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Slyfox696 said:
Not renewing No Child Left Behind, and granting waivers to state which request them, automatically puts Obama far ahead of Bush on the educational front.
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What positive things did he replace it with???
 
Moot said:
Sorry, but the facts are not on your side....

"...Margret Spellings worked for six years as Mr. Bush's education adviser in Texas, pushing policies on early reading and student accountability. They became the model for the federal law, No Child Left Behind, that Spellings helped put together from the White House after Mr. Bush's election in 2000...."
Bush Taps Spellings For Education - CBS News
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I've been over this. If it is a conservative brain child then why did the democrats outvote the republicans even though they had fewer numbers? Stop trying to scew the facts to fit your warped history. Even if it was a conservative idea to begin with, the dems latched onto it harder than the conservatives did.

It's not only well documented but it's been repeatedly in the news for the last 10 years that conservatives have an anti-science agenda on everything from stem cell research to global warming to evolution and even vaccines.
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Another debate for another forum section, so I'll just have to disagree with you here. An argument could be made for each case you mentioned, just not here.

Don't make a strawman out of it. I specifically said, "Businesses who need an educated workforce are not going to locate in a city or state with an uneducated workforce."
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There was no straw man, I'm just connecting the dots for you. You think that allowing schools to teach religious courses is anti-science, and you think that this is causing kids to become uneducated, which you think causes businesses to leave those areas. Which is wrong, wrong, and right.

Blah, blah, blah. In case you haven't noticed, the only one not providing a shred of evidence in this entire discussion is you.
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You are the one arguing the positive here (conservatives are anti-education), so I don't need a shred of proof on my side... that's up to you. And you have failed so far to provide anything sufficient. If you don't want to debate your ideas then don't bring them up, 'blah blah blah' just doesn't cut it.
 
Spadesof2 said:
I've been over this. If it is a conservative brain child then why did the democrats outvote the republicans even though they had fewer numbers? Stop trying to scew the facts to fit your warped history. Even if it was a conservative idea to begin with, the dems latched onto it harder than the conservatives did.

Another debate for another forum section, so I'll just have to disagree with you here. An argument could be made for each case you mentioned, just not here.


There was no straw man, I'm just connecting the dots for you. You think that allowing schools to teach religious courses is anti-science, and you think that this is causing kids to become uneducated, which you think causes businesses to leave those areas. Which is wrong, wrong, and right.

You are the one arguing the positive here (conservatives are anti-education), so I don't need a shred of proof on my side... that's up to you. And you have failed so far to provide anything sufficient. If you don't want to debate your ideas then don't bring them up, 'blah blah blah' just doesn't cut it.
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Just saying no and tossing out petty insults doesn't prove anything let alone prove me wrong. So until you start providing some factual credible evidence of your own, then it's pointless to continue having a discussion with you.
 
Moot said:
Just saying no and tossing out petty insults doesn't prove anything let alone prove me wrong. So until you start providing some factual credible evidence of your own, then it's pointless to continue having a discussion with you.
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Do you even know what arguing a positive/negative is?
 
Moot said:
Yes, but how does that apply to you?
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It means that if you want to argue that conservatives are anti-education, YOU have to supply the proof. We look at the 'proof' that you bring up and determine if it logically supports your thesis. So far, it hasn't. We have seen that a representative from Texas has a bill that would require the NSF to spend it's money in a useful manner, a few links that show how the uneducated cannot get jobs, something about the 'anti-science' conservative which is a debate for another forum section, but conservatives are HARDLY anti science. And even if they were, all of the extreme-right-wing-religious-nut proposals get shot down anyway, so the system is working as intended (in that respect). The one's that aren't (if there are any) are freak cases that do not represent the majority of the GOP.

I know plenty of conservatives who are pro education, all of them in fact.
 
Spadesof2 said:
It means that if you want to argue that conservatives are anti-education, YOU have to supply the proof.
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I did.

We look at the 'proof' that you bring up and determine if it logically supports your thesis.
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Just saying neener neener isn't a valid argument or rebuttal. You have to actually to provide some of evidence of your own to prove your claim that conservatives aren't trying to dumb down America. Surely there must something to help prove they aren't....no? Then the evidence that says they are, stands.

Here's some more evidence....

"...Dr. Charles Elliott, a Decatur Republican who serves on the state Board of Education, provides relief for those torn by the seeming conflict between loyalty to the Republican Party and to public education. It’s a manufactured conflict, he said. Republicans historically have been ardent defenders of public schools, seeing them as essential not just for individual opportunity but for economic progress. He is angry — red-in-the-face furious — that his party has squandered its complete power over the state to pursue a vendetta against public schools.

The legislative attacks on the schools have been nearly constant since the 2011 session, most involving creative ways to reduce school funding or to shift General Fund expenses to the Education Trust Fund.

The Legislature’s most public assault on the schools this session was the Alabama Accountability Act....read
Republicans can support schools - The Decatur Daily - Decatur, Alabama

So far, it hasn't.
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Denile is a river in Egypt.

We have seen that a representative from Texas has a bill that would require the NSF to spend it's money in a useful manner, a few links that show how the uneducated cannot get jobs, something about the 'anti-science' conservative which is a debate for another forum section, but conservatives are HARDLY anti science. And even if they were, all of the extreme-right-wing-religious-nut proposals get shot down anyway, so the system is working as intended (in that respect). The one's that aren't (if there are any) are freak cases that do not represent the majority of the GOP.
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Thank goodness for the Constitution then, eh? But that doesn't negate the fact that conservative legislatures in almost every red state in the union keep trying to dumb down America with stupid anti-education legislation and propaganda every chance they get.

Here's some more evidence...

Louisiana educators, administrators unite against anti-public schools legislation | Education Votes

I know plenty of conservatives who are pro education, all of them in fact.
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I wish I could say the same.
 
Moot said:
I did.
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I don't think so, and I explained why for (i think) each link you provided.

Just saying neener neener isn't a valid argument or rebuttal. You have to actually to provide some of evidence of your own to prove your claim that conservatives aren't trying to dumb down America. Surely there must something to help prove they aren't....no? Then the evidence that says they are, stands.
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I'm not sure if I can take you seriously, since in the very next 'evidence' you post it says:
It’s a manufactured conflict, he said. Republicans historically have been ardent defenders of public schools, seeing them as essential not just for individual opportunity but for economic progress.
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Do you not see how this works?

The legislative attacks on the schools have been nearly constant since the 2011 session, most involving creative ways to reduce school funding or to shift General Fund expenses to the Education Trust Fund.
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Reduced school funding does not mean that the education quality has to be lowered, just like reduced defense spending does not have to reduce our actual defense capabilities. One example in Montgomery an example of the GOP does not make.


Thank goodness for the Constitution then, eh? But that doesn't negate the fact that conservative legislatures in almost every red state in the union keep trying to dumb down America with stupid anti-education legislation and propaganda every chance they get.
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Unsubstantiated opinion noted.

Here's some more evidence...

Louisiana educators, administrators unite against anti-public schools legislation | Education Votes
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Nice bias that website is spewing there... too bad they couldn't get that more under control, then I might be tempted to take them a tab bit seriously. Looking through the mud, it appears that they are mad that the legislation favors private schools over public ones. Something wrong with private schooling in your opinion?
 
Spadesof2 said:
I don't think so, and I explained why for (i think) each link you provided.

I'm not sure if I can take you seriously, since in the very next 'evidence' you post it says: Do you not see how this works?
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Did you finish reading what he said? ....

"...He is angry — red-in-the-face furious — that his party has squandered its complete power over the state to pursue a vendetta against public schools."

Do you not understand context and the point being made? How can anyone take you seriously if you don't read the links and if you do, you don't understand what you do read?

Reduced school funding does not mean that the education quality has to be lowered, just like reduced defense spending does not have to reduce our actual defense capabilities. One example in Montgomery an example of the GOP does not make.
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Well, the people who actually do the teaching disagree...and I think they know better than politicians who've never taught in their lives, don't you?
Unsubstantiated opinion noted.
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Likewise.

Nice bias that website is spewing there... too bad they couldn't get that more under control, then I might be tempted to take them a tab bit seriously. Looking through the mud, it appears that they are mad that the legislation favors private schools over public ones. Something wrong with private schooling in your opinion?
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Well, without any evidence of your own, you really don't have a lot credibilty in this discussion.
 
Moot said:
Did you finish reading what he said? ....

"...He is angry — red-in-the-face furious — that his party has squandered its complete power over the state to pursue a vendetta against public schools."
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Yes I did, and I'm not sure what you expect me to say. Article says republicans are historically pro education, and this one particular guy, who happens to be a republican, is upset. Nothing to get overly upset about, and I'll sleep just fine tonight knowing that there exists republicans who don't like public schools as much as private.

Do you not understand context and the point being made? How can anyone take you seriously if you don't read the links and if you do, you don't understand what you do read?
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If you can't take my criticism without lashing out in busts of rage you can always stop arguing or ignore me. If you want to debate, then debate. You've told me why you think conservatives are anti-education, I just don't think it makes sense.

Well, the people who actually do the teaching disagree...and I think they know better than politicians who've never taught in their lives, don't you?
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If does not surprise me that those employed in the field resist anything that would cut back on the money spent there. Not one bit.
 
Moot said:
I did.

Just saying neener neener isn't a valid argument or rebuttal. You have to actually to provide some of evidence of your own to prove your claim that conservatives aren't trying to dumb down America. Surely there must something to help prove they aren't....no? Then the evidence that says they are, stands.

Here's some more evidence....

"...Dr. Charles Elliott, a Decatur Republican who serves on the state Board of Education, provides relief for those torn by the seeming conflict between loyalty to the Republican Party and to public education. It’s a manufactured conflict, he said. Republicans historically have been ardent defenders of public schools, seeing them as essential not just for individual opportunity but for economic progress. He is angry — red-in-the-face furious — that his party has squandered its complete power over the state to pursue a vendetta against public schools.

The legislative attacks on the schools have been nearly constant since the 2011 session, most involving creative ways to reduce school funding or to shift General Fund expenses to the Education Trust Fund.

The Legislature’s most public assault on the schools this session was the Alabama Accountability Act....read
Republicans can support schools - The Decatur Daily - Decatur, Alabama

Denile is a river in Egypt.


Thank goodness for the Constitution then, eh? But that doesn't negate the fact that conservative legislatures in almost every red state in the union keep trying to dumb down America with stupid anti-education legislation and propaganda every chance they get.

Here's some more evidence...

Louisiana educators, administrators unite against anti-public schools legislation | Education Votes

I wish I could say the same.
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Not sure if you are a teacher or part of some union. It seems that you conflate the subject of education with the subject of the power of the teachers unions. Some say that the unions are too strong and thus hurt the education of our youth. Folks can agree or disagree on that point, but to say someone wants the teachers union to have less power to keep lousy teachers in school is anti-education is just wrong in my view.
 
Spadesof2 said:
Yes I did, and I'm not sure what you expect me to say. Article says republicans are historically pro education, and this one particular guy, who happens to be a republican, is upset. Nothing to get overly upset about, and I'll sleep just fine tonight knowing that there exists republicans who don't like public schools as much as private.
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The same man said republicans are historically pro-education and that he was upset by their attacks on education. But you either chose to cherry pick what he said or didn't comprehend it at all.

If you can't take my criticism without lashing out in busts of rage you can always stop arguing or ignore me. If you want to debate, then debate. You've told me why you think conservatives are anti-education, I just don't think it makes sense.
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I can take your criticism just fine but it's becoming quite clear that you can't handle the taste of your own medicine.


If does not surprise me that those employed in the field resist anything that would cut back on the money spent there. Not one bit.
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It's just their livlihoods and the future our children at stake, but hey as long as Republicans can score a few political points at the expense of the vulnerable and defenseless then why should you care?
 
washunut said:
Not sure if you are a teacher or part of some union. It seems that you conflate the subject of education with the subject of the power of the teachers unions. Some say that the unions are too strong and thus hurt the education of our youth. Folks can agree or disagree on that point, but to say someone wants the teachers union to have less power to keep lousy teachers in school is anti-education is just wrong in my view.
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Do you think that's the reason Republicans are attacking not just unions, but education as well? I suppose anyone can find a teacher that is lousy and it might even be valid, but that shouldn't dictate what curriculum is taught in public schools.
 
Moot said:
The same man said republicans are historically pro-education and that he was upset by their attacks on education. But you either chose to cherry pick what he said or didn't comprehend it at all.
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It's hard to take you seriously when you can't even get your facts straight. The man was not saying that republicans were attacking education, he said they were attacking public schools. A distinction that you continually fail to make.

I can take your criticism just fine but it's becoming quite clear that you can't handle the taste of your own medicine.
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I'm just fine, thanks.

It's just their livlihoods and the future our children at stake, but hey as long as Republicans can score a few political points at the expense of the vulnerable and defenseless then why should you care?
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You can't seriously think that's the only thing at stake here, can you? Gee, I guess we should just give in to whatever the teachers unions demand, because they must know best amiright? And think of the vulnerable and defenseless children!
 
Moot said:
Do you think that's the reason Republicans are attacking not just unions, but education as well? I suppose anyone can find a teacher that is lousy and it might even be valid, but that shouldn't dictate what curriculum is taught in public schools.
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If by 'attacking' education you mean trying to change the system to favor private schools more (than they currently are), and to allow schools to offer religious classes, then yes, they are 'attacking' education. Not the wording I would choose to use though.
 
Spadesof2 said:
It's hard to take you seriously when you can't even get your facts straight. The man was not saying that republicans were attacking education, he said they were attacking public schools. A distinction that you continually fail to make.
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Really. Well, Dr. Elliot said, "...seeming conflict between loyalty to the Republican Party and to public education". The difference between a school and education is that the former is a place of learning and the latter is what is learned. Republicans are not attacking a place, they are attacking what is learned. That is a distinction that you failed miserably to make and are trying to hide with ad hominem attacks and fallacious reasoning. Seriously, hows that working out for ya?

I'm just fine, thanks.

You can't seriously think that's the only thing at stake here, can you? Gee, I guess we should just give in to whatever the teachers unions demand, because they must know best amiright? And think of the vulnerable and defenseless children!
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We weren't discussing the teachers unions, we were discussing education. Just because a teacher is member of union doesn't mean he/she isn't qualified or know indepth the subject they're teaching. They're certainly far more qualified on the subject of education than a politician is. Of all vocations, teachers have to constantly keep re-educating and retraining themselves to keep up with the times...not to mention become parents to some of the kids. IMO, they don't get paid enough when you consider we entrust them with our most valuable assets, our kids.
 
Spadesof2 said:
If by 'attacking' education you mean trying to change the system to favor private schools more (than they currently are), and to allow schools to offer religious classes, then yes, they are 'attacking' education. Not the wording I would choose to use though.
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No, I mean that Republicans are attacking public education from every angle they can possibly think of...from blaming liberals, to blaming teachers, to blaming unions, to blaming cirriculum, to blaming funding, to blaming the government, to blaming the poor, to blaming immigrants, to blaming the constitution, to blaming anything and everything but themselves.
 
i'm a 27 year public school teacher in northern california, high school math

i make 78k for 181 days work, i'm one column away from maxed out, i teach class exactly 200 minutes a day, we are on block schedules, i get 100 minutes of prep per day which is an outrage when young teachers are getting let go (well, they aren't now but they were 2 years ago)

i'm a conservative, i don't speak at union meetings (i did bring it up once i'd say 2 years ago, people listened to me, they like me because i always show them respect, few know my politics, but no way anything's gonnna change)

nclb is not only the most effective school reform i've ever seen, it's the only effective reform

nclb changed the yearly emphasis of every school district, its yearly mission statement, if you will, the campaign the district is pushing at every staff meeting, every inservice...

nclb changed school emphases from things like tolerance and diversity (the emphasis of an entire south bay high school district i worked for in the mid 90's) to much more pertinent, more fundamental efforts like academic literacy, which is a program for teaching kids how to read their textbooks

academic literacy---we stop teaching trig identities for a day and show the kids exactly how to operate this prentice-hall, how to use it as a tool, how to make it what it really is, user friendly and easy

that was a good one, academic literacy---direct result of nclb (we have GOT to get these test scores up)

of course, i pretty much just taught the way i always do---i'd stop 3 times a year or so for a few minutes and go thru the motions...

it was a very righteous push, academic literacy

test taking strategies are also good---you'd be surprised how much math kids learn on test day, in a functioning class, that is, tests can be super educational if done right

anyone ever heard of cpm, "college prep math?"

yup, that was the name of it, the program, cpm---it was a textbook and a curriculum and a movement, and it swept my state, dominated higher math instruction for more than a decade

it's dead, gone, dinosaur, completely forgotten, a failure

kids hated it, teachers were very divided and very hot, schools had to put together parent nights to address concerns

black helicopter crowds called it the new new math, i think they were right

cpm was radical, it grouped kids 100% of the time, kids tested in groups, as much time was spent on establishing who was the recorder and who the facilitator, who the planner, who the referee...

The Roles of a Teacher in Implementing Cooperative Learning in the Classroom | eHow.com

which was bad enough, but cpm's real problems were in lesson delivery

students were asked to explore, to discover, to investigate...

which is marvelous and wonderful and all good math classes go there, regularly even, if less explicitly

but 100% investigation, 100% discovery...

"if they discover it for themselves they will have ownership"

"what you tell them is yours not theirs"

cpm OUTLAWED ALL DIRECT INSTRUCTION

ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS WITH A QUESTION, we were trained

not once--but every staff departmental inservice for years, at least 3 years

i hated cpm, i didn't teach it

i continued to lecture

i answered questions---directly

my students were extremely appreciative

students aren't motivated enough to derive every geometry theorem from scratch, to apply and integrate each skill used to solve a quadratic equation...

just show me how to do it and shut up

College Preparatory Mathematics

if you're really interested in education spend a few minutes moving thru some cpm lessons

i'll say this, they did their work (uc davis, i remember), hundreds of pages of "investigations," many of them elegant, beautiful, profound

as if the kids care

that said, cpm does a miserable job of covering FACTORING and all aspects of ALGEBRAIC FRACTIONS (reducing, adding, multiplying, and fractional equations)

no problem here, i always write my own stuff

but any teacher dependent on materials...

however, cpm did a great job with traditional algebraic word problems---boat and current, d equals rt, the work problem, the mixture problem

i do still routinely use something i got from cpm---guess and check---for traditional word problems

the value problem---19 nickels and dimes worth exactly 1.65---how many n's, how many d's?

guess---10 and 9---that'd be 1.40, too small

guess again, guess more dimes

kids really understand the question---and with traditional algebraic word problems, that's almost the entire battle
 
Not sure how we got to education but in my research I have come to the conclusion that to fix the broken system we need to:

1. Provide accountability to the teachers. No more "tenure-for-life" once you get hired or the old trick of transferring bad teachers to new schools every few years.

2. Heavily incentivize charter schools by offering school vouchers to parents. Competition and choice always lead to a better end product--education is not magically immune to this.

Both of these require political leadership that will stand up to the teachers' unions so they can't keep writing their own rules and insulating themselves from a failing system.

To my eyes, the left wouldn't dare do this. The Democrats are bought and paid for by the teachers' unions.
 
StringBean said:
Not sure how we got to education but in my research I have come to the conclusion that to fix the broken system we need to:

1. Provide accountability to the teachers. No more "tenure-for-life" once you get hired
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I'm not aware of a single instance of being hired grants you tenure for life. Furthermore, tenure does not protect bad teachers.

or the old trick of transferring bad teachers to new schools every few years.
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There is no way you could ever enforce this in our free market economy.

2. Heavily incentivize charter schools by offering school vouchers to parents.
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School vouchers are a terrible idea and undermine the idea of a public education for everyone. That will not "fix" education, it will just make sure only certain people receive education.

Only taking 30 people out of 100 and getting good scores does not mean you've improved education, it just means you've selectively decided who you evaluate.

Competition and choice always lead to a better end product--education is not magically immune to this.
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Education requires public money and schools are provided funding per student.

Both of these require political leadership that will stand up to the teachers' unions so they can't keep writing their own rules and insulating themselves from a failing system.
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No matter how often the lie is repeated, the education system is not failing. When you move our income inequality to roughly equal to other high performing countries, the United States is towards the top of the list in both science and math.

Fix society and education will naturally improve.

To my eyes, the left wouldn't dare do this. The Democrats are bought and paid for by the teachers' unions.
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To my eyes, you don't have a very good idea of public education is and means. You think the problems which exist in public education will magically disappear if you get rid of public education and that's just ridiculous.
 
Moot said:
Do you think that's the reason Republicans are attacking not just unions, but education as well? I suppose anyone can find a teacher that is lousy and it might even be valid, but that shouldn't dictate what curriculum is taught in public schools.
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I do not hear anything from either party concerning curriculum in my part of the country. So can't relate to your concerns, sorry.
 
Slyfox696 said:
I'm not aware of a single instance of being hired grants you tenure for life. Furthermore, tenure does not protect bad teachers.
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Do some research on the legal process a school district must follow to actually fire a teacher. It is staggeringly slow and simply not worth their time in most cases.

Slyfox696 said:
There is no way you could ever enforce this in our free market economy.
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Hmm, now you want to apply the rules of the free market to public schools?

Of course, in the free market a bad teacher is fired and a new one is hired. In the public school system, a bad teacher is transferred to a different school.

Slyfox696 said:
School vouchers are a terrible idea and undermine the idea of a public education for everyone. That will not "fix" education, it will just make sure only certain people receive education.
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Vouchers are given in equal amount to all households and charter schools are regulated by the school district but not necessarily "run" by it. My system would in fact provide the best of both worlds: the accountability of the free market with the oversight of the public to maintain curricula and testing standards. Everyone is equal in that it is their choice where to send their kids to school.

Slyfox696 said:
Only taking 30 people out of 100 and getting good scores does not mean you've improved education, it just means you've selectively decided who you evaluate.
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Studies in states like Ohio and Louisiana, where charter school programs have been implemented, show students in charter schools perform better than those in traditional public schools, accounting for other factors like household income and demographic. This is because the charter schools have better teachers and lack the burdensome bureaucracy of public schools, thus able to focus resources on more effective outlets.

Slyfox696 said:
Education requires public money and schools are provided funding per student.
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In a charter system schools are provided funding per student. The funding is coming at the discretion of the parents who want their child to be in that school. Make schools compete for those dollars and I guarantee you will see improvement in the quality of education they provide.

Slyfox696 said:
No matter how often the lie is repeated, the education system is not failing. When you move our income inequality to roughly equal to other high performing countries, the United States is towards the top of the list in both science and math.
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The income gap, which has been widening for decades now, is a reflection of the failure of our schools to provide the education necessary to succeed in a modern, technologically advanced economy. The current system only offers a quality education to the wealthy and to uppity middle-classers who live in good school districts. Go to any inner city and tell me the system is working.

Slyfox696 said:
Fix society and education will naturally improve.
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Fix education and society will naturally improve.

Slyfox696 said:
To my eyes, you don't have a very good idea of public education is and means. You think the problems which exist in public education will magically disappear if you get rid of public education and that's just ridiculous.
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To my eyes, you have no idea of what a charter system actually looks like or how it functions. It is not the simple undoing of public education. It a symbiosis of the advantages of public funding and private accountability. Several states have implemented such programs, and the results have been startling in several instances.
 
washunut said:
I do not hear anything from either party concerning curriculum in my part of the country. So can't relate to your concerns, sorry.
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Mmmk....well then, sayonara.
 
StringBean said:
Do some research on the legal process a school district must follow to actually fire a teacher. It is staggeringly slow and simply not worth their time in most cases.
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Nonsense. If it is an ineffective teacher, it is worth the time. I don't need to do research on it, I'm aware it requires documentation. My mother is a superintendent. And yes, the school board has removed tenured teachers before with her as superintendent.

But administrators not wanting to document reasons for dismissal is not a valid reason to remove teacher tenure, which protects teacher from nonsensical and political motivations.

Hmm, now you want to apply the rules of the free market to public schools?
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Uhh, have I ever said anything otherwise? I don't think you understand the difference between teachers being allowed to have jobs and exclusion of students to obtain arbitrary levels of test scores.

Of course, in the free market a bad teacher is fired and a new one is hired. In the public school system, a bad teacher is transferred to a different school.
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What? Ineffective teachers are fired all the time. They then try to catch on with another district. Districts don't swap teachers like a professional sports league.

Vouchers are given in equal amount to all households
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:roll:

and charter schools are regulated by the school district but not necessarily "run" by it. My system would in fact provide the best of both worlds: the accountability of the free market with the oversight of the public to maintain curricula and testing standards. Everyone is equal in that it is their choice where to send their kids to school.
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Are Charter School Public Schools? I

Studies in states like Ohio and Louisiana, where charter school programs have been implemented, show students in charter schools perform better than those in traditional public schools, accounting for other factors like household income and demographic. This is because the charter schools have better teachers and lack the burdensome bureaucracy of public schools, thus able to focus resources on more effective outlets.
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So...just being in a charter school magically makes a teacher better? Or do you think there may be some other factors which lead to these improved results, which are inconclusive at best, as there are plenty of charter schools which perform poorly.

So what is it that makes teachers in a charter school better? Magic? Luck? The ability to NOT teach what will be on the standardized test?

In a charter system schools are provided funding per student. The funding is coming at the discretion of the parents who want their child to be in that school.
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I think you might be confusing charter school with private school.

Make schools compete for those dollars and I guarantee you will see improvement in the quality of education they provide.
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I have $100. I can spend $100 on improving one school or spend $50 on improving each of two schools, and it's your contention the educational quality will improve? Do you REALLY think public schools aren't busting their ass to provide the best education possible right now? And before you answer that, I'll have you keep in mind I'm a teacher, both my father and mother were teachers and my grandmother and grandfather were teachers.

The income gap, which has been widening for decades now, is a reflection of the failure of our schools to provide the education necessary to succeed in a modern, technologically advanced economy.
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Complete nonsense. The income gap is reflective of economic policies which constantly favor those with money, since they are the ones who have the money to bribe...excuse me, lobby, those in Congress. The income gap is because the lower and middle classes are constantly having their legs cut out from under them, whether it's tax credits for moving jobs overseas, the busting of collective bargaining/unions, etc.

You're putting the cart before the horse. Public education is suffering because of society, society is not suffering because of public education.

The current system only offers a quality education to the wealthy and to uppity middle-classers who live in good school districts. Go to any inner city and tell me the system is working.
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The inner city schools don't have funding, due to low tax base. They cannot afford better teachers or improved resources. They pull students from poor families who do not understand the value of education. They lose students to gangs and drugs.

This is a societal problem, not an educational problem.

Fix education and society will naturally improve.
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You cannot fix education until you are able to fix the mentality regarding the necessity of education. You have to impress upon people how valuable education is, make education something they understand is important. You have to be able to tell people that having an education WILL grant you opportunities for advancement in life. So many people don't understand that because society has never afforded them the opportunity, or because they were too lazy to take advantage of it.

To my eyes, you have no idea of what a charter system actually looks like or how it functions. It is not the simple undoing of public education. It a symbiosis of the advantages of public funding and private accountability. Several states have implemented such programs, and the results have been startling in several instances.
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And in many other instances, the charter schools have failed. The fact of the matter is there is no secret to education. Education is the combining of three elements; the teacher, the student and the parent. The test scores people constantly lament from public education do so because of one or more of those elements not pulling their weight. Putting the same students into a charter school is not a magic pill. If we were to force some of our lower performing students into a charter school, they would perform roughly comparable to what they are performing now, because they do not have the support system at home to impress upon them the value of education.

What you want is to start pushing all the better students together and push the poorer performing students together. This way we can then later rationalize doing away with public education all together, thus preventing the poorer performing students, which are more often than not coming from poor families, from receiving an education. This maintains the status quo, of the rich people staying rich and never being threatened by the poor.

Public education is the great equalizer. If you want to fix education, fracturing it is the opposite way to go. If you want to fix education, you have to start with the elements which are bringing it down, which is poverty, familial support, drugs, gangs, lack of enough money to the lower performing schools and funding for schools in general (especially teacher salaries). And it will not be an instantaneous fix, it may take 50-75 years to really see a big difference, because it will have to be a generation by generation process. But undermining public education, fracturing it off into good students and bad students will never solve the real problem, it'll just make our scores look better. After all, if you remove the lowest scores, the average will always go up.
 
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