You are free to send your children to a private school if you wish, and that's as it should be. I plan to do so myself when I have school-age children.
What Boudreaux's article says is that private schooling should be the only option. That is absurd because then hardly anybody would go to school. I also think it would be wrong to make public schooling the only option. Not as wrong, because then at least everyone would be in school. But then you run into the problem you mention – dragging everyone down to the lowest level – and there's simply no need to do that. The best thing is for there to be two options, which is what both our countries have.
Of course, there's plenty of room for improving public schools. But that's a different point altogether.
(Trans-atlantic note: I'm speaking American here and saying "public school" for what I would normally call a state school, and "private school" for what I would normally call a public school.)
What Boudreaux's article says is that private schooling should be the only option. That is absurd because then hardly anybody would go to school. I also think it would be wrong to make public schooling the only option. Not as wrong, because then at least everyone would be in school. But then you run into the problem you mention – dragging everyone down to the lowest level – and there's simply no need to do that. The best thing is for there to be two options, which is what both our countries have.
Of course, there's plenty of room for improving public schools. But that's a different point altogether.
(Trans-atlantic note: I'm speaking American here and saying "public school" for what I would normally call a state school, and "private school" for what I would normally call a public school.)
Vigilantibus non dormientibus jura subveniunt.
—Nous disons en allemand : le guerre, le mort, le lune, alors que 'soleil' et 'amour' sont du sexe féminin : la soleil, la amour. La vie est neutre.
—La vie ? Neutre ? C'est très joli, et surtout très logique.
—Nous disons en allemand : le guerre, le mort, le lune, alors que 'soleil' et 'amour' sont du sexe féminin : la soleil, la amour. La vie est neutre.
—La vie ? Neutre ? C'est très joli, et surtout très logique.
This message last edited by Tim on 06/05/2011 at 10:09:04 PM
If Supermarkets Were Like Public Schools - 
- 06/05/2011 05:05:33 AM
973 Views
- 06/05/2011 05:05:33 AM
973 Views
the obvious solution is to just do away with public education in general 
- 06/05/2011 06:41:58 AM
415 Views
- 06/05/2011 06:41:58 AM
415 Views
If groceries were like education... the analogy would be apt. But they aren't, and it isn't.
- 06/05/2011 09:40:37 AM
585 Views
- 06/05/2011 01:41:10 PM
405 Views
- 06/05/2011 01:41:10 PM
405 Views
I don't see your point there. The eating of groceries also goes on for many years – all one's life. *NM*
- 06/05/2011 01:42:38 PM
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Yes, but the effects of not having any are seen within days
- 06/05/2011 05:29:16 PM
394 Views
I see. Yes, that's another reason why it's easy to sit back and do nothing until it's too late.
- 06/05/2011 06:40:03 PM
383 Views
Very narrow-minded - the point is, private is better than public.....
- 06/05/2011 02:47:39 PM
399 Views
so the rest of should be forced to send our kids to bad schools to keep a level playing field? *NM*
- 06/05/2011 05:24:23 PM
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I have said nothing of the sort, and never would.
- 06/05/2011 06:31:48 PM
413 Views
That is exactly what you said.....and my other reply to you proves.....
- 06/05/2011 10:05:40 PM
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Fair enough on the second point (almost) – correction duly edited in.
- 06/05/2011 10:16:39 PM
417 Views
That's a rather big non-sequitur there, don't you think?
- 06/05/2011 06:36:51 PM
425 Views
If the state doesn't pay for schools, what happens to children whose parents have no money?
- 06/05/2011 10:25:48 PM
408 Views
More relevantly, what would schools be like if they were run like supermarkets? *NM*
- 06/05/2011 02:27:49 PM
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Bad schools would close, good ones would get more students - sounds fine to me! *NM*
- 06/05/2011 02:49:30 PM
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spoken like someone who has no idea what it takes to run a "good school" *NM*
- 06/05/2011 04:17:12 PM
166 Views
Then you have half as many schools. So not much scope for choice any more.
- 06/05/2011 06:44:26 PM
391 Views
most of your arguements are against public education being financed by property taxes *NM*
- 06/05/2011 02:33:41 PM
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And the forced attendence by where you live instead of giving parents a choice. *NM*
- 06/05/2011 02:50:23 PM
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Look, I just want a store that carries Crunch n Munch with Almonds.
- 06/05/2011 09:05:23 PM
415 Views
Well if the socialists have their way you won't get Crunch n Munch at all
- 06/05/2011 11:05:55 PM
382 Views