School Choice

The idea is to give parents a choice to move their child or children from their current school to another school.  The theory is that schools need competition to improve.  

Most Americans prefer “neighborhood schools”, particularly in the elementary grades. The problem of maintaining classes composed of similarly skilled students is more complicated than ever. Parents who have children with “learning disabilities” and autism and other issues that require special handling seem to be on the rise and we don’t know what causes these problems.

I would be happy with public schools who don’t indoctrinate the students with liberal propaganda, environmental extremism, revisionist history LGBT and Muslim indoctrination using political correctness to enforce the brainwashing. I would be happy with public schools who concentrated on reading, writing and math skill development.

I would prefer school boards who had control over the curriculum and were responsive to the parents, teachers and students. I would prefer that school boards not spend all of their money on building multi-million dollar schools using Bonds. I would remove State and Federal regulations and lawsuits from schools.  I would reduce county school bureaucracy to a minimum.  I would offer internet high school and internet enhances part-time schools.

I think students should be responsible for learning the reading, writing and math skills they need to keep up with their class. I believe schools are the business of counties and cities.

I don’t think that the State or Federal government should take on the responsibility for the functioning of public schools or any schools. Assuming that graduation rates have any effect on economic development or attracting businesses to your State is ridiculous.

The case for vouchers is to give parents who pay their property taxes a choice

Vouchers would allow parents to widen their list of choices beyond large public school systems to private schools, but transportation logistics will get worse. Vouchers for home-schoolers would be an unforeseen benefit to this group. Vouchers for private school families would also be an unforeseen benefit. The cost of private elementary schools can be $8000 per year.

If the Vouchers are given to reflect the school tax portion of your property tax, that would vary from about $2000 to $4000 per year.  The cost per child in public schools is closer to $13.000 per year. The balance is coming from State taxes.

If the vouchers are given based on the cost per child, renters could be included, but the State would still be on the hook.

The problem with charter schools will be vetting private start-up schools. Gulen is an educational corporation headquartered in Turkey. Their teachers are all Muslim.  They operate charter schools in the US. This is not a good idea.

Charter Schools have mixed reviews depending on that kind of charter schools you’ve had in the past. This term has no particular meaning to most parents. These have been public schools with a little more autonomy

Pensions for teachers are already in trouble because of low interest rates and a flaky stock market.  Teachers need to be moved to a 401k plan with some “age weighted” plan to supplement teachers who are close to retirement. Pension eligibility after 30 years must end. All retirements should hinge on age 66.

Special Education Teachers are scattered throughout the large public school systems and these specialists will continue to be needed.

Medication for attention deficit disorder needs to be questioned.  Too many teachers want their rowdy 2^nd grade boys to take the medication, but lots of moms attribute their child’s lack of attention to their age.

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader