[VIDEO] John Stossel who I remember was something of a consumer advocate on teh ABC News program 20/20 and later joined FOX Business channel with a program highlighting the philosophy of libertarianism has been producing these short videos for Reason. It continues his work in the broadcast media as he continues to take on libertarian subjects.
In this most recent edition he takes on charter schools. Charter schools are in a number of urban school districts around the nation. Although these schools take public money they can be run like a private school. In this case Stossel looks at a charter school out of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania called Boys Latin.
The question is whether or not allowing parents a choice as far as who educates their children a choice. Should they be able to chose a public, charter, or private school? Another issue touched upon is whether or not a public school district wants increased competition from these charter or private schools.
[VIDEO] Over the summer scooter sharing has been rolled out through the city. To be honest I haven't seen them as much as I've seen these dockless bicycles other than those Divvy bikes that are prevalent around the city.
Regardless it seems other cities around the nation have had their own reservations about them. John Stossel argues whether or not these other cities such as DC or San Francisco are only serving to stifle new transportation options for their residents. Making them wait years and forcing them to get permits in order to provide for example dockless electric scooters.
Have you used one of the scooters in Chicago? Are they convenient? Are they better than any bicycle rental that is far more common around the city?
[VIDEO] It's been a while since I took on regularly the issues of education. It's not a very huge passion of mine anymore and since I've really have little interest in becoming a part of this establishment. Whenever I write about this subject my conclusion is that there needs to be some changes that hopefully will benefit the students and their families.
With this said I've been a public school student, obviously, I've attended Bennett/Shedd and moved on to Harlan Community Academy - GO FALCONS. Also I've attended one of the City Colleges of Chicago another public education system. I have few regrets about them other than having never taken advantage of the many opportunities that exists within those systems. It's a bad habit of mine admittedly.
So today I share with you this John Stossel video, Stossel a longtime journalist who's worked for ABC News and FOX News evolved from a consumer advocate reporter to one with a libertarian bent. This is one of the issues he's tackled and in the video you see above shows how the public education system in America needs some serious changes.
When I graduated from 8th grade my teacher at the time lamented that we'd better hope Republicans don't get elected because they'll cut public education. My naive mind may have believed that, however, also in naive mind the question arose - why do Republicans want to cut public education?
A few years ago a debate raged in Chicago, why are we closing under-performing and underutilized schools in primarily minority (Black and Latino) communities? While arguments raged from now young students will have to traverse more gang territory to get to school it was also understood that the Chicago Public Schools couldn't afford to keep these schools open any longer. We've just reached another thing that has been said with regards to public education - they always need more money.
Recently it was in the news that from the city of Chicago, CPS needs another $269 million for its $5.7 billion budget. So public education in Chicago remains for whatever reason cash strapped.
Consider me something of a supporter of public education especially when it works well. These days we're seeing further options for those parents who want more for their children educationally. In Chicago - of course - there are charter schools of course and there is a debate over school vouchers.
Here's hoping no one here in Chicago will take this debate this far.
Back in 1922, the Ku Klux Klan and other anti-Catholic groups spearheaded an Oregon initiative that resulted in the prohibition of all private schooling within that state. Known as the Compulsory Education Act, this law required all children between the ages of eight and 16 to attend "a public school for the period of time a public school shall be held during the current year." The Society of Sisters, a corporate entity organized in 1880 to provide for the care and education of orphans, challenged this prohibition in federal court, arguing that it violated the Due Process Clause of the 14th Amendment, which forbids the states from depriving "any person [including corporate persons] of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law."
Unfortunately for both yesterday's Ku Klux Klan and today's progressive British political philosophers, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously in favor of the Society of Sisters and struck down the private school ban. According to the majority opinion of Justice James McReynolds, "the child is not the mere creature of the state."
