> Mark,
> Thank you for your input, but I suppose you and I should agree to disagree. I spent 33 years as a teacher in public schools, attended five national conventions, countless state conventions and lobbied the state legislature. I have two grandchildren in private school and two in public school. I have another grandchild in a private pre-school, but I don't suppose that counts. He turned 3 today. Anyway, the point is that school funding is a subject very close to my heart and I have learned a great deal about it. Public schools are not in great shape, but the problem lies with politicians, not educators.
> Howard

I personally know 2 former public schools teachers. In talking to both of them, they felt that what's going on there is largely due to a lack of accountability, rather than funding. They both plan to homeschool their own children, and are simply disgusted with the public school system.

I think that tuition-free schools are a great idea. But ideally, they shouldn't be funded publically. If some people want to set up a school in which poor kids can learn without their children paying, that's great. I don't think taxing everyone to pay for an ineffective education system is just though.

Mark"I hope no one took 'I'm right' comment too seriously"N