25 January 2007

Full-Day Kindergarten = Universal Panacea?

The state of Indiana is moving a bit closer to having this full-day kindergarten gig becoming a reality. I for one am NOT amused. I usually like to stick to three basic topics here: Crime, Education, and the Human Condition. But once in a blue moon, two of these three topics overlap. Such is the case with full-day kindergarten. It's a crime as well as an educational topic.
But it's mostly a crime. Indiana already has school systems in disrepair, students with ambiguous I-Step+ scores, and now the politicos want the school systems to manage an ALL-DAY baby-sitting service. Sorry, but that's a criminal act against the taxpayers of this state.

Just here in Fort Wayne, we're ALREADY looking at the FWCS's "hostage situation" whereby the taxpayers of the city are being held for ransom to the tune of no less than $600 MILLION dollars. Sure, so let's ADD to that mix a price tag of about $135-$285 MILLION required by the state to RUN an all-day kindergarten scenario ANNUALLY (as to what Fort Wayne taxpayers might have to shell out for it every year, we don't have a clue yet). The state has admitted to having NO IDEA how they *plan* to pay for it as it stands. But they already provide money for HALF-DAY kindergarten. Lord knows how much of our money is fronting this.

Of course one Democrat state senator says: "Early learning and full-day kindergarten is a way to GIVE (at a huge price, right Bub? ) children in the state of Indiana (or is that the state of DENIAL? ) the chance and ability to excel in school (even if they don't want to? ) and in life. If we don't GIVE (who's this *we* crap? ) them the tools early enough (in vitro wouldn't EVEN work for SOME of these kids ), we will lose them "(how many will lose anyway due to the lack of parental accountability? ). State education superintendent Suellen Reed was excited to see this dialogue moving forward (doesn't take much for her these days I guess ) and promised to provide any research needed to get lawmakers on board (ANOTHER gravy-train? ).

Da "Guv's" master plan will phase in the kids who are eligible for FREE or REDUCED-PRICE lunch FIRST (and if the former post about POVERTY is any indication of who SHOULD be receiving this program...it would be most ALL of us....LOL)! Some kids would have to leave midday because of disqualification (can you say "cluster-f$ck"? ) for the free meals. And this would surely affect lesson-planning as well as logistics such as lunch and transportation. Of course, even though this comes with a price (and a huge honking one at that), the state feels the benefit to the children is priceless (as in not worth a dime, or as in a DaVinci painting? ).

The Democrat state senator added: "When it comes to full-day kindergarten, we have to continue to be innovative". (as in more ways to spend ALL our money for baby-sitting services...gotcha, Bub). Of course the Republicans voted against the resolution.

Again, we see the result of allowing parents to become L-A-Z-Y. When mom & dad (or mom and whatever boyfriend is living there this month) can't actively take any sort of role in shaping a child's life BEFORE entering school, that is a crime. Hell, there are those people that (falsely) believe that education is an "instrument of the white man" and therefore has no relevence with THEIR children. At the opposite end of the spectrum, we have those people that see this as yet anohter way to "free up" their day so they can sit at home, or otherwise do relatively nothing all day while the "state" takes care of the kiddies. What's ironic is that these are the SAME people who would cry "foul" whenever the "state" intervenes elsewhere in their lives. Since many of the people who will be shipping their charges into this full-day kindergarten will no doubt be classified as "poverty level" (erroneously as well), we SHOULD expect these kids to have such a large leg up in the educational system as to put all others to shame. Well, I don't see that happening any time soon. It's not about THAT.

What it IS about is good parenting, not taking the kids and doing the "shuffle off to Buffalo" thing at such a high price. The cost of good parenting should FAR outweigh any other monetary venues, however contrived. And the net result of good parenting CAN be felt for generations. Setting a price tag on that would be impossible, yet it IS able to be realized, at a far less financial strain on the already beleaguered taxpayers of this state.

There were SO many kids that never went to kindergarten, started school at the first grade, went on to excel far past grade 12, becoming successful in life.

It must have been those darned parents and the skills THEY provided.

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