7.10.2009

A short discussion: Who should pay for K-12 education?

Several days ago, a Facebook friend complained about the "Pay to Play" system being adopted by some public school districts. This system in essence requires that parents pay the cost of extracurricular activities in order for their children to participate.

I think this is an interesting topic, and one that warrants a discussion. A slightly different debate emerged, however, between me and another Facebook citizen. The focus became "who should pay for K-12 education?", and the argument below ensued. I'd love to hear feedback from the wider world about the points raised, as well as any other perspectives you have to contribute.

I've left the conversation as is from Facebook, complete with the spelling and grammar errors that sometimes creep in during a fast back-and-forth. I've replaced names (besides my own) with initials, and moved one snippet for clarity, but the conversation otherwise unfolded exactly as below: