What do we want from our schools?

It's an interesting question because everyone will say they want quality schools, but then everyone has a different opinion of what a quality school is...

Here is my take;

A quality school hires the best educators for the job, individuals who are on fire for their jobs and inspire their students to perform to the highest levels. Not anyone can teach math or physics successfully!
If you were the owner of a business I hope for your sake that you would hire the best people for your company, not the cheapest!

A quality school offers the courses and resources that can enable any individual to succeed. Sure math, reading and writing were all students needed...in the 50's!!! It is a different world now in 2007! Students need to be equipped for whatever they may face when they enter college and the career field! Versatility is a virtue!

Again, no one would expect a UPS man to deliver packages without a delivery truck, or a chef at a "high class" restaurant to cook without cooking utensils! Why should we expect the youth to be educated with anything less than the best resources?

A quality school ensures small class sizes to enable easy teacher/student interaction.

A gym class of 40 students to 1 teacher does not fit the label of a small class and I do not believe that shoving as many students into a classroom as possible in the interest of saving money is an equation for excellence.

A quality school produces well rounded students! Other states do it, other states manage to fund their schools the right way, why not Wisconsin!

Now if wishing for a quality education for youth makes me "a liberal punk" or a "selfish lefty" as some conservatives have so kindly dubbed me so be it!

It is not fair to the youth to say "we didn't have all those programs and we turned out OK." We don't want students who just turn out "OK", rather students who turn out extraordinary! Students who will care about their community and will be interested in changing their surrounding environment for the betterment of all!

I would not refer to these statements as whining rather standing up for my convictions, please tell me that youth are allowed to have convictions!