Reply #11: why do you think the public school system has deteriorated so?

[Malva Zebrina]

I wonder :If a private school can accomodate a dyslexic child, why can't a public school? Your point about a parent being concerned and able to manipulate the system to her own child's advantage is well taken and I am glad that you did find a niche for your child to be helped reach his/her highest potential.

But I am trying to discuss and look at all the views. Those dyslexic kids, or others with parents who are not educated enough, or below the IQ line,are also contributers to the monetary upkeep , though, to the private school system that is helping the kids of the parents who are educated enough to demand it, but they do not have the advantage of higher education or knowledge or perhaps the self esteem that comes with higher education and simply trust the public school system to do right for their child. I know that is not your problem and do not expect you to be concerned about the whole picture as your energies are directed toward doing the best you can for your own child. But, someone has to be concerned I think about where it is going. Society as a whole benefits from the education it gives all of it's children. It sure looks broken now and a total mess. It does sound like a survival of the fittest parents jungle out there as well as a self fulfilling prophecy to keep the parental handicapped children from reaching their highest potential.

The purpose of a public school education was to see to it that all children received an education that allowed them to be able to navigate their life toward happiness and be productive members of society --all children have potential and to ignore that is like ignoring a broken girder on a bridge. Education is infrastructure and an investment in a way. That system has been very broken because I think that conservative Republicans like Bush, purposefully try to break it's back. It is obvious in the Kennedy education bill that was touted as wonderful only to receive no money to speak of at all. The system is being starved. Teacher unions are weak and about to be broken, and parents steering their children to better pastures because the system is starved for funding and gets worse. IT looks like though, the lesson to be learned, especially when I read article like this, is that privatized or funding the education of kids whose parents want better and are able to get it with diverting tax payer money, is woefully inadequate also. Separate but equal comes to mind.