If your kids attend public school, be sure to mark your calendar for Give Kids Good Schools Week, which takes place the week of October 15-21. Head over to the Give Kids Good Schools organization’s website, where you can learn about how to insure your children receive quality public education.
The organization’s goal is to get parents and the public to work for public school reform. According to the organization, 48 million children attend public schools in the U.S., and while many of these schools provide students with a quality education, many don’t equip students with the basic skills they need to succeed.
The organization offers several reports for parents including information on how to determine if a school is providing quality education and how high school dropouts affect the community as a whole. Parents can also find out more information about their child’s school or school district. You can also find out what special activities are taking place in your community next week.
Tyler attended a public school last year. At the end of the year, I decided that I would enroll him in a private school. In fact, he will attend a private, catholic school when we return to New Orleans in a few weeks. I attended public schools eons ago but I believe things were quite different then. For one thing, we didn’t have the discipline problems we see today. We went to school to learn and that was that. Today teachers in public schools have so much to contend with, I believe it’s hard to teach effectively at times. One alternative is charter schools. After Katrina, many charter schools opened in New Orleans as an alternative to sending kids to the few public schools that reopened. I’m not opposed to sending Tyler to a public school but until I see a reform in New Orleans, I will have to continue footing the bill to send him to a private school.
The organization also encourages parents to vote on important issue affecting public schools and discusses other ways parents can take action. If your kids attend public school or if you care about public school reform, I encourage you to visit this site.
See also:
Use of Public Schools by the Public