School Choice is the Future of Education

786 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Parental involvement in education

As a proponent of school choice, I see it as one of the reform movements that has a real chance of changing education for the better here in the United States. School choice, if implemented correctly, would give parents and children the opportunity to choose the type of school that they feel best meets their educational needs. They would also be in a position to demand excellence in every way from that school. School choice is a much debated issue and has respected educators gathering on both sides of the issue. Opponents of school choice have no shortage of reasons (both valid in invalid) for why school choice will only lead to the further degradation of our schools and hence should not be implemented. Within the space of this brief article, I will examine and refute one of the more insightful reasons put fourth by school choice opponents for not implementing choice.

Having spent most of my educational career working with students that could be labeled as disadvantaged, at-risk, or any number of convenient labels, I have become concerned with how these students can best be served by both the current educational system and any educational systems that stem from the reform that will inevitably come in one form or another. Many of the students of which I speak have little or no parental support when it comes to their education or anything else for that matter. The reasons for this lack of parental support are many and varied and far beyond the scope of this article. Regardless, some of our most needy children lack the necessary support to succeed in an academic environment, and it is these students that a number of opponents of school choice see as having the most to lose if school choice is implemented on a large sc...

... middle of paper ...

...s educational advocates which help children make decisions concerning their education and also link them to positive educational experiences. Where parents are involved in the educational decision making process, mentors could still be a welcome resource.

If we are going to provide school choice, this choice must extend to all children. Only through this sort of mentoring program can we truly provide the means necessary for all children to take advantage of educational choice.

Opponents of school choice have many valid concerns, not the least of which should be what will become of children that have parents or guardians who are uninvolved in the child's education. As proponents of school choice, we must openly examine these concerns and be ready to provide solutions that directly address these concerns.

Show More
Related

  • The Death And Life Of The Great American School System By Diane Ravitch

    1088 Words  | 3 Pages

    She realized that choice and accountability were not the answer, but that curriculum and instruction were more viable solutions to America’s educational dilemma. Ravitch suggests that to abandon public schools is to abandon the institution that supports our concepts of democracy and citizenship and to the promise of American life (Ravitch, 2011, p. 12-14). The idea of school choice is rooted in Milton Friedman’s essay concerning the government’s role in education. Friedman asserted that society should support and contribute to the maximum freedom of the individual or the family. He maintained that the government should provide vouchers to help support parents financially on their children’s education, which parents could use at the school of their choosing; so long as the school met set standards. Therefore, this creation of choice would stimulate competition, which Friedman believed would increase the development and improvement of nonpublic schools, as well as, create a variety of school options (Ravitch, 2011, p. 115). As a result of the choice movement, the public received three versions of school choice: voucher schools, private schools, and charter schools. Each of these schools receives public funding, but do not operate as traditional public schools, and are not managed by a government agency (Ravitch, 2011, p. 121). Charter schools became the most popular choice of this new

    Read More

  • Graduation Speech

    887 Words  | 2 Pages

    To the County High School Class of 2012: As you sit in front of me, I know what most of you are thinking at the moment. There are those who are already pondering about what life without high school will be like; those who are debating whether or not to tell your crush tonight about your whispers of adoration you’ve secretly held for four years; some simply want to get out of that ungodly chair, get that thing that isn’t really a diploma but only tells you when to pick up the thing, and then be the first one on the green bus to the grad party — you know who you are. And the rest, well, the rest aren’t even paying attention, you’re thinking, “Great, here comes one of the valedictorian speakers. Next up: a boring speech straight out of the pits of scholarly hell.” And it’s OK, I don’t mind — that sort of thing comes with the territory. But tonight, I ask that you give me a chance to break that stereotype so that I may address you in the full splendor that you deserve after 13 grueling years of work. I do not want to be known as your “valedictorian” as I stand here, c’mon guys, there is no time left to place labels on people anymore, instead I ask that you accept me as one of your peers — and as a man who will enjoy becoming a graduate alongside you.

    Read More

  • Graduation Speech

    429 Words  | 1 Pages

    When I was in elementary school, I loved to read. I was a total nerd back then ... okay maybe I still am, but one thing has changed. Now I don't so much like reading. My favorite poet was Shel Silverstein, who wrote "Where the Sidewalk Ends." He seemed like he was a total hippie, but that's cool because I like hippies. My grandma is a recovering hippie. I like her too. Anyway, Shel Silverstein wrote about the coolest things. He wrote about magical erasers, eating whales and a boy with long hair flying away from people who were taunting him. He captured all of the things that I loved without knowing that I actually loved them. Now you may ask, how does this hippie relate to our graduation? Well, he wrote a poem entitled "Traffic Light" and this is how it goes:

    Read More

  • Graduation Speech

    1204 Words  | 3 Pages

    Good evening. Some of you out there may not realize this but those of you who attended Suntime Middle School have been with this guy for the last seven years. I would like to ask you all, not just Suntime Middle School grads and who all else, to join me in thanking Mr. Weather for his patience and dedication to the success of our education over the years. We are the Class of 2000. The first graduating class of the new millennium. The past four years have been pretty wild. We started out as a bunch of rats in a small cage, but as time went by we learned and matured and became big rats in a new small cage, but in any case, the cage door is now opening; the handlers turning us wild things loose. As we leave "Where the Wild Things Are," home to some of the best cat fights, fist fights and food fights this side of the Cascades, I have a little surprise for all of you sitting in front of me here tonight in your caps and gowns … we ain’t seen nothing yet!

    Read More

  • Free Essays on Vouchers, School Choice, and Charter Schools

    495 Words  | 1 Pages

    I am not so sure I am for or against the idea of school choice as much as the idea for educational equality. If school choice and charter schools are the way this country will gain equity in the schools then I am for school choice. I feel that the impoverished are not going to get the best education that is available to them in their area. If the town fifteen miles away is a much better school, both educationally and developmentally, then I believe that the student that goes to school A should have the opportunity to attend school B. Why should someone who was born into an underpriviledged home live an underpriviledged life? This child did not choose to be born into this family, so I believe we should give them some kind of choice in their lives. A good education, along with other assets that one can gain through education, is the answer to bettering one's life. It gives these childrenm the choice to make a different life for themselves and for their children.

    Read More

  • Graduation Speech

    565 Words  | 2 Pages

    A boy once approached Socrates with the desire to obtain wisdom. Without saying a word, Socrates led the boy down to the edge of the sea and walked in, beckoning him to follow. When they were standing waist deep in the water, Socrates pushed the boy down, completely submerging his head. He held him thus for a couple of minutes, until the boy was almost to the point of death, before letting him up. Sputtering and angry, the boy demanded to know why Socrates had held him underwater for so long. In response, Socrates asked, "when you were under the water, what did you want more than anything in the world?"

    Read More

  • Graduation Speech

    538 Words  | 2 Pages

    And who can forget the friendships we've made along the way? Some will last a lifetime, and some will last no longer than tomorrow, but either way, it's okay because we will forever be impacted by it. As a class, we've laughed together, cried together, skipped class, failed tests, aced tests we forgot we were taking and now, we're graduating together. Whatever the event, we did it as a whole.

    Read More

  • Graduation Speech

    1430 Words  | 3 Pages

    Henry Adams once wrote "A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops." This is so true, every teacher here has taught us much more than the textbook curriculum. Every teacher here tonight has given us students something we will use or remember for the rest of our lives. I really don't think people understand or appreciate the time and effort our teachers have put into us. So tonight I'm not going to give everyone advice on the future, I'm not going to tell you how life is a journey we've just begun, and I'm not going to brag about how great the class of 2006 is. Since we have eight outstanding Valedictorians this year, I'm sure all of those bases are already covered. So instead, I'm going to take a few minutes here to thank some of the teachers and staff that have made a difference in my own life, and by doing so I hope that everybody present tonight will see how important each and every teacher and staff member is at Amos High School.

    Read More

  • Graduation Speech

    932 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...g. We have always been a diverse group and naturally, we will go on to different places next year. Class of '06 will enroll in as many schools and work in as many jobs as the variety of people that we come in. But one thing is for sure, and that is we have finally reached the end of our metamorphosis. We are at the final stage now and tomorrow, we will all head off to live very different lives. I myself will be going to the University of Washington next fall. Tonight, we will cease to be Terrace Hawks. Tonight, we will step out of our cocoons, and become new people. Tonight many of us will become Huskies. Others will become Cougars, Trojans, Tritons, Bulldogs, Vikings, and Dolphins. Tonight, we have transformed into the hard-working college student. Tonight, after four years, we have finally metamorphosized. Dunbar Class of 2006, the world is ours, let's go get it!

    Read More

  • Graduation Speech

    1089 Words  | 3 Pages

    Sport teaches lessons that can translate on a larger scale to life. As an athlete I have learned the importance of teamwork. Any team is only as strong as its least prepared member. The very best player will never beat the best team. The concept of teamwork encourages members to give up the pursuit of individual glory for the success of the team. Individual statistics may bring personal pride but they rest in the shadow of the team's overall success.

    Read More

  • Graduation Speech

    541 Words  | 2 Pages

    T.S. Eliot once wrote, "What we call the beginning is often the end. And to make an end is to make a beginning. The end is where we start from." Every landmark in our lives will end but there is always a beginning to an end. As each new path ends a new one begins. Graduation marks the end of a path but as it ends a new path begins.

    Read More

  • Graduation Speech: Regrets

    997 Words  | 2 Pages

    Let me begin by saying that I am very honored to be addressing the County High School Class of 2012 as students of this institution for the last time. We've spent these last four years creating some serious memories: four years of chieftain power, leaking roofs, questionable Homecoming skits, and musical principals. Four years of good teachers, bad teachers, new teachers, old teachers. Four years of youth, music, growing up and breaking free. Four rubber chickens, four yearbooks, four ASB presidents and four chubby bunnies.

    Read More

  • Graduation Speech

    692 Words  | 2 Pages

    Confucius once said, "Our greatest glory is not in never failing but in rising every time we fall." As a class, we have done our best not to fail. Pep assemblies, dances, food drives, games, and conquering the senior lot are just some of the things we accomplished. We pu...

    Read More

  • The Future of Education

    371 Words  | 1 Pages

    The future of education is very promising to younger generations. From Kindergarten though college many changes are brewing. On the horizon are things like smart objects, full-length online courses, and prosthetic devices designed to equalize education.

    Read More

  • Persuasive Speech: You Already Have What You Need to Succeed

    997 Words  | 2 Pages

    Many young people just need to be motivated and given a fair chance at success. Young people need mentors to help them find their way and to help them stay focused. Mentors play an intricate roll in your lives and are sort of liaisons between your parents or guardians and your educators.

    Read More

More about School Choice is the Future of Education

Open Document