Issue '04: Education

[John Dibble]

Badnarik, even though I disagree somewhat on privatizing the school system. But what he does realize is that in the unlikely event that he was electe president, that his only duty and power would be to get the federal government out of it - let the states decide what to do with their systems.

[John Dibble]

Badnarik, even though I disagree somewhat on privatizing the school system. But what he does realize is that in the unlikely event that he was electe president, that his only duty and power would be to get the federal government out of it - let the states decide what to do with their systems.

Private schools have time and time again been proven superior to their public counterparts. It also means you can send your kid to a school that shares your values.

I think every kid in the country should be able to get government funding for private schooling.

Not that you can just abolish the public school system or anything. But I'm saying, we need to get some competition in the fading picture.

Remember, this is the first generation that's LESS educated than the previous. The public schools have failed, I think...and I know, 'cause I go to one, heh.

I agree that private schools are generally good, I just don't think we need to abolish the public school system altogether. It can do well - I went to a very good public school district(my parents moved just so I could go to school there), so my experience with the system was much different than yours. My belief is that the federal government needs to have nothing to do with the system and the state government should leave most of it up to local school boards - that way the school boards can be held directly accountable for school quality, and would hopefully do a better job for that reason.

[John Dibble]

Sorry, but I have a serious theory. Democrats don't want children learning in private schools because the public school system is the liberal breeding-ground.

Actually, college is the liberal breeding ground, but even that is changing - things are starting to take a little l libertarian swing there I think.

[John Dibble]

Nym - sorry, but the world isn't fair, never will be. Equal opportunity is not a possibility. There's the 'should' and there the 'reality'. I don't support forcing people to pay for equalizing opportunity, but fortunately there are a number of solutions that do not involve forced taxes. Most scholarships, including the private ones, are geared towards lower class students.

I support Georgia's system - the HOPE scholarship. It is purely merit based - anyone with a 3.0 GPA average in high school and you get your college tuition paid if you stay in state, GPA is checked every 30 college hours. What I like most about it is that it is not funded by tax - it is funded by the state lottery. The lottery is completely optional to participate in, so you can't really complain about it as if it's a tax. Attaining a 3.0 average in public high school is not hard - most people willing to work for it can attain it, at any economic level.