I laughed A LOT.

Because all schools and teachers dont play by federal rules.
Private schools are called private because... guess what... They dont
follow fed. rules.
If all schools were allowed to hand select their students, you
would have kids roaming the streets and getting in your barn
and your house. You cannot tell me I can start my own school, decide to only take National Merit Finalists, and expect the Federal government to give
my private school public money... I dont think thats hard to understand in the least.
This is not an opinion. It is a fact. I am restricting kids from coming to my school. Therefore I dont get federal money.

WE as a country are attempting to educate the masses, not just the
chosen. I dont think this is a difficult concept. Democracy works best
when a majority of the public is educated. High School, for whatever reason,
is deemed the cut-off point. After that, Public Universities are allowed much
more latitude in selecting students.

This has nothing to do with schools trying to improve. That is a completely diff. topic. Is it suprising to you that the best public schools come from areas that are made up of parents and students of high socio-economic status? That public schools mirror society? Now if you want to allow kids to be able to attend ANY PUBLIC school they want, including the most successful, I have no problem with this. I would just like to know how you will accomplish this.

The rest of your arguement... I dont have much of a problem with.
Seems fairly sound.

It can happen quickly. States have bridges already designed but are sitting on those designs because they have no money to build them. If they had the money, the bid letting-begin building timeline can be as short as 3 months.

They aren't federal rule breakers. The public education system in this country doesn't work very well. When close to a trillion dollars is being handed out it seems counterproductive to cast out the best schools and their families. The selection of students is misleading because most private schools are open to pretty much anyone who has the money to pay tuition. Pretending they dont exist and not helping families that want to send their kids to a better place for a better education hardly seems to fit into the democratic ideal system. The fact is that the teachers union doesnt care about kids, education or families, it cares about ensuring that non union schools and teachers get nothing.

I don't hate Obama...but this is politics...unwise politics! So you can try to find out the facts, OR you can just go with the flow because your side won.
The problems our country faces are enormous, and if you're paying attention
you'll see that the stimulus bill is the same "tripe solution" that's been going on for decades. It would be a shame to forfeit our childrens' futures for an
ineffective band-aid now. That's my story...and I'm stickin to it!

I've been a lifelong Republican. "My side" is a train wreck.

I have been paying attention, and lets see what the GOP and Dems in the Senate rip out of it, as it's not a done deal yet.

No, it's not like the solutions that has been proposed (or implemented) in the last 8 years.

I read the NY Times, and the LA Times. Huffpost and FoxNews. O'Reilly and Limbaugh (but he makes me throw up, alot).

Maybe we could just entitle one thread, "The Obama Years" ?

Maybe we could call it "The Obama/ Carter Years"

the reagan revolution---providing arms to both iran and iraq, funding and teaching bin ladin and the mujahuddin(?) how to fight the russians never thinking that they will turn those same weapons on us. tearing down regulations that where meant to safeguard the public from unethical business people-- oh wait-- there is no such thing as bad profits, the list goes on and on

1. Then what makes them private?

2. Public schools absolutely suck in places where the parents dont care about it. Public schools are fantastic in areas where parents are heavily involved. Good teachers are drawn to schools that have students and parents that value education. Is this really a huge surprise? And the public school arguement has been used for a very long time... At least since the 50's. Yet we continue to turn out the best scientists, etc... in the world.

3. Agreed but let us understand something. A signficant portion of that money is used at PUBLIC COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES. Not for K-12. If you want it to be fair let the public schools out from under incredibly restrictive rules... ie no child left behind (good idea for tracking students, horrible in its implementation and other mandates)


4. BS.
As long as private schools dont have to make special bathrooms, tables, etc.. costing so much money for very specific INDIVIDUAL problems for the special need kids. Accommidations that dont necessarily fit the next special needs kid.
Public schools use a hell of a lot of money for special accommidations
that private schools will never make. They would go out of "business".

5. No arguement here at all. Just like the AMA is primarily concerned about Doctor's rights.

I am very dubious of for profit schools.
Cant wait to see a Walmart logo on all hallway lockers.
Public Universities, for the most part, are doing fine without being for profit...
(Wonder why?)