do you support public education?

[ulysses]

In honor of the new school year, y'know. :)

[Cobalt Violet]

1. Hell ya!

I have no kids but think it's important that everyone's kids get educated regardless of parental ability to pay for it.

[onehandle]

2. Our cats are home-schooled.

Public school would make them commies!

[GreenPartyVoter]

3. Yes, but it should be cradle-to-grave and have at least 1/3 of

the DoD current budget. :)

[onehandle]

4. Yep. nt

[Joe Max]

5. Absolutely!

I do so by volunteering for my daughter's school's PTA, attending all the open house and parent's day activities, I'm a member of my local school district's GATE (Gifted and Talented Education) program advisory board, and attend school board meetings.

I recall that a friend of mine -- who's kid used to go to a Montessori School -- that the parents were REQUIRED to attend meetings, or their child would be expelled. They also had to contribute a certain amount of hours of "service" to the school (although this could be avoided by a contribution of cold cash).

And people wonder why these private schools sometimes do better educating students. I can hear the wails of protest if parents were required to do that in a public school!

[Hong Kong Cavalier]

6. Yes.

But I'm breaking out the popcorn anyways. This is going to be a fun thread.
:popcorn:
Anyone got any Junior Mints?

On Edit: Although it's a little silly, I found that Sam Seaborn's speech on public education in the first season episode of The West Wing, ("Six Meetings Before Lunch"), to summarize my feelings on it:

"Education is the silver bullet. Education is everything. We don't need little changes. We need gigantic revolutionary changes. Schools should be palaces. Competition for the best teachers should be fierce. They should be getting six-figure salaries. Schools should be incredibly expensive for government and absolutely free of charge for its citizens, just like national defense. That is my position. I just haven't figured out how to do it yet"

It's a bit of a Hollywood-esque type answer, but that's pretty much what I believe. I don't know how to do it yet, either. :shrug:

[devilgrrl]

7. Absolutely!

Even if I did hate my school years. :+

[Celeborn Skywalker]

8. Absolutely!

And much more money needs to be alloted to education, IMO.

[Pam-Moby]

9. yes I do n/t

[H2O Man]

10. I certainly do.

The first US Senator to advocate for federal funds to support public education grew up in the neighborhood I live at the edge of.

I think that a country that recognizes the value of a K-12 public education, should be smart enough to invest in education beyond high school. I do not believe that we can afford not to make education available to the public at the same price that high school involves.

I volunteer a number of days per year at no less than three school districts in the area. I was also the head of the PTA for a couple years when my boys were in grade school.

[ultraist]

11. Yes

Our property taxes go to the schools and we donate to our kids' classrooms, even though, NC schools have a LOT of problems. Mostly due to lack of funding and lingering old school racist ideologues.

[ulysses]

12. my thanks to all supporters.

:loveya:

[John Q. Citizen]

13. Yes, I proudly support public education and vote to raise my

property taxes to provide schools with the resources they need.

[OhioBlue]

14. Yes - 100%

How could anyone not support public education? It benefits all of society to have an educated population. If the U.S. is to remain a major influence in the world scene in the next century, public education needs to get major attention. Not in the form of *'s unfunded mandate type "giveme a check in my corner" NCLB programs, but serious investments. Science, Math, secondary education, etc.

[tnlefty]

15. Yes, yes and yes!!!

A vital and thriving public education system is necessary to maintain a healthy society and a functioning democracy, IMNSHO!

Now if I can only sway the people of my community and state to share my views there will be mega improvement in the school systems all across the state of TN!!!

BTW,I met a woman who is running for superintendent of schools in the state of GA and I liked her. I've already made some calls to some friends in NW GA to see what I can do to help to get her elected.

[longship]

16. You betcha!

:thumbsup:

[roguevalley]

17. yes. I support it.

RV, 27 years in public schools.

[jbane]

18. 100% for Public Education...I work for the school system.

but if I was independantly wealthy, I'd do my job as a volunteer.

[LevelB]

19. Absolutely

My wife teaches middle school in Georgia.

Talk about an uphill battle.

[donco6]

20. I work in Public Education - YES!

We're doing great things.

www.mapleton.us

[tomg]

21. Absolutely

Seriously, thanks for the question. Every now and then I need to just be pulled up short and really think about what it means to support public education. At first, the question seemed so obvious as to lead me to not bother responding. And then I remember idiocy like "No Child Left Behind," vouchers, "intelligent design" ( now there's a misnomer), and, well, the current administration's handling of education in the United States from top to bottom, and there attempts either to privatize it or turn the public school system into little more than training grounds for the fast food industry.