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TechnographColumn: Pro-choice education in Champaign schools
Posted: 4/26/06 Section: Opinions
When it was recently commented that public schools are becoming more like prisons, no one knew how true it would be in Champaign. Recently, against the will of a large segment of the community, Champaign Unit 4 schools voted to have full-time armed police officers in the schools.
To be fair, violent confrontations between students has been occurring at an alarming rate. Teachers and deans are educators, not peace officers. However, instead of taking the time, effort, and research to figure out what to do about the violence, the school deigned to treat all children as potential criminals. It is the latest step in this over-lawyered nation to reduce liability by assuming the very worst of everyone.
The parents of black children, for their part, are outraged. The school system is already under supervision by the federal court system for its less than even treatment of black students. Bringing in a police department that also has been under fire for its less than equitable treatment of black people doesn't strike me as a good idea.
The school has, for years, essentially ignored the desires of parents in the community, particularly the black community. The recent $66 million bond issue failed, in part, because the black community's wishes were ignored on where that money got spent. The school board, for their part, figured the problem was that they "didn't get the message out." This attitude of not listening to their constituents has reached a boiling point.
The meeting in which the school board decided to implement the armed guards seemed to ignore alternatives presented by the parents. Many people objected with solid arguments and asked for more time to find solutions. The board simply rejected those arguments and voted 6-2 for the armed guards.
This has resulted in calls for boycotts of the school system by the black community. The parents are perfectly within their rights to pull the children out of school and look to other options. The shame is that, despite paying taxes, they aren't provided the resources to adequately pursue education for their children. Many of the parents are simply going to be home schooling their children because they don't have the means for private school.
Once again, we are presented with stark evidence of a school board that does not listen to the desires of parents and insists that, despite being public servants, the public works for them. Time and time again, Champaign Unit 4 schools have been presented the opportunity for positive change and have wasted it. Many teachers have left the system in disgust and parents are taking their children out too. Superintendent Shane Culver should be the one run out of the schools, not the kids.
The solution to the problem is school choice in the form of a voucher system. Why should parents be forced not only to send their children to schools that academically fail them, but also to schools that outright reject their values? How can this denial of choice be justified in a free society?
Why should parents be penalized by having to pay twice for their child's education because they want to send their children to a safe environment?
No one disputes that paying for education in this country is a good and necessary thing. However, a time comes when we must realize the facts - that this monopoly on education has produced situations where children and their welfare are the last things considered, not the first.
Parents without the resources to send their children to private schools get to watch their children fall behind those children who do go to successful schools. This is something that is fundamentally unjust, and more than any other cause, has led to great disparity between the performances of black and white students. It is time to even the playing field and give black children a chance to succeed on their own merits. If Champaign Unit 4 Schools' only solution to their problems is to put armed guards in hallways, then parents deserve a better choice. The time for school vouchers has come.
John Bambenek is a graduate student and academic professional at the University. His column appears on Wednesdays. He can be reached at opinions@daily illini.com.
To be fair, violent confrontations between students has been occurring at an alarming rate. Teachers and deans are educators, not peace officers. However, instead of taking the time, effort, and research to figure out what to do about the violence, the school deigned to treat all children as potential criminals. It is the latest step in this over-lawyered nation to reduce liability by assuming the very worst of everyone.
The parents of black children, for their part, are outraged. The school system is already under supervision by the federal court system for its less than even treatment of black students. Bringing in a police department that also has been under fire for its less than equitable treatment of black people doesn't strike me as a good idea.
The school has, for years, essentially ignored the desires of parents in the community, particularly the black community. The recent $66 million bond issue failed, in part, because the black community's wishes were ignored on where that money got spent. The school board, for their part, figured the problem was that they "didn't get the message out." This attitude of not listening to their constituents has reached a boiling point.
The meeting in which the school board decided to implement the armed guards seemed to ignore alternatives presented by the parents. Many people objected with solid arguments and asked for more time to find solutions. The board simply rejected those arguments and voted 6-2 for the armed guards.
This has resulted in calls for boycotts of the school system by the black community. The parents are perfectly within their rights to pull the children out of school and look to other options. The shame is that, despite paying taxes, they aren't provided the resources to adequately pursue education for their children. Many of the parents are simply going to be home schooling their children because they don't have the means for private school.
Once again, we are presented with stark evidence of a school board that does not listen to the desires of parents and insists that, despite being public servants, the public works for them. Time and time again, Champaign Unit 4 schools have been presented the opportunity for positive change and have wasted it. Many teachers have left the system in disgust and parents are taking their children out too. Superintendent Shane Culver should be the one run out of the schools, not the kids.
The solution to the problem is school choice in the form of a voucher system. Why should parents be forced not only to send their children to schools that academically fail them, but also to schools that outright reject their values? How can this denial of choice be justified in a free society?
Why should parents be penalized by having to pay twice for their child's education because they want to send their children to a safe environment?
No one disputes that paying for education in this country is a good and necessary thing. However, a time comes when we must realize the facts - that this monopoly on education has produced situations where children and their welfare are the last things considered, not the first.
Parents without the resources to send their children to private schools get to watch their children fall behind those children who do go to successful schools. This is something that is fundamentally unjust, and more than any other cause, has led to great disparity between the performances of black and white students. It is time to even the playing field and give black children a chance to succeed on their own merits. If Champaign Unit 4 Schools' only solution to their problems is to put armed guards in hallways, then parents deserve a better choice. The time for school vouchers has come.
John Bambenek is a graduate student and academic professional at the University. His column appears on Wednesdays. He can be reached at opinions@daily illini.com.
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