Public education is in real trouble in California. Everyone agrees – parents, teachers, public officials – that there are massive problems with the public schools. Students are graduating from high school without the necessary skills to get well-paying jobs. A significant number of high school graduates have trouble with reading and writing.
Recent nation-wide tests of academic skills found California students tied with Louisiana students for last place! More than half the students int he California State University system are taking remedial classes in reading or math!
The public schools have become a political football. Religious activists seek to have “creationism” taught in the science classes, while too many of our social science teachers promote obsolete socialist doctrines. Neutral scholarship is the unlamented victim.
Among the ideas currently being proposed to improve American education, school choice stands out as particularly innovative and thoroughgoing. Implementation of school choice proposals would change the relationship of students and their parents to the education system.
Read this classic essay from 1996 by Gene Berkman @ http://www.antiwar.com/berkman/edchoice.html
Riverside Area Libertarians will meet Thursday August 12, 2010 to discuss School Choice & Competition in Education – details @ http://www.rclp.org/