Public schools must show fiscal responsibility

To the editor,

Public schools have monopolized the education process for primary schools. The schools have forced people to pay into a system that educates students to “their” standard without asking the public how they want it done. The public schools of Minnesota have had a shrinking pupil rate, and yet they ask for more money and give fewer results. The schools, meaning the superintendent, his office, and the school board, need to be fiscally responsible with how they use the taxpayers money, and not just in Farmington, but in all school districts.

Throughout grammar school, I went to a private school that cost $2,100 a year. It cost $6,293.50 to send my brother, my sister, and I there per year. When I got into the public system, I was nearly a year and a half ahead of the most accelerated classes that Farmington’s middle school had to offer. In Minnesota, on average, school districts spend about $10,000 per pupil per school year, which is over four times as much, and yet they were behind the private school. Everyone who owns property pays the public school system, which is forcing many low income families to use their ineffective and inefficient system.

On Nov. 6 many Minnesota school districts had a referendum, and about 65 percent of the school districts came out victorious. The government is the only place where you can vote yourself a raise! Now how about that; if you work for the public schools you can give yourself a raise and not be expected to do a better job. In the public sector of society you would be scoffed at for requesting such a thing.

Friedman said, “Education in the United States should be guided by a clear conception of the meaning of democracy and choice – this ideal demands a high level of efficiency in our schools.” There is no democracy or choice in the American school system.

Public schools tell people that by giving them more money they can be more efficient. The definition of efficient is accomplishment of or ability to accomplish a job with a minimum expenditure; if the schools were truly being more efficient then they would be teaching more students with less teachers and technology, but the opposite is true, the public school wants smaller classes which is less efficient. An effective way to describe the public school system would be to call it a monopoly, which, once again, is only legal for the government. Now they can raise their own salaries and force people to get a lower education than what most parents would want for their children.

Basically the public school needs to show some fiscal responsibility

Tom Fischer,

Farmington

2 Responses to “Public schools must show fiscal responsibility”

1. Mitzie says:

   May 7, 2008 at 5:41 pm

   Hello. I’m work in Coleraine, Minnesota which is having a school referendum vote this month (May). Folks for the referendum say that if we don’t pass it, the school (graduating classes of around 80-100 students per year) will have to dissolve or be combined with another. The folks who don’t want the referendum say to vote no and have the school administration become more fiscally responsible. Here’s my question: What does fiscal responsibility mean regarding school district referendums? Is it operating with a balanced budget? Operating with a small surplus for a “rainy day” fund? Allowing a small deficit in slow economic times? It seems to me that the phrase “fiscal responsibility” means different things to different people. I am interested in feedback regarding this issue. Thanks for your time.
2. pullemout says:

   December 14, 2007 at 6:54 pm

   Government education is a failed system. Doing something over and over and expecting to get different results is the definition of schizophrenia.

   If adults would just quit handing over their children to this bureaucracy and take educational matters into their OWN hands, it would collapse. Just because you don’t have to spend any money, does not make it free either. Children are not commodities. They are the future and based on what we’re seeing, the future is not too bright. We will end up paying for this waste of time and money.