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Letters to the Editor
To the editor: Mr. Boger’s letter about school taxes got me thinking. I have been around long enough to know how governments work. Since 1948 when the federal government took over the school system in a tax supported buyout (Dewey Plan), our school systems have become just another governmental department vying for our tax dollars.
One thing you should already know, these governmental departments will always spend all the money allocated and want more. Always more than just a cost of living increase. Schools are no different, they will spend every dime given and then demand more, threatening our children if we don’t succumb to their demands. Let me point out some issues with this.
I know that the school administrators make huge salaries compared to the rest of us, claiming that somehow all their college degrees entitle them. A lot of college degrees do not a good administrator make. Anyone with good management skills will agree with that. Some of the very best managers don’t even have a college degree.
Most people with a lot of college degrees cannot cope with day to day activities much less produce real time work. They are thinkers, not doers. I personally know a few of them. Good people, but do not have good leadership skills. I will add that academia has become public enemy No. 1 in America and our method of governance.
People need to be paid by their skills, not their college degrees. As an employer, I cannot pay you more just because you have a college degree. You must produce more before I pay you more. Cut their salaries to a reasonable level and you will find the ones who are dedicated to educating our children and those who are just working for the money.
Next, frivolous spending. Does a school really need an expensive fancy color computerized sign out front? Wasting money is normal when you must spend it all before you can ask for more.
Reading, writing and arithmetic just does not need a lot of expensive technology. It needs a good book and a good teacher.
If you don’t have good teachers, programmed text learning works great, as many home schooled students will attest (who, by the way, have better SAT scores!). We need to take our schools back from the government and governmental waste. We can do a lot better for a lot less money.
Georgia needs to go to the school voucher system and let the parents decide who educates (indoctrinates?) their children. The voucher system will allow for more competition, better schools at a lower cost than what we are paying for now where there is no competition.
Not to mention smaller classrooms and more choices. One size does not fit all. Competition is always a better system. It is apparent to me that our current government controlled school system is not doing the job as our children are well indoctrinated but not educated. Let’s let the parents decide who indoctrinates their children. Strictly my opinion.
JT King
Mount Airy