Louisiana's bold bid to privatize schools

[slim 1,525]

Usually the reason why someone fails to complete school has little to do with the school they are doing and more to do with the family situation they are in. In this type of program, that wont change.

But who gets that money will change.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

But who gets that money will change.

Sure. And here I thought that better educating the next generation was the issue. Silly me.

[rocks 494]

Sure. And here I thought that better educating the next generation was the issue. Silly me.

[james&olya 1,121]

How do private Christian school students fair on science tests when their schools shun science?

I might be in a unique position to answer that. Let me say first that all those statistics that private christian schools like to throw at you are biased. It is called a 'selection' bias. The population with the means and willingness to enroll their children in a school other than the public school system varies in multiple ways from the general poulation! So those 'statistics' are meaningless!

I went to a 'private Christian school' from 1st grade through 12th and again for all of college except the first semester. I went on to obtain a doctoral level degree. I did well in my school. I graduated at the top of my small high school class where I was well ahead of my classmates. I went on to a very large upper midwest state university where, in spite of my high SAT scores and NMSQT finalist status, I found myself prepared only for the 'average' college math course, intro to calculus. I had to work hard to catch up to my public school educated peers there. The same was true in my chemistry classes. Fortunately I did not have to go up against them in biology! I transferred to a religious college with a good reputation after the first semester and immediately found myself back on top again!

My aptitude, as well as that of many of my classmates in those religious schools, was significantly above the norm. But the schooling we got was only sufficient to barely 'make the grade', in spite of our superior abilities. Ever since that experience I have been convinced that most private christian schools are far from the superior teaching institutions their backers try to claim. Rather they are 'bearing false witness' when they make claims of that nature.

I would expect that objective measurements of students performance in this upcoming Louisiana experiment will show that students will do just as miserably and probably even worse with 'faith-based' education!

[slim 1,525]

Sure. And here I thought that better educating the next generation was the issue. Silly me.

Government involvement in anything is not about making it better... it's about controlling it. Education is the last thing government should be involved in. If people have a problem with their children that's their problem - not every land owner in the district.

Ever since that experience I have been convinced that most private christian schools are far from the superior teaching institutions their backers try to claim.

I had an outstanding education at a public institution. I'm continually baffled by folks who send their kids to private schools "because they want them to have the best." Those families typically aren't paying for their kids to get a good education, they're paying to protect them from the evils of the world. "If they go to Catholic school they won't be involved in any of that 'bad stuff' those kids at the public schools do."

Like keeping kids from drinking, smoking, etc., the only thing they've really done is retard their learning process and place them at a disadvantage when the time comes for them to actually encounter "bad stuff" in the real world.

We have a "good ol' boys club" here in my city where the folks hire each other because of the schools they went to. They're constantly ticked off that "dummies" from the public schools keep outshining them.

[james&olya 1,121]

I had an outstanding education at a public institution. I'm continually baffled by folks who send their kids to private schools "because they want them to have the best." Those families typically aren't paying for their kids to get a good education, they're paying to protect them from the evils of the world. "If they go to Catholic school they won't be involved in any of that 'bad stuff' those kids at the public schools do."

Like keeping kids from drinking, smoking, etc., the only thing they've really done is retard their learning process and place them at a disadvantage when the time comes for them to actually encounter "bad stuff" in the real world.

My experience was that all those 'evil influences' were right there at our 'christian' school. There were drugs, alcohol, teenage pregnancies, etc. At least if you were in public school you could blame it on that. I do credit the experience with helping me understand that the real morality of those sitting in the pews is about the same as those who don't pretend!

[ready4ONE 5,400]

I went to private Christian schools 4th grade through 6th, in two different States. Some aspects were indeed superior educationally in some respects, math being a prime example, and their music programs, but I transitioned to public schools after that. I had a difficult time catching up in 4th grade coming in from public school but transitioned back to public schools with no problem getting introduced to the evils of the world nor academically.

[slim 1,525]

My experience was that all those 'evil influences' were right there at our 'christian' school. There were drugs, alcohol, teenage pregnancies, etc. At least if you were in public school you could blame it on that. I do credit the experience with helping me understand that the real morality of those sitting in the pews is about the same as those who don't pretend!

What I LOVE (yes, that's sarcasm) is the hypocrisy of Catholicism. Talk about a sinning group of "holier than though" folks who always want to tell others how to live.

But, I can't knock them too hard. At least you get snacks and a good workout at mass.

Back to topic, if students (and parents) are permitted to choose where their children can go to school they'll be able to choose a school that better fits their lifestyle. That may be a religious school, an "academy" or even an online program. Whatever works to get the "competition" back in the education system and take it away from these huge bureaucratic messes of public schools is a good thing.

Less government is always a good thing.

[rocks 494]

Less government is always a good thing.

Oh yeah, that worked out great with Wall St...

[Danno 1,228]

Oh yeah, that worked out great with Wall St...

I see your point. We should have had more laws forcing more banks to make even more loans to more people who couldn't produce good credit.

[rocks 494]

I see your point. We should have had more laws forcing more banks to make even more loans to more people who couldn't produce good credit.

That's what happened without the laws.