A Couple Of Questions About Lincoln–And Its Doctors’ Wives
2) Is Lincoln Principal Evelyn Hollen, in fact, sister to Carolyn Bridges, the Polk School District’s senior director of magnet, choice, and charter schools? Or is she sister to Carolyn’s husband, School District Attorney Wes Bridges? Or is there no relation? I hear lots of things, and I’m a little confused. I want to get it straight.
In any event, when the Bridges family–and its offshoots–gather this holiday season to discuss Polk’s anti-charter lawsuit and the evils of predatory charters, I am sure they will discuss the ways that they can make entry and exit policies from Lincoln simpler and less prone to abuse. Glass houses and all. I am sure they will celebrate the fact that Lincoln, as a pure District school, dumps no kids at all. Right? (What’s that you say? They can’t do that because Lincoln dumps kids, too? OK, how about quantifying that for me, Ledger or someone else, so we can compare? And standard disclosure: I’m the giantest hypocrite of all with my own child attending Lakeland Montessori.)
Just because I consider the elitism and rigging that goes on at Lincoln slightly less despicable than the predatory elitism and rigging at McKeel doesn’t mean it’s not despicable. And I hate to break it to you, but my numbers suggest your doctors’ kids are underperforming, too.
And Frank O., Lincoln and the other swell schools not tied to McKeel provide an excellent opportunity for you to pursue your admirable anti-predatory charter crusade from the moral high ground. Set an example, District folks, and then you can rail against McKeel in good conscience.
image credit: Russ Morris
Tags: commentary, education, florida, Lakeland, schools
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Wow, my wife was just talking about this to me yesterday. She knows of a number of families of “connected” people who’ve gotten their children into Lincoln right after moving into the area. I wonder if their admissions process is subject to the Sunshine law since they are publicly funded? Maybe one of your reporter acquaintances might get interested?
One of the things that sickens me about these charter discussions is that we are seeing the eminently predictable squabbles over government largess. These outrages are only available because there is public money being spent here. If all these families were spending their own money to place their children in whatever situation they felt most desirable, then we wouldn’t have anything to talk about.
I’m not against a social safety net for those who are truly in need, though I honestly believe most of that need could be addressed privately as well. But if it buys support for stronger educational reforms, fine take it in taxes. Get the public money out of it for everyone who isn’t truly incapable of service their children’s needs. Free markets service almost our every whim, let alone needs. Humans have yet to develop anything that comes even close to the efficiency of the free market to allocate resources. Markets make things better for everyone, top and bottom earners. Somebody name a free market that doesn’t consistently provide better service and lower costs over time. Why can’t education be another success?
The free market had six millenia, more or less (in terms of written word), and at least a third of the 20th century, to provide for universal schooling. Couldn’t come close to doing it. Failed miserably. As it did in health care.
Do you support compulsory education–as a law, or a mandate, one might say?
The free market is a powerful and mostly positive tool for society. But it doesn’t provide universal ANYTHING. Universal implies state intervention of some sort. Doesn’t mean NO free market solutions can be applied. But you have to be very careful. Public/private hybrid programs are often tricky. JMO
In our neighborhood we have whole families that go into McKeel because spouse was a teacher then the other spouse got to be a teacher or paraeducator and now all of the kids are there and everyone is one big happy family – and they like to brag – my kids go to McKeel