The Problem with Proposition 3
I was very disappointed to learn that Proposition 3 passed last week (and not just passed, but passed overwhelmingly). In my opinion Proposition 3 will be a huge waste of time, paperwork, and money. Here is why I believe it should never have gone through.
Proposition 3 Obsoletion
I’m fairly tech-savvy. I work with technology a lot. Between doing webdesign work, teaching people how to use computers, and being the resident tech geek at several jobs, I’ve had my share of working with technological devices. If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my use of technology, it’s that it evolves very quickly. That’s why it makes little sense to me to spend 2 billion dollars supplying classrooms with technology that will simply be obsolete in just a few years. Does that mean we’ll have to spend another 2 billion dollars later to update that outdated technology? It seems like ludicrous to me, and I’m less than thrilled at the thought of my taxes going up to pay for it.
Personally, I’d rather the money that would go to complete Proposition 3 go instead to libraries. If the state wants to spend 2 billion dollars for learning, it might as well be spent somewhere it can do more good. For what it would cost to supply a single school with the proposed technology, we could instead supply multiple libraries. Multiple libraries could serve far more communities, and therefore far more people, than just supplying schools would.
I chose to homeschool from 5th grade onward, and when I began homeschooling, it allowed me more time to spend in the local library (you can read about my experiences with homeschooling here). Unlike a school classroom where the learning supply is limited by what must be taught to fulfill a curriculum, a library is a virtually limitless supply of knowledge. I learned far more from a library than I ever learned in a traditional classroom. Whereas a traditional classroom focuses on teaching to pass exams, a library is an unending supply that encourages learning. Wouldn’t then the 2 billion dollars set for Proposition 3 be better spent on those libraries, where not just school children could benefit, but also college students and adults as well?
Proposition 3 Maintenance
Another problem with Proposition 3 is that it fails to take into account the cost of maintaining all that new technology. One of the first things you notice when working with technology is that it takes maintenance to keep it running smoothly, and it’s usually a lot of maintenance. How much will it cost us as taxpayers to keep 2 billion dollars worth of technology in smooth running order?
While technology is awesome when it works, it’s extremely frustrating when it doesn’t. I’ve had computers of my own, and helped enough people with theirs to know that more often than not, they don’t run as smooth as they should. There’s quite often some little glitch here or there that causes big problems in the operation of the machines. These glitches either require hiring only teachers with the know-how to fix them, or getting the assistance of outside experts, which of course costs us as taxpayers even more money.
Proposition 3 Pre-k Programs
The other thing that rubbed me the wrong way about Proposition 3 was the idea to “expand high-quality pre-kindergarten programs.” While a parent should certainly have the option to give their children pre-K education if that’s what they want, the part that often scares me about it is the fact that schools may soon require it. As more and more children enter into pre-K programs, more states begin to consider requiring such pre-K education, full day kindergarten, and decreased recess to ensure all educational requirements are met.
In my opinion, no child should be forced into pre-K education (I also don’t believe in all-day Kindergarten or decreased recess, but that’s for another post). They are simply too young. 4-year-olds (or in some cases 3-year-olds), are just too little to be forced into school, pre-K or otherwise, if their parents don’t think they’re ready for it. All it will accomplish is giving us a society of anxious, burnout people later on in life.
Children need time to be children. They are not adults, and they should not be treated like adults. They need time to find out who they are so they won’t be influenced by peer-pressure when they enter school. They need time to become sure of themselves before they’re forced to leave their parents. And they need time to just play.
Many studies have shown just how important play is for people, even adults. It is especially important for young children (read an article about the importance of play here). Imagine what it would do to a child forced to give up their play time in exchange for required pre-K, full day kindergarten, and decreased recess. It has been shown that as education requirements increase, so do depression, anxiety, and teen suicide. Is that what we really want?
Going back to libraries, if a person has a library card, they can learn anything. There’s no reason to force very young children into school. Much of what people learn in school they forget later on anyway, because they never use it. We can’t teach people everything there is in the world to learn, but what we can teach them, is how to learn anything they want. A library is a good place to start. Or as Matt Damon said in Good Will Hunting, “You dropped 150 grand on an education you could have got for a $1.50 in late charges at the public library.”
Copyright © Amber Reifsteck ~ The Woodland Elf
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