2008 U.S. Presidential Election - Primaries

[DarkTemplarZero]

Personally, I don't see how giving less money to struggling schools is a good idea. It seems to me like a richer get richer, poorer get poorer sort of thing, where the schools that need the money the most are exactly the ones that get their funding cut. It seems rather illogical to try to apply principles from free market capitalism to public education, no?

Roy, the deficit isn't due to bloated domestic spending; Bush's administration chopped down government spending on everything humanly imaginable, except for military spending of course.

Toxicity, I have to concede that point. The democratic congress hasn't done what I had hoped, which is unfortunate. There's a pretty bitter partisanship in congress right now, but hopefully, either McCain or Obama get elected and we get a president who's actually a unifier instead of someone who claims to be a unifier but really rips the country to pieces like Dubya. Maybe then the congress will be more effective.

[Roy Karrde]

Personally, I don't see how giving less money to struggling schools is a good idea.

It gives a insentive for the schools to perform well, if they do not perform well they will need to learn how to fix it or risk losing more money. Giving schools a free ride for underperforming doesn't seem right.

where the schools that need the money the most are exactly the ones that get their funding cut.

Then find ways to work on improving performance.

It seems rather illogical to try to apply principles from free market capitalism to public education, no?

Actually it seems very logical, it gives the schools something to push for, and punishes them when they don't. American Schools were on a down ward path in the 90s, something, anything had to be done.

Roy, the deficit isn't due to bloated domestic spending;

Bridge to no where?

Bush's administration chopped down government spending on everything humanly imaginable, except for military spending of course.

Well that kind of happens during a time of war, and when we were coming off a period in which bloated government projects filled the Government. But you fail to realize the massive amount of ear marks that were put in bills by Republicans which drove the deficit up.

The schools that cannot show at least a good portion of success get their funds taken away, meaning students will literally go to school every day just to be coached to excel. In a lot of the cases, the schools will do even worse all because the students were tired for preparing for testing. Personally I don't see why you should just take away the government support because the students don't feel like testing; give them a reason to do well.

Why shouldn't we push teachers and push students to excel? If there is a threat of punishment behind it, they will only work faster. Students in the United States are falling behind the rest in the world. We need to push them harder becuase no one will hold their hand and go "Oh Poor Baby" when they reach the real world. If we cannot make our students competative in the real world, then we as a nation are screwed.

[Toxicity]

Why shouldn't we push teachers and push students to excel? If there is a threat of punishment behind it, they will only work faster. Students in the United States are falling behind the rest in the world. We need to push them harder becuase no one will hold their hand and go "Oh Poor Baby" when they reach the real world. If we cannot make our students competative in the real world, then we as a nation are screwed.

Then tell me why these schools that actually try to pick up still fall back.

It's because the students who are pushed don't care after being pushed long enough. Not trying to be prejudiced in any form, but the good majority of these trying schools are in areas where there is no sight to this "real world"; all the students know of is that any of them could turn up imprisoned or even dead at any point. It's the psychology behind it that leads them to that point of oblivion.

I see nothing wrong with trying to help those that are making clear attempts to improve their lives; if you're expecting handouts, enjoy waiting. At least, that's how I'd run both education and the welfare system.