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we have increasingly held the view that education is a private good, which should serve the individual interests of educational consumers, rather than a public good, which should serve the broader public interest in producing competent citizens and productive workers. teachingenglish First, consider our traditional teachingenglish commitment to preserving local control. The core issue here is the wide and deep strain of libertarian sentiment that lies at the heart of the American psyche. The urge to preserve individual liberty is a key to understanding American society, and it is what defines our distinctive approach to politics, economics, and education. Don''t tell me what to do" has long been our national slogan. By it we have meant in particular that government should keep off our backs -- especially government that is far removed from our local community. All you need to do is remember that teachingenglish this nation was born of an uprising against a colonial government that tried to impose teachingenglish modest taxes on it from teachingenglish afar. In education, this sentiment came to be expressed as a staunch defense of local control of our schools. During most of the 19th century, the local school was the primary unit of educational governance for most Americans. An individual community built a school, hired a teacher, raised money through local taxes and fees, and implemented education on its own terms. Outside help was neither offered nor welcomed. This was the ultimate in local control. Even in large cities, control of education tended to rest at the ward level. Consider some numbers that suggest the radical degree of decentralization that has long characterized American education. It was not until 1937 that we started recording information about the number of individual school systems in the country. who brought up the abuses of the school''s policy at a meeting in September. School administrators said last month that some parents have entered into provisional custody agreements with other Ascension residents just so their children could attend the school of that person''s choice. The previous policy allowed parents of the student in question to sign a notarized teachingenglish agreement transferring school-related custody of teachingenglish their children to residents who live in the school district where they want their children enrolled. Hillensbeck and Superintendent teachingenglish Robert Clouatre said last month that school principals reported to them that students from other parishes, including St. James, Assumption and East Baton Rouge, were attending schools illegally in Ascension. Beginning in the 2001-2002 school year, no one will be allowed to attend school in Ascension teachingenglish outside his school district unless he shows proof of a court-ordered provisional custody agreement.
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