It is now absolutely evil because in our governments infinite wisdom, national education has embraced the Hegelian model (the same as Nazis Germany and Stalinist Russia) whereas reading writing and arithmetic has been replace by indoctrination (kids know everything about Arbor day, Environmentalism and all liberal stances). This has been the case since 1963 and Ayn Rand would be fully aware of this fact. Brainwashing anyone???

We (all of us) have abdicated out responsibilities as parents, mentors, and role models to our off-spring in search or the golden prosperity - and by doing such, have sunk the hope of tomorrow in the lives of our children becoming responsible producing citizens . . . IMHO

Public Education has become evil because it has become a method of brain washing our childern into believing that big Government is good and the solution to all problems in society. It enforces atheism as the state religion. It no longer teaches the virtures of capitalism.

As a secondary teacher in the public school system right now, I can tell you that while it is not evil at the moment, it will become that very shortly. Public education is at a tipping point in the U.S. Public education was created by the socialists in the 19th century primarily to socialize Irish immigrants: teach them English and a protestant-esque work style and ethic. That early system served the U.S. very well. Each individual community determined what was and was not important for their own children to learn. Now that ability for communities to make that determination has been stripped away. The reality is that parents/taxpayers have little to no say in what happens in their neighborhood schools (which they are not even allowed to enter freely). That right has been given to the government, and I do mean "given." When parents and communities started caring more about the athletics (which are important) than they did about what goes on in their child's classroom and said that standardized tests (written by our government) were the way to decide how well our kids are doing, those parents and communities gave away their control of their schools. The Department of Education now tells me and my colleagues what we will teach and, to an extent, how we will teach it. Curriculum is one thing though---the worst is on its way. There is now a push for "Character Education." Schools are now determining what characteristics are good for society and which ones are not. One presenter to my district defined an idiot as someone who is more interested in their own good than the good of the community. And she honestly believed that. Unfortunately most educators have never held a job outside of education and have no concept of the idea that what is good for the individual is, in fact, good for the community. Because they have no concept or understanding of this they cannot teach it or demonstrate it. Be aware ladies and gentlemen, socialism is in our schools and is now running our schools. Don't believe me? Take a day and go to your neighborhood school whether you kids go there or not; sit in on some classes; talk to the teachers. I would dearly love to be wrong, but in my district, I am not. I teach in public schools, but my kids will not attend them.

Parents may also be too busy making a living to teach their kids. They may also not have enough information themselves. The usefulness of public education is that children encounter people with social, economic and informational backgrounds beyond the scope of their families.

People raised at home, trained at home and educated at home have a very narrow scope of the world. Errors, rather than eradicated are reinforced. It takes a very unusual and financially secure parent to personally prepare a child for university. Even when successful the child lacks the kind of personal interactions achieved by his conventionally educated peers.

I would suggest that any assumption “that parents are too stupid or too lazy to educate their children and, therefore, the State must compel them to do so” is a current phenomenon of Liberals attempting to justify indoctrinating young people to indefensible beliefs.

The State, attempting to create a submissive populace, has been using enforced curricula for over a century.

In 1985, our three girls were in the public school system in Setauket NY, part of the greater Stonybrook university community and one should expect therefore a modicum of decent education. This was not the case.

We started home schooling back then when it was not a well known activity and we were the districts first antagonists/victims.

It began when my 15 year old decided she was going to stay home and read the complete encyclopedia from start to finish. My wife was called in, of course, and in response to their saying kids couldn't simply stay home and watch television all day, told them what our girl was actually doing. Their response, after some more dialog regarding the plus points of our impromptu home schooling was; “Mrs. Asher, you don’t understand. We are in the business of raising taxpayers!

(to be continued)
Peter Asher

I don't thing Public Education is evil, that's too strong a description. But it is a failure. My granddaughter is Home Schooled. She started Kindergarten last Oct and had advanced to 1st grade by April. My daughter gave her a 2 week break during the summer. She expects my granddaughter to be advanced again before the end of the year. The thing is, this Home School program is provided by the Public School system in Oregon, California and Washington. The provide a free computer, printer and all the materials the child will need. I was amazed at the lessons she is completing. Subjects that I didn't have until 4th & 5th grade. She learns at her own pace. There is no reason why this couldn't be down in the classroom instead of expecting the kids to learn at the same rate.

I would only change your initial statement to Government Education is evil, and encourage everyone to refer these institutions as such.
They were public schools when the public participated in the decision making processes, now it's Government Administrators dealing with Union Officials to decide what is best, the best for the children, right...

They don't really teach anything and what they do teach is to the absolute lowest level.

Okay, I'll chime in. I just shrugged from public education after 23 years of teaching. I was called a "rogue educator" which I was more than happy to smile about. Public education 20 years ago allowed for individual accountability and autonomy by teachers. There are few areas in public education that have not been desecrated. Yes, opening your mind to learn about the world and yourself is the greatest gift, yet, it is in its current state- it's evil. I concur.

What's evil about it? I was subjected to an egalitarian principal who made my life hell. I was told to follow the plans of other teachers who had 15-20 years less experience than me because "if you're all on the same page, parents won't complain". Literally- the same page. I rejected her demands only to be threatened with my job. So, of course, I secretly taught. This is happening in America.

I then left the school system to try a charter school hoping that it would offer more autonomy for teachers and someone would appreciate my experience, drive, and dedication to laying a foundational understanding instead of throwing worksheets at children. I was mistaken. It was just as bad. You were expected to work 10 hour days, some nights stay until 7, volunteer and work Saturday schools. Teach for America teachers stocked nearly every classroom waiting to be burned out in the 2 year prison sentence. When I finished the year, the school director informed me that since I didn't follow the other teacher's plans, I would not be asked back. I informed him that I was thankful for the opportunity (and relieved).

I will NEVER return to public education in the state it is in. I left one of my last positions with the sign "I'm leaving it as I found it, take over, it's yours." hanging on the door and still have the photograph to remind me of the hell that year. I kept the book Atlas Shrugged on my desk and used passphrases from Atlas as my school passwords. I read the book every day and cried often.

I miss the children and feel sometimes that I'm leaving them in a hell similar to the way it was in Atlas Shrugged. I'm waiting to leave the Gulch and return to rebuild, but only after it implodes from the bureaucracy and corruption. I'm not holding my breath.

I applied to be a bank teller yesterday.

Actually, we have a lot of history and data to sort out under the rubric of "public education." Generally, school boards are local and are INDEPENDENT of "the government." In other words, the mayor and city council have no control over the schools.

Truly, public education has been complicated and compromised by its relationship to government. Probably all US states license teachers.Here in Texas, the State buys all textbooks for all public schools.

That aside, the basic truth is the public schooling reflects America's commitment to learning. Like public buses and public zoos** public education is just a way to achieve what most people seem to want. It is not optimal. As an educator myself, I agree that completely privatizing education would be best. My wishes aside, the social structures and social functions of local education tell me that if you are unhappy with your local schools, then maybe you should get involved with the school board and maybe run for office.

If you would rather start your own for-profit school, that is highly laudable.

Just to complain achieves nothing.

**On public zoos: the world is not short of problems to decry but no one here so far has claimed that Marxist zoos harm animals.

At the very least, teachers and administrators need to be given clear direction, the tools to succeed and results-based incentives (sorta like capitalism... right?)
How about this for specifics: standardized tests are given at the end of every school year to all students. The teacher is then graded not on the average grade level for the students, but on how much the students have progressed during the year. For instance, if a teacher gets 4th grade students who are on a 2nd grade level and elevates them to a 3.5 grade level, then she/he has moved them up by 1.5 grades in a single year and should get a bonus. If the students progress only .75 grades, then probation. Twice in a row and you're out. The principal should be judged by the aggregate progress of all the students in the school and the superintendent on the aggregate of all schools. That would make sure that principals fight for books, supplies and equipment that would ensure their financial success.

"Fee Fi Fo Fum
I smell the blood of an Englishman.
Be he live or be he dead,
I'll grind his bones to make my bread."
Giant
from 'Jack and the Beanstalk'

Since I'm not English, doesn't count.

see, you eat that bread, and then the tiny bone fragments over time wear down your teeth, eventually causing abscess, and the infection spreads to the brain. not good.

Not unless you want to. It means just what it says.

who else isn't talking to me? Rocky will talk to me