One line says it all about THE number one problem plaguing public schools across the land: 8th grade Tower Hill student Demetrius Murray notes, "And they don't just accept knuckleheads to the school."
Ask any public school teacher what their main concern is in their class/school, and I guarantee you over 90% will answer "discipline."
In addition, as this corresponding article notes, private school teachers are not necessarily superior to their public counterparts. Indeed, in my experience, public school teachers are better. But, because private schools can determine the content of their student body, this makes the school atmosphere and climate more appealing to parents. Certainly, public schools have to accept every student (that's why they're called "public" after all), but until disciplinary measures are streamlined in the public schools -- making it easier to get rid of chronically disruptive students -- then the perception among parents regarding these schools will not improve much, despite the excellent teachers.
Public schools should have the right to kick a kid out for one year/12 months.
Then the little bastard will be forced to stay home (perhaps with his parents if they care). AND he will be separated from his classmates/posse.
That should piss the kid off so he learns to behave and maybe get his parents' heads out of their butts.
Posted by: AJ Lynch at February 20, 2006 02:50 PM"And they don't just accept knuckleheads to the school."
Would anyone care to diagram this sentence? Perhaps Tower hill isn't as good as advertised. ;)
Posted by: G Rex at February 20, 2006 03:16 PMI thought the same, G. How embarrassing for Tower Hill.
I agree about the discipline problems in public schools. It's a shame that the school has to keep these disruptive students in the classroom. They have no choice. All it does is drive the "good" students to the parochial/private schools thereby bringing down the school's performance levels -- it's a vicious cycle. Teacher's don't want to teach at these schools; parents don't want their children attending them; taxpayers don't want to throw more money at them and who can blame them? Will there ever be an answer? Our children are the one's who are suffering, after all, for the sake of a small handful of bad apples.
Posted by: NosyNeighbor at February 21, 2006 02:05 PM