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talkpoliticsTeri Adams, Head of Independence Hall Tea Party and School Voucher Activist:
Our ultimate goal is to shut down public schools and have private schools only, eventually returning responsibility for payment to parents and private charities. It’s going to happen piecemeal and not overnight. It took us years to get into this mess and it’s going to take years to get out of it.
In other words, Adams would like education to be, along with medical care, available only to those who can pony up the cash for it.
The article I’ve linked to includes a few quotes from people speculating about what drives the American right’s hostility towards public education. The ban on teacher-led prayer is invoked, along with the mercenary desire to funnel the money now paid into public schools into private hands.
I suspect it’s much more simple than that. Without universal education, the far right wouldn’t have to contend with so many pesky arguments about the facts of history, math, science, etc.
Crossposted from Thoughtcrimes
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(no subject)
Date: 16/7/11 21:25 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 16/7/11 21:34 (UTC)Like that idea?
(no subject)
Date: 16/7/11 21:35 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 16/7/11 21:42 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 16/7/11 21:44 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 16/7/11 21:52 (UTC)Still waiting for you to cite statistics showing the majority of American public school graduates qualify as illiterate and innumerate.
(no subject)
Date: 19/7/11 00:59 (UTC)No. I simply object to the insulting claim that the majority -- or even most -- public school graduates come out illiterate and innumerate.
bs: This is a great example of someone ignoring the thrust of the argument to score internet points.
The thrust of foreverbeach's argument is "Kids would be better off finding a job or wandering the streets than wasting their lives away in public 'schools'."
bs: [info]foreverbeach may very well be wrong. I'll even say probably. I'll even say is wrong, but that doesn't change the meaning of the contention: the current education system in America is horrid compared to most any other developed country, and is doubly horrid when you consider we are the *most* developed country.
Except that isn't actually what I'm arguing with. I'm arguing with the claim that public schools are actually REDUCING literacy, and that the way to combat illiteracy is to eliminate public schools entirely.
bs: This isn't even an argument against public education per se,
Excuse me, but that is exactly what it is. Read the OP.
bs: but is rather an appeal for you (and everyone) to acknowledge that what is being persevered and fought for is woefully inadequate. We spend twice as much as Japanese schooling and get half the results. (For the record, that was a turn of phrase, though I do look forward to your nitpicking about statistics showing at least 2x/50%).
You mean your statement about was not intended to be factual? Got it. You're just pullin' stuff out of a hat. Far be it from me to nitpick about something as silly as whether or not what you say is actually true.
bs: You can say things would be much worse without our current system.
I'm saying things would be much worse WITHOUT public schools -- even as badly underfunded as many of them are.
(no subject)
Date: 20/7/11 22:30 (UTC)"Kids would be better off finding a job or wandering the streets than wasting their lives away in public 'schools'," is a direct quote from 'Beach. It's not what I "wanted" Foreverbeach to say. It's what Foreverbeach said.
bs: Becah's argument was actually that public schools are a spectacular failure both money wise and quality wise.
Such a spectacular failure, Beach said, that kids would be better off without it. Sorry, but it's right there in black and white.
Paft: I'm arguing with the claim that public schools are actually REDUCING literacy, and that the way to combat illiteracy is to eliminate public schools entirely.
bs: Exactly. The argument you want to have.
Uh, yes, I was reacting to a right winger who had announced she thought the public school system should be eliminated. That's why I posted the OP. Generally, people who post OPs are posting about subjects their interested in debating.
bs: They don't, you win, now please address the main point.
The main point in this thread is the point in the OP, which is about the claim that the public school system would be eliminated. Now, I'm sorry if you'd rather I was arguing some other point, but that is what I am interested in discussing.
Paft: Excuse me, but that is exactly what it is. Read the OP.
bs: Excuse me, but the argument I'm having in my head is totally the argument being presented.
I'm not responsible for or particularly interested in the voices you hear in your head.
bs: Yes, it may be surprising, but the statement I said which wasn't factual was indeed, not factual. However, we do spend more than 2x Japan on public education. Results... not sure how you want to measure that. So let's just ignore the fact that you're being pedantic and willfully obstinate.
Yes, I'm very obstinate about discussing what I have posted -- not what you would rather I have posted.
(no subject)
Date: 17/7/11 00:19 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 17/7/11 06:22 (UTC)http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303406104576443883731218922.html
(no subject)
Date: 17/7/11 15:37 (UTC)How does that headline support the premise that most public school graduates are illiterate and innumerate?
(no subject)
Date: 17/7/11 20:41 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 19/7/11 00:07 (UTC)Re: Depends on what you mean by "literate"
Date: 19/7/11 01:01 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 17/7/11 03:47 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 17/7/11 06:43 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 17/7/11 08:54 (UTC)*yawn*
(no subject)
Date: 17/7/11 20:18 (UTC)Wow! You could fertilize...
Date: 17/7/11 22:59 (UTC)There is a good number of youngsters who graduate from public education, as you describe, but who return to the fold after finding out how hard life is without an education. A large number of the literate people in America are the product of a public education. Do you suppose that I would be able to express myself this way without a public school experience? I would probably not be alive to respond to your outrageous comment.
Re: Wow! You could fertilize...
Date: 19/7/11 00:24 (UTC)