Chicago Schools Spend $67,000 on cappuccino machines

As an addendum to yesterdays posting on home schooling…I submit the following evidence about the gross mismanagement and corruption that is endemic to public schools in the United States, and why all parents should have the fundamental right to remove their children from such a system should they deem it necessary. We as a country can expect any institution with no stake in its own success (i.e. no intrincit benefit in performing well)  and that opposes all objective measurements of that success to succumb to these sorts of problems. A parent who chooses to send their child to private school (with the help of a voucher) or who chooses to educate their children at home not only has a fundamental right to do so but likely has a moral obligation as such (especially if they live in Chicago). The teachers unions and their school boards regularly fight with one another but they both use the same underhanded scare tactics to coerce parents into voting in overrides on their property taxes so that raises can be given. If a teacher wants a raise they should earn the raise as a qualified individual and the value of a teachers services should be set on the open market. I imagine that the true value of a qualified teacher would reach far beyond what many are paid now. The unfortunate side effect of our educational system is that we are still without means of discerning good from bad. In deed, unless a teacher is accused and found guilty of gross physical misconduct with a student or total disregard of job requirements…they will not be fired. We have created a breeding ground for mediocrity in perhaps the most noble of professions. A move towards privatizing education and true freedom of choice in that education is absolutely essential for the preservation of a free society. Our public schools know for certain that they will always receive a bailout no matter how bad things get. In deed, in my own home state, the brand new newton north highschool is going to receive more than $45,000,000 in state aid to complete the project. So now the rest of the states tax payers will be forced to subsidize this absurdly mismanaged project…to what benefit? A private institution would never receive such aid (unless of course they also made oversized and overpriced cars). We have removed all incentive to perform to standards, to innovate in the way education is delivered and to provide a product worthy of the money that is so often thrown its direction. Its time for a change in the way we think about education in this country. Patrick OUT!!!