Columns

Guest Column: My money is going to private schools

In a 5-4 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court court ruled last week in Arizona Christian School Tuition Organization v. Winn that only the individual can determine how their school taxes are to be spent. That means if they wish their school tax to go to support a private school or scholarship, the government can not interfere.

You may now notify your school district if you want to send your child to a private school and your school taxes go to pay the tuition. You might remember that President Obama discontinued the school voucher program in Washington D.C. during his first year in office.

What is the upside of a private education? They turn out a better product.

The curriculums in private schools are morally and politically sound without the prejudices of progressive socialist communist ideology. Private schools are not top heavy with superintendents or bad tenured teachers who fail to produce. Private Schools are not subject to the dictatorial union whims.

Private schools do not tolerate disruptive students, which makes for a more conducive learning environment. The disruptive students are expelled to the public school, which reduces the learning ability of the other students.

Eventually the progressive public schools will be stigmatized as dumping grounds for troubled youths and thus stigmatizing all the students who attend them. The fact is discipline begets more law-abiding and productive citizens. Also more than 90 percent of private high school students go on to college.

In all fairness, not all public schools provide a substandard education. However, many of the good teachers in the public school system are handicapped if they are enthusiastic about teaching and putting a little extra into the curriculum.

That may embarrass their co-workers who are less likely to work harder and go the extra mile.

I know of one North Fork teacher who was asked to resign by the principle because of peer pressure by the tenured teachers in that grade.

I know many parents in Mattituck who will verify that this was not the first time this has happened. Fortunately they now have a choice as to where they feel their children will receive the better education.

As a grandparent and taxpayer I intend to stipulate as to where my school taxes will provide a scholarship to support a private school on the North Folk. I’m tired of what the progressive public schools are teaching the children of this nation.

It’s time to demand the best bang for your buck. Tell the progressive public schools the bell is tolling for them.

Mr. Dengel is a resident of Peconic.