"We're Definitely Not in Public School!!"

[PaulB47]

The Seduction of Homeschooling Families - by Chris Cardiff

 

[etrain16]

The Seduction of Homeschooling Families - by Chris Cardiff

I've read that one before - some very good points made.

 

[CoastRange57]

Public education is at a crossroads in our society. The costs of maintaining a suitable teacher / student ratio are doing nothing but go higher. The fringe benefits, retirements, and heath care costs will soon be 2X wages in our area. That is completely unsustainable and try to maintain an educational process with class sizes approaching 40 it will be damn near impossible. I was involved in school district budget committee work for about 13 years and got out about 5 years ago. My predictions are coming true, that the 2017 year will be the start of major budget problems, with huge issues in 2020 and virtually no chance of any kind of recovery. When your employee costs start increasing at the rate of 30% per year to cover the unfunded liabilities in the 22 billion dollar shortfall in the PERs...errrrr Ponzi scheme retirement, it does not take a math wizard to figure out what is going to happen. The unions will demand their members be made whole and maintain the retirement systems, the teachers will bit*h about 40 kids in a class, and the kids will continue to be under achievers. No end in sight to the population growth so do not expect any changes any time soon from the government, because it is not about the kids, it is about the jobs of teachers and administrators.

The distractions of society, social media, and the electronic crack devices all these kids carry will make sure that the education mission is severely compromised for years to come. Geographical locations make a difference. One set of grand kids is in the west metro area and another in Central Oregon in a much smaller district. I can tell you for a fact the ones in Central Oregon are getting a better education and social upbringing and the social pressures are much less. The focus in the west metro area is on being good at sports, having the best styles and 3 year old's carry Leap Pads around for entertainment.

The type of school the kids attends really has very little to do with their upbringing. It is the parents that make those decisions and provide guidance. I see all kinds, the fat azz white trash moms with their pajamas and tied up dirty hair kicking the kids out at the bus stop, the moms who have their brand new SUVs, going to their jobs and complaining about how rough life is with kids and a job, ( cry me a fing river), and parents that feel that they have to have the best and biggest homes, cars, clothes and TVs are teaching the next generation that this is life.

There are good well grounded kids and parents who have their sh*t together, but they really are in the minority these days.

 

[L84Cabo]

That story brought a little tear to my eye. Maybe there's hope.