Pdge6
The Blue Banner
September 14,2000
Features
Free market education: should
parents and children choose?
Kevin Rollins
Columnist
The North CaroHna Board of
Education has made a step in the
right direction with its new pro
gram which allows high school stu
dents to choose different sets of
courses for different career goals.
For far too long, students have been
lumped into a “one size fits all”
system, which ends up not fitting
anyone very well.
The government school system is
very good at treating young people
as assembly-line manufactured units
that are best represented by their
social security numbers.
The new system lets students
choose between 3 tracks, college/
university prep, college tech prep
(for future community college tech
nical students), and a career prep
for those students who intend to
enter the work force directly after
high school.
Still, though, there are many more
details to an individual than whether
they intend to go to college, techni
cal school, or the work force.
Let’s consider just the college
bound track for a moment. There
are young writers who want to go
to college, but have no use for do
ing geometric proofs. There are
future engineers who don’t need to
be able to diagram a sentence to
build a nuclear missile.
There are morning people and
night people. There are those who
like crowds, and those who like
computers. There are Christians,
there are gays and there are gay
Christians.
There may be three clothing sizes,
small, medium and large, but not
everyone who wears fnedium size
shirts will shop at the Gap.
That is the basic problem with
government schools - the inability
to serve individual needs.
Who understands a person’s needs
better, the state government in
Raleigh or the people themselves?
Who knows the child, the school
academic notices
board or the parent? Do 1 know
what suits you best, or do you?
With school boards, seven people
decide how 100,000 people’s chil
dren are going to be educated. Their
morals, their methods of teaching
and learning are imposed on every
one else.
Anyone whose values or children
this system does not suit is out of
luck. They are left to beg and plead
with their school board member to
work to change the system.
Sometimes a large enough coali
tion gets together and installs a
wholly new school board. Parents
and students are then given a new
set of dictates to obey. Some appre
ciate them. Some would rather keep
the old set of tyrants.
In the free market, parents and
their children could look around
for the teacher, school or distance
learningprogram which meets their
standards of learning, their moral
beliefs and their individual person
alities.
If one school doesn’t provide what
they want or need, they can take
their business somewhere else. A
free market school system would
offer the same variety of options we
have in restaurants, clothing stores,
car brands and kitchen appliances.
Instead of giving parents and stu
dents a real choice, or wondering
why the critics abound, the bureau
9/22
crats look for new ways to force stu
dents into the government schools.
They craft truancy laws that land
either the parent or student in prison
for failing to co-operate with the
school system. In the student’s case,
the prison is called a “juvenile de
linquent detention home.”
You must go to school, even if you
aren’t learning anything, even if
you don’t like it there, even if your
parent doesn’t think its safe. You
must, because the government says
so.
The other side of this is that real
juvenile delinquents are in the
schools. These young hooligans
have no intention of trying to learn
anything and will prevent others
from learning if they can. They
can’t be thrown out, because they
must be there, by law.
North Carolina’s new policy is a
good thing, but look at how many
years it took them to figure out that
they might be able to classify people
into different interest areas.
How many years will it be before
they realize that there are different
ability levels within a track? How
many years will it take them to
understand that students are indi
viduals, and that throwing con
cerned parents in jail is immoral?
We need to be rid of this bureau
cratic system entirely and let people
choose for themselves.
French
continued from page 4
It seems appropriate to have wine
with a French meal.
Diaz and Manavitalso have plans
for the interior of the creperie.
They are already looking into re
moving the outer wall of the hall
way where the tables are set. They
want to expose the original brick
behind these walls. This project
will also add about one foot of
space to the narrow hallway.
They also plan on adding arch
ways across the ceiling. They want
to add some hanging plants to warm
up the atmosphere. They are hop
ing to accomplish most of these
renovations within the next year.
The French Window has only been
open since February. Diaz has lived
in the United States since 1989,
and moved to Asheville only two
years ago.
He still has a delightfiil French ac
cent, and appears to enjoy his busi
ness. The service was very friendly
and very fast considering that only
one person was operating it at the
time.
Every time a company makes a product, they also make pdlution. Every time you
make a purchase, you could reduce some of that pollution. 'Cause wtien you buy
durable and reusable products to use at home, there's less to throw away. And
less to replace. For a free shopping guide, please call 1-800-2-RECYa4E.
BUY SMART.
WASTE LESS.
www.environmentaldefense.org
SAVE MGRE^
eNVIRONMeNTAL D6FeNSe
Letigre has postponed their
show at Vincent’s Ear until
Oct. 17.
Students notified by letter for Fall Research Grants '
Language 102 Proficiency Exam, 2 pm, RL • 9/18
Last day to wittidraw from semester course • 9/27
Undergraduate Research handbooks available in KH 126
Great Smokies Writing Program: nature writing/poetry/fiction, 2 credit
hours, call x6558 for info
Hispanic heritage month
Film "Hombre Mirando al Sudeste," (Letters from Alow), Hispanic Film
Festival, 7 pm. Whitman Room • due 9/18
• Son de Cuba, Cuban band and Salsa dancing, 7 pm, HC Lounge • 9/21
• Fiesta Latina 2000, 1-9 pm. Pack Place • 9/23
For Your Information
athletics
Men's Soccer vs. Charleston Southern, 2 pm, GF
Men's Soccer vs. Citadel, 4 pm, GF • 9/20
Volleyball vs. Campbell, 4 pm, JG • 9/22
Volleyball vs. Loyola, 8 pm, JG • 9/22
9/16
leadership opportunities
• Homecoming Celebration Coordinators (applications at HC 27), stipend
available • due 9/22
,;_OrigntotionJ;ggder 2001 opplications available 9/25, HC 31 • due 10/25
career center/jobs
Homecoming Celebration Coordinators (September thru March), stipend
available, apply HC 27 • due 9/22
E-jobs: Part time jobs listserve - contact mwhitson @ unca.edu
JobTrak.com: Graduating Seniors registration for full time jobs - go to
wwv/.unca.edu/career
Work Study on campus, $6.25/hr, 8 hrs weekly, must have unmet need,
apply LH 221
sept 14 I concerts/live entertainment
thru '
sept 21
Dance Performance "In a Different Light: Duke Ellington" by Donald Byrd/
The Group, 8 pm, Diana Wortham Theater • 9/15-9/16
Residence Life BINGO, 9 pm, HC Lounge *9/19
Open Mic Night, 9 pm, HC Lounge • 9/20
The Ruesters instrumental duo, 8 pm. Coffeehouse • 9/22
Evans/Coppola Concert, jazz piano and vocal duet, 4 pm, LA • 9/24
UNCA
FYI is a service
of the Student
Activities and
Student Affairs
offices.
FYI is published each Thursday.
Deadline to submit information is
Friday at 2 pm, for the following
week's publication. Send basic
information to K. Keane, HC 27or
e-mail kkeane@unca.edu.
See FYI on Banner Online at'
www.unca.edu/bonner/fyi.
Check out the Child Care website at wvyw.unca.edu/childcare
Bulldog Express, free bus service around Asheville-Downtown, Wal-mart,
Mall, Beaucatcher Cinema (7:30 pm-12:30 am Friday/Saturday) from UNCA
and return
Night Sky Viewing on the Quad, 9 pm • Monday/Tuesday evenings
Social Life Task Force Weekend Event Funding applications available for any
student org. or campus dept., HC 27 • due 9/22
Super Saturday begins for grades 3-8, 9 am, RH • Saturdays
Writing Center Open House, 12-6 pm, KH 017 • 9/20
The Financial Aid Office new hours: 9 am-5 pm, M-F
exhibits
"Exposure to Black and White," by Cheryl Lore, Univ. Gallery • thru 9/26
Terry Godfrey Installation, Blowers Gallery • thru 9/30
films
"Any Given Sunday," spon. by Residence Life, 8 pm, HCL *9/18
"Night Waltz - The Music of Paul Bowles," discussion with filmmaker to
follow, 7:30 pm, Lipinsky Auditorium • 9/21
lectures/workshops/seminars
"The Emergence of the Greek City-State," by Dr. Sophie Mills, 7 pm. The
Kellogg Center • 9/18 ’
WWII Roundtable Discussion, 7 pm, RL • 9/18
"Congress vs. the American People: The Foreign Policy Gap," by Dr. Jerry
W. Leach, 7:30 pm, HLH • 9/15
"Developing Your Career," First Year Seminar, 11 am, LF • 9/21
"Library Connections," First Year Seminar, 6 pm, RL • 9/21
"Harambee: Africans in America, Americans in Africa," 5 pm, PDR *9/21
Introduction to Mediation Seminar, 10 om, HC Lounge • 9/23
outdoor activities (sign up in HC)
sky Diving, $50 includes transportation and fees • 9/23
Mountain Biking, $15 includes transportation and food • 9/24
recreation/intramurais
Karate Club, 7pm, Dance Studio • Mondays/Wednesdays
Martial Arts Club, 7pm, Dance Studio • Tuesdays/Thursdays
Kayaking 7-9:30 pm, pool • Wednesdays
Ultimate Frisbee/Club Team, 8pm, Lower Field • Mondays/Thursdays
tickets in HC 27
Asheville Art Museum, $2
Biltmore House, $24
Carowinds, $22
Chimney Rock, $6 with voucher
United Artists Theatres Movie tickets, $4
_Dovidjyrd/The Group, $5
upcommg events
"Macbeth" by Theatre UNCA, CBT • 9/28 - 10/8
Chancellor James Mullen Installation, 2 pm. Quad *10/6
Family Weekend • 10/6 - 10/8
^oll^ling 2000, Festivities on the Quad, 1-5 pm. Quad • 10/7
volunteer opportunities
Service-learning opportunities - Key Center for Service Learning, 251-6400
or lweinberg@unca.edu
• Do you want to help with conflict resolution on campus? Contact the Peer
^jgdiatign^Center at 232-5120 or mediate©unrn orJn