[extropy-chat] Re: Public Schools

[David Lubkin]

At 10:52 AM 1/21/2004 -0600, Kevin Freels wrote:

> > I have never met a homeschooled individual who wasn't a success, though
> > I admit that I've only met a few.
>
>I have. Many are poorly adjusted for society. Human beings as a social
>animal need to learn social skills as well as general knowledge to become
>successful.

Everyone I know who home-schools makes a point to provide opportunities for 
their kids to interact socially with contemporaries and adults, through the 
myria of non-school avenues -- sports, lessons, volunteer work, church, 
job, family, neighborhood, scouting, clubs, etc. Because they are not in 
school all day, they have *more* social interaction than kids who are in 
school.

However, they have fewer interactions with those who beat up, bully, or 
demean them, with those above them in the social pecking order, and with 
the cerebrally anesthetized or vacuous. So they may be less capable of 
coping with the adult equivalents. On the other hand, home schoolers will 
have more experience meeting adult behavioral norms through their greater 
interaction with adults as peers.

>The tax money of the countrie's wealthiest people couldn't even pay for 
>our military.

Back-of-the-envelope -- The military is approx $380 billion. The top 5% in 
income paid about $450 billion in personal income taxes. I ignored 
ancillary costs of the military, balancing them by ignoring other taxes. 
And of course, what does "wealthiest" mean? But the Fermi calculation shows 
both numbers are pretty close.


-- David Lubkin.