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Pastimes : Let's Talk About Our Feelings!!! -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Lizzie Tudor who wrote (68795)	12/26/1999 10:37:00 PM
From: greenspirit	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 108807

Liz, you obviously didn't grow up in D.C. and attend public schools in the 70's. My perception is the real decline happened when bussing was forced upon the system. Michael

To: Lizzie Tudor who wrote (68795)	12/26/1999 10:58:00 PM
From: Edwarda	Respond to of 108807

I'd go further than Michael. The problem did not stem from bussing at all. It was difficult in many schools in the major cities more than 40 years ago, even before they were stretched by so many of the special ed programs, which as X points out, cost the world, are very important to helping to move "difficult" children to a fuller life, and probably decrease the total cost to society enormously. The quality of education varied shockingly from school to school in any one city, never mind state to state. Michael Dell would not have sent his children to the public school in the district in which I grew up when it was an option for me as a child.

To: Lizzie Tudor who wrote (68795)	12/27/1999 1:14:00 AM
From: Michael M	Respond to of 108807

Lizzie, I sent you a very detailed post on this subject months ago (I will help you find it if you have a genuine interest). The truth is, some of the very best school districts in CA are on the lower end of the funds spectrum. The county I left a year ago (El Dorado), is not generously funded but EVERYONE sends their kids to the public schools and the percentage of students getting a decent education is quite good. FWIW, not a very "diverse" student body. The CA public school district my kids attended in middle school and one year of HS was Palos Verdes Unified. Funding is at or below CA average. EVERYONE sends their kids to PS. Diverse in that there is a large Asian minority to go with the majority white student body. One of the best public school districts in the country. Michael Dell would send his kids to pubic schools in either of these CA districts without hesitation. I suspect that CA public schools are close to leading the nation in burdening schools with stuff having nothing to do with the three Rs. Special ed. funding is beyond belief. And, if I may refer to a point Michael Cummings made about janitors; why don't you check the "prevailing wage" of janitors and other "support" personnel in CA public schools. No idea of status of current court challenges to bi-lingual ed. in CA. But, do you realize that system generously rewarded school personnel (I'm sorry - I meant "human resources") who could claim competency in a language other than English? A final note on expenses (This one's for you, Christine!). You have any idea what "environmental" stuff costs the education system. For starters, think asbestos "removal" v. a very cheap "covering" that would have achieved the same effect. There is more, if you wish to discuss. Mike