Problems with Public Schools

4441 Words9 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: The failing school system in america

Problems with Public Schools

In order to fully understand the issue of school vouchers, we must examine first the current situation in public schools and identify the problems. Then, we must look at the effect vouchers will have on these problems. Finally, we must discuss the objections to vouchers leveled by their main political opponents.

In order to examine the potential benefits of school choice, we must first look to the current situation in American education. Public schools today are in a state of crisis, while access to private schools is diminished because the private schools cannot adequately sell what some are giving away for free. The organizational structure of these public schools is inherent to the centralized and bureaucratic structure (Boaz and Barrett 1996). The crisis in American schools takes three major forms. First, student academic performance is declining, particularly in urban areas and among traditionally disadvantaged student populations. Second, discipline and moral behavior is quickly becoming non-existent. Third, the per-pupil expenditure is inflated beyond what is necessary.

Declining Academic Performance

The first problem with public school today is that academic performance is declining, particularly in urban areas and among disadvantaged populations. America is faced with an educational crisis in two areas: business skills and liberal education. First, we examine the problem with skills. In the 1980?s, America?s ?education crisis? received widespread publicity. Several reports were done on the impact of this education crisis on the workforce. These reports, especially those by the Hudson Institute and David Kearns, indicated massive shortcomings in education that left high-s...

... middle of paper ...

...ling. http://www.educationext.org/20023/73.html. retrieved April 28, 2003

Savas, E. (2000). Privatization and public private partnerships. New York: Chatham House

Schaub D. (2002). Can liberal education survive liberal democracy? Public Interest, Spring2002 Issue 147

Tyson L. (1990). New Perspectives Quarterly, Fall 90, Vol. 7 Issue 4, p26

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (1996). Report assessing environmental education in the United States and the implementation of the National Environmental Education Act of 1990. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office.

Woiceshyn G. (2000). Ayn Rand Institute. Rational Education. retrieved April 28, 2003. Socializing students for anarchy. http://education.aynrand.org/anarchy.html

Wolfram G. (2001). Michigan?s prevailing wage law forces schools to waste money. Michigan Education Report, Fall 2001.

Show More
Related

  • The Death And Life Of The Great American School System By Diane Ravitch

    1088 Words  | 3 Pages

    She realized that choice and accountability were not the answer, but that curriculum and instruction were more viable solutions to America’s educational dilemma. Ravitch suggests that to abandon public schools is to abandon the institution that supports our concepts of democracy and citizenship and to the promise of American life (Ravitch, 2011, p. 12-14). The idea of school choice is rooted in Milton Friedman’s essay concerning the government’s role in education. Friedman asserted that society should support and contribute to the maximum freedom of the individual or the family. He maintained that the government should provide vouchers to help support parents financially on their children’s education, which parents could use at the school of their choosing; so long as the school met set standards. Therefore, this creation of choice would stimulate competition, which Friedman believed would increase the development and improvement of nonpublic schools, as well as, create a variety of school options (Ravitch, 2011, p. 115). As a result of the choice movement, the public received three versions of school choice: voucher schools, private schools, and charter schools. Each of these schools receives public funding, but do not operate as traditional public schools, and are not managed by a government agency (Ravitch, 2011, p. 121). Charter schools became the most popular choice of this new

    Read More

  • Individuality In Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God

    543 Words  | 2 Pages

    In Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God, Zora illustrates the importance of relationships throughout ones’ life. Through two very different relationships with two very different people, Janie’s self can be determined. When learning about individuality, it is a bare essential to look at their background. Janie’s and my individuality and independence are influenced by both our surroundings our relationships with the people around us.

    Read More

  • The Genius of the American Constitution

    979 Words  | 2 Pages

    Since the advent of human government, one of the principle fears held by the constituents of the government has always been to prevent any form of tyranny or abuse within it. Tyranny can be loosely described as one person or a group of people having total power in a government leading to the subjugation and oppression of people’s rights. Many new nations wish to eliminate any aspect of their government that may eventually lead to tyranny. The United States was no different in this respect; the framers of the Constitution longed to have no signs of tyranny in their government because they had gone to war with Britain for that very reason. In 1787, a group of fifty-five delegates came from throughout the states to meet in Philadelphia to discuss the problems with the current government. The existing Articles of Confederation posed a monumental problem for these individuals; they recognized that the central government was almost entirely powerless under these articles. Besides this, another problem was that the government lacked a court system or a chief executive. The central government did not possess the power to tax the states either. These problems warranted change which prompted these men to get together. This new constitution they were to create was supposed to guard the people against all kinds of tyranny whether it be of a few, the many or majority, or even a single individual. This seemed virtually insurmountable a task to accomplish but was ultimately achieved. The Constitution guards against tyranny by having a central and state government that cannot overrule or have more power over the other, establishing the separation of powers to keep anyone from abusing it, and having a sys...

    Read More

  • The Pros And Cons Of Pro Choice

    621 Words  | 2 Pages

    For over two centuries abortion has been an issue of controversy within the United States; furthermore, at the heart of this debate lies the standoff between advocates of pro-life and of pro-choice. Individuals who identify as pro-life strongly oppose abortion, believing it to be unjust and illegal. The argument pro-life advocates often put forth is that the fetus in question qualifies as a human being; therefore, to end its life prematurely is akin to murder. Pro-choice advocates, on the other hand, are strong supporters of placing the power of decision within the mother’s hands and allowing her to determine what is best for both her and her unborn child. (Hopely)

    Read More

  • Will School Vouchers Improve Public Schools?

    1084 Words  | 3 Pages

    It is a growing debate in an area that American society cannot afford to ignore, as the discussion on voucher schools directly affects our youth, the very foundation of our country. Many cities across the United States have proposed school voucher programs in an effort to improve the education of inner-city children that come from low-income families. However, with this proposition arises certain questions that cannot be avoided. Although proponents of school vouchers argue differently, challengers of the system expressly state that the taxpayer-funded voucher system infringes upon our First Amendment rights. Additionally, opponents suggest that the money being used for vouchers be provided to failing public schools, as used to be, and should continue to be, the American way. At the same time, voucher advocates believe that the consequences of a full-scale voucher policy for our nation’s public schools would, in fact, be beneficial. Still, both sides of the argument agree: our nation must find a way to give every student in struggling schools the best education possible. The complex disagreement lies in the steps that must be taken in order to achieve this goal. Should the government adopt a taxpayer-funded voucher system or otherwise explore alternate routes that could more effectively ensure the success of the American educational system?

    Read More

  • The Effectiveness of the Voucher System

    2376 Words  | 5 Pages

    When looking at a brief overview of voucher systems it is important to realize that No Child Left Behind is the policy that really sparked the implementation of school accountability and therefore the idea of school choice. Politicians wanted to improve America’s education system so they began mandating standardized tests at public schools and designating letter “grades” to overall school performance (Garnet, 2005). The implementation of school voucher systems became a way to scare failing schools into improving because it allowed parents the opportunity to transfer their children to private schools, which would mean that the public schools would lose students and more importantly funding (West, 2005). Although this seems like a great idea it is statistically flawed in many aspects including the reach of students tha...

    Read More

  • The Pros And Cons Of Abortion

    752 Words  | 2 Pages

    One of the biggest issue of abortion goes back to the controversial question of when human life actually begins. Many people will often argue that a fetus is a living being from the moment of conception and feel that it deserves the same legal protections as an adult, therefore making it immoral to kill it. Just like in our court system, we would not put an innocent person on death penalty. The fetus has done nothing wrong and has the right to live. As the editor of Christianity Today wrote, "abortion is one of those monumental issues of justice that comes along once in a lifetime. It is violence against children, a hideous act of poisoning or dismembering tiny bodies, then dumping them in a landfill or garbage disposal." On the other hand, those who are for abortion say that a fetus is only a "potential human being." The advocates for legal abortions want the mother to choose whether she keeps the baby or kills it, and the rights of a mother supersede the rights of a baby. John M. Sw...

    Read More

  • The Pros And Cons Of Abortion

    1341 Words  | 3 Pages

    One of the most controversial and highly debatable subjects in the minds of the American public today is the topic of abortion. While abortion is seen as murder to some, others look upon it as an extremely safe procedure, offering numerous benefits to the recipient, predominantly being the right to choose. The argument has long been increasingly prevalent in the American political scene for decades, and is now being brought into new light as medical practices advance and technical flaws are effectively worked out. What cannot be altered, however, is the reality that what is being disposed of is in fact, a developing human life. It is this fact that the pro-life argument is based upon. The abortion debate not only revolves around the overall legality of the procedure, but also the conditions taking place that would condone such an operation.

    Read More

  • US constution

    935 Words  | 2 Pages

    The new Constitution of the United States, ratified in 1789 by James Madison, created an entirely new system within America, which had never been attempted before. The first consideration to make is the new institutions created by the Constitution. Before its adoption, America was operating under the Articles of Confederation This document offered us a set of universal values out of which laws and codes have emerged and have been carried out . As such, it symbolizes the essence of constitutionality—that government must be restrained by the rule of law. The constitution has succeed in its ability to encourage government by wise forward statesman, In addition the creation of the three branches has discourages the negative effect of factions and has restrain government from taking more power than entrusted to it, Additionally it has restrains itself particular from using that power to reduce individual liberty.

    Read More

  • Gender Roles In Their Eyes Were Watching God

    1079 Words  | 3 Pages

    In her novel Their Eyes Were Watching God, Hurston introduces the theme of gender roles through the use of characterization. Gender roles were very important in the African American culture during the 1930’s. Hurston highlights the importance males place on feeling superior to their wives and forcing them in a role of subservience. Men in the South viewed women as property. Men were the masters of the household and women were the slaves in the marriage. The novel is the story of Janie’s awakening from this oppression into her own self-awareness and personal identity. Janie’s journey to awakening was filled with oppression before she entered the pear tree garden of her self-actualized dreams of love.

    Read More

  • Public School Choice

    1855 Words  | 4 Pages

    Public School Choice is an easy program to understand and it contains many advantages but also many disadvantages. Public School Choice is when parents can elect to send their children out of a school that has not made adequate yearly progress for two consecutive years into a school that has made progress. (McClure, 2002) If there are no available schools within the original school district, then a family can choose to send their children to another district. This only happens when the other schools in the original district are all labeled as ‘underachieving schools’ and have not made the adequate yearly progress. (McClure, 2002)

    Read More

  • Problems With the American School System

    1608 Words  | 4 Pages

    High school and college dropout rates are at an all time high. Secondary school students are told throughout high school that if they don’t go to college then they will never be successful. Going to college doesn’t always make a difference because many career choices such as teachers and lawyers are highly contested and result in either no job or low salary. Low pay deters teacher’s motivation and they tend to work part time jobs to supplement their income. Public schools standards are comparable to a kangaroo court’s procedure; private schools are known for better teachers, environment, and test grades. The major problems in the public school system include the lack of funding, lack of resources, and lack of standards.

    Read More

  • The U.S. Constitution

    1215 Words  | 3 Pages

    A constitution is a written document that sets forth the fundamental rules by which a society is governed. Throughout the course of history the United States has lived under two Constitutions since the British-American colonies declared their independence from Great Britain in 1776. First in line was the Articles of Confederation (1789-1789) followed by the Constitution of United States of America (1789-present). The Articles of Confederation was the first formal written Constitution of America that specified how the national government was to operate. Unfortunately, the Articles did not last long. Under the words of the Article’s power was limited; Congress could make decisions, but had no power to enforce them. Also the articles stated that Congress was denied the power of taxation meaning the national government was given no money to regulate federal spending. Money could only be requested from the states and states had the ability to not guarantee the request. Among the lack of enforcement and taxation was the denied power to regulate commerce trade for the national government in other words the federal government could not build a strong economy. All these factors and others included lead to the fall of the Articles of Confederation. Guiding towards Constitutional Convention, where the present day Constitution was written and signed by 38 of the 41 delegates present on September 17, 1787. This paper discusses why the Founding Father’s designed the Constitution as they did and how this design has affected our system today.

    Read More

  • Private Schools vs. Public Schools

    1164 Words  | 3 Pages

    Many people in today’s society believe it’s wise to send their children to private schools. In making the decision on whether to put children in public or private schools, they look to four main factors: curriculum, class size, the graduation rate, and cost. When people have to pay for something, their first thought is, “Will I be getting what I’m paying for?” With a private school education, the amount you have to pay is usually well worth it. Public schools offer diversity. Here students can find people who are just like them and can associate better. Wherever you live, you have to send your child to the closest school. There’s no choice on what public school you can send your child to, whereas for private schools you can pick to send your child there. It’s not an easy choice for parents to decide, but many factors point toward a guarantee that a good education would be achieved, which is most important.

    Read More

  • Private Better than Public School

    1518 Words  | 4 Pages

    There are many decisions for parents to choose private or public school for their kids. Every parent wants what is best for his or her child. A person's education is one of the most important aspects in determining whether or not they will become a productive member of society. Education is so important. We need to look at both public and private schools to find out if there is a difference. Private schools are a better choice than public school for many reasons. Private encourages strong quality teaching, encourages higher education learning, and inhibit the rampant of bullying.

    Read More

More about Problems with Public Schools

Open Document