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FIXME: zero ideas in the dept. of education's open government idea board

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Re: FIXME: zero ideas in the dept. of education's open government idea board

#41
post #27
post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What argument are you making that doesn't apply if you replace education, schools and vouchers with food, supermarkets and food stamps?

I bet people buy crappy foods (chips and soft-drinks) for the children when they use food stamps. So there is some similarity. The difference? People have a fair idea as what good food is. Also, education is vulnerable to getting derailed by optimization for tests. And the testing will most likely be controlled by the state. I would worry that big mass-market voucher schools will specialize in marketing, cutting cost…

I'll bet you're right and the risk when allowing people to retain their freedom to make decisions is that they'll make ones with which you disagree.

But I'm less pessimistic than you about people's abilities to make good decisions especially when their children are involved. At least their motivations are better aligned than the government's with their children's interests. Teacher's unions?

Re: FIXME: zero ideas in the dept. of education's open government idea board

#42
post #29
post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If private providers half-ass the underlying learning, why do private schools consistently outperform public schools?

1. Selective admissions 2. Self-selected applicant pool 3. Easier time removing disruptive students In short, private schools have better students.

> In short, private schools have better students.

You overstate the admissions argument.

However, even if we accept it, you're concluding too much.

Public schools insist on letting bad students drag everyone else down with them. Private schools don't.

Neither one seems capable of reaching bad students. However, it's unclear why letting them ruin things for everyone else, as public schools do, is a good thing.

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