Aug. 27, 2008 - Well, ya can't say I didn't predict it.
After my post yesterday, I received an interesting email from a cousin I admire. He outlined how well his kids are doing in "institutional" education (and they are truly wonderful kids) and politely but pointedly suggested we all just shut up about other people's choices.
First off, I am glad he has a responsive and flexible educational setting for his kids. We all deserve that. He had to leave the public system to find it; an irony not lost on him, I am certain. And I truly believe we ALL deserve it, not just those with means. I dare venture that even many of us homeschoolers would make different choices to a degree if we could control the $8900 per pupil that monopolist government schools now control. I bet I could find responsive and flexible for $27K for my three school aged kids--how 'bout you? And Chicago proper spends 10K per kid on their lousy system. Think any of those parents would opt out of those schools and choose others if only they had the means to do so? Yeah, me too. So why don't we let parents control the 10K Chicago already spends? (Hint: NEA) Do we really think they will put their kids in a school where LESS than 4% are at grade level proficiency? Yet that's what some South Side Chicago schools are at. Really? Parents would do worse?
As I pointed out to my cousin, if people's choices didn't affect me, that would be one thing. But who does he think is going to pay for the "free" half day daycare our kindergarten now provides under the guise of full day kindergarten? Um, me. That's who.
I file this post under "I told you so":
New program puts District 204 in the Red
Lead paragraph:
D204 will run a $2.2 million operating fund deficit this year due to
the launch of its all-day kindergarten program.
But never fear. Later we learn:
Funding for the program will come from the state revenue that is
expected(!!) to exceed the outstanding costs associated with starting
the program within three years. Each year, the district anticipates
it will receive an additional $2 million in state funds above the $6
million cost of the program.
Hmmm, where does the great state of Illinois get it's money? Oh,
wait. That's right. From me.
But I'm sure district officials made their decision based on "the
children" and not the money maker at the state trough this will be
for them. Of course. Too bad the paper boxed and bolded the D204 finance supervisor's statement that "We knew when we made a decision for all-day kindergarten...it would flip and become a revenue producer for us next year and on."
Because really, if your 5 year old is not a revenue producer for the good folks at D204, why bother?
Again, why the group parent psychosis that thinks it good for a five
year old to be away from their folks 35 hours a weeks, I don't
understand. But the district's decision? That's crystal clear to me.
Blessings, Holly
Comments
Aug. 27, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by Arby
I wish that I could operate my checkbook based on my "expected" revenues of next year. Better yet, I wish I could run my checkbook based on the expected revenues the state was giving me next year.
