" to deliver my baby to the college of my determination? i've got not got toddlers right this moment yet as quickly as I did i would not deliver them to public college and that i don't experience like each and all of the college tax on my property tax fact ought to be going to pay for those faculties. so a techniques as improving public coaching, do away with tenure, and choose those educators on advantage. And pay those sturdy instructors their worth. i think of that's a super concern. the solid instructors prepare in the terrific faculties because of the fact they pay them what they're worth. Our government on all ranges basically waste plenty and don't placed the money the place that's substantial. Pay those sturdy instructors and supply incentive for a metamorphosis.

Answer 6

No. We need to get rid of teacher's unions

Answer 7

No.