Originally Posted by prioritizepre-k:
My issue is small potatoes compared to the larger issue. Yes, as a preschool owner, I am losing business. But I will survive.
https://www.daycare.com/forum/images...es/biggrin.gif
It's no crime to be a business owner and hope to do well. Regardless, as a taxpayer, I also have a problem with "universal" preschool. 80% of children in the nation currently go to preschool. If we need to expand the parameters to allow more children the opportunity, fine. I have a problem with programs that shuffle children from the private sector and put the cost on the taxpayer, especially when those families can well afford to pay for it. This is not good policy for our already suffering economy. By doing this, you are forcing small business to close their door, decreasing tax revenue, increasing unemployment and raising our taxes.
Districts in our area are doing more than cutting sports. They are cutting full day Kindergarten at the same time they have a $1.6 million dollar UPK program running. In my opinion, that just doesn't make sense.
Use our money wisely and restore cuts to K-12 and prioritize pre-k money to those most in need.
i didn't say it was a crime. it was just an obvious fact/motivator that hadn't been mentioned.
you said,
"I have a problem with programs that shuffle children from the private sector and put the cost on the taxpayer, especially when those families can well afford to pay for it."
i asked before, what's the difference between the k-12 students who can well afford to pay for private school, but they're going to public school?
the fact is there is a ton of money being spent and the results aren't showing the money is worth it. so, why pay MORE money? well, would you spend 100 bucks on a TV that didn't work, or 120 bucks on one that worked like a charm? who are these "teachers" in the private sector held accountable to? who is monitoring the children's progress?
i can see saying "if it ain't broke, don't fix it," but it IS "broke."
it does make sense to cut FULL day kindergarten classes to keep pre-k because MORE CHILDREN get served that way. 100 kids get to go to school and stay half a day instead of 50 children going and staying all day and the other 50 staying at home wishing they could go to school. makes sense to me.
