School districts likely to face ax as state deficit grows

Well I guess someone has to step in here and let it be known that it is in fact possible to get a fine education in our public schools. "SC Taxpayer" aka "Private School Dad" aka "Aptos Parent" is a frequent critic of our public schools. On occasion, I even agree. As a former private school parent with two kids in Santa Cruz public schools for many years now,we are living proof that there is excellence in public education all around us.

I make no apologies for the state of funding, for educational bureaucracies or the proliferation of pet project mandates bestowed upon us by misguided legislators. But every day, in every school, behind the classroom door: kids are learning, kids are thriving, kids are achieving.

To dismiss public education with a single brushstroke dismisses the accomplishments and gifts of the thousands of our children in our community's classrooms.

Curious: when is the last time you had a child in public school? What happened that has made you so bitter and cynical?

Why, are you insinuating that public schools have gotten better over the past 8 years? It took moving my kids to private school to realize just how bad the public schools are and how poorly they met the needs of my very intelligent children.

So you are obviously a big advocate of public schools. If they are so great, then why not a voucher system so that ALL parents and not just those with money can send their child to the school of their choice? What is wrong with subjecting public schools to competition? PCS is a great example of what competition will bring to education as PCS is in many ways, a voucher school.

Finally, I don't dismiss the kids who attend public school, but I do know that they are being short-changed by an education system that is completely broken and corrupt.

SC TAXPAYER

I think you made a good decision to take your 'very intelligent' children out of public school. You are obviously not an advocate of public schools. Fine, but please stop ripping the public schools. Take a look at all of the cuts the education system has sustained over time. Then, take a look at test scores in Santa Cruz City Schools despite these cuts. After you do those two things, you can bury your head in the sand again because you obviously have no clue what's going on in our public schools.

I know so much more about the public schools than you can imagine. You want to put you kids in public schools great, good for you. My point is that parents should look at every option for their child and don't just let geography be the sole determinant of where you send them to school. Do your research and you will find that students in SC high schools test progressively worse each year the attend. What I am sick of is people who blindly defend the public schools despite overwhelming evidence that they are a complete failure for about 60% of kids who attend.

So again answer the question: What is wrong with a voucher system that subjects our public schools to competition and why shouldn't every parent have the right to choose what school their children attend, secular or faith based?

I am one of those 'involved' parents. I am on the PTA, I volunteer hours of my time, I help in any way I can. Our school system is going down the toilet. I have to agree with patriot up there. No one should be allowed education, hospitalization, etc if you are here illegally. Period. End of story. And, it's just going to get worse. I don't have the luxury of sending my kids to a private school. When I go to the pta meeting there is nothing but doom and gloom. Do you know that (our) pta pays for art/music programs? R U kidding me? Taking away art and music -- that is just wrong. I'm sick and tired of spending money on illegals. I really am. My kids can't get the fullest education available because CA is housing illegals in prisons, we are paying for their hospitals, and education. That just makes me mad.

disheartened wrote:

Yes, we are there already. That is the point!

Your point is:

That the "cute & cuddly" illegal who keep breaking in and stealing my things ought to be running this town.

Dude!

THEY ARE RUNNING THIS TOWN.

And, and you TRAITORS - you DIRTY DEMOS - you PC terrorist excuse makers - YOU DID THIS AWFUL THING TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.

And, we're going to get you back for that, jack.
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But, Fort Hood? That's why the Supreme Court - though they did indeed apologize to the "once relocated" - refused to rule out DOING IT ALL OVER AGAIN to any other select groups of dangerous "hyphen" Americans.

Of course, since this President has turned out to be a dirty TRAITOR too, we're going to have to IMPEACH HIM first.