As issue gains new focus, State urged to provide money for private education. Public campuses fear loss of funds.....

   This article is again out of one of the local newspapers in my area.

     "Gripping signs in English and Spanish, thousands of people from across Texas descended on the state Capitol on Wednesday (February 7, 2007) to rally for a new law to provide public money for students to attend private schools."
     "Several private school parents said they need public funding so they do not have to skimp on other things to cover education costs."
      Wait just a minute!! What other things? Vacations, bar hopping, self indulgence? If you are a parent, you have no cause being selfish. If you want to be selfish, you should have thought twice, maybe three times before having children. When you have children you come last, not first. Get it?
     "Public school parents at the rally said vouchers would help their children bail out of bad schools and transfer to a private school."
      Now I can fully understand why some parents are totally dissatisfied with the public school system, but please, not all public schools are in disarray. I do not now, nor have I ever believed in vouchers. Public schools and private are two separate entities and I hope they will continue to remain this way.
      My heart really bleeds for those parents who are complaining about the cost of private school, but I do not believe any arms were twisted to force them to enroll their children in private school.
     Of course it cost out of pocket money, that is why they are private schools! It is a priviledge to attend a private school and just about everyone I have ever been in contact with gladly makes the sacrifice. I know for myself first hand what it takes to put children through private school. I did it, no complaints, working one full time job and two part time jobs to do it. 
      Eventually when the cost became more than I could provide I enrolled my youngest son in a Home School program through Texas Tech. I have since recommended this program to many that I meet in the area. I guess it is just the way I see it. To be a parent to me means it is about your children and their individual needs, not about you.
     These folks better think long and hard before they continue to push this voucher program. Our government is just itching to get their claws into the private schools, then what. Be very careful what you wish for, you just may get it!
      The article continues. "Public school advocates argue that vouchers would deprive public schools of necessary funding and make it harder to meet increasingly tough academic standards. Public schools need more money, not less, they argue."
     "It is very unfair the rich in this country can send their children to private school, but poor blacks and poor Hispanics cannot." Gee, they left out the poor whites, but heh, what do I know. Are they trying to say the private school is a right of passage?
     "The Texas Federation of Teachers and a raft of other professional associations built around public schools argue that a voucher program would hurt them, their schools and their students and could become the first step in a larger plan to privatize public education."
      Now there is an idea for you. Yes, privatize public education and bring it back to the way it was. What a wonderful idea!
      Why is it so difficult for everyone to understand? If a voucher system of any kind is permitted, then private schools will no longer be private. This would ultimately destroy private schools and what they stand for.
      The government would just love to interfere with the teachings of private schools and drag them down the way our current public schools have been. Did you know our public school system before the TEA was the envy of the world? People would come here from every country around the world just so their children would get a good education. Many private schools today are what our public schools used to be.
     I am very sorry, but if you cannot come up with the money to support your children in private school, then I guess they will be forced to attend public school. It is a parents job to provide, not the government. If you choose to fight to destroy private schools then we all have nothing. Is that what they want?
      Keep in mind, all public schools are not falling apart. There are many across the country that are doing very well and concentrate in the teaching of the 3R's, with extras in science, history and languages. Why not look into other parts of the country to find a good public school?
      Parents work and give up quite a bit for the sake of their children and that is the way it should be. Stop putting your hand out!! Take responsibility for yourself for a change! Yes, I touch on this subject in my book too!

 Thanks for reading this. (K)