“As we all learned from the sorry experience of state-sanctioned bureaucracies in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union, decentralization [in education] is crucial to both freedom and excellence.”

The tax-supported school system of indoctrination needs more than de-centralization. The immoral system, which is funded by tax loot, should be totally abandoned, and all schools should be in capitalistic free market place. This new idea of Charter schools is still a system based upon taxes, just a change of name. And taxes are an involuntary relinquishment of one's property, hence legal plunder. On my Blog site, octogenariansblog.com I post articles about the sorry mess of the schools. I will congratulate California on the ruling to allow Home-Schooling. Thanks annecleveland@bellsouth.net

I've read a lot from folks who claim that vouchers would be a step forward. However, I believe many private schools would take the bait. As soon as they begin accepting state funds, the state becomes the customer and will be able to force their dictates on them. True market competition comes from individuals deciding with whom they will trade and at what price. If the state steals the funds, regardless of how they claim to redistribute them, the association between producers and consumers is altered as is the balance which keeps price and quality in check.

Anne and Bryan are right on.

Decentralization is always good. That is why in America communitiy schools are generally run by the communities. Mandates from upstream should always be examined carefully. A one size fits all approach should be avoided. That being said isn't it interesting that all states to my knowledge have compulsory education laws. I wonder why that is. Is it because that some folk would not teach their children to read and write if left to their own devices. Maybe just train them to be filed hands.

People have choice now Bryan. Community run school is an option.

The question should be asked, why are today's students not passing the same tests passed 40 years ago? I do not believe it is the species that is getting dumber, giving answer to Waffler's indoctrinated community of the dummied down. State-sanctioned choice, by way of example, vouchers and Charter schools, only address certain quantity issues of reading, math, etc. not quality or indoctrination. Said well annecleveland and Bryan.

I have never heard of 'community schools,' Waffler -- are you just making this up to avoid the use of the word 'public' or 'government'? You contradict yourself. Indeed, smaller schools that are more directly answerable to the parents and students are NOT following the public or government school model. Teacher unions, lifetime tenure (i.e. teacher cannot be fired ever), declining educational standards, compulsory bussing, unequal distribution of funding to schools, mandatory drugging of children, unhealthy institutional foodstuffs, etc. are but a few of the corruptions brought about by government funding. When the Montessori school my children were going to decided to accept some government funding, it wasn't long that the entire program was changed in order to keep getting the funding. When the parents got upset and wanted the program to go back to the way it was, it was too late, the school was already dependent upon that funding. And before the government parrots chime in to say that government education is better, and rightly so, it ought to be with the amount of resources potentially available, the government's own education standards get lower and lower every year while some Communist nations produce 10 times more engineers and scientists than the USA. Government education is DESIGNED to keep people in the dark but with the crowd (which is controlled by them). You won't know how bound and tied you really are until you actually try to free yourself from this delusion -- but usually the brainwashed defend their brainwashing and insist it upon every one else too! (just like the Church used to do...)

You have often in my opinion shown your ignorance or wrong headed thinking Archer but never so openly and bluntly. I have know you to be overly opinionated and also amazingly one lacking in basic research skills. A basic trait of right wing radical head in the sand types. I just gooled the phrase "community schools" and got innumerable hits; a sampling is "Iowa City Communiyt School District", Dexter Mich. Community School, Flint Community Schools, Miami-Dade County Schoools then hit Community. It sounds like Archer is ready to trade American socialism for communist freedom, you never cease to scare, surprise and baffle Archer. Google "community school" and then google every phrase you can conceive of read and get out of the cave you live in.

Waffler how could you give this a 5 with the previous quote a thumbs down. Just because governor moon beam said it? Both quotes share the same over all wisdom. Reduce government control and increase individual responsibility.

Typical liberal crap, Waffler. You call a bunch of names but did not offer one piece of evidence to refute the point that Archer was making.

Archer said he had never heard of the prhase "community school". I said that the world is composed of "community schools" and sited several examples. Stay in the cave with Archer looking at the wall that is where you belong. Truth is not opionated, liberal, or conservative. Truth is truth and community schools are community schools. I fully understand that "community" is anathema to types like you.

Obviously the word 'community' appears in the names of thousands of schools, some public, some private. I guess the leap being made here is that a 'community school' is a better version of a 'public' school. (Not sure what the distinction is Waffler is trying to make.) If what he means is that a 'community' school managed and directed by the parents of the students that attend is 'good' then I am inclined to agree. If however he is trying to imply that government-funded public schools are the same thing, then he is woefully mistaken. Frankly, Waffler, I know you are proud of your C+ government schooling, but please leave the management of educating our youth to more intelligent people. If parents with 150 IQ each want to arrange a better curriculum than what your school provided, they have every right and obligation to do so without your mediocre interference.

The centralization of indoctrinarian (so called education) by the occupying statist theocracy infesting this land is having disastrous results. Common core, a religious condemnation of history's participants (Columbus, Washington, etc.) Stockholm Syndrome induced states by earlier and earlier sex mis-education and the gross indoctrination of gender bending are but a few examples of what has replaced math, science, reading, facts, natural law & justice, nature's realization of freedom and liberty, reason and logic.

Damn JFK for starting the Federal Department of Education. This invited the Federal courts and centralized the state's school system beyond repair.

Take a stand, then take a different stand, that's CA Gov. Brown...who took the Common Core federal 'bribe' that was offered and had that federal education program imposed upon CA: He must have forgot the lessons of Eastern Europe because CA is now 'enjoying' the CENTRAL planning of the soviet-style education system. You cannot trust anything this man says, apparently, as this is a perfect example...he switches horses mid stream. The amazing part: he gets re-elected over and over and has now embraced the soviet-style regionalism which will push everyone out of their rural homes into 3 cities in CA (beginning with federally planned One Bay Area) while removing representative government. Hmmm could that explain why he took federal $$ for a train going nowhere?

What stupid remark - he should have done is homework before opening his mouth... Decentralization is an obvious strategy for all forms of governance but it was totally unnecessary to make a contrast between the west and the east considering America has a terrible centralized educational system and many of the schools in eastern Europe have better scholastic results. Russia now produces some of the best scientists and engineers in the world...

I find at times someone else speaks for Waffler, using Waffler's name. So many psychologist in the room. Enemies at every turn. Knowing why our Founding Fathers held in such Great disdain the catholic denomination and their jesuit priesthood, no doubt, we find them siding with islam. Jerry Brown, being the student he was of St. Ignatius college Preparatory. founded by Anthony Maraschi, a Jesuit priest. After loosing the Senate race he " traveled abroad " to consult. I wonder Who With ? Those with Dottore in Giurisprudenza in Italy. received perhaps at Universita Di Bologna founded in A.D. 1088. The so called oldest Law School in the world. They are as Dry and Cold as the Alma Mater Studiorum and the dead language embraced for guidance. Their nourishing mother, is but one of many gods they worship. Lead by Angra Mainyu, seduced by Aka Mainyu, and commit Akem Manah. Jerry Brown did not switch horses, even as Waffler seems sometimes. Telling their enemies what they think, they want to hear. Robert from Somewhere, is in the same camp. The Jesuits are hard on our heals, for those of us, who worship Ahura Mazda and practice the 3 tenents, Good thoughts, Good works, good deeds. Hence the destructive nature towards the Kurds in Turkey. islam seeks not to destroy itself but those of Iran who worship Ahura Mazda. The ( One True God and Creator ) As also embraced by Artaxerxes who invoked Ahura Mazda in a triad. worshiped and invoked alone. Mithra and Apam Napat Protector of the Glory of Sovereignty.
Khvarenah, Power projected upon and adding the appointed. Divine Royal Glory, given to a king of ruler. Apam Napat, Son of Waters, has a " Golden Splendor " as the apostle Paul experienced on the road to Damascus. And Paul's pattern of experience, passed down form generation to generation in written word, till reaching those intended. Even among the most learned, some assumptions are left alone for speculation amongst the crowd. while others know very well what and who it is intended for !

@ Archer, NY, IQ 150 for homeschooling, a little less does work say from 120. Some of the Ancients were OFF THE CHARTS, unmeasurable. I Do like Blackstone's approach to studying the law, as started in this country by some institutions. A Base of Philosophy and Liberal Arts laying a foundation for Statesmanship !
Make no mistake, as sure as king Darius left us the Behistun Inscription. Bagastana ( old Persian for " The Place of God ' in the Kermanshah Province of Iran.) The events following the death of Cyrus the Great. King Darius attributed his success to the Grace of Ahura Mazda. And hence to the rebuilding of the Foundation and Temple of the God of Abraham in Jerusalem.