The edumucashun of Billy Bob

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CAUTION. Contains profanity at the end

She stood up and loudly announced the children at the school don't get any taxpayer dollars to help fund their education (private school.). So, she said her two boys really needed people to buy magazine subscriptions from her boys in order to help fund their education.

This was not the first time I wanted to stand up and as loudly point out a number of flaws in her argument, but I did not. (Yeah, I kept my mouth shut, hard to believe I know.)

The boys attend a private school in a neighboring county. They could attend public school, but for whatever reason, mother and father chose to send 'em to the private school.

Full disclosure - I graduated from a private college-prep high school. It is now closed.

In Georgia, charter schools fall somewhere between a private school and a public school, depending on how they are set up.

The Georgia Supreme Court is planning to hear a case that could determine the fate of publicly funded charter schools in Georgia.

How most government officials treat your money

An issue is whether or not public (i.e. taxpayer dollars) should be allowed to fund a charter school which is directed by a politically appointed commission, not an elected Board of Education.

An issue that may not be related, but which I am gonna address, is admission requirements.

Consider the state of education in Georgia.

Georgia ranks near the bottom on most educational indicators. Graduation rates are low. Teen pregnancy rates are high. One public school system lost its accreditation because of a dysfunctional and possibly illegal school board and another system came close to it. The General Assembly has debated a law allowing the state to take over a school system when the local Board of Education gets dysfunctional.

Aside - Myself, I object to a state takeover. I think if voters are stupid enough to elect idiots to office, and they ARE that stupid, then they get to enjoy the fruits of their labor. Yes, the kids will suffer and no that ain't right, but life ain't fair either. Colleges can make allowances. (Popularity contests are a bloody poor way to select leadership if you want the best.)

Back on topic - Setting up a school by a politically appointed board which the oversees the spending of tax dollars for a required public service.

Uh.

Didn't we fight a war partly over that issue? The Revolutionary War I think. But I could be wrong. I doubt I'm wrong, but there is always that chance.

That being said, if voters in a county are willing to create a charter school and hand the reigns over to a politically appointed board with no recourse to the voters, more power to 'em. As long as all they spend is the money they collect locally.

When they start spending federal tax dollars and state tax dollars, I draw the line. That's MY money. I have enough bureaucrats and political appointees spending my money in ways I object to.

As for eligibility requirements, as long as a public education through age 16 or 12th grade is a legal requirement of the land, then every publicly funded school in the nation should be required to accept any and all students. As public schools, at least in Georgia, are funded also by local county dollars, I see no problem in:

1) Limiting enrollment to students of that County,

2) Charging tuition to students from other counties to let them attend.

3) Allowing hardship attendance requirements, such as parents teach at a school in other county. Let the kids also attend that school. No problem there. There are a few other exceptions.

Eligibility requires is a major reason I object to charter schools and tuition vouchers. If a school, any school, is going to accept taxpayer dollars, then that school should be required to accept any and all students.

If you take public money, you don't get to pick and choose. One of the schools mentioned in the suit is Ivy Prep, an all girls school.

No. Nope. Nada. Negatory.

If you take public money to fund a K-12 (or any variation) school, you don't get to segregate.

Now if you want to open a charter school and open it to anyone in the county, cool. I can agree with that.

At the same time I argue against public funding, I'm gonna argue FOR vouchers and charter schools. Why? Accountability. Choice. Results.

It's those three items that have teachers and teacher unions most up in arms. They reject the idea of being held accountable for classroom results.

In part, I agree with that. Teachers no longer have the ability and right to run their classroom as they see fit. Restore teachers' ability to manage their classrooms (like when I was in school) and I say hold 'em accountable. Let them try to get a job, and hold it, in the real world where people are required to produce. Make 'em show results or fire 'em.

Charter schools can return this ability to manage a classroom. Private schools can do the same thing. I like it!

Vouchers allow students and parents to fire teachers by moving to another school, if the teachers are not performing to their expectations. I like it!