I would like send a whole lot of kids to private school. As a citizen, I would like to come up with the private money to bus the children a school has failed to private schools to get them a better education. After a week they will back, private schools can not teach public school kids. That is why they are called private schools.

Look at it another way, public golf courses Vs. private golf courses. It seems at private golf courses the people golf better, at public golf courses people golf worse. Private golf courses make more money and have better golfers than public golf courses. Therefore, do away with public golf courses and send all the public golfers to private courses.

Private schools tend to be so efficent because they are private. They exclude the hard to teach. They make money because the kids that attend have parents that pay for them to attend.

Public schools exist to educate the children of people who can not afford to pay for private school.

Public schools are a place where children can come to be fed, educated, and feel a bit of safety.

Yes, public officials are corrupted, but it is private money that buys the fishing trips. If private entities have money to buy public officials off...

Actually, I'm sending one of my kids to a private school next year because he is hard to teach! He's A.D.D. (just like his dad!).

So you can't really paint all private schools with a broad brush.

I, like you, wish we could "broadly paint" them with our money though!

You are doing right thing for your son. A parent knows best. That you have the where with all to host this forum, it shows you care. What about the father who has a son with A.D.D. that can not afford a private school? What about the child that is not your son, and he does not have father around, or even a mother that cares to much?

Public education exists to help the children of people who do not have the means or skills to help themselves.

Look at it another way: suppose public schools were the most wonderful schools in the world. What if suddenly a whole crop of students South of the river entered the workpool trained as engineers, lawyers, and doctors?

Would they have employment?

No, because there is finite and shrinking number of jobs that pay over $50,000 a year. A few of them might, but many of them would not.

They would be competing for those jobs against the children those who have already held those jobs already, thus, bestowing nepotistic perks upon their kin. But this not a discussion about meritocracy in America.

So, what, if any, then is the value of providing free and public eduacation for all children?

That also may not be the discussion you are aiming to create. By posting the gross earnings of educators are you trying to imply that educators are paid to much for what they do? Or the reverse, that many teachers are not paid enough?

I am happy that you take a strong stand against corruption and work diligently to expose it. The problem is not public education, nor is it overpaid teachers. The has its roots nearer to the top.

Are you going to treat the symptom or the sickness? Should Ruben resign for taking private money?

Yes.

Should the people who are willing to offer money to him also be punished?

I also think yes.

There are always going to be those who have more or less than any of us.

There are always going to be those who had to work harder or less hard for that which we ourselves worked for.

There are rules and exceptions on both sides of all "classes" (since we seem to be into classifying people).

Life, just plain, "ain't fair" (but it sure is fun)!

Posting public salaries, in itself, won't make a statement one way or another. So why do I do it? Because it's my tax money being used to pay the bill, and I have a right, duty and responsibility to make sure I'm getting the best "bang for the buck."

And so do you.

As far as punishment of the guilty: get 'em all! Clean house!

I wish everyone cared as much as you!

I wish everyone cared as much as you, too. I have been to this website often over the past 4 years, and when updated frequently it was a source of the news that may have slipped by the Dallas Morning News. It was like the "Daily Show" of local politics.

Posting salaries is great idea. Over at the Centeral Appriasal District website one can also find out how much the house or houses they own are worth. Then it is possible to compare the salary of a public official and the value of their house. And where they live at as well. It would be nice if this website had a link to that as well.

A second data base that would be nice would be to have where the elected officials are getting their money from. Who gave money to who in the election. It may be personal greed for knowledge, but this evening I am wondering who is filling the campaign coffers of Shapiro in the Senate and particulary Grusendorf in the House. I am eager to try to confirm my suspicion that the legislative posititions of key members of the elected tend to reflect those of the entities that have given them the most money.

I am keenly disapointed that Texas has one party in control, and when given the chance to cement their power base they had no problem steamrolling the "other party". Yet when faced with a difficult, yet pressingly important tasks, such as school and tax reform, they wilt often and early under the pressure.

They got voted in to run this State, it sure would be nice if they got around to doing it.

It seems the problem is that the votes are cast by the many, and all the power is in the hands of the few. Damn Democracy. If only the powerful people did not have to have to gain govermental power through the votes of willy nilly and under educated population...

Thanks again for hosting this place, I enjoy posting.