[extropy-chat] Re: Public Schools

[Olga Bourlin]

From: "Technotranscendence" <neptune at superlink.net>

> Clarify that benefit and what you mean exactly by education.  In my
> experience, homeschooled and privately schooled children tend to be much
> smarter, less violent, and more civilized than public school children.
> I don't know if anyone's done a study.

IMO terms like "smarter," "less violent" and "more civilized" are often
difficult to quantify.  But (as long as we're at it), I would be curious to
see how privately educated v. publicly educated children would fare on the
"more compassionate," "happier," "more inclined to seek psychological
counseling" meters.  I would be interested to see some objective (as much as
that's possible) studies on this subject.

>  Some might say that's because
> public schools have to take everyone, BUT my experience is with most
> public school children I've been around -- not necessary the dregs and
> delinquents.  Even just on that level, I noticed marked differences.  (I
> admit, I've only met a few homeschooled children, so my "sample" is much
> smaller and probably not as telling.)

Ever since this discussion was posted, I've been wondering ... *home*
schooling?  I may be living on a very resident-alien part of the USA, but
it's been 2-3 decades since I've so much as known of a family with an adult
person at home during the work week.  The exceptions have been a parent
who's taken a short maternal/paternal leave, or (in a couple of cases)
independently wealthy people (who sent their offspring to de rigueur private
schools, anyway).  Furthermore, it seems like about 50% of the
families-with-children I know are single-parent families.

> It's a shame so many people have children who do not want to take proper
> care of them but look for the state to do that.

Careful when you come to whatever your conclusion is of  - what's "proper
care."  Not depending on public schools does not - by a long shot -
guarantee that children will necessarily be taken care of properly.

Olga