| "If I had to choose, I'd rather the state feed and | | | | therapy. The curriculum is designed as a feel-good |
| clothe my children than let it educate them." -- | | | | exercise, not a learning path. The children know |
| Iowa grain dealer, Max Belz. | | | | they are being cheated. The parents are being |
| "School security" is an oxymoron. Despite what | | | | conned. |
| school officials might say, no one is safe in public | | | | 7. Drug-Free Zone? The schools recommend |
| schools. I'm not talking about mad shooters. The | | | | Ritalin and other mind-altering drugs to kids who |
| primary attack on children comes from within the | | | | are anxious, stressed and bored, even for the |
| schools, not from outside, and it is constant. It | | | | very young. Who would call that a safe practice? |
| comes from the poorly educated staff, the boring | | | | The drug companies are on an aggressive |
| classes, the academic mediocrity, the distrust, the | | | | program to "diagnose" children's "disabilities" in |
| coercion, the bullying, the unfair rules and | | | | order to sell their wares on a national scale. If the |
| restrictions. Together, those create the culture, | | | | schools will drug our children for behavior, what |
| the climate of frustration and anger. In turn, that | | | | won't they do to them? |
| causes some people to commit the violence -- | | | | 8. Integrity? Honor? Virtue? No chance. The |
| often extreme. Public school makes everyone its | | | | system's culture is corrupt, dishonest and |
| victim. Consider the following: | | | | self-serving. The employees constantly seek |
| 1. Violence is an ever-present possibility. Bullying is | | | | "respect" and yet, they are the ones who do not |
| a natural result when humans are trapped against | | | | respect either the children or their parents. They |
| their wills. Anyone serious about doing harm | | | | are the ones who start the school wars, by |
| cannot not be stopped. Also, the more schools | | | | violating the wishes of parents for their children. |
| become armed fortresses, the less educational | | | | 9. Financial responsibility? Accountability? Not a |
| they are. | | | | chance. Management by crisis is the norm. Waste |
| 2. Civil rights? In public schools, there are none, | | | | is the rule. The system uses every trick to take |
| either for children or their parents. Federal District | | | | more money from taxpayers in order to enlarge |
| Judge Melinda Harmon ruled, "When you drop your | | | | itself. For example, smaller classes means more |
| kids off at Public School, you lose your civil rights." | | | | hiring, not better instruction. |
| 3. Freedom from coercion? Are you kidding? | | | | 10. Local control? There's no such thing. Public |
| Coercion is the bread and butter of government | | | | school is a state and federal system. The local |
| school. We hear from some school employees | | | | school board and the administrators are puppets |
| that schools are "democratic," and yet any | | | | of the legislature, the bureaucracy and the |
| teacher or parent will tell you from experience | | | | teachers' union. There is no autonomy. There is |
| that they are petty and dictatorial. | | | | no accountability. |
| 4. Freedom from verbal assault? Sorry. Taunting | | | | There is no safety of any kind in public schools |
| and harassment are part of public school's pecking | | | | for children or their families. What permeates the |
| order -- the result of forcing people together into | | | | schools in fact is insecurity and fear. The problem |
| ugly impersonal, insensitive institutions. | | | | is government control. The answer is local control, |
| 5. Academic security? Ha! Look at the records of | | | | possibly by establishing a "charter district." That |
| any state. Only about thirty percent of students | | | | would eliminate the teacher union and burdensome |
| are even at grade level according to state | | | | state mandates. Let anyone who can teach apply. |
| standardized tests. There are no goals or | | | | Let teachers and parents control what goes on |
| academic standards whatsoever. The basic skills | | | | and most of the corruption would end. Where |
| are virtually ignored. Dumbing down appears to be | | | | there's no compulsion there's no resistance. Where |
| the guiding principle. | | | | there's no coercion, there's no rage, and |
| 6. Emotional safety? Students are at the mercy | | | | contentment increases. Happy, free and |
| of psychological conditioning and peer-group | | | | responsible people don't harm each other. |