> So why did you post that under the heading of "mob violence" - to suggest
> that these kids are wasting their time on working with liberal organizations
> and Democratic legislators, and should instead start smashing windows,
> burning the remaining books and buildings, and shooting their teachers or
> the police?
Burning down those schools would be a positive thing. That would literally light a fire under people to get off their asses and do something about our classist, racist educational system.
Here in Kansas the right-wingers are gutting the public education system in order to drive parents and students into private Christian-run schools. It would be easy to reverse this situation if liberals spent dollars outside of their comfy digs east of the Hudson River.
I'm against public education. I'm also against private education. I support an alternative system that encourages lifelong learning and doesn't segregate young people for hours each day in prisons. It's hard to learn anything when you spend most of your day in prison. It's hard to develop into a good human being when schools and adults run a system which won't let you talk to your peers (see school rules and anti-Myspace hysteria). The educational system hurts adults too--how many of you know people who never picked up a book again after college graduation?
The answer isn't throwing more money at bad schools. Burn them down and build something better.
Chuck