Superb Argument for Free Markets In Education
Andrew Coulson in the Washington Post convincingly argues against further standardizing the education at the national level. It’s a cogent argument and you really must have a read.
It is ironic that standards advocates exhort us to improve our schools in response to competitive pressures from abroad, but then discount the ability of the same competition and consumer choice to drive improvement at home. It is the competitive pursuit of excellence spurred by market forces that drives up standards, not the other way around. The sooner we realize that, the better off our children will be.
April 9th, 2007 at 10:54 pm
wow, i dunno if you guys read the previous thread, but i thought that was a perfect example of why one should privatize schools. It shouldn’t be the government’s job to decide whether it should teach certain material or not based on the students’ beliefs. If a parent wants to send their kid to a school, they have to agree to its curriculum. If they want their kid to go to a school that doesn’t teach about the crusades or the holocaust, that’s ok. If a kid is repeatedly disruptive because of any reason, the schools can have whatever guidlines they want to expel them. Makes sense to me.
April 10th, 2007 at 4:58 am
Makes sense until you’re the only atheist or jew living in a bible-belt town small enough that it can only support one elementary school. Then you’ll be greatful for national guidelines about what gets taught instead of your kids learning whatever the rest of the immediate community thinks they should learn.
April 10th, 2007 at 9:05 am
you’re right, coercion is the only way in that situation. In fact, whenever i’m unhappy with a situation, I look to coercion first. For example, when i’m in a small town that doesn’t sell matzoh on passover, i make sure that i go straight to the government to coerce that store into changing its policies.
April 10th, 2007 at 9:38 am
Alternately you could order it online. I guess you could homeschool your kids too if you didn’t like have a job or anything and didn’t mind them not having a normal experience of socialization and thought you were a pretty good teacher even though you had no training.
April 10th, 2007 at 9:46 am
Careful with the home school slams. You need to respect those peoples cultures. They think it might be best for their son or daughter to learn what they view as important - rather than what the school views is important. How dare you judge those people who wish to teach their children a certain way.
April 11th, 2007 at 6:38 am
Hey, you have to respect my culture of disrespecting people. Dude what the hell is wrong with you.