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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]15:26- though I don't necessarily know anything about Latin, I do love the term "snowflake academies". [b]Public schools should be for all kids[/b]. Whether is is policies that weed out kids or c[b]urriculum that only a select few can do well[/b] with the undercurrent needs to stop. We need to stop endorsing the "private school on the public dime" mentality. Niche market schools are fine, but it should theoretically be possible for any type of child to get the support he or she needs to do well. [/quote]

1) Public schools are open to all kids, i.e. they are free and can't discriminate based on race, religion, gender, etc.  Just because a few schools are designed for say 10-20% of the population, e.g. a magnate school, doesn't violate this principle as long as there are other schools available (which should be quality schools that serve the general population [80%]).

2)  Following your logic, you are arguing that public education that offers a curriculum that a small amount of students (compared to the general population) would do well should not be offered and parents, regardless of SES should pay out of pocket in the private market or attend a regular public school.  However, you obviously don't think that average kids can cut it at these "snowflake academies" so offering the curriculum to every child won't work so basically, if you have smart/or hardworking child and you are working or middle class you should send your child to private school despite the cost/whether or not you can afford to or send them to an average performing public school and hope that teachers have the time and resources to meet them where they are?  You realize that this will never happen, no matter if all kids started out with an equitable education-- I wish people would stop lying to themselves and realize that most people are of average intelligence, some people are not overachievers nor do they want to be, will not attend college and need to be supported to pursue other occupations which is okay (and I don't mean flipping burgers, but blue collar jobs or professional service jobs that are needed by society and should be respected and paid accordingly).  I have family in the UK, my cousins attended free schools through college or specialized training.  One became a lawyer, another a financier,  another an electrician, etc.  Although I don't agree with tracking, especially at an early age (and I am glad that the American education system is more fluid) I do think my family's educational experience makes sense in the UK as the education system recognizes that people will follow a different path.  I have friends from Switzerland etc., that had similar educational experiences.

We can offer different educational programs for different levels of ability AND interest and still be a fair system.  But saying BASIS, Latin, TJ, Stuyvesant, etc. shouldn't exist because all kids can't meet expectations or are ready is ridiculous.  We live in a global competitive world and if the US is to keep up, we need these PUBLIC institutions to serve kids that will lead us into the future--you better believe that other countries will or are doing that.  Kids forced to attend bad schools is a separate issue and definitely needs to be addressed but that issue shouldn't take away from the other end of the spectrum.  [/quote]

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