Lets screw the teachers shall we?

[Flyndaran]

That's a poor arguement, by that reasoning every public servants income should be a matter of public record.

Maybe not individuals' paycheck, but average pay to workers and if someone gets significantly more or less than that is everyone's business.

[AdminAssistant]

That's a poor arguement, by that reasoning every public servants income should be a matter of public record.

Actually, it is. I'm not sure where the records for K-12 employees would be, but you can walk into any college library* and ask to see the financial records for that university, including salaries for every single person working for that university, from the Chancellor to the football coach to the food services employees. If you're paid by the state, you're paid with taxpayer dollars, and therefore, the public is entitled to know how much you're making.

* I assume this is only the case in public universities.

[BroomJockey]

Maybe not individuals' paycheck, but average pay to workers

This for sure. In fact, around here, I believe it IS public record, since they advertise the salary while looking for applicants.

and if someone gets significantly more or less than that is everyone's business.

I can't really see a reason for this, if it's just one or two people. Maybe if there was a large gap, say between old and new employees, then yeah, but just one?

[TheRoo]

In Sioux Falls, all public school employees salaries are public record. You can access them on the local newspaper's website.

[Mr Slugger]

Wait, how does that work?

Found an article here
http://www.bostonpublicschools.org/node/1077

I guess it's illegal for any public worker to strike in this state.

[Tanasi]

In my AO I don't think it's illegal for teachers to strike but most likely they won't have a job to come back to if they do. I know at the more popular schools in the system the teachers have to apply for their jobs every year to stay at that school otherwise they're placed at other schools.
Maybe it's just in my area but the private schools produce better quality students, pay the teachers better as well as staff and for less money per kid than the county schools. I wonder why?

[BroomJockey]

the private schools produce better quality students, pay the teachers better as well as staff and for less money per kid than the county schools. I wonder why?

They don't have to entertain the ultra-right-wing whackadoos who want religion taught as science, and don't have to fight legal battles to keep it out?

Alternatively, they've given IN to the urwws, and don't have to fight the legal battles.

[AdminAssistant]

the private schools produce better quality students, pay the teachers better as well as staff and for less money per kid than the county schools. I wonder why?

Because only kids from the wealthiest families get to go to private schools. As a general rule, the kids have more parental support, encouragement, and involvement. Class sizes tend to be smaller, which also helps...a LOT.

There are a lot of inefficencies in the public system. However, I personally don't fully support the charter system that would allow all students to choose which schools they attend in order to encourage competition (it's called something specific, but I can't think of it). I grew up in a very rural area and there was only one school even remotely close to our town. Kids in those situations are left out of that system.

[Boozy]

As a general rule, the kids have more parental support, encouragement, and involvement.

This.

Study after study shows that the single greatest indicator of how well a child will do academically is how they are raised in their own homes before the age of 3.

Private schools cater to those who have money. Those who have money tend to be better educated, and they spend more time speaking and reading to their children.

[joe hx]

They don't have to entertain the ultra-right-wing whackadoos who want religion taught as science, and don't have to fight legal battles to keep it out?

Then why is it that "the ultra-right-wing whackadoos" are the ones that are for charter/private schools and school choice?

There are a lot of inefficencies in the public system. However, I personally don't fully support the charter system that would allow all students to choose which schools they attend in order to encourage competition (it's called something specific, but I can't think of it). I grew up in a very rural area and there was only one school even remotely close to our town. Kids in those situations are left out of that system.

So... if some are unable to go to a better school that is also a charter school... no one should?

[BroomJockey]

Then why is it that "the ultra-right-wing whackadoos" are the ones that are for charter/private schools and school choice?

Because then they control the curriculum directly. Charter/Private schools aren't subject to as strict oversight in areas of study, so they can teach more of what they want, and school choice, then they can ship their kids to schools where they're already prevalent, and use attendance as a hammer, since schools generally receive funding based on how many students they have.

The next question you'd likely have is "Why bother with public schools at all, then?" The answer to that is "because they want everyone to have their viewpoint" then insert long-winded argument that's best suited for another thread about right-wing conservatives and religious insecurities, so let's just skip that part for the here and now.

[AdminAssistant]

So... if some are unable to go to a better school that is also a charter school... no one should?

I want a system that improves education for everyone. Poor, rich, city, rural....everybody deserves to have the same level of education. Schools should be the one place where money or class doesn't matter. All that should matter is academic achievement.

[Tanasi]

They don't have to entertain the ultra-right-wing whackadoos who want religion taught as science, and don't have to fight legal battles to keep it out?

Alternatively, they've given IN to the urwws, and don't have to fight the legal battles.

Is it still not known as the Theory of Evolution??? When did it become the Fact of Evolution? For the most part divine intervention is dismissed as nonsense if it's even mentioned at all, why not mention the major beliefs (and I'm not saying teach it as facts after all Evolution is far from a fact) and then they can say they talked about it. Of course there's that whole "seperation of church and state" thing, but why object if they're teaching it all?

Because only kids from the wealthiest families get to go to private schools. As a general rule, the kids have more parental support, encouragement, and involvement. Class sizes tend to be smaller, which also helps...a LOT.

There are a lot of inefficencies in the public system. However, I personally don't fully support the charter system that would allow all students to choose which schools they attend in order to encourage competition (it's called something specific, but I can't think of it). I grew up in a very rural area and there was only one school even remotely close to our town. Kids in those situations are left out of that system.

Generalize much??? Only the wealthiest huh, and you base this on??? I'm far from rich, I have to go to work every day (weekends too) but we sacrifice to make sure our kids have/had a surperior education.
The school my kids attend is either the second or third largest school in the county and that includes the public schools (third largest city in the state.) They have the same facilities as the public schools and more yet it's all provided for less per student than public. The teachers are better paid, they teach what they want but the state requires all students public or private pass the same state test.
10 to 15% of my kids tuition is applied toward scholarships for kids of less than meager means. I think 10% of the student are on full scholarships and anther 5% are on partial scholarships and this is common for most of the local private schools.
I also grew up in a very rural area and I only had one choice. My dad attended the same elementary and high school that I and my brothers and sisters attended and if my kids lived in the same area they would also be in the same schools. Sometimes geography works against us and we have to make the best of what's available.
While my state allows charter schools the conditions for allowing them is tight and I think there is only one charter school in my county, more of the CS are in either Memphis or Nashville, I'm not sure of Chattanooga or the Tri-Cities.

I want a system that improves education for everyone. Poor, rich, city, rural....everybody deserves to have the same level of education. Schools should be the one place where money or class doesn't matter. All that should matter is academic achievement.

Do you support education vouchers???
What do you think of specialized high schools such as vocational/trade, hardcore academic, arts, etc..?
Do you think all kids should go to college?

[guywithashovel]

Is it still not known as the Theory of Evolution??? When did it become the Fact of Evolution? For the most part divine intervention is dismissed as nonsense if it's even mentioned at all, why not mention the major beliefs (and I'm not saying teach it as facts after all Evolution is far from a fact) and then they can say they talked about it. Of course there's that whole "seperation of church and state" thing, but why object if they're teaching it all?

This has the potential to derail the thread, but I'll mention it, anyway.

Evolution is BOTH a theory and a fact. If that sounds contradictory, then it may be because you don't understand what the word "theory" means in scientific terminology. I'm not trying to be patronizing by saying that, either. In science, a theory is a model based on experimentation, observation, and reasoning. It is a body of facts used to explain something.

Here are some other things in science that are "just theories."

Gravity
Atomic Theory
Cell Theory
Electromagnetism
Germ Theory

It is accurate to say that Evolution is a theory, but to say that it is "just a theory" in manner that many ID advocates and creationists say is misleading.

[Rapscallion]

Hypothesis - unproven idea, generally with some basis in observed cause and effect.

Theory - tested hypotheses and generally found to work. Subject to alteration if facts don't quite fit the established model. There are some queries about gravity at the moment, for example.

Rapscallion