Monday, April 24, 2006
Another public school alternative
Front page of the Washington Post is this story on an “alternative” education offered by a private school in Prince George’s County. Learning on Their Own Terms. In summary, this is the school:
“Seventy-two students ages 5 to 20 run the school with a staff of eight adults. Students follow no curriculum other than curiosity and whim. Sometimes they seek out a class or workshop, but they are not compelled to take English, geometry or any other subject. Often they just hang. For this, their parents pay $6,680 a year per student, less for siblings.”
That probably works out to about $200 a week so as day care goes that may not be a bad deal. An interesting tidbit from the article was the background of the parents of two of the students:
“Michael said he is studying mathematics and physics at home with his mom, a public school teacher.”
And
“Justin Reed, in this year's graduating class, is an aspiring rock musician. His mother said Fairhaven restored Justin's love of learning. "It had really been beaten out of him," ….
“Jan Reed is principal of Mount Rainier Elementary. It's a public school in Prince George's.” (emphasis added)
…maybe they can get some of their teachers union colleagues to once again remind us of the dangers of allowing parents to use vouchers as an alternative to our excellent public schools.
“Seventy-two students ages 5 to 20 run the school with a staff of eight adults. Students follow no curriculum other than curiosity and whim. Sometimes they seek out a class or workshop, but they are not compelled to take English, geometry or any other subject. Often they just hang. For this, their parents pay $6,680 a year per student, less for siblings.”
That probably works out to about $200 a week so as day care goes that may not be a bad deal. An interesting tidbit from the article was the background of the parents of two of the students:
“Michael said he is studying mathematics and physics at home with his mom, a public school teacher.”
And
“Justin Reed, in this year's graduating class, is an aspiring rock musician. His mother said Fairhaven restored Justin's love of learning. "It had really been beaten out of him," ….
“Jan Reed is principal of Mount Rainier Elementary. It's a public school in Prince George's.” (emphasis added)
…maybe they can get some of their teachers union colleagues to once again remind us of the dangers of allowing parents to use vouchers as an alternative to our excellent public schools.
