“Our tightly controlled educational system mocks the promise of democracy. With a closed educational system we simply cannot have an open political system. The current situation allows the government and big business to manufacture and maintain our culture for us, and in turn, control remains in the hands of the experts and institutions. The ability to change this situation is in the hands of the individuals and families who understand why change is necessary.”

There is nothig more tightly controlled than HOME SCHOOLING. Hell that is why folk home school so that they can control there kids, and protect them form the world. I give her a five for recognizing the issue of control but double zero for sheer studpidity.

Waff, wrong again. Home schooled kids almost always do better on tests than public schooled kids. The above quote is correct, Ms Hegener knows what she is talking about. Our public schools are a mess.

Sorry I missed yesterdays quotes. Waffler, you said that Hitler was a right wing conservative, are you kidding. You've said some pretty stupid things before, but this one tops them all. Hitler was a left wing socialist if ever there was one.

Waffler off base again. The comment is about the damage of government control. Freedom of thought, school choice is the issue. The author is on target.

Public Education is an entity of Public Indoctrination taught by Union idiots who's only interest is their own pockets. They couldn't possibly care less if your child can read or write. And in fact, universities are now showing favor to home schooled children as they have outrun their publicy "schooled" counterparts by leaps and bounds.

The quote is bang on. Waffler is just upset that so many children are NOT getting the statist indoctrination he got -- no doubt a threat to future government parasites. Since we started homeschooling our children, they are two years ahead of their peers the same age. It is hardly 'controlled' -- as long as they are reading, writing, and studying subjects of their own interest, I am OK with it. My 13 year old son is writing a book that he says he has been thinking about since he was 5. He loves Greek mythology and Japanese culture and wants to visit both countries when he has saved up enough money --oh, yeah, he works, too, under the table and without a SS number. ;-) My daughter is an aspiring musician and singer and relates with adults and her peers alike. They both have lots of friends -- most of whom are jealous of them! Sorry, Waffler, your government schooling held you back and merely prepared you to assist in the oppression of your fellow citizens.

Does your 13 year old son have any thoughts about the myth of the Trojan Horse and today?

Jim K Hitler rose to power by being a virulent anti-communist. Okay he may have turned to "socialism" but his mantra was "okay then socialism it is but it must be a National Socialism and not an international socialism" and he was in bed with industrialists and other control freaks. A typical right winger if you ask me.

There is nothing more diverse than "the public". Now a small portion of the public say a chruch school etcetera certainly does not have the freedom and diversity of the public. Public school kids don't generally march into the classroom, wear a uniform etc.

Academia is the ivory tower of b.s. that needs to fall. I've had several tenured computer science professors "teaching" the C programming language out and out incorrectly. I've had a tenured professor of German mispronouncing German names (and "correcting" those who pronounced those names properly). I've had Art History instructors mispronouncing French names. Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach. If I had children, I'd take responsibility for their education and home school them.

Hey, Waffler, you said, "Public school kids don't generally march into the classroom, wear a uniform etc.". Public school kids don't wear uniforms, but they *have* been known to stab one another over the latest basketball shoes, or over leather jackets. School uniforms remove the fashion-competition component from education.

When I was growing up, Richard "Tricky Dicky" Ando, then Head of the Hawaii State Teachers Association, sent his son, Dean, to private school. What better commentary on public education do you need?

... and I'm sure none of those private school or home schooled kids have ever stabbed any other kids either... yeah, right...

And Reston, your point is? Your contibution to this forum is what? Let me help you..."Useless" like everything the liberal left has become.

quotable

Other than, it is not my tightly controlled educational system and the promise of democracy is antithetical to a representative republic of individual sovereigns - united in expression of inalienable rights; the statement is a very accurate observation of the way things are.

Actually public education was pretty good and respectable when I was a child. Then came JFK and his Federal Department of Education. Then the federal courts got involved and you know the rest. ...

State education is here to stay but needs to get better. It should provide an acceptable standard that at least teaches kids basic literacy and numeracy and works with parents in an effort to improve the life of individuals and the communities they live in - just like they do in Japan Mr Archer. The problem with state education is chronic underinvestment and the lack of leadership. Combine this with a lack of understanding about the importance of early years support and the time a lot of kids get to school their stories are already written.