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1994-12-14
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ESSAY 13
THE "COST OF EDUCATION" MYTH
Some politicians say
we can improve our schools for free.
They are not being honest."
--Mel Carnahan,
THE KANSAS CITY STAR,
October 15, 1992.
The Honorable Mel Carnahan, Governor of Missouri, may
understand politics, but he does not understand education.
I am not a politician, but I have some understanding of
education, having helped found one private Christian school
and having served as principal of three other schools. The
system we used did a better job at less than half the cost!
The average annual cost per student in government schools is
$5,452. Yet, "More American children are at risk than a
decade ago." (EDUCATION USA, March 23, 1992).
In the system we used, students maxed the California
Achievement Test at the end of their freshman year! McGraw-
Hill, surprised by the high scores on the tests, rechecked
their figures and discovered that indeed the scores were
correct!
Some accused us of accepting only the "cream of the
crop," but that was not true. If IQ, color, and socioeconomic
standing had been the criteria, we wouldn't have accepted the
student with an "IQ" of 79, who later graduated from high
school and was accepted at an institution of higher learning!
(We found that "IQ" could increase as much as 5 points per
year).
What is the problem? Government schools have devolved a
bad model. Pouring money into a failed system will not help
it. IT MUST BE COMPLETELY REBUILT. (For a more biblical
philosophy of education, see my freeware, A CHRISTIAN PHILO-
SOPHY OF EDUCATION). THE BASIC PROBLEM IS THAT THE GOVERN-
MENT WILL NOT LISTEN TO FACTS, BUT IT WILL LISTEN TO THE
NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION LOBBY AND TO OTHER NIHILISTS.
Dr. William Bennett has more wisdom in his left little
finger than all the power mongers in the bureaucratic
educational establishment have in their heads. He was ignored
when he presented educational models that worked. There are
other good, qualified people in public education. However,
their hands are tied by foolish laws and a flawed educational
model.
No failed government bureaucracy such as the Department
of Education will surrender power on its own. Parents must
take back the right to educate their own children. The
government has UNCONSTITUTIONALLY usurped this basic parental
right and continues to hold it illegally. What can parents
do? 1) Vote for people of high moral character for public
office. (2) Require Congress to issue vouchers for private
as well as public schools. Vouchers will require no new
taxes--in fact, they will probably lower taxes. (A voucher is
a special check issued to parents to educate their children
in the school of their choice).
Place your children or grandchildren in a system that
works. A failed educational bureaucracy cannot stand if it
has no children to teach. It may cost parents to place
their children in private schools. However, are material
things worth more than our children? Why not drive that old
car a few more years? Forego that new home or TV, RV, boat,
etc., until the children are properly educated.
END