As you already stated, you don't have children . . . so maybe you aren't aware of some of the many problems parents have with schools. There are plenty of issues parents may have with schools. In my list of top 5 concerns about a school (and others I talk too), being too strict is not one of them.
What I meant? Well, first and foremost, that we should be taking a long fucking look at our schools and how they're being run. Zero tolerance is killing our schools. Secondly, I said "alternative to public schools" because I wanted to be vague. It was intentional. I haven't decided yet what I will do when I have kids, but you guys are making it out like I was championing charter schools. I never said anything of the sort. I just find it funny that the rebuttal to my post is, "BUT IT HAPPENS AT PRIVATE SCHOOLS TOO!!!!!!!!111!" Is that seriously the answer? It's happening in public and private, so that makes it okay?
I came to the defense of public schools because you erroneously called this a public school and then every single response, including your own, was about how fucked up public schools were.
Public schools ARE fucked up. So are some charter schools. So are some private schools. Of those three, which ones can we inflict the most change? That's my point.
Well if you meant that you said another thing, and that might be where you are reading hostility when really it is about clarification. It was hard to understand why you are thinking of alternatives to public school when the incident you cited happened at an alternative to public school. As far as this incident, don't know enough, but sounds like an overreaction that they have since cured. But trust me when I say that an incident like this will be one of your least concerns vs the daily happenings of what goes on in school. BTW-alternative to public school isn't very vague to me. Private, charter or home school seem to be the only practical alternatives.
I am seriously considering sending my kids to a community college for high school. They have high school completion programs that count towards your degree as well. You get a much better education without all the bullshit that goes with a public high school.
I think the bigger problem is that some high school grads cant read, or find Massachusetts on the map, let alone do simple fractions or balance a checkbook. A nation of idiots and a few smart people to pick the meat off their bones. More, better teachers, less standardized nonsense, more art and music, and technical school for the less than gifted
Do you not see how your initial post totally skewed the conversation to be that public schools suck? When the story isn't even about public schools (and public funds do not equate to public schools). I, and a couple others mention that this wasn't a public school and you go off on how WE are politicizing this incident. You were the one doing that, not I.
I was under the impression that charter schools are lumped in with public schools because they get public funding. If they are receiving public funding, they are still in essence public schools. "A charter school is a school which receives public funding but operates independently." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charter_school
It simply takes parental involvement. You need to acquaint yourself with the curriculum of the school and become an active member of the school community. I have sat down with both my child's teacher and the school principal a number of times to give input and voice my dissatisfaction. My child is currently in public school, but he also has a slot waiting for him at a private one if I ever decide his public school no longer is doing their job. I can't imagine sending my child to public school after the elementary level.
But it seems like most of the articles I link have to do with elementary school. Kids that are six, seven, eight years old, etc.
Once again, charter schools get public money, and the teachers there get PERS in the state of Oregon. It's funny watching a bunch of self-proclaimed "experts" rush to the defense of public schools, when they don't even know that charter schools ARE public schools.