--- In dyslexiaclub@yahoogroups.com, David Smith <plexusmaster@...>
wrote:Need me to help with what? I recieved this email and am at a
loss as to how it pertains to my help? Do I agree or disagree with
vouchers? is that the question? I am not sure what is the best
source for the children as they all have different needs. What I do
think is that it is time for parents to take responcibility for
thier childs education. Somewhere it became the states or the
teachers respocibility when the parents are or should be, the
primary source of education. I have a great many friends who are
home schooling and if I had to do it over again that would be my
choice. These children are being searched out and chosen for top
colleges. Yes my daughter needed special help when she was in school
because of her disability but the money I paid in taxes would have
hired the best of tutors. She is now a teacher and is appalled at
the lack of parental participation in the childrens education. They
expect her to teach these kids things they should only learn at
home. She has been sexually harassed by a 5THGRADER! Come on parents
lets start paying attention and educate!!! agree to disagree, but,
in my mind, our system is the best one yet invented to raise the
standard of living of the most people possible. Communism addressed
social inequities very well; it made sure everyone was equally poor.
>
> don_nairn <no_reply@yahoogroups.com> wrote: Equally free
markets explain why the minimum wage in America is so
> low and the homeless, destitute and chronically ill in America
> struggle to have even the basics for life.
>
> I have never met a homeless person with a TV have you?
>
> We have homeless people in Australia too.
>
> As I stated before economics is very poor at addressing social
> equity issues.
>
> Economics dose suggest that part of the reason that the very rich
in
> the US do so well is because the very poor in the US do so badly.
>
> God bless America.
>
> I suppose the rest of the world can go to hell.
>
> As you asked I live in Adelaide Australia if you had checked my
> profile it is clearly stated there.
>
> Regards
>
> Don
>
> --- In dyslexiaclub@yahoogroups.com, David Smith <plexusmaster@>
> wrote:
> >
> > Well, the system could be modified, but I would contend that the
> reason that there is a cell phone in every hand, and a television
in
> every home, and a computer in every house is the result of the
> ingenuity and industriousness of every American working within our
> free market economy that responds to the needs of the consumer,
> rewards success, and punishes failure.
> >
> > Here is an example of the "responsiveness" of the current
> system. I started a parents support group for children with
> dyslexia. I sent out 200 emails to teachers and principals telling
> them the group existed and how we might be able to help. I
received
> one reply. Everyone else did not even bother to even acknowledge
> they received the email.
> >
> > So, I'd ask, with 35% of children unable to read at a basic
> level nationally, and with poor children even worse off, what
would
> be your suggestion? We've tripled the amount of money spent per
> pupil with little success and now people are advocating more hours
> in the school day! Why would we leave children in schools that
> underachieve for more hours?
> >
> > Right now, I need all the hours after school to give my children
> time to read books that challenge them and tutoring in math
because
> their school doesn't teach them the cognitive concepts behind
math.
> I just didn't want them to be part of the huge number of students
in
> 8th grade that find they cannot handle algebra.
> >
> > I don't know what state you live in, but if you start looking at
> the test scores you might be surprised at the dismal state of
> things. One promising program is KIPP, the knowledge is power
> program. You can take a look at kipp.org. They run charter schools
> in Houston and I've begun donating monthly to one of them.
> >
> > David
> >
> > don_nairn <no_reply@yahoogroups.com> wrote:
> > So with this system the academically gifted child will
> receive
> > $11,000 and the academically challenged child will receive
exactly
> > the same.
> >
> > The child born into wealth will get $11,000 and the child born
> into
> > poverty will receive exactly the same.
> >
> > Clearly this system suggests that the child somehow chooses to
be
> > born a certain way.
> >
> > This is a very new medical concept for me I would be delighted
if
> > you could share the science behind how children get to choose
> their
> > circumstances.
> >
> > Silly me thought that babies were made by adults having sex
> clearly
> > it is more complicated than this.
> >
> > While Milton Friedman may have been a great economist as a
student
> > of economics it is well acknowledged that economics is very poor
> at
> > addressing social equity issues.
> >
> > Regards
> >
> > Don
> >
> > --- In dyslexiaclub@yahoogroups.com, David Smith <plexusmaster@>
> > wrote:
> > >
> > > I would suggest Oprah since she has an interest in education.
> And
> > let me also suggest the following.
> > >
> > > The United States has one of the most innovative and excellent
> > medical systems and university systems in the world. But, the
> > public school system is lacking and unresponsive to the
complaints
> > of the parents. Why the difference? There is no competitive
> > pressure from the consumer of the system.
> > >
> > > I am a doctor, so I usually make this analogy. Assume about on
> > average 40% of children struggle to read. Now, here's the
analogy.
> > Lets say you came to see me as a doctor, and I told you only 6
out
> > of 10 of my patients lived after treatment. Then, I said, that
you
> > could leave and see another doctor if you wanted, but I would
keep
> > your money if you went elsewhere, and you'd have to pay an
> > additional amount out of pocket for the other doctor who had 9
out
> > of 10 patients surviving.
> > >
> > > This is why we should argue for vouchers. In my area,
> > approximately 11,000 dollars is being spent per pupil and 35-40%
> of
> > the children do not score above a basic level in reading and
math.
> > What if the state gathered a portion of all property taxes and
> place
> > them in a fund, and distributed a voucher worth 11 thousand
> dollars
> > to each child. You could spend it on ANY public school, or
> > parochial school, or private school, or materials for home
> > schooling. THE PARENT is the only one in the system who truly
> > advocates ONLY for the child, so the parent should decide where
> the
> > child is sent.
> > >
> > > Don't you think schools would be more responsive to the needs
of
> > the children if the parents not only could take the children out
> of
> > the school and send them to a better place, BUT THE SCHOOL WOULD
> > ALSO LOSE THE MONEY. Once the principal and teachers felt that
> > competitive pressure, they're would be a REASON to perform
better
> > because their lives would begin to be effected, not just the
lives
> > of the children and families trying to get a better education.
> > >
> > > So, if the petition is a mass emailing advocating a voucher
> > system for public education, sign me up!
> > >
> > > David Smith, MD
> > >
> > > PS By the way, Milton Friedman, the nobel prize award winning
> > economist was a great advocate of school vouchers because he
knew
> > that it would encourage innovation through competition just like
> in
> > the rest of our economy.
> > >
> > > Brenda Beebe <beebe30@> wrote:
> > > I am in the process of trying to see how much interest
> > would be in people from these groups participating
> > > in a mass email to the media.
> > >
> > > I currently have posted this question on two other email
groups
> > and received a fairly positive large response.
> > >
> > > There is a common theme all of us share, it is not what labels
> are
> > children have it is the struggles we go through
> > > with the schools and insurance companies. The system is not
> > working and the children are suffering. It is not really that
the
> > > laws aren't there for these kids it is the schools don't
follow
> > them and no one holds them accountable.
> > >
> > > To raise eyebrows and get exposure through the media, we need
> > massive emails. These emails should all be
> > > titled the same in the subject line and then we can give a
brief
> > personal story about the struggles we all have gone through.
> > >
> > > Please let me know if you are interested and I will keep you
> > posted of the subject line title and to whom we will
> > > email.
> > >
> > > Although it looks like Oprah and/or Anderson Cooper.
> > >
> > > Brenda
> > >
> > > __________________________________________________________
> > > Need Mail bonding?
> > > Go to the Yahoo! Mail Q&A for great tips from Yahoo! Answers
> users.
> > > http://answers.yahoo.com/dir/?link=list&sid=396546091
> > >
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