Stats87 said:
My mistake, I didn't realize at first that this was specifically about control at a federal level. Although, the federal government is not entirely disassociated in Canada either. That said, the pitfalls of American public education cannot be simply pinned on federal involvement. There seems to be a pattern in the USA that the public option suffers when a private one is also available. |
The difference betwen private and public options in education is markedly different than that of health care. Public education is a near monopoly with 90% of students being enrolled in the public option (vs. 25% in medicare/medicaid, give or take). Many states have even higher numbers of public school students, with no correlation between improvements in states that banned homeschooling or alternative educational paths.
Additionally, having been homeschooled my entire life, I can tell you that its an outright falsehood to say the public option suffers because of altenative education's existence. My family's tax dollars still went to public education (and still does). No state has ever been robbed of educational dollars due to private options existing. The fault of our school systems lies in the parents, teachers, and system that exists, not because a private boogeyman exists that is stealing students or dollars. In reality, many private options exist because the public option has been a failure. Where I live, charter schools are increasing because few students are passing their classes in the public schools, and scandal after scandal ensures that there is very little desire to keep their kids in failing schools.
Back from the dead, I'm afraid.
