FW: Wilson's Kid on Government Schools

["Bill Belknap" <bbelknap@latah.id.us>]

Nate,
Does Logos School service children with disabilities, or do they selectively
serve those who's parents are typically more involved (they are paying for
it, aren't they)?  My wife has had experience teaching in both private and
public schools, and I do not believe that there can be a fair direct
comparison between the two (by either cost or outcome).  One selectively
screens children with disabilities (sorry, we don't have the resources to
serve your child here)and receives children from often (but not always)
higher socioeconomic level families who are much more involved in their
children's education because they are choosing to pay for it (for whatever
reason).  While the other is tasked with serving all children, regardless of
the level of family support, educational ability (physical or mental
disabilities)or other background.  Not to mention transportation costs and
other services that Logos does not provide at nearly the same level as the
MSD.  I will state for the record that my spouse is a dedicated and caring
teacher in the Moscow School District (less someone consider me biased
without making it clear) that I am proud to call my wife.  Yes I am biased,
but I have seen both sides of the coin and the bottom line is that the
comparison is not equitable.
Best Regards,
Bill Belknap

-----Original Message-----
From: Nate Wilson [mailto:natewilson@moscow.com]
Sent: Friday, June 28, 2002 11:07 AM
To: vision2020@moscow.com
Subject: Wilson's Kid on Government Schools


    After a couple of year stint on the East coast, this last year back
in Moscow has been good fun. There have been sandwich boards to make,
Beauchamps to write in for school board, and a regular old dust-up on
vision2020 apparently caused by my dad, among others. Throughout the
scuffle about modernity and government schools there seemed to be a
common assumption that schools such as Logos are the elitist, spendy
operations and the government schools are the schools of the people, the
cheap schools, the schools of our unfortunate future.
    Nobody seems to contest the fact that Logos provides a better (if
Christian) education. But the problem is that the MSD spends about twice
as much per student as the elitist Logos. While a Logos education runs
at roughly four grand per (with deals on multiple kids), the local
government ed costs eight grand per student. Can any one tell me why
this is? People have been upset at the assertion that the local SD
provides an inferior product, (at least when compared to local private
ed) but they haven't denied it. So why does the inferior government deal
cost twice as much?

Nate Wilson