How Much Does Public Education Cost?
May 6th, 2008It turns out very few people can answer that question, or even guess close.
Here’s an interesting new article by William G. Howell, associate professor in the Harris School of Public Policy at the University of Chicago, and Martin R.West, assistant professor of education at Brown University, that says, on average, most people are off by half when asked to guess how much they and their fellow taxpayers spend on government schools.
In sum, Americans think that far less is being spent on the nation’s public schools than is actually the case. The vast majority of the public thinks we spend amounts that can only be described as minuscule, and almost 96 percent of the public underestimate either per-pupil spending in their districts or teacher salaries in their states.
May 10th, 2008 at 9:36 am
It would be interesting to see what the polls said if the proponents of increased spending were asked to write a check. This survey represents a good example of socialism gone way wrong. It is OK if the extra spending is “from the rich” or “the Government”, or if it is borrowed from our children. If people were asked to spend the extra money themselves, there would be less than 5% who would advocate more spending (probably way less). If they were asked to sacrifice from their own lives, education spending would drop considerably.
And why shouldn’t it? Constant spending increases have only produced more apathetic parents and students and disgruntled teachers. Go ahead ask any teacher how they feel about “no child left behind”. Ask them whether they would trade a 2% salary raise for more control in the classroom and more freedom to teach. Ask them how helpful the superintendent’s office is to their mission. If you ask these questions one-on-one without an administrator, union rep, or politician around, the answers will amaze you. I did it many times, and, not surprisingly to me, teachers wanted to be left to their creative devices for teaching objective lessons, instill responsibility to learn in students and parents (through common-sense discipline), and be relieved from the volumes of inane “process” and “procedure” documents that flow from the politician-controlled superintendents office.
Nobody will answer this next question, though I have asked it many times of our politicians, but I will ask it again anyway. Why should we continue down a path that has proven to be a failure? Increased spending has only made the results of education worse. It has allowed a great many more administrators to gum up the works and has freed many parents of the responsibility (at least in their minds) of being the main provider of the education of their children. It is amazing how many parents will turn over their children to the Government schools simply because it is free. At least in Nazi Germany, they were forced to do it. We simply do it for convenience, and many do not even realize it. Yet this system has the guts to ask for more….and we have the stupidity to grant it.
Remember, the Constitution offers a level playing field, not level players. Those who want more funding for education are free to pay whatever they want toward that end…not just for themselves, but for everyone. That is a guarantee of the Constitution. What is treasonous, yet accepted as common recourse, is forcing me to pay for your idea. I may be able to be convinced if the idea is good, but I am far less likely to agree if I am forced. In fact, I may work a lot harder to regain my right to choose where my influence goes. It is sad that so few Americans feel this way. Apparently, Jefferson’s faith in the dedication of the common man to freedom through control of the Government was misplaced.
More funding for schools? Lets ask the people to vote with their dollars and we will see a much more fair survey and a more reasonable assessment of the cost of education.
May 10th, 2008 at 9:49 am
Absolutely right on!
May 11th, 2008 at 9:27 am
Public Education? Lets Ask this Question. How Much Is Spent On The Illegals In Our Schools? The Extra teachers,The Classroom Space,The Bi-Lingual Printing,The ‘Free Lunches’ For The Poor Illegals,The Gangs,The disgust they have For Learning ENGLISH,The Cost To graduation? Only Then Can You awaken The SLEEPING Masses In America! The Interlopers Have Arrived And They Are Exploiting Your NICENESS! WAKE UP!
May 15th, 2008 at 11:22 am
I think we need to stop paying to educate the children of illegals. Let the businesses who hire illegals pay for it. If we can’t afford to properly educate our own children, it’s insane to be focused on the children of people who shouldn’t be here in the first place. I’m not talking about legal immigrants, just the illegals.