welsch@houxu.UUCP (Larry Welsch) (11/24/83)
There has been a recent debate on the net about tuition tax credits. The purpose of this note is to propose a different way of funding education than has been done in the past. I believe that any mechanism for funding education should have the following goals: 1. Everybody has a right to a free education. 2. The person being educated has the right to choose the educational institution. 3. The public should not pay for or support the teaching of dogmas and/or propaganda. 4. No one should be forced to go to school. The way I would implement the first goal is to provide every citizen with an education check book. Any person could write a check from the check book to pay for educational services after the education has been received, ie. the institution has given a grade/diploma based on work completed. Also any institution that can cash such checks must make provision for 10% of its student body to be composed of auditors who do not receive grades and do not pay any fees. The second goal is achieved by specifying that any institution (institution will be used to refer to institutions that can cash the education checks) may not reject any students that choose to attend. However, institutions may limit the number of students who can attend a particular class based on grades or availability. In the case of availability, students who have been waiting the longest are first chosen and if there are still too many then then a lottery must be held to determine who can attend. Where the case is one of grades/requirements then a mechanism must be provided by the institution whereby students can improve their grades and gain admission. Specifically any course may be taken any number times and only the student's most recent grade in the course may be used to determine admission into other courses. The third goal is the most difficult to achieve. First, no pledges of allegiance or prayers to deities or prayers in general should be said in schools. Second, teachers should never give the impression that they are the sole owners of truth, even in mathematics. Third, teachers should encourage students to discuss their own beliefs. Fourth, religion, political science, history, etc. should be carefully taught with a minimum of memorization and a maximum of questioning. Fifth, teacher should spend less time teaching students to memorize and more time on teaching problem solving and reasoning. The fourth goal is that no one, even children should not be forced to go to school. We have a belief in this country that an "education" is good for everyone. I don't think this is true. Children mature at different rates and in some cases a 12 year old may be better off out working than getting an education. The important think is to provide a mechanism where when a person thinks she/he is ready then the education is affordable. This is perhaps the most controversial goal. Larry Welsch houxu!welsch