How they came to America. A useful history of American education.
They’re un-American, and they’ve made a major contribution to the destruction of the Republic.
7 thoughts on “Government Schools”
Comments are closed.
How they came to America. A useful history of American education.
They’re un-American, and they’ve made a major contribution to the destruction of the Republic.
Comments are closed.
*Sigh* Another case where I agree with everything the man says, but find the article a waste of time and resources. It is a long, philosophical history lesson that will only appeal to those who already agree with him. Again, I agree with him, but I couldn’t read through the whole thing, just skimmed. Boring doesn’t sell.
The way to push for the end of government schools is to sell the average parent a BETTER education for their kids, at cheaper prices (once you end the school district’s property taxes), with common sense, the latest technology, non-bureaucratic, and that teaches kids whatever the parent wants taught – true choice.
How do you avoid taxes? All the things I have seen have funds follow students, not that those funds aren’t collected.
It is a challenge to communicate something boring in an interesting way. Knowing the past is important but you are correct that people should focus on the present/future and the benefits of alternatives.
“The way to push for the end of government schools is to sell the average parent a BETTER education for their kids, at cheaper prices”
That’s what education vouchers try to do that are vehemently opposed by strongly democratic voting teacher’s unions. The only other option is online schooling; lots of potential there that I don’t think has been realized yet. Another factor in the Federal government taking control of the nation’s education is the reaction to Sputnik. There was a push for federal control because the perception afterwards was that the cause of our being “beaten” into space by the Russians was our education system. That not enough emphasis was being placed on science and math so new federal standards started being applied in earnest; setting the stage for later moves to control for different reasons.
I left the teaching “profession” in the 90’s.
It was becoming quite clear that no male teacher could survive a coached “he touched me there” accusation.
Didn’t need to be true. Didn’t matter. Same result.
Cancelled.
It also bled over into the private school system.
Out-a-here.
Fed tax dollars should follow the parents’ use of vouchers rather than obliging children to stay on the “Public Education” plantation.
Captive “Edu-bots”.
I remember the movie 1776, based on the musical of the same name. At the end, IIRC, Ben Franklin remarks (out of nowhere) that “It is wholly incumbent on the State to provide every citizen with a free education.”
That struck me at the time (1972) as being off-key from the whole idea of the Declaration of Independence, which the movie and musical allegedly celebrated (they actually rewrote its history, though not to the extent Hamilton mutilated history. I’ve never found such a quote from Franklin. If anyone here knows of a source, I’d appreciate a link.
From the movie 1776:
Martha Jefferson: [throws note down to Adams and Franklin who are waiting expectantly on the street below Jefferson’s apartment]
John Adams: [reading a note tossed down from Jefferson] “Dear Mr. Adams, I am taking my wife back to bed. Kindly go away. Your obedient, T. Jefferson.” Incredible!
Benjamin Franklin: [chuckles] You know, perhaps I should have written the Declaration. At my age there’s little doubt that the pen is mightier than the sword.
https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1776/quotes/
Proposals, &c.
The good Education of Youth has been esteemed by wise Men in all Ages, as the surest Foundation of the Happiness both of private Families and of Common-wealths. Almost all Governments have therefore made it a principal Object of their Attention, to establish and endow with proper Revenues, such Seminaries of Learning, as might supply the succeeding Age with Men qualified to serve the Publick with Honour to themselves, and to their Country.[1]
Many of the first Settlers of these Provinces, were Men who had received a good Education in Europe, and to their Wisdom and good Management we owe much of our present Prosperity. But their Hands were full, and they could not do all Things. The present Race are not thought to be generally of equal Ability: For though the American Youth are allow’d not to want Capacity; yet the best Capacities require Cultivation, it being truly with them, as with the best Ground, which unless well tilled and sowed with profitable Seed, produces only ranker Weeds.
That we may obtain the Advantages arising from an Increase of Knowledge, and prevent as much as may be the mischievous Consequences that would attend a general Ignorance among us, the following Hints are offered towards forming a Plan for the Education of the Youth of Pennsylvania, viz.
It is propos’d,
THAT some Persons of Leisure and publick Spirit, apply for a CHARTER, by which they may be incorporated, with Power to erect an ACADEMY for the Education of Youth, to govern the same, provide Masters, make Rules, receive Donations, purchase Lands, &c. and to add to their Number, from Time to Time such other Persons as they shall judge suitable.
That the Members of the Corporation make it their Pleasure, and in some Degree their Business, to visit the Academy often, encourage and[2] countenance the Youth, countenance and assist the Masters, and by all Means in their Power advance the Usefulness and Reputation of the Design; that they look on the Students as in some Sort their Children, treat them with Familiarity and Affection, and when they have behav’d well, and gone through their Studies, and are to enter the World, zealously unite, and make all the Interest that can be made to establish them[3] whether in Business, Offices, Marriages, or any other Thing for their Advantage, preferably to all other Persons whatsoever even of equal Merit.
https://archives.upenn.edu/digitized-resources/docs-pubs/franklin-proposals