Socialism and the Public Schools

Last night I had duty at a basketball game, and shortly before the game started I was talking with the other teachers who also had duty. Someone brought up the superintendent's visit, and his comment that he thought that the universal preschool initiative would pass when it comes up for a vote on the next ballot. This brought up the whole subject of socialism, including government-run health care.

Why should the children suffer because of the lack of parenting ability, lack of money, lack of whatever? Here we go again, thinking with our hearts instead of our brains. When the government fills in for the parents, it only reinforces the "bad" behavior in the parents. If we teach the parents how to "do it right", we only have to pay once; otherwise we pay forever--or at least until the child turns 18. It's kind of like a job training program, which keeps you from having to pay for welfare forever.

I ask my usual questions of the socialists. Do you want people like those who run the TSA, or the DMV, in charge of your health care? You don't seem to like or trust George Bush or the Republican-controlled Congress, so why do you want them in charge of your health care? "I just think that..." is the usual response.

I've thought about anti-racist math, about using schools and students for social engineering, and then I read this story out of Los Angeles. Turns out that the city has spent quite a lot of money on keeping kids out of gangs, with not a lot to show for it. Those who think with their hearts will fe-e-e-e-e-l that if only they spent more money, at least one kid could be saved from a gang. Those of us who think with our heads wonder if they should continue to throw good money after bad:

Los Angeles spends $26 million a year to keep kids out of gangs or get them to renounce their affiliation, but the program is such a failure that not a single youth has ever been released from a court-imposed gang injunction, officials said Friday.

$26 million a year. Good job, social engineers.