Was reading the great thread by jrzy about moving to Vermont and a comment was made about high property taxes. In the village where I live over 40 percent of property tax goes to pay for the public schools. Some towns are even higher - as much as 60 percent. The teachers unions and demoncrats ( as well as GWB lately ) seem to think that the federal government should be calling the shots as to what goes on in these schools. Personally, I think public schools should only provide the basics, ie. the english language ( reading,writing,spelling ), mathematics and American history. If a student and his family wish to pursue additional learning such as vocationally directed courses and the ,ugh, socially conscious courses they should pony up the bucks out of thier own pockets. Thus, if local school districts could reduce the spending to the "basics", property taxes could theoretically be reduced.
Have I got my head up my ass, or am I a visionary?

 Stepped-init

We should rename them, "goverment schools". Public implys something made for and by the citizens.

I envision a world where public schools no longer exist. Let capitalism take it's course and I'm sure education could be much cheaper. Right now my town pays $10k per kid, damn, send a dozen kids to my house and I'll teach 'em better and at 1/2 price. I guess I got my head further up than you, huh?

My mother is a retired teacher & I have a teaching degree but have never taught. What really frosts my balls is every time some GD politician who's a self-proclaimed expert on education has a "new" program that will cost "only" 100 million a year.

Excuse me? The school is already there, the teachers are already there as are the kids. What the hell is costing SO much GD money????? Of course the answer is: the bureaucrats. They have to be there to "administer" the programs to ensure its effectiveness & compatibility. (sarcasm)

Privatization of all industries is the only way to go.  

Ultimately, if the government required payment for services rendered instead of taxing the living shit out of the honest folk (read: not the lazy mofos) we wouldn't need to pay throught the nose in income or property taxes, [red]and[/red] the government would need to *actually* (gasp) function economically.  I know that's hard for gov.org to grasp, but if you need an example, look at the USPS.  Think similar organization for, interstates, schools, government information services, etc.  A side benefit is that cost efficiency would end any possibility of hair-brained socialist programs being created or funded.

I agree with abolishing gov't schools and going fully private. Its more efficient and a lot better.

Yes; Morally, intellectually, and financially.



[b][red][i]Libertas an Mortis!![/b][/red][/i]

Government schools alone will not bankrupt us, but they will play a major role.

Like others on this thread, I advocate a total separation of child and state. By sending your kids to the school of YOUR choice (as opposed to Dubya's choice), or homeschooling them, you ensure that your particular value system is passed on to your offspring.

Right now, the Educrats values are being passed on.  

However, I fear these mind-numbed little drones of the state will not get a chance to make a difference.

We seem to be on the express train to hell, and I really fear things are going to start falling apart before the 2004 election.

Call me paranoid...or call me a cab.

Medicare/Medicaid will do more damage than anything else.

The WSJ had an editorial on these plans today.  The accompanying chart showed that the Democraps' plan would take up about 35% of all taxes by 2030, while the Republicans' plan would take up a mere 26%.  Extending that to 2050, the Democraps' plan would take up 53% of all taxes, while the Republicans' plan would take up a mere 40%.

If you're a subscriber: [url]http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB1027378777102275920,00.html?mod=opinion[/url]

My kids will be home schooled.  Even though my daughter is three we're doing it now for the most part.  We teach her things, she sings her abc's, she's learning to read, etc.  Even though we're going to home school I still have to pay my property taxes to the school districts.

Remember the Alamo, and God Bless Texas...

Only 60%?  In the poor county I live-in, 64.4% of my property taxes go to pay for education.  I paid it last week, and still have the receipt with the exact amount on it in my wallet. I do about 250 tax returns per year, and I see more people than not (most are in my age group, so they're retired) that pay more in property taxes, of which most goes to schools, than they pay in state or federal income taxes.  Even if you have no income, like some of them do, you still have to pay for the public schools.  Strange that we collect money to pay for education so differently than we do for many other government provided services.

Of course, I'll complain about the amount and who is shouldering the burden, but I still know that education is a right.  For those of you who, including many of my coworkers, who think education should only be allowed for those who can pay, imagine how stupid "the masses" would be then.  We'd have a generation of Democrats for sure.z

I'm paying government school tax AND sending my kids to private school. It's a huge financial burden but I want my kids to ACTUALLY LEARN SOMETHING.

It seems like the more $$ we pump into the "government schools" the worst they get.
SCREW THE TEACHERS UNION...I WANT MY VOUCHERS!
[soapbox]

No its not. Nobody has a right to get a free or reduced price education. They have a right to be educated, but they must pay for it, or have somebody else give them the money(but that can't be forced, like by a gov't


We already have a generation of Democrats, BECAUSE of government schools.

If education was not provided by the government, people would be much more educated. As government money and involvement in the schools increased, education quality decreased

The Founders were all educated privately.

Even for those "poor" folk, there still would be opportunity. Current prices for private schools are high because of the government schools unfair competition(ie free schools for all). Once gov't got out of the way, people would find ways to educate their kids. Some would start community education centers, for a small fee, for less well off families. There still will be scholarships and such.

Private schools would also be more frugal with money, and would not waste it like gov't schools do.

My parents bought a home in 1950. My mother still owns and lives in that house.
Her yearly property taxes are half of the original purchase price.