Get ready.  Here comes a rant….

How?  How is it ok that my tax dollars go to a public education system where some kids have the opportunity to learn and others do not?  Even if it’s not a lot of tax dollars, money is still going toward a bad system.  How is that a charter school needs to exist to provide a better education for students when a school in the same area is failing?  And because the demand is so high, the charter school can only allow a certain amount of students.  AND receives public funding?  How is that ever ok?  How is it ever ok that in some school systems teachers on “probation” can still earn a full salary while they sit in a room for 6 months sleeping while they await a ruling on their case?  How?

I started this post right after I watched the documentary Waiting for Superman and I was soooooooo mad.  Not to mention that earlier I had opened a letter from a state representative about blah, blah, blah.  AND at the bottom of the letter there was a little note in italics that said something to the effect of “this letter was paid for by tax dollars.”  AWESOME.  I just paid for my representative to mail ME a letter about how he’s going to make changes that support a better tax structure. 

Dear State Rep,

Thank you for the letter, but please stop sending me mail that I paid for.  Just go out and do something about it.

Rosa

PS.  The electronic printed signature is quite efficient, but somehow lacking in sincerity.

So now what?  Do I start a petition, write to my local representatives, start saving for Private School?  But why is private school the answer?  Not everyone can afford private school tuition and truly why should I have to be able to afford it in a developed country?  Why, people?  I have no idea what to do as a parent. 

We don’t exactly live in the best district in the city.  The school system hasn’t earned accolades across the state.  It’s not the ghetto, but there are two factors – 1. We have a higher population of elderly people. Don’t check my numbers.  I just know this because when you go to our local library and look at most popular books, it’s Large Print books.  2.  There is an overwhelming amount of private schools in the area.  So those that do have kids and live in the near vicinity mostly opt for private vs public. 

Two things that blew my mind about the documentary and I will stop typing.

1.  I used to think that if parents were more actively involved in their child’s learning, that if there was a better family unit, then the child would be a better student.  Not always true.  In the documentary, there is one mom who clearly works with her son on his reading and yet his teachers says he has poor reading skills.  Where is the disconnect?

2.  In an affluent neighborhood (average homes of 1 mill), where the local school has the latest and greatest everything, parents are still opting for the charter school.  What?!?  I thought money solved everything?

Good gravy if the amount of money you pour into a school and the amount of time you pour into your child doesn’t help them to learn, what will?  And again, why are my tax dollars going to a failing education system?