Why do my state or local government get to decide where my child get's it's education from. Why can't I choose the high school of choice for my child? Well, you may say demographics. That's fine! To that I would say, that's not good enough when it comes to my kids education!
When I chose my child's daycare, I was able to choose which ever daycare I wanted base on what they offered. However, when it comes to the public school system, local government determine where your child is educated. Now, there in-lies a big problem. Look this post is not to beat up on teachers. I mean there are wonderful teachers all throughout our public school system. You can even find some of the best teachers on YouTube for free.
Rather this is a shot at the whole school system structure in the US, to be exact. To me, the system and structure is outdated and inefficient, much like the US post office, but that topic is for a whole other time. We will focus on our public school system first.
So why is our school system so broken. Well, the contrarian or default view, of course always lead to a lack of Funding. How bushleague is that thinking. Yea, "Give me More Money."
If you've heard it once, you've heard it a thousand times!
You see to bureaucrats and public employees, funding fixes everything. Yea, I am just kidding. Funding fixes nothing. It is only a convenient excuse public employees and public officials use, and honestly there really is no arguing that, because they do. I mean the teachers in Oklahoma are literally being derelict of their duties to teach the tax-paying parents children like they signed up to do. Instead they chose to leave them hanging and walked out on them. I mean our hard earned tax dollars go to pay public school employees. What are they doing today. well they are abandoning our kids so that they can lobby for, you guessed it more funding.
But in my humble opinion, the issue isn't money, rarely it is. No, see the issue is.....
Innovation and efficiency, or thelack thereof!
I hear about how some people screams that the Constitution is out-dated, freedom of speech and the way it is interpreted is out-dated and even our second amendment laws being out-dated. One thing, however, our wizards of smart never say is outdated is the way we educate our kids here in the US. You would think that we would have the best school structure in the world. Well we don't. Just look at what some of our teachers are spending their time doing on our dime at that, when they should be teaching our kids. Today it's not about teaching your kids, that's for sure. These protests and walk-outs from these teachers are awful examples of what we should be showing our kids; the future of this country.
What you won't see or hear from these protests is ideas on innovation and how we can overhaul and improve the school structure as a whole. Nope, all you are going to here is the same stuff I have been hearing from teachers over 30 years now and that is that they want more funding for higher pay, more books, more computers,newer schools and the list goes on and on.
You see, when your spending other peoples money, efficiency isn't even in the equation because at that point it means nothing to you and doesn't even matter. I would love to go to Uncle Sam like they are doing and say give me more money. I mean they are asking for tons. But I can't do that. I have to learned to make work with what I got and be innovative and efficient with whatever it is I have or want.
So what are some solutions to overhauling or fixing the problem(s) that have plagued our public school system for decades!
Well I'm glad you aksed....
The education system don't need no more funding!
They don't need anymore funding. The education system needs a complete overhaul.
Solution 1: Phase out paperback books
Why are we still paying for paperback books when digital e-books are so much more economical. We need to phase out as many paperback books as possible. It is costing the public school system tons of dollars to pay for these books. Most times they have to buy newer versions every 5 years or so. E-books or digital books can be updated almost instantaneously and are a better and cheaper alternative to paperback books. This will save local communities and schools a lot of money in the process.
Solution 2: Stop building new schools
Why are we spending so much money on brick-and-mortar schools when you can teach thousands of kids online at the same time all over the world practically free. That's right, my community college offers online degrees. With the advent of the internet and the emergence of online course study, one would think that brick-and-morter educational buildings will become a thing of the past. I have tought me at least 2 profession witou leaving my own home. I do that with new technology like Youtube or Udemy.
So why is it so important to build all these new so-called state-of-the art schools when learning online seems to be the future and is so much more cheaper, and yep you guessed, it inefficient. Nope they want more schools and more buildings.
Look I am not saying get rid of all brick-and-morter schools, just like I wouldn't suggest getting rid of all brick-and-morter retail stores, however, time may beg to differ. Ever since online retailing took off, there have been more closings of traditional stores. maybe we should look to close some of our traditional schools and advocate for of a more online experience. At least make it an option
Money or funding, what ever you want to call it, is no substitute for innovation and keeping up with the times. I mean I self-educate myself on YouTube daily. We need to change the way we teach, abolish public school system as it is now and privatize it and then we are headed in the right direction.
Either way, that's the way we are headed anyway and these walk-outs and teacher protests is the start in that direction. I know who is being taught today in Oklahoma. That's online students and home-schooled students, get my drift. Parents will not keep putting up with their students education being tied directly to political posturing because that's all this is to me, and our kids shouldn't have to be caught in the middle of this.
Personally, I will not send my kid to a public school, ever. There are many great options such as home-schooling or find a reasonable, high integrity private schools. Now-a-days you can find a good private school at a reasonable price because to be honest, it is well worth the investment.
Look I support bold changes to our education system and it doesn't include funding. My ideas may seem bold, but I am only preaching that which I already am doing with great success.
You may say online courses or schooling for everyone and you are right, but neither is the public school system for everyone either. As you can see, it is to costly and ineffiecnt. Without innovation and better efficiency, things will only get worse! Let me know your thought below and be kind please :)