Comments on: Miriam K Freedman: One Radical Idea to Fix Public Schools

By: miriam kurtzig freedman

miriam kurtzig freedman — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 08:00:43 +0000

Thanks for this response. I’m so glad you had a lively discussion in Austin and would have loved to be there!

In terms of choice, who would be against choices for parents for their children? But, the numbers are not there. After all these years, we have barely 3% of all students in choice programs: charters, vouchers, etc. Some cities and states have more–some fewer. It’s not that easy to start an excellent charter school, after all.
So , how do you propose to scale it up? I’d rather see us focus on fixing our public schools–which is where the students and moneys already are. Thus, my radical piece.

One other concern, of course, is that choice fosters the continuing balkanization of different groups–everyone to his own choice school. Just as we now watch our ‘own’ news programs and search enginges find our niche and gives us that–evading the wider world view, what about our common good? Our nation as a whole? America’s schools used to be the incubator for the ‘melting pot.’ Whither that?

Anyway, excellent discussion and I thank you very much.

By: Trevon

Trevon — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 13:19:21 +0000

You got people talking! Check out a response to this article: http://schoolchoiceweek.com/Blog/2011-10-no-choice

By: Greg Smith

Greg Smith — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 12:05:47 +0000

Don’t believe it when Ms Freedman says “The Constitution is safe.”

As a school attorney, Ms Freedman works exclusively for administrators and against parents, teachers and students.

It’s likely she has forced dozens of families and teachers to give up their 1st amendment rights.

See the last comment here:
http://www.educationnews.org/education-policy-and-politics/miriam-k-freedman-lets-prioritize-special-education-reform/

It’s also likely that she has blocked dozens of children from attending private SPED schools and forced many out of school entirely.

Here’s a radical idea to improve public schools: how about we never ask parents or children or anyone else to give up their right to free speech?

By: miriam kurtzig freedman

miriam kurtzig freedman — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 12:47:28 +0000

I have read the comments with great interest. Thanks to all of you with your thoughtful comments. I was glad to see this ‘radical’ idea raise eyebrows and concerns. It is a far-fetched no doubt, and as I wrote, it will not happen.

Of course, my goal is not to close private schools. The Constitution is safe. This is not politically (or practically) or in any other way, feasible.

My goal is to stimulate a level of urgency to improve ALL schools. How do we create reform for all of children, not just other people’s?

You do have other ‘radical’ ideas for doing that?

Thanks again. It’s a good discussion.

By: Bill Bledsoe

Bill Bledsoe — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 21:58:44 +0000

If you think for one minute that public schools only will cause
parents to demand reform, your head is where?
A large part of America’s problem today IS public uneducation….
no one is taught the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence,
America’s heritage…..we are indoctrinated to believe we are
“citizens of the world!” How sad!

By: Literatus

Literatus — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 19:00:36 +0000

“I’d predict that within a year, our schools would be fixed, even in the inner cities–kids would learn, discipline would be in place, teachers would have time to teach, and the sun would shine upon us all.”

If you believe the above, you’re an EXTREMELY naive woman. The problems in our schools stem from a deep-seated cultural malaise, and such things aren’t remedied by a silly, simplistic reshuffling of the deck chairs. Please grow up, madam.

By: john solis

john solis — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 21:12:18 +0000

… there is a solution that is obvious, simple and wrong.

By: Jim Eckland

Jim Eckland — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 10:46:20 +0000

Why don’t we just rip up the Constitution at the same time? Perhaps we should close down the public Schools and stimulate Private school for all using some of our Property tax $$

One curriculum….More indoctrination for our youth instead of Academics

By: Doug Hering

Doug Hering — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 02:08:42 +0000

I have to agree with Dr. Groff. The idea that wealthy people who spend the money and time to get their kid in exclusive private schools will all of a sudden care about something other than their own neighborhood schools (which are almost always usually great schools) is very optimistic.

In addition, the idea that parents who currently do not care about their children’s education just because we pass laws to require them to be involved defies everything we know about how difficult it is to legislate behavior.

I don’t think this idea has any chance of working, even if it were “politically feasible.”

By: Future commentary

Future commentary — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 23:38:20 +0000

I was disappointed to find that Ms. Freedman’s supposed remedies for public school problems were not rational. As a longtime worker in that area, the arguments, such as those by her, almost never gain traction. In short, there is no genuine problems in public schools that enroll children from upper-income homes. To the opposite, the schools to which parents with low-incomes send their children are an entirely different matter. Here children often enter schools hungry, sleepy, angry, sick, emotionally disturbed, and a host of other emotional handicaps. In short, until federal, state, and local authorities stop such harm to children the nation will find it has to
simply write-off the future lives of these children as useless.

Dr. Patrick Groff, Professor of Education Emeritus, S