[Vision2020] Meeting Educational Needs

[Ted Moffett]

Rose et. al.

The fact that private schools do not provide services for the handicapped 
sometimes, and also exclude other children for a variety of reasons, thus 
making public schools necessary if we assume that all children regardless of 
background should have a chance at becoming educated, that has been gone 
over repeatedly on V2020.

I don't think Rose H. or John H. are going to modify each others positions.  
Nor will some of the individuals I have exchanges with on V2020 alter their 
thinking one iota due to my pleas.

Some on V2020 complain of the repeated debates that seem to go nowhere.

The question therefore is, is anybody else being encouraged to think about 
these issues when exposed to these polarized exchanges?  This is one reason 
to justify debates between people whose entrenched thinking is well known:  
to facilitate public discussion of important issues to an audience that has 
some interest.

Which leads me to what should be, I'm naive and idealistic enough to 
believe, one of the main goals of providing public education to all 
children:  the argument that one of the cornerstones of a democratic society 
is a literate well informed public capable of critical logical thought which 
will facilitate the participation of the public in the electoral process so 
that our leaders truly represent the people and do not deceive us, or seize 
dictatorial control.

This is a critical justification to pony up taxes to pay for a public 
educational system:  it is essential to the healthy functioning of a 
democracy.

In saying this I am not claiming that the current public school system 
achieves the goal just outlined.

Current behavior in the electorate appears to bolster this opinion.

Of course, when we have millions in the USA who wish to control their 
children to prevent too much of that critical logical thinking from 
corrupting their children's minds with blasphemous thoughts, well, no wonder 
the public schools come under fire from certain groups.

If MSD had the highest test scores in the nation, and spent less per pupil 
than any private school, some local critics of MSD would be even more 
horrified by success than they are by the alleged failures.  After all, they 
have religious grounds to hate what MSD teaches, and successes by MSD would 
just render the agenda of bringing down the public schools more difficult, 
while successfully educating students in habits of thought regarded as 
heretical.

Ted

>From: DonaldH675@aol.com
>To: vision2020@moscow.com
>Subject: [Vision2020] Meeting Educational Needs
>Date: Sun, 29 Jun 2003 13:14:24 EDT
>
>Dear Visionaries,
>The recent discussions between John Harrell and Donovan Arnold have raised
>some interesting questions about public vs. private education.  I am 
>hopeful
>that John (et al) can add some factual information to the debate.  We know 
>that
>public schools accept all children regardless of physical, emotional, or 
>mental
>challenges.  John, can you share with us, in general demographic terms, how
>Logos addresses the special educational needs of these children?  How many 
>kids
>needing special ed services are in Logos?  In the event that severely
>handicapped or even moderately handicapped children are not admitted, what 
>solution
>is offered to the parents of these kids?  Would it be no school, home 
>school,
>or government school?
>I am surprised, John, that you would introduce the rhetoric of Hitler in an
>attempt to prove your argument against liberals and public schools.  We 
>have
>talked before on this list about Hitler's expressed career guidance for 
>women,
>that is, "children, church, and kitchen."  The uncanny similarity to the 
>life
>goals for the women of Christ Church should be disturbing to you - if you 
>see
>Hitler and his fascist philosophy as problematic.  I think it is fair to 
>say
>that book burnings, rabid racism, hateful homophobia - the Rev. Fred Phelps 
>for
>example,  anti-Semitism and demands for lockstep political thinking are
>accurately associated with the Christian right - and by historical 
>extension, the
>3rd Reich.   Come to think of it, handicapped people were also excluded 
>from
>social interaction and education in those splendid days of German Aryan 
>magic.
>John, I know that you are not a Nazi - and I know that the majority of 
>Christ
>Church members aren't either.  I also know that Donovan and his family have 
>a
>strong and admirable history of commitment to meeting the social and
>educational needs of disabled people.  And yes, you pay a considerable 
>amount of money
>to educate your children in a way that is philosophically and religiously
>meaningful to you in addition to supporting a public educational system 
>that does
>not serve your needs.  Here's the difference, no matter how much money I 
>was
>willing to pay to educate my grandchildren at Logos School, because of my
>religious, social, and political beliefs they would not be admitted.  On 
>the other
>hand, your children would be welcomed into public schools without 
>qualifying
>questions.  Private schools, by their nature, are deliberately developed on
>the idea of exclusion.  Thankfully, our founding fathers and mothers, had a
>larger vision for American children, and I have to say, it gives me special
>pleasure that private school folks get to pay for it too.
>Best,
>Rose Huskey
>

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