Just a note that this should be an OT subject!  I've started reading
HP3000-l again after filtering the OT subjects.  Please use the OT
subject for non hp e3000 topics.

Thanks,
Richard

[log in to unmask] wrote:
>
> X-no-Archive:yes
> I believe that this is a clever dodge. I do not think that Dennis is being
> dodgy. I believe he is repeating on oft-told idea that does not bear up
> under scrutiny; it merely sounds right as journalists faithfully repeat it
> ad nauseum.
>
> Certain forces of population and economics have always been at work in our
> "public" schools, with some schools growing, some schools shrinking.
> Likewise for the money brought in by various forms of funding. Since none of
> my children attend public schools, how does that weaken the school if some
> part (and I think you can count on it only being some part, never the whole
> amount) of money I pay in does not go to said school, when they also have
> one less student to teach? In this case, doesn't per capita income still go
> up? It just doesn't go up as much as if they get to keep all the money. Even
> if I got that part of the money that is allocated per capita, aren't there
> other moneys which are not so allocated? And, someday, when my children are
> no longer school-age, won't I be paying in the governmental coffers anyway,
> without having any say in where that money goes? (not that I am saying that
> it should be any other way, unless schools are eventually funded by tuition
> and the contributions of alumni, a clearly insane notion that works for only
> a few private universities)
>
> The other "danger" is exactly the one that Paul mentioned as he started this
> new thread, and which I infer in Joseph Rosenblatt's post. Clearly some kids
> get thru school without the ability to for instance make change, among other
> shortcomings that make us cringe when we encounter them behind someone's
> counter or wherever. I have heard people read aloud and thought that cheap
> speech synthesis software sounded better than their stumbling and stilted
> speech. How is it that they have not learned to read aloud better? The
> "danger" is that there will be competition based on results achieved. What
> if your grocery store or favorite burger joint discovered that kids from one
> high school made better employees than kids from the other high school two
> blocks over (or worse, across the street)? What happens as better educated
> children take their SATs and ACTs, and apply to college? But I question the
> reality of this danger, because Paul has chosen a "public school",
> apparently on merit. I am completely confident that on a level playing
> field, some public schools would be the school of first choice.
>
> The only other issue I can see, and it is an issue that I understand poorly,
> is the possible loss of political power, or the possibility that another
> viable rival will arise, a confederation of teachers who are not part of the
> public school teachers' union, and who support different lobbyists with
> different agenda. Is that what is at stake here?
>
> Greg Stigers
> http://www.cgiusa.com
> but what does any of the above had to do with schools in Minnesota?
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Dennis Heidner [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Saturday, January 27, 2001 2:46 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Long - Schools in Minnesota
>
> Nation wide, I have very mixed feelings with the voucher that have been
> proposed,  it could potentially siphon money away from some of the schools
> that are already stressed.  I view the public school system as part of the
> national infrastructure.  A voucher system could adversely impact that
> infrastructure.

--
Richard L Gambrell
Head - Systems and Networks/Information Technology Division
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
103 Hunter Hall, Department Code 4454
615 McCallie Ave., Chattanooga, TN 37403-2598
voice mail/cell phone: 423-432-5122  private e-mail: [log in to unmask]
UTC fax: 423-755-4150    UTC phone: 423-755-4551
UTC email: [log in to unmask]