I'll be happy to got first! :-) After having experienced four different school districts in different parts of the country, and having been raised by a mom who was also an educator - and a great one at that, I honestly believe that the right kind of education is the one that fits the individual child the best. For my children, it is public school. Others feel that their child thrives best in a more private environment. Homeschooling can be of great benefit, but it also has major drawbacks. For example, a very good friend of mine has homeschooled all of her ten children, (yes ten) and they have all done extremely well getting into very good Universities. However, another acquaintance of mine who homeschooled her two children, really didn't have what it takes to do the job well. Her children had problems when it came time to take high school graduation tests. We all really need to examine what is best for our children, and also what we will do well with. That's my take on the subject. :-)

I am a solid supporter of public schools. Given the support and funding needed we could have a very good system. Children get structered learning, the learn how to function in social situations, get used to interacting with people from all walks of life and social and economic classes, and obey rules!

Just to give you an example of how great the Bulloch County public school system is:

Middle school student caught poping pills, elementary school student caught with a knife, teacher using profanity, teacher yelling at kids, teacher judging a childs home without ever going there or speaking to either parent, student forced out of school because he was defending himself from an attack by another student, student not making the grade because teacher is too busy taking days off leaving them with a sub, bus driver distracted of runs off rode because students are yelling and cursing her.

I could go on with alot more but I think you get the point. This is the social life, structured learning, and obeying the rules. I say shut down public school. Force parents to take on their responsibilty of educating their children. Every one keeps saying that parents need to get involved, well this way they have to.

Place schools under the management of a private education co.
Bid all services.How about that school photographer,class ring merchant,yearbook publisher and milk provider. Are they bidded?
Clear out most of the overabundant management that exists.
Minimize guidance dept. to career choosing.
Get rid of inefficient teachers.Give an abundant COLA
and assist in getting advanced degrees.
Have a person completely in charge of discipline preferably a retired marine or police officer and allow teachers to discipline .( no water boarding )
Hire the above who moonlight as subs.Place a proficient sub on staff.
Do not manage budgeted items from above.( a teacher who desires a tuba gets an oboe because they are on sale.)
Use some of the funds spent on over-administration on a good lawyer to fight the ACLU.
Cut back on over emphasis on competetive sports and get physical activity back into the curriculum.Dont let football run the roost or the band.
Emphasise speaking of English in a proper manner , how to write a job request.
In some way during elementary ed. teach geography so that a student will be able to point out small places like China.
Have a publicity manager. A picture goes much further than a deans list.
School uniforms.( It is cheaper than Tommy whatever,etc.)
Cell phones in locker only.
Drug sniff dog weekly.

I could go on-----------

I agree with SusanS. It depends on the child. My child currently attends private school. At this time it is the right place for her. She is a litte reserved and it helps that the class is smaller and the teachers are very hands on and work with the parents to improve any problem the child may have whether it be an academic issue or a behavioral issue. Some people will find negative things to bring up about any form of education and possibly so because nothing is perfect; however, for my child I feel there are fewer problems to deal with at the current private school. I could not ask for a better environment or better teachers. It is great!!

There are problems just as bad in private schools. When I was in high school a local private school had several kids because they were expelled from public school. I knew a couple kids who hardly ever went to school, but showed up that afternoon for baseball practice and passed easily. Had something to do with the check here parents wrote.

Waranne the far left is never gonna let any of your ideas come close to being implimented. The ACLU is going to keep abusing Americans because most public agencies can't afford to fight them.

I get the smaller classes and all with private schools, but how do you teach your child to live amongst those who do not live the same lifestyle the people there around so much do. Do they really associate with those whose parents just get by, who can't drop such a large dime for things? Do they learn how the real world works? Or just the one there exposed to, which is not reality!

I am really surprised on the lack of replies to this one.I tried to hit a few nerves in administration who are:

Lacking any real hours in teaching.
Doing a study of their new system to get a higher degree and move on , leaving their mess.
If the mess is real bad they go to jobs at state level.
If they were phys. ed. before becoming administration-LOOK OUT.Their intelligence level is about equal to a snail.
Discipline? What's that? Do your own if you are a good teacher but remember that I will probably fire you for it!
Oh really,mister photographer $1,000 for doing all school pictures?
Got a problem? See my assistant principle or the assistant to the assistant principle.
Try the guidance counsellor.He took a problem child who broke into all the lockers and put him in a tech course for law enforcement.Book one was how to eat do-nuts properly.

There are problems in every school. However, the private school which my child attends has a discipline policy and if you don't make the grades you're out. A child of a friend of mine actually had to leave because they couldn't make the grade. I personally know children who have had to help clean classrooms because they were tardy to school. I personally know children who have been expelled because of bad behavior.

My child is enrolled in other activities outside of school which exposes her to children from other lifestyles. She does not live in a bubble. Some of our friends children go to public school; it works for their child. As she gets older together we will help her decide if she would like to attend a different school as long as it meets her academic needs. With her timid personality I could easily see her getting bullied at another school where students seem to rule the class and discipline is non exsistent. At this time the private school is the best place for her to be. My husband and I took a long time to decide where to place her. We polled everyone we could from all different points of view. We did not take the matter lightly. By the way we are not rich people. There are parents at the private school that are making many sacrifices just to keep their child there because they feel it's best for their child.

I would be concerned that if she can't hold her own in a school environment, what about college, or a competitive work place? Kids have to learn to stand up or be walked on forever. It's a harsh way to put it but it is true. What if she was in a work environment with someone who would take advantage of her, then take all the credit and promotions? You by all means have the right to choose where she is educated, I just see public schools better able to prepair them for the real world. If you are involved in her education and school, you are the type of parent the public school system needs more of. The public system is going to educate most kids, those kids will make the future. We need to support it as much as we can.

Both parents and her teachers are working on self confidence. It is because we have received help from the teachers that she has improved greatly in this area. She will be ready. I feel she would not have gotten this from another school. She attends a school where the teachers help students excel in every aspect of life, behaviorally, socially and academically. The school actually counsels students and teach good behavior, respect and caring among other things.

If she gets a good education and later is in a job environment where someone takes advantage of her she will probably do as I have done two times in my career. I moved on to another job. I don't put up with working with others who act that way.

Support a system that works.

By the way, thanks for the friendly blog. I'm the type person to keep an open mind and I like hearing others ideas/thoughts just as long as it doesn't get nasty or critical.