School Choice In The Days Before School Choice
Gayle Tzemach Lemmon writes in The Atlantic about her mother's creative exercise of "school choice":
She felt we'd already started with a few strikes against us: she was a single mother with a charmingly deadbeat ex-husband and no college degree. She worked at the telephone company during the day and sold Tupperware at night to balance our household ledger. The least she felt she could do as a mother was to provide the best public schooling she could find, since private school was out of the question financially. And besides, she wanted me to learn that in life, "you won't always be around people just like you."My mother was very happy with Magnolia Elementary School and its Talented and Gifted Program, as was I, and she employed great administrative resourcefulness to keep me there. At the start, we used the babysitter's addresses (in that, we were not the only ones). Later, for a year or two, my father actually lived in the right district, allowing me to attend school with no obfuscation necessary. After he moved out, we continued using his address, and I stayed after school at a friend's house nearby. This made it somewhat easier to intercept the mailwoman each quarter when she delivered my report card to my father's old house.
I write this so many years later because right now, the school choice debate is leaving out people like my mother: parents who embrace choice because they believe they have no other choice. It is a conversation that happens largely among highly educated people in fancy conference rooms and on lofty campaign platforms, in highbrow publications and among rarefied circles. (I once interviewed with a hedge fund that had candidates debate school choice as part of the application process.) It happens over the heads of poor parents, as if they are too simple to have an opinion on the dilemma they themselves are living.
That means all that is left is the politics, which each side deploys to its own advantage. Meanwhile, parents like my mother get on with as many jobs as they have and do the best they can for their kids in a country that is, increasingly, far less upwardly mobile than its promise and its past suggest.
I wonder now what my mother would have made of today's school choice discussion and the passions it stirs on all sides. (She passed away not long after I finished elementary school.) I think she would have been surprised to see so many of her fellow self-identifying liberals, usually so sympathetic to cash-strapped parents, fighting to keep her from exercising the choice she felt was her right as a taxpayer and her duty as a mother.
Nowadays her mom would go to jail:
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2011/10/04/the_latest_in_p_1.html
Snoopy at January 27, 2012 9:01 AM
I can't agree with people who do this. I paid more for a house, and pay more in taxes, to get in this school zone. They should not get it for nothing. My kids don't even go to the public schools here now, but I'm still shelling out $3500 a year in property taxes. I am all for vouchers and full school choice, but until we get there people like this are committing theft from those of us who live here.
momof4 at January 27, 2012 9:21 AM
"No other choice" is a phrase I hate. There are always other choices, they may not be the best one, or be easy but they exist.
Other choices to this:
1. A version of Home school
2. Be active and make your school better,
3. Private religious schools often, have great schools for low $ especially if you are that religion.
That being said I do think our current system is being strangled by the teachers Union who want no possible choice besides their will.
Joe J at January 27, 2012 9:47 AM
Way to go Mom! The result was obvious a child who grows up to be a contributor, versus a taker.
As previous posted have correctly stated, this is "wrong" or even "illegal" when a US Citizen does it, but when an illegal alien does it, it suddenly becomes a Constitutional Right.
The Progressives try to have it both ways. They want to help the poor and dispossessed, yet not anger the powerful teachers' unions. Well, the poor can only vote, but the teachers can vote, give piles of money and indoctrinate. I guess it still sucks to be poor.
Odyssius at January 27, 2012 10:34 AM
So Ms. Lemmon, your mom beat the system, and you got a good education and learned to write a lovely article defending your mother's actions and managing to avoid terms that indicated any illegal or unethical behavior. Good for you! Too bad using phrases like "we weren't the only ones" makes it sound like you feel a teensy-weensy bit guilty about your purloined education.
You also said, "I am sure there are many more parents like her out there right now, paving their own unorthodox way forward, politics be damned."
You are probably right. Of course, if their kids all write articles bragging about these heroic victims of society, they're just going to screw it up for everybody. And really piss off those of us who pay for the schools you sneak into.
Pricklypear at January 27, 2012 10:54 AM
"And really piss off those of us who pay for the schools you sneak into."
That's the problem in the first place. If schooling is a public good, her kids shouldn't have to "sneak into" schools in order to obtain a quality education.
If it's your contention that primary schooling shouldn't be a public good, then does that mean that I can get back the money that has taken from me in the form of property taxes to educate other peoples kids?
Mike Hunter at January 27, 2012 11:44 AM
I am conflicted on this issue. Do I think children should get a quality education? Of course.
Am I paying 3x the mortgage and 3x the real estate tax for a better school district than I was living in before, just so my child can get a decent education? Yup.
Does it bother me when friends I know who have TVs the size of my sofa, smartphones, AND food stamps (I haven't any of these, I'm eating ramen at the end of the month) complain that they should have the same education system I pay for, for free? You betcha.
And do I have a solution for all of this? Not at all. But I would feel much better if I had a pirate to take me to work :)
RooRooDog at January 27, 2012 12:24 PM
The vital service of providing food is too important to leave to a haphazard, volunteer, free-market. There is a wide disparity in how people eat under that uncoordinated system, with no department to supervise proper nutrition. People without specific training in nutrition could not be expected to choose the best foods under the restriction of widely varying budgets. Children must be fed properly to ensure a vital nation. We owe them the best, regardless of family circumstance. Only a centrally administered system could hope to achieve the efficiencies of non-duplication and enlightened management which our society and children deserve.
(Sarcasm, I hope.)
What If Supermarkets Were Like Public Schools
05/05/11 - Economist Greg Mankiw quotes economist Donald Boudreaux
=== ===
[excerpt] Suppose that groceries were supplied in the same way as K-12 education. Residents of each county would pay taxes on their properties. Nearly half of those tax revenues would then be spent by government officials to build and operate supermarkets. Each family would be assigned to a particular supermarket according to its home address. And each family would get its weekly allotment of groceries "for free" from its neighborhood public supermarket.
=== ===
Andrew_M_Garland at January 27, 2012 12:35 PM
School choice solves nothing if you have 1 good school and 9 bad ones, not everyone is going to be able to go to the good school. If there aren't enough spots at good schools to go around, there aren't enough spots. The method of choosing who gets to go where doesn't matter, what matters is that we need to improve schools all around.
NicoleK at January 27, 2012 12:43 PM
"If it's your contention that primary schooling shouldn't be a public good, then does that mean that I can get back the money that has taken from me in the form of property taxes to educate other peoples kids?"
Nope. Sorry. Whatever contention I have means zip, but thanks for playing.
Hell, I don't even have kids, so all the money I've paid out has been for other people's kids. As for school as a public good, I think the availability to everyone, which really is good, has been cancelled out by the mandatory part. I don't mind so much paying for kids who are at least willing to be there, but I sure hate the idea of paying for kids who are just killing time, or each other.
I know that the real joy I felt in the early years was ruined by classmates who made me wish I was dead. I never thought about it, but it wouldn't have helped me to know that other people were actually paying for me to be there. Public good. Yeah.
But having survived the experience of public school, I admit I have a definite reaction (maybe just sour grapes, because my own mother didn't raise me to be so flexible with my ethics) when I read about how well someone did because her mom didn't mind acting out an elaborate lie to make sure her kid got a better education.
Can't help it. I wasn't raised to appreciate the success of bullshit, even though I see it all around me. Bitter? Oh yeah, maybe a little.
Pricklypear at January 27, 2012 2:08 PM
First the state of water being wet or dry would depend on its temperatrure
Second as far as schools go.
Here is how I would orde rthings were I king of the castle
1. No one gets a break on propety taxes. There are half a dozen communites in the PHX area which dont pay school tax as they are retierment communities. The way I see it is we all pax taxes on our earnings to fund your retierment - you can damn well pay property taxes to educate those who will grow up and continue to fund your retierment
2. No school buses, no brekfast, no lunch. Parents can feed their own kids and drive their own kids to school or make them walk.
2a. Should some private charity wish to provide free transit or food services to the schools it would be alowed
2b. School sports programs get the same funding per participating sudent ratio as any other student activity - things like jersys/uniforms are not paid for by the taxpayers - if such programs are unable to secure enough independent funding thru donations or ticket sales to participate in interschool leagues so be it.
3. No more than 20 students per class between 1st-8th/9th grade
4. You can opt out at age 15 or grade 8/9 which ever comes first
5. If you fail to maintain a 85% GPA you dont get free 9-12 schooling - get a job, pay for your education yourself or have your parents pick up the cost
6. School grounds - you want expensive trees and fancy flower box displays and perfectly manicured hedges, VOLLENTEER to buy and maintain it yourself. The only thing that should be funded by the state is one grass covered field which can double as the PE area when weather permits
7. Schools funds will be distributed to schools in the state based soley on the number of students attending. Therfore the school in the ghetto with 500 students will get more money than the school in the good part of town with 300 students
8. As there are no buses or free food, any student is allowed to attend any schoolin the state they want so long as they can get there
9. Kill no child left behind
10. Teachers unions, either outlawed entierly or all contracts and agreeement null and void and a new contract drawn up with a comitte of lottery drawn citizens (who are neither current or former teachers or politicians) to represent the concerns of the public at any such negotiations given politicans have proven their unwillingness to do so
lujlp at January 27, 2012 3:37 PM
9. Kill no child left behind
The first glance on that I read it as "kill any child left behind." :-D
You missed a very important one:
11. Kill the federal Department of Education.
And some other possibilities:
12. Kill the state's Department of Education.
13. Decide if your local area wants to have publicly paid for education or just privatize it and let the market drive competition.
Why should I be paying my money in taxes to fund your child's education?
Jim P. at January 27, 2012 7:52 PM
Yeah, read number 9 as kids who start falling behind will be killed.
For the most part I like Lujlp's ideas. Thoughts/comments based on my experience:
1: Never heard of that... definitely agree.
2: I don't think no school buses will work where I grew up (and my brother still lives).
2b: Most all the activities had to be funded separately by (state) law. Some pure educational activities could be funded...like chemistry club where the only real expense was the sponsor/supervisor teacher. They actually ended up with a problem because they overall made money (mainly because of the football team - they averaged profiting $3000/game!!!).
3: I think that is a little low...
4: I like the idea at first, but have some reservations...totally ok if they enroll in some sort of apprenticeship.
5: Meaningless. What does that mean? GPA is arbitrary.
6: School grounds are almost exclusively paid by local bonds not the state.
7: This is basically how it is now - there is a cost factor though it isn't realistic. E.g. In the city were cost of living is 2x average they get an extra 5%.
8: How do you determine which students get in when there are more requests that spots? Lottery?
10: Just have to make sure there is no prior relationship...e.g. no donations etc. Not sure how that can be done.
The Former Banker at January 27, 2012 9:34 PM
So has Ms Lemmon written a big, fat check to that school district ? Betcha not. If she can write for Huff Po for free, shr can give back.
KateC at January 27, 2012 9:36 PM
Why didn't her granny pay for achool?
http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2011/03/name_gayle_tzemach_lemmon_age.html
KateC at January 27, 2012 9:38 PM
Lied about living in the school district; broke a federal law by messing with the US mail - Yep, sounds like an upstanding citizen to me!
Charles at January 27, 2012 9:48 PM
In all my years spent in public schools, I've never seen parents actively involved in any needed improvements.
My dad told me it was the schools that decided where he'd pick out our home in Contra Costa back in 1969. Not far from his work, they were practically giving away dirt-- in Napa County. Oh, but the schools were his first concern!
jefe at January 27, 2012 10:40 PM
Why should I be paying my money in taxes to fund your child's education?
Posted by: Jim P.
Schools are cheaper then jail
As far as your responses go The Former Banker
2: I was just shooting from the cuff on this one, but that arguments is often used for all sorts of issuse, and thn other claim its unfair that they dont get the same consideration
2b: My highschool football tea claimed to turn a profiit as well, but they used funny math. The football team earned the ticket sales which were kept to the football team, but the schools general athetic funds paid the electric bill on game nights and for the spary paint on the feild, and for the team jerseys. Wehn my schools paper looked into the finacing it was shut down due to 'lack of funds' for the rest of that year
3: Might be low - but as younger kids generally need more time with teachers I thought it best to err on the side of caution
4: Apprentichip - would you ike fries with that. Generally most kids incapable of learning basic educational precepts wont do all that well at an apprenticeship - the one who are doing well but chose to opt out might excel though
5: Sorry I should have been more clear on that point - as in hold student to acctual stanndards and not just pass them thru each grade
6: I'll be honest with you, I really dont know about that, the first election I was elligable for was after I wa out of highschool, I dont have kids, and dont ever recall seening bond issues regarding school flora on any ballots
7: Yes but why? The school doesnt pay property taxes does it? Why would a state owned school have to pay property taxes to the state? The contracts to build them are bid out thru the state. Aside from a possible purchase price of the land why would the same materials cost MORE in an upscale part of town when the state is supposedly buying them in bulk en masse for the entire system?
8: No, let them all go to that school, hire the teachers to handle the overflow. Something remarkable will happen, the crappy students will be just as crappy. When little Jonnie wo got D's in the shity school keeps getting D's in the new shiney school his parents are going to run out of excuses real fucking quick. Especially with the price of gas climbing to four dollars a gallon, his parents arent going to want to drive him 40 miles to get D's when he was getting the same grades at the school he could walk to
I've got a couple of quasi freinds who work admin for the Mesa school district. Mesa will acttually send their public school buses SEVENTY MILES across town to the far west side of Phoenix and haul kids to their school becuase the parents that moved across town dont like their new school district.
This is a city that has such poor funding theyacctually hired illegal immigrants to clean the police station and city hall. Cops wont show up to a lot of minor crimes and fender benders because they cant afford to pay the officers to investigate the small stuff and fill out the paper work. But the have the money to send a 2 ton vehicle that gets eigth miles to the gallon on two 150+mile road trips a day for the children of parnets paying property taxes to school districts their children dont attend?
As far as the state dept of education I think each state should have 3 employes. 1 part time guy who works 3 hrs a year to recommend a course of study, ie 3hr math, 4hr, english to graduate, that sort of stuff.
The second guy will spend all his time on the phone calling all the schools in the state to get copies of student transcripts to see if the school followed the recomendation
The third guy can drive out to the schools that arent and put up a big sign that says this school is not in compliance with the guidelines of the state for educating your children
lujlp at January 27, 2012 11:00 PM
Sounds like AZ is quite different than what I am used to -- though it could be different there to now.
2b. I guess they are different. Are football team was silent on the issue. The local newspaper broke the news that they were being auditted and might have to pay taxes. I realize not all schools are like that...we did quite well. The made a profit (according to the paper) after the lights etc were paid. They didn't have to pay the bonds that paid for the construction - but the field was also considered classroom space to keep us under the federal rules of students per ft^2.
3. I agree with your point.
6. They are usually called maintenance and/or construction levies. It sounds like AZ might be different - all the k-12 schools I am used to being owned by the local school district.
7. In the system I am familar with the state does nothing but give the locals a bit of money. They still have to pay market price for the land. Plus, you have to pay your teachers a bit more. That has actually been a big complaint of the teachers...(this is a couple years old but) in the big city a "reasonable" apartment was 1200$ ...in a small town in another part of the state a duplex (there were no apartments, but there was a k-12) rented for $500..he point was a teacher would have to 700$ more for rent (or commute quite a distance).
8. All are the kids going to fit in the building?
The Former Banker at January 28, 2012 1:07 AM
Jefe says:
In all my years spent in public schools, I've never seen parents actively involved in any needed improvements.
To which I say: Really? I've seen lots of events where parents get together and put up new playground equipment or repaint the old stuff.
Lujip naively says: 8: No, let them all go to that school, hire the teachers to handle the overflow.
To which I say, Lujip, what if the building isn't big enough? Expanding the physical space is not so easy. Oh, I see the Former Banker thought of this too.
NicoleK at January 28, 2012 4:20 AM
I, too, want to sit in first class even if I am paying for economy.
Gayle can attempt to justify her theft all she wants. She stole what somebody else paid for.
Full disclosure: I'm paying north of $4000 a year to support the local schools, and my kids are long gone. I'm not going to live long enough to see the bonds for the last school expansion paid off, but let's just pretend I can keep paying more and more. Maybe my employer will go crazy and give me big raises. Maybe I can get a second job that will let me still be on-call for the first.
MarkD at January 28, 2012 5:54 AM
@The Former Banker
#7 - I see you point now, and looking back t my origina comment I see I failed to mention a point I normally do. Teacher salary would be paid at the state level and be seperate from the amount of funds a school gets to run its programs.
#8 Fair point, but again I'd think the parents of a kid getting D's arent going to want to drive 40 something miles every day to drop their kids off at schools on the other side of ton and do it again at 3pm.
Plus the simple fact that parents can leave a school is ging to force their local schools to do better.
I suppose if that still doesnt leave enough spaces open make it a first come first serve basis for enrollment - perhaps the local area code has a one week head start on the rest of the general population
lujlp at January 28, 2012 6:38 AM
Uh sorry but everyone who is sending thier kids to public school is stealing from someone else. Here in tn. It costs about 40k to school 3 children from one family. No one in my neighborhood is paying that much in taxes so those wealthier are covering thier tab. I personally know 4 kids here on my street who have personalized learning program. Eid or what ever they are called. That's even more expensive.
Not that it matters anyways. The schools will be the first to crash, when the crash finally comes, and people will be teaching thier kids at home on iPads and such. We already have most of the new curriculum listed on ITunes this Friday. Now I am waiting for the iPads to arrive so I can download them and get started. Good sweet hell am I excited.
I have to say I don't like to think of having competitors on eBay and other sites for the Bunsen burners and microscopes. I think it is going to cost me a bit more at that point.
JosephineMO7 at January 28, 2012 10:28 AM
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