The right to a free, public education is enshrined in the constitutions of all 50 states. That right is under attack by the Bush administration and its allies. Using the club of its shamelessly misnamed No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), the Bush agenda punishes and sets up public schools for failure while promoting privatization schemes that funnel dollars to… return to article
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Reader Comments (2)Page 1 of 1 pagesfree?? why do we pay taxes, if it’s free! get your facts straight
Posted by rn on Jul 26, 2004 at 2:26 PM Thank you for an interesting article. Proper attention and resources definitely need to be allocated towards education. NCLB is a nightmare: we need something else, something much better. However, while I agree with the first three and last section of your fourth “basics of a truly progressive alternative”, I differ with your opinion that we need “a commitment to free public preschool so all children enter first grade ready to learn”. Although I agree preschool is helpful for many single-parent households, as is day-care, and should certainly exist as an option, I take issue with your implication that it allows children to “enter first grade ready to learn”. Research I have done indicates clearly that young children who are able to stay at home with a primary caregiver fare better when they begin kindergarten/grade school, are actually “more ready to learn”, both emotionally and cognitively. Perhaps we should look at a country like Norway, whose government subsides parents so that they have greater choice whether to choose (or not) to stay home with their young children.
Posted by Rainier Sielaff on Jul 30, 2004 at 2:59 PM Page 1 of 1 pages -
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