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From: orb@whuxl.UUCP (SEVENER)
Newsgroups: net.politics
Subject: Public Schools, Equality and Democracy
Message-ID: <703@whuxl.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 12-Sep-85 10:12:01 EDT
Article-I.D.: whuxl.703
Posted: Thu Sep 12 10:12:01 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 13-Sep-85 05:04:54 EDT
References: <11254@rochester.UUCP> <7800424@inmet.UUCP> <722@cybvax0.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Whippany
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I think Mike Huybensz had an excellent point about the potential
problem of private schools:
> 
> There is also the danger of forming a powerful industry, which would
> lobby in its own economic interests, rather than in the interests of
> the students or the public.  You would see the rise of industry giants,
> as we see in automobiles, fast-food, hospitals, etc.  Do you want the only
> nearby school to be as responsive as a McDonalds?
 
Once again we find the conflict between the extremist libertarian demand
for all enterprise to be privately owned and controlled and democracy.
In the present public school system, despite its problems there is a
KEY element of responsiveness: namely local school boards elected by
those who live in the school districts they serve.  These school boards
have not necessarily always made the best decisions-some have banned books,
and others have tended to persecute those who are different.
But as Winston Churchill put it "Democracy is a very *bad* form of
government - but it is the best form of government ever found."
Once schools became another industry like McDonald's or General Motors
decisions would be made by the schools owners for the school's owners profits
and for *no other reason*.  People who object will have no more influence
over such decisions than they now have over decisions of General Motors.
If the school's owners decide that it would be in their corporate interests
to begin propagandizing children to use their products (there is already
much corporate advertising sent to schools as a "free service") and
advance the cause of their corporation, who will stop them?
The only way to stop this would be for parents to withdraw their kids from
such schools and setup their own schools, owned and controlled by them-
i.e. essentially the public schools system as we have it now controlled
and owned by local school boards elected by local citizens.
 
If there are problems with the public school system then *do something
about it*! Volunteer to help local PTA's and literacy groups.
Such volunterism is greatly appreciated by the current system
owned and controlled by local citizens and many local citizens
feel motivated to aid in this *public* effort.  
I personally, and I am sure others would agree, would feel much less
motivation to help a corporate school already making profits off
children's need to learn basic skills.
   tim sevener