>
> For that reason, I am really "on the fence" on this issue.
> On the one hand, I think that the one-size-fits-all
> philosophy behind public education sucks, and charter
> schools do offer an antidote to it. Otoh, I do support
> teachers and thier unions, and I think charter schools
> would be very detrimental to both.
In Pinellas and Hillsborough counties in Florida the public school boards have "magnet schools" where the more motivated students can get relief from that "one-size-fits-all" business. I particularly remember the science-oriented one my older daughter went to had a pretty hard-core math and chem curriculum. I was so jealous, they didn't have anything close to it in the public schools when I was a kid. They're free, financed by the public, and staffed by unionized teachers.
But anyway I think maybe the most valuable part of free public schools isn't how they cater to the smart and well-motivated students, but that they give even the worst students at least some of the education they'll need. I mean, if you're a Ramanujan you're probably going to bust out even if your local educational opportunities are severely limited. But now and for the foreseeable future, there are going to be a lot of damn-near unschoolable kids, and there are going to be a lot of poor kids.
It stands to reason that there can be nothing in a privatized, for-profit system for those students. Without free, compulsory education I imagine that tens of millions of our fellow citizens would be literally incapable to count change or read a stop sign. Are you ready to put up with that? If I hear the phrase "gated community" I'm reaching for my gun.
jk! WDK