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["Gloria Morris" <gloriamorris59 AT gmail.com>]

I'm slow to respond to this, but I've been meaning to do so.

When my son was in school, I went to school board meetings. I said my
piece at more than a few. I was an activist, and at times I was an
agitator. I stirred up support amongst other parents and teachers for
various ideas. And as a result, I saw positive changes in our
community schools. Communities and parents get the schools that they
want, if they want them badly enough.. If the communities and parents
don't care enough to be active, they get the schools that they
deserve.

As for schools breaking children's spirits and turning children into
robots, that would only happen, I think, if you let it. An active
parent who cares about their child's progress will work to educate
their child, whether the child is in a public school, a parochial
school, a home school, or, I suppose, an unschool. An active parent
will be exposing their child to new ideas and letting that child
explore and learn about things that fascinate and intrigue. An active
parent will support those things which help the child grow, mature and
develop.

On 11/18/06, Marie McHarry <mmcharry AT gmail.com> wrote:

> Millions have gone through public schools and come
> through with their ability to live a useful life intact. Yes, public
> schools are not perfect, but they are one of the few public
> institutions that remain under local control (and, yes, I'm aware of
> NCLB because I work with it every day). If public schools are messed
> up it's because the communities that support them are messed up. They
> are also one of the only venues that children who come from
> dysfunctional families can make any progress and see that life as they
> know it at home is not the norm.
>
> Schools are famous for being factories for robots who will occupy work
> stations in future factories. They can only be that when the community
> agrees and supports the mission. Since we all have the right of free
> speech (at least this week so far as I've heard), if you don't like
> the status quo, you're free to change it in your community. Have you?
>
> Marie