John Edwards has plan to economically diversify schools - his plan includes vouchers!

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Sen. John Edwards plans to warn later this week that the nation’s schools have become segregated by race and income, and he will propose measures to diversify both inner-city and middle-class schools.

The plan calls for beefing up inner-city magnet schools to attract suburban kids, and providing extra money for schools in middle-class areas as a reward for enrolling more low-income students.

...

The proposals Edwards plans to unveil would encourage income diversity in schools, in the hope that poor students would have more experienced teachers and motivated classmates.

...

Edwards wants to set aside $100 million to help school districts implement economic integration programs. The money will help finance buses and other resources for schools that enroll additional low-income children.

Edwards also envisions magnet schools dedicated to economic integration. The idea is that these schools would attract middle-class and suburban students to low-income areas.

Another prong of the program would create one million housing vouchers over five years to help low-income families move to better neighborhoods.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0707/4957.html

[one...two...tree 2,762]

If schools are neighborhood based, how do you diversify the student body if the neighborhoods are divided along economic and racial lines?

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

If schools are neighborhood based, how do you diversify the student body if the neighborhoods are divided along economic and racial lines?

From the article:

The money will help finance buses ...

[one...two...tree 2,762]

If schools are neighborhood based, how do you diversify the student body if the neighborhoods are divided along economic and racial lines?

From the article:

The money will help finance buses ...

I didn't phrase that well... if diversity doesn't exist within the community, then I don't see how school integration will somehow make those students feel integrated. I understand the idea behind and I'm a big fan of diversity, but I can imagine a student feeling really out of place if he/she is being bussed from a economically poorer neighborhood.

Edited July 17, 2007 by Steven_and_Jinky

[Ban Hammer 14,469]

in short, know new taxes

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

I understand the idea behind and I'm a big fan of diversity, but I can imagine a student feeling really out of place if he/she is being bussed from a economically poorer neighborhood.

A motivated student will know how to take advantage of the opportunity and better him/herself. Think about all the foreign students from Asia and Africa who come to America - many end up very well, despite the cultural alienation.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

I understand the idea behind and I'm a big fan of diversity, but I can imagine a student feeling really out of place if he/she is being bussed from a economically poorer neighborhood.

A motivated student will know how to take advantage of the opportunity and better him/herself. Think about all the foreign students from Asia and Africa who come to America - many end up very well, despite the cultural alienation.

Ideally, it would great to see neighborhoods and communities that support a diversity along socio-economic lines, but I realize that's not easy to legislate.

[keltic 1]

well, i will take what i suppose to be the unpopular stand on this, then...

i believe that all kids should be able to have a good education from public schools... however, unless the fed govt is willing to put enough money into ALL the schools to even out the quality ($100M isnt gonna cut it), i dont think they should have a say in shipping kids from one district to another...

lets look at the real world... i pay more for a smaller house to be in a great school district... i pay whopping city taxes so my child can attend a well-funded, higher-rated school... if i am busting my a$$ to make this mortgage for my child, why should it be given to someone who doesnt do the same, or why should my child be shipped to a magnet school in a district where the schools are not the priority?

[one...two...tree 2,762]

well, i will take what i suppose to be the unpopular stand on this, then...

i believe that all kids should be able to have a good education from public schools... however, unless the fed govt is willing to put enough money into ALL the schools to even out the quality ($100M isnt gonna cut it), i dont think they should have a say in shipping kids from one district to another...

lets look at the real world... i pay more for a smaller house to be in a great school district... i pay whopping city taxes so my child can attend a well-funded, higher-rated school... if i am busting my a$$ to make this mortgage for my child, why should it be given to someone who doesnt do the same, or why should my child be shipped to a magnet school in a district where the schools are not the priority?

And that's exactly how economic segregation happens. What you want (correct me if I'm wrong) is a quality education for your child, but don't you think it's elitist to want quality of education to be determined solely on the location of a school (such as in a wealthy neighborhood)?

[SqdnGuns 21]

Sounds like busing all over again......................

[keltic 1]

well, i will take what i suppose to be the unpopular stand on this, then...

i believe that all kids should be able to have a good education from public schools... however, unless the fed govt is willing to put enough money into ALL the schools to even out the quality ($100M isnt gonna cut it), i dont think they should have a say in shipping kids from one district to another...

lets look at the real world... i pay more for a smaller house to be in a great school district... i pay whopping city taxes so my child can attend a well-funded, higher-rated school... if i am busting my a$$ to make this mortgage for my child, why should it be given to someone who doesnt do the same, or why should my child be shipped to a magnet school in a district where the schools are not the priority?

And that's exactly how economic segregation happens. What you want (correct me if I'm wrong) is a quality education for your child, but don't you think it's elitist to want quality of education to be determined solely on the location of a school (such as in a wealthy neighborhood)?

i DO want a quality education for my child... i place a higher priority on it than i do other things that city taxes pay for... thats why i chose to live in a place where schools are the priority... it meets my needs... it is not a 'wealthy' neighborhood... its not a ghetto, but its not wealthy... but the ppl who live here (and amazingly enough, its culturally diverse) choose to put more of their tax money towards the schools... what is wrong with that? it wouldnt make sense for a community that didnt have a large population of children to put a lot of money into the schools... it would make more sense to put it into drawing tourists, hospitals, or whatever would serve the purpose of the ppl who live in that community...

all that being said... *IF* the federal govt wants to step in and try to make things equal, then it will take a lot more money than it seems they are willing to put up... $100M seems like a lot of money... but split that among all the schools in the USA and it then seems pretty paltry

[GaryC 7]

I moved for the same reasons. I went from an appartment in Peoria to one in East Peoria because I have heard of nothing but horror stories about district 150. Funding schools with property taxes is not the way I would like to see it. It is the cause of the disparities on school districts. If we are going to have government funded schools then it should be funded at the state level. Give funding to schools based on student numbers regardless of what city or district they are in. The money should come from something other than property taxes. Make it come from the states general fund or maybe state sales tax. Something that everyone puts into. It isn't fair that a childless couple that owns a house should pay for schools while a couple that rents and has 6 kids pays nothing.

Edited July 17, 2007 by Iniibig ko si Luz forever

[one...two...tree 2,762]

well, i will take what i suppose to be the unpopular stand on this, then...

i believe that all kids should be able to have a good education from public schools... however, unless the fed govt is willing to put enough money into ALL the schools to even out the quality ($100M isnt gonna cut it), i dont think they should have a say in shipping kids from one district to another...

lets look at the real world... i pay more for a smaller house to be in a great school district... i pay whopping city taxes so my child can attend a well-funded, higher-rated school... if i am busting my a$$ to make this mortgage for my child, why should it be given to someone who doesnt do the same, or why should my child be shipped to a magnet school in a district where the schools are not the priority?

And that's exactly how economic segregation happens. What you want (correct me if I'm wrong) is a quality education for your child, but don't you think it's elitist to want quality of education to be determined solely on the location of a school (such as in a wealthy neighborhood)?

i DO want a quality education for my child... i place a higher priority on it than i do other things that city taxes pay for... thats why i chose to live in a place where schools are the priority... it meets my needs... it is not a 'wealthy' neighborhood... its not a ghetto, but its not wealthy... but the ppl who live here (and amazingly enough, its culturally diverse) choose to put more of their tax money towards the schools... what is wrong with that? it wouldnt make sense for a community that didnt have a large population of children to put a lot of money into the schools... it would make more sense to put it into drawing tourists, hospitals, or whatever would serve the purpose of the ppl who live in that community...

all that being said... *IF* the federal govt wants to step in and try to make things equal, then it will take a lot more money than it seems they are willing to put up... $100M seems like a lot of money... but split that among all the schools in the USA and it then seems pretty paltry

Well there's local (city), county and state taxes that help fund public education. In fact, I believe that where the disparity exists. It's local governments that allocate funding for their schools.

[keltic 1]

Funding schools with property taxes is not the way I would like to see it. It is the cause of the disparities on school districts. If we are going to have government funded schools then it should be funded at the state level. Give funding to schools based on student numbers regardless of what city or district they are in. The money should come from something other than property taxes. Make it come from the states general fund or maybe state sales tax. Something that everyone puts into. It isn't fair that a childless couple that owns a house should pay for schools while a couple that rents and has 6 kids pays nothing.

exactly!!!!!! im getting very scared now... we agree on this AND on illegal immigration... i will have my hubby check my temperature and have luz check your basement for pods!

what you describe above is how it *should* be... but, until it is that way, and im busting my a$$ to stay in an area that does value education over other things, then i want to make sure that my daughter reaps the benefits of my struggles

[keltic 1]

well, i will take what i suppose to be the unpopular stand on this, then...

i believe that all kids should be able to have a good education from public schools... however, unless the fed govt is willing to put enough money into ALL the schools to even out the quality ($100M isnt gonna cut it), i dont think they should have a say in shipping kids from one district to another...

lets look at the real world... i pay more for a smaller house to be in a great school district... i pay whopping city taxes so my child can attend a well-funded, higher-rated school... if i am busting my a$$ to make this mortgage for my child, why should it be given to someone who doesnt do the same, or why should my child be shipped to a magnet school in a district where the schools are not the priority?

And that's exactly how economic segregation happens. What you want (correct me if I'm wrong) is a quality education for your child, but don't you think it's elitist to want quality of education to be determined solely on the location of a school (such as in a wealthy neighborhood)?

i DO want a quality education for my child... i place a higher priority on it than i do other things that city taxes pay for... thats why i chose to live in a place where schools are the priority... it meets my needs... it is not a 'wealthy' neighborhood... its not a ghetto, but its not wealthy... but the ppl who live here (and amazingly enough, its culturally diverse) choose to put more of their tax money towards the schools... what is wrong with that? it wouldnt make sense for a community that didnt have a large population of children to put a lot of money into the schools... it would make more sense to put it into drawing tourists, hospitals, or whatever would serve the purpose of the ppl who live in that community...

all that being said... *IF* the federal govt wants to step in and try to make things equal, then it will take a lot more money than it seems they are willing to put up... $100M seems like a lot of money... but split that among all the schools in the USA and it then seems pretty paltry

Well there's local (city), county and state taxes that help fund public education. In fact, I believe that where the disparity exists. It's local governments that allocate funding for their schools.

aye, theres the rub... state and federal level govt should be subsidizing to make sure that all schools provide good schooling...

but then you have differences within the family homes... does the family at 123 main street support and encourage their children above and beyond school? does the family at 125 main street encourage their children to skip school to work to bring in some more money? etc, etc...