I had three students who wrote their evaluation arguments over whether to home school, or send their kids to private or public school. One student came to the decision that home schooling had its advantages for those who had the time to do it, but that they didn't have the time or patience to make sure their kids got a good education. The other two made their decisions based on cost--that their families would have to make too many lifestyle sacrifices to put their kids in private school, no matter how much better it was, so their kids would be going to public school.
Wow, guys. Way to go in putting your kids first. I don't have the time and patience, either, but I will be making the time necessary for my kids' needs. It's what a parent--a real parent--does. And, with an attitude like that (don't have the time and patience for their kids), I'd be willing to bet they won't have the time or patience for parent-teacher meetings, or for school functions.
As for the costs...did those idiots do the research into the private school options? Yeah, the secular day school costs like double your college tuition...so, maybe they should drop college while their kid's in school, and they've got half their tuition right there (and it's not like they're exactly suited to higher education anyway, so no losses on that front). I'm sure dropping their cell phone plan, cable, and cutting eating out down to once a month could net the rest. But, while that school does have the best academics, bar none, in the local organized private schools, it turns out students that set their sights way too high for their age and experience, and who give up at the first hint of adversity (nobody listens to my ideas--waaaahhhhh!!!).
However, that's not the only private school in the area. There are three different Christian schools, each of which are better than the biggest public school district, each of which costs a lot less, and turns out better, more resilient students. I think they cost less than the college's tuition, too. And they'll make sure the kids are better prepared for college than my students are.
I'm honestly a little sickened by the attitudes I saw in those three papers. What the hell happened to parents doing without necessities to make sure their kids had enough? These cretins are unwilling to do without luxuries that they complain about not being able to afford.
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I see a general trend in society towards people preferring to do what's "convenient" or "fun" or "easy" as opposed to what is RIGHT. That's why we're in such a mess, that's why we're turning into another Greece. People want the easy way out.
ReplyDeleteIf I had a kid? If there was ANY way I could manage, I'd homeschool. The public schools were like Lord of the Flies when I was a student, I can't imagine what they're like now.
And that whole trend starts with parents who don't love their kids enough to sacrifice their cigarette money for a box of diapers, which teaches the kids as they get older that they shouldn't have to sacrifice what they want, whether they have the money for it or not, and it just snowballs from there.
DeleteI'm debating between our local Catholic schools and homeschooling my kids. My imp so desperately wants to play with other kids that I'd feel bad about keeping him home, but at the same time, I think I could do a far better job of making sure he's literate and numerate than a teacher with a classroom full of kids, some of whom need more attention because they're having trouble understanding.
Public school is not an option. I see how publicly educated kids turn out, and my kids deserve better (as do the kids so badly dis-served, but I'm not their parent).
Well, for one thing, I disagree that many parents are shellfish; I have seen many many shellfish, and... oh. Never mind.
ReplyDeleteSecond: About the costs of sending them to a private school. One MUST have their priorities laid out. After all, one can always have more kids, if the first batch turns bad, but that new flat screen fold-up I-Pod-Phone with the voice to text gizmo and the free enrollment in the DVD of the month club... now, you can't always get one of those!
Truly, I DID see an interview once in which people were being asked if they were putting off having kids, for careers, etc. One woman said that she really wanted a family but she and her husband had talked it over and felt that they should pay off their BMWs first. See? Priorities! Personally, with values like that, I think they should both sterilize themselves.
We put off having children until I finished my MA degree, so that I could have a job that would let me stay home with them, and probably home school them. I don't have, nor do I want, the "latest and greatest" anything. Not for me, and not for my kids. My first priority is what's best for them...hence, putting off children until I could take care of them myself, rather than handing them off to someone else to raise.
DeleteI don't think I know one other set of parents with similar priorities. Most tell me "Oh, gosh, I could never stand to stay home with my kids all day!!! They'd drive me crazy!!!"
Umm...yeah. And whose fault is that?
I would blame Bush.
DeleteSo would Obama, if he were aware, and weren't dancing with joy that so many parents are letting the government raise their kids.
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