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| No | 63% | 71 votes | Total: 112 votes | |
| Yes | 37% | 41 votes |
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Add to FavoritesAmerica has a longstanding tradition of educating their children in their neighborhoods. This appears to be a great idea on the surface but when you look beneath, the truth that neighborhood schools in poor neighborhoods are under funded and offer a much lower quality of education is evident.Neighborhood schools are not the best way to educate our children.
Neighborhood schools provide easier access for students who often live nearby. Schools in poorer neighborhoods do not receive as much money as those in wealthier neighborhoods to spend on education. Children are deprived of an equal education under the neighborhood school system. If schools do not receive any equal amount of money to spend on teachers salaries,maintenance and other necessary school expenditures they are not giving children in poorer neighborhood schools an equal education.
Switching our schools to a state or national system where the distribution of money could be equalized and schools can provide the best education possible for their children. Our current system allows those school districts who have residents on the higher end of the income scale to be provided with larger amounts of money as people are taxed within their school districts on a local level. Neighborhoods with poorer residents often have schools that are at the bottom of barrel when it comes to the quality of education and teachers.
Poverty in neighborhoods is the determining factor in whether or not a child receives a quality education in the United States. There should be no wonder as to why we are falling behind. Equality in education is necessary to improve overall test scores and provide poor children with the tools to succeed.
I would like to propose switching to a state system where all of the tax money provided for education is collected and redistributed by the state to school districts based on enrollment and not neighborhood tax revenue. I believe a system such as this would serve communities much better than the current system. The states and the federal government already make contributions to local school districts and could continue to do so under my proposed system.
The advantages of a state run 'school system' are the equal distribution of monetary funds and resources to schools based on enrollment not on neighborhood tax revenue. Federal and state funds provided for schools previously can continue and be equally distributed to schools under the new system. Schools can continue to operate as neighborhood schools but funded under an equal and fair distribution system.
We need to make positive changes to neighborhood schools in order to provide students with an equal and quality education.
Learn more about this author, Danette M. Scott.
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Yes
Part of a child's education is socialization, the instilling of a sense of community and civic pride. For children, the time they spend at school is a large part of this facet of education. The school and their classmates are an integral part of their community.
As parents, as adults, we take pride in our geographic community. We maintain our homes, support and patronize local commerce, and of course, support our local schools.
In this, we teach our children the importance of good citizenship, so that they can eventually become contributing members of society. This education begins within their community, of which the local school is part.
A school that has the support of local businesses and community members succeeds not only academically, but serves as a focal point for the community.
Why would parents want to send their children to a school outside of their own community, if it is from the community that the child learns his or her socialization skills and develops civic pride?
If a local school is not performing, that is, it is overcrowded, shows poor test scores, and fails to provide expected levels of improvement, then the adults of the community must act. Simply shifting children to another school tells these children their own community is not worth saving.
Location based assignments of schools is a practical and economic solution to placement of children in the public school system. But parents are not compelled to place their children in local schools. They can opt for other schools within the district in which they reside. They can opt for schools in other districts. They can send their children to private schools, charter schools, or boarding schools. They can home school their children, if they are so inclined.
The only legal obligation of parents is to provide their children with an adequate and appropriate education.
But location based education has its advantages. Children remain close to home, and so, as cited above, spend their time within the community. Location based education also ensures that community members have a direct relationship with the school district.
Whether a parent chooses to send their children to the local school or not, that parent still provides financial support to that local school through bonds and taxes. We are the financiers of the public school system. We are in the unique position of providing capital and being the customers. If we are paying into a community resource then we should expect to reap the benefits of that resource.
This makes us stakeholders in the local school district. This means that the staff of that district is compelled to meet the needs of the community that is its employer. We elect the school board members and we can hold them accountable for the condition of our local school buildings and the quality of education provided by the staff members of those schools.
This direct financial and geographic relationship ensures that all community members have the ability to continually improve their neighborhoods and communities.
A school's reputation can influence the market value of a neighborhood. Good schools attract families. Family neighborhoods attract business. Business means a strong tax base. A strong tax base means monetary availability for local improvements and that means higher market values.
When parents choose to avail themselves of the location based school assignment, and continue to be involved not only in their own children's education but in the school as well, they are building a community asset.
When community members take an active role in their local schools through volunteerism, through participation in school district committees and sponsored events they improve their neighborhoods and are positive role models for the local children.
When children value their community, they are far less likely to become involved in activities that would harm that community, such as vandalism or tagging. They are also more likely to build positive relationships within the community, leading to such benefits as employment opportunities and recommendations for college applications.
Location based assignments are practical and economical. They allow school districts to provide transportation, to anticipate budgetary needs, and establish relationships with a specific community. They allow parents to keep their children close to home and participate in their children's education.
Location based school assignments is one of the better options available to parents. It is the best way parents have of creating community assets through the public school system and it is the best way the system has of organizing the placement of children within the public school system.
Learn more about this author, Shelly Mcrae.
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