Wed, Aug 30 2006

Is free public school on the chopping block?

This morning Dan Gillmor mentioned a news story that focused on public schools soliciting extra money from parents. Some of the items kids are already being asked to bring when they head back to school sounds a little excessive to those of us who used to show up with a few things at the beginning of our school year. There are groups who put together backpacks full of supplies for children who might otherwise have a tough time filling their supply list. Parents are banding together in some areas to raise money for basic things such as lunchrooms and gyms. There are supplemental programs that feed children who cannot afford to pay for their breakfast and lunch.

In trying to be all things to all people we may have jeopardized the very core of what education is supposed to mean—choices and chances for success. We're putting kids in school at younger ages so we're supplementing education for more kids in more places for more years. It all sounds good, until the bill comes due for taxpayers and then we still fall short.

In spite of more and more taxes being spent on education we're somehow slowly pricing the children of America right out of their school desks. I don't know how it all got to be this bad and I hope it's not too late to do something about it.

posted at: 11:04 | category: /Miscellaneous | link to this entry