Originally posted by pegwinn
Pengwinn - I guess that we will agree to disagree. Hi, I am Phil, Was the n in front of the g a typo or a pun?
If public schools are so heavily subsidized, it just means that so much more money can be returned to the individual tax payer. I respectfully must ask, how? How do we determine who gets the money? Local school systems receive money from higher government sources. Where will that go? Also, not all residents are paying into the schools. Most states use property taxes and lottery proceeds to fund education.Also related to cost savings: So many public school classes today teach political indoctrination and basket weaving (unnecessary subjects for a student intent on a career having nothing to do with politics or baskets). By privatizing schools, some may decide to specialize, resulting in less cost for the student and his family. I agree totally about unneeded classes. I agree with the theory of specialty schools. I have heard of "Engineering" high schools. Another economic point: I'm relatively poor, but if my neighbor would be willing to teach my child (assuming I have one) the neighbor and I can negotiate tuition and perhaps even barter. I think that private donations, home schools, charity schools, and the like will also help the poor receive an education. Good luck. I believe this is where the idealist and the realist have a different picture about how well the public will band together to help each other
There will be some relatively balanced private schools but some schools might not be politically or racially extreme (such as your KKK example). Those families that don't like exposing their children to such extremes will not allow their children to attend. The schools will not be able to compete. They will not get any money. Therefore they will die. It is called competition in a relatively free market. This is certainly different from many schools today. It would only take one school funded by the KKK in a strategic section of LA (LOWER ALABAMA). Since district lines would blur, it could attract a capacity crowd. Or the Louis Farrakhan school in Compton.If public schools do poorly, they can simply call on government to give them more money. There is relatively little accountability on skill, merit, or subject matter. I think that it is ultimately up to each individual parent to decide how and what their child is taught. Absolutely true on all points.
Finally, consider the statistical fact that on average, private schools outperform public schools on many dimensions. I also believe this.