School of Choice
by Five reasons why school of choice is not ideal.
Years ago, I favored the school of choice’s concept since I lived in a city that had a very low score in education. The idea was very appealing to me. I would live where I can afford, and my child would go to a better school. It was a perfect solution for my situation. However, life steered me into a different direction, and that ideal choice did not work out for me.
In recent years, my thought on school of choice has changed drastically. I am now opposing to this concept, and I wish there is a way to stop promoting or at least modifying it in my city. After many discussions with friends and neighbors, I agree on five reasons below:
-
Over Crowded
Junior High and High School buildings in our city are overly crowded. My daughter comes home hungry every day and complains that there is no room in the hallway to even walk. The line to the cafeteria was endless so she has no more time to eat when she finally gets there. She and her friends just hate it to go to school because it was like a zoo.
-
Tension
Since our schools accept so many kids from close-by cities, we had almost half of this population. This is a problem for our own kids in the city. They lost their ground! They lost most of their battle. Their senior’s president is a kid from some where else. Our kids were told that their school is being taken over, and they are taken control.
-
Lower Quality
The children that we foster in our system do not care about school at all. They take no pride in being there. They destroy books and school properties. Our own kids have to suffer the consequences for their misconduct. Now, books are not even allowed to take home to study. It becomes frustrating for many students and parents alike.
-
Cut Down on Opportunities
School sports are big and with so many kids from other cities; resident kids have fewer chances to compete for the available spots. Thus, kids from neighboring cities get the advantage of being on the team. This is not a fair situation. Resident children should at least have the privilege to be first choice.
-
Unfair for Taxpayers
Sure, all children deserve a good education, but school of choice is not the answer, unless the policy changed. Parents of these kids should contribute a percentage of tax money to the city that they send their children to. It’s only fair for local resident tax payers. If you want a better education for your children in a different city, then you should have to pay some expenses for them.
Every year when summer is about to end, schools start competing to enroll more kids into their systems. The more kids they signed up; the more money they would collect. Many families with school age children have either moved or sending their kids to a private school, and some even decided to home school.
So what are the ideal choices? Amend the policy on the numbers of students to be accepted, resident children get first priority, and school of choice students must contribute a small amount to city taxes to foster them.
Liked it
-
-
-
-
Post CommentOnflame
On September 26, 2007 at 11:20 am
How true!
Well put,
Onflame
Nick Kenney
On November 10, 2007 at 8:34 am
You go Icy!! I think you should run for mayor…I cast my vote for you!
It’s a nitemare everywhere…the kids aren’t learning anything, some kids take guns to school so the rest aren’t safe…it goes on and on.
Jodi
On December 5, 2007 at 12:07 pm
This is such a tough situation. We all want all children to have the best education possible, but at the same time do not want our own children to suffer as a result. There needs to be a push to bring all schools to a higher level, rather than just try to shift kids around. As bad as it is for those kids, imagine the kids who can’t switch schools. Everyone suffers in this method. There has to be a better way.
Phoenix Montoya
On March 29, 2011 at 10:10 pm
My kids are late bloomers. They are not like other children their age. Naturally, teachers complain about them for not doing their tasks or crying a lot or having tantrums. That is why I decided to keep them in a private school. Government schools here are so full. The teachers are really good but they usually ignore some student problems.