The Heritage Foundation - Leadership for America

June 24, 2008 Mark , Texas writes:

WHEN WILL PEOPLE LEARN ? IT’S NOT THE SCHOOL WHO MAKES THE CHILD , IT’S THE PARENTS . BOTH PARENTS , TAKING PART IN THEIR CHILDS DEVELOPMENT . PARENTS WHO ARE NOT INVOLVED CREATE KIDS WHO ARE NOT INVALVED WHICH CREATES SCHOOLS THAT ARE NOT INVOLVED . BY TAKING A CHILD TO A “BETTER” SCHOOL YOU DO INDEED EXPOSE HIM/HER TO A POTENTIAL OF A BETTER FUTURE , HOWEVER , DOES THAT MAKE THE PROBLEMS AT HOME (MANY OF THESE PROBLEMS ARE A DIRECT CAUSE FOR THE PROBLEMS AT A BAD SCHOOL ) DISSAPPEAR ? LET’S START ADDRESSING THE CORE OF THE MATTER FIRST , DRUGS , BOOZE AND MOST IMPORTANT A LACK OF FAITH .

June 24, 2008 Cheryl, Maine writes:

I agree vouchers would give good parents more clout, but Mark from Texas is right when he states they will not adress the root problems. Once private schools taste the money from govt. vouchers, they will give in to unreasonable parents rather than lose the tuition money.
There are many teachers who do not buy into the “culture”, or lack of American culture fostered in public schools. I wish this web site would offer suggestions for teachers who want to preserve American values in public schools. A Listing of grade- appropriate novels for English classes is one way to support those teachers.

June 24, 2008 Alison, Michigan writes:

Mark from Texas is right: it’s the parents who make the child. Socio-economic status doesn’t necessarily play a role in the quality of parenting either. Rich or poor, parents need to ensure that their kids know how to behave in the classroom. With an attitude of entitlement running rampant in the classroom, it is often challenging for the teacher to create a proper learning environment.

I also agree with Cheryl from Maine regarding her desire to see suggestions for teachers who want to preserve Amercian values in public schools. As a public school teacher, it hurts me that students have the right to refuse to say the Pledge of Allegiance because of their freedom of speech. Alas, it is because they don’t have to that they should.

Entitlement strikes again.

June 24, 2008 Frank Oregon writes:

I went to catholic schools, 12years . My fear is government will require them to eliminate any and all religious symbols from schools to get tuition from government. whats wrong with the public schools? That’s the real question. Whats it going to take to make them work like they once did. Obviously throwing money at them don’t work.

June 25, 2008 Harry, Chicago writes:

I do agree with Mark in that it all starts at home. Today’s society embraces single parenthood and will never bring up the facts concerning children who grow up without fathers. Changing minds, attitudes, and lives in the inner city is going to be an up hill battle. But allowing those stuck in terrible neighborhoods who want to succeed a chance to go to a better school is a good start. The Washington, D.C. school voucher program has had some success because the students selected to participate were taken from a list of applicants who had shown in the past they were serious about school and wanted to succeed, as most of them were honor students. You cannot allow the problem students and trouble makers from the public school system into a cohesive and functioning learning environment. Having said that, what do we do with those students?

Not to mention the teachers unions would never allow such a program to gain any traction anyway. They have been fighting school voucher programs for years. teachers unions have stood in the way of real educational reform and continually complain its more money they need. We already spend the most per student in the entire world and have the least to show for the money spent. We need programs like the school voucher so students who want to succeed can have that chance.