Putting aside the at-times bewildering costs-per-pupil discussion for a moment...I'd just like to offer a reflection on all of this from a retired teacher's perspective.
As I've often told my students in the past, there really are only two grades in the real world; those being an A or an F. That is, either you did your job right, or you did not.
The discussion of the expense, and at times, even the validity and character of our public schools, is an old discussion on the 'Deck and has involved numerous people over a span of several years. It tends to resurface around school levy time, but once in awhile, it comes back.
Let's face it, there are people who, for any number of reasons, simply do not care for the public schools as they currently exist. Or perhaps they might barely tolerate the idea of public education, but are otherwise opposed to teachers' unions, collective bargaining and stuff like that.
At the same time, public school and union advocates have not always come across in the best light either. People are, after all people, and the issue of public education is one of great complexity, particularly these days, and especially in the light of under-funded governmental mandates and conflicting positions regarding what should be taught and what should be tested, and when.
People are certainly entitled to their own points of view regarding schooling. One of the best insights that a liberal arts education provides is the realization that there are decent, thoughtful, committed and passionate people on virtually all sides of an issue. What they disagree on is not so much with the logic, but with the premises for discussion.
Perhaps we should begin with the basic premise presently before us.
Should America even HAVE public schools anymore?
You'd think that everyone would agree with that one, but that's not the case at all. There is a significant portion of our population who believe that education should ideally be done in the private sector. This type of thinking is not new. It's been around as long as public schools have existed.
Then too, and particularly with the historical, scientific, or health-related subjects, there has often been considerable political disagreement as to exactly what should be emphasized in the schools.
The basic difficulty that many have with the public school ideal is that public schools traditionally have encouraged the concept of having a free and open inquiry into all topics, on the basis of acquired knowledge alone, unfettered by perceptions. You might think that to be a laudable goal, but millions of people do not think so at all. Millions believe that the search for knowledge must be tempered by partisan premises. Right from the start in our country, we have allowed people to opt out of the public schools for that very reason. Over the years, public monies have been allowed by the courts into aspects of private instruction, provided that the instruction was academic in nature.
To want one's own children to be taught through the lens of a particular worldview is the right of every parent. At the same time, we have often seen the historical disasters that have arisen when such education crosses the line into "brainwashing". The 20th century produced millions of such children who were educated in schools indoctrinating left or right-wing ideologies by governments bent on imposing their particular worldview on others.
In the American educational system, all children coming from all faiths, political, or racial backgrounds are welcome in our schools. There, they learn to get along with each other, to learn from each other's backgrounds and cultures, test each other's theories, develop hypotheses about life based on global realities, and learn to interact and to treat each other with respect in this increasingly cosmopolitan world of ours. That is why I am a firm believer in public education. Indeed to me, public education represents perhaps one of the last and best hopes that humanity has to learn to get along with each other. Private education certainly has its place, but it's with the public schools' acceptance of all who come to its doors, that shows where America's, (and indeed, the world's future) will lie.
Now, as to the specific question presently before us: Is the Lakewood City School District spending "too much" per pupil? A comparison around the county would quickly suggest otherwise. Whether one agrees or disagrees with the concept of public schools, we all know that good public schools are a primary attraction for a community interested in selling or renting homes to young families. You want decent property values? You then need decent public schools. That takes an involved community, dedicated administrators, support staff, and teachers, as well as committed parenting and a committed citizenry.
That said, the schools should never be given a free pass. Public school leadership teams always need to be aware that there is (hopefully!) an active and involved public out there, keeping an eye on things.
In my opinion, the Lakewood Schools have accomplished a great deal, but much remains to be done. The present half-finished high school situation needs attention. The issue of hundreds of students crossing busy Franklin Avenue, every period of every day to change classes in all weather conditions needs to be reviewed. Neighborhood politics need to take a back seat to far-sighted objective planning regarding the elementary population and the building programs. Continual review needs to transpire regarding the utilization of evermore effective technological resources in the classroom in this information age. What worked last year is probably 3 years obsolete already as we speak. Particularly, the schools would be well advised to survey and tap into the community resources of the citizenry. Lakewood senior and community volunteer programs could be expanded into even more tutorial and interactive opportunities than are presently in play.
Lakewood's public schools are indeed REALLY great, but I return to my first point...
There are two grades only in life...an A, or an F.
Given that paradigm, our schools and our community can never rest on any sort of laurels.
All just my opinions, and I may be wrong from time to time, but it sure is fun to get em' out there.
Back to the banjo...