How do you feel about Universal Pre-K?

[valley]

I have nothing against it so long as parental and state rights are respected.

[Shellie]

valley wrote:

I have nothing against it so long as parental and state rights are respected.

That's doublespeak. You can't say parents rights are respected if they are mandated to send their children to school at 3 and 4 years old.

[valley]

valley wrote:

I have nothing against it so long as parental and state rights are respected.

That's doublespeak. You can't say parents rights are respected if they are mandated to send their children to school at 3 and 4 years old.

Not really. We have universal education, at least to age 16, in the USA; but in most states parents have a right to have alternative educational arrangements for their children. I am not so sure that pre-K should be required as such, but I do believe every parent should have equal access to education options. If parents want to home school their child, then so be it, if they want to send them to a private school, the let it be done, if they choose to send a child to pre-K, then great. I jump off the boat when it comes to having federal mandates and massive governmental oversight.

[MacUser]

What they are after is telling you how to think period.

These decisions should always be the parents. If you decided voluntarily pro raising your children, great. This isn't your hunt. Chill.

If you still decide that I need to do it regardless of my personal convictions against it... you've got another agenda going on other than the personal well being of children.

[lady4jc]

Pre k is ok for some but I dont think it should be mandatory. Let our kids be kids. Stop pushing them to grow up too fast. My daughter went to pre school and she loved it but my son cryed when I tryed to take him to pre school so I didnt force him to go. He went only 2 weeks of it. By the time he was old enough for kindergarten he was ready for school. I taught him at home how to spell his name and to write his ABC's. I think that is what is wrong with alot of our kids. They are forced to grow up too fast. Parents need to spend time with there kids at home. Next thing you know parents will be forced to take there babies to school while they are still in diapers. Babies need there parents.

[Pastor Bill]

valley wrote:

I have nothing against it so long as parental and state rights are respected.

That's doublespeak. You can't say parents rights are respected if they are mandated to send their children to school at 3 and 4 years old.

Not really. We have universal education, at least to age 16, in the USA; but in most states parents have a right to have alternative educational arrangements for their children. I am not so sure that pre-K should be required as such, but I do believe every parent should have equal access to education options. If parents want to home school their child, then so be it, if they want to send them to a private school, the let it be done, if they choose to send a child to pre-K, then great. I jump off the boat when it comes to having federal mandates and massive governmental oversight.

I think that's the point, this is not an optional thing, but a mandated, requirement. No one here has a problem with making that option open to everyone, only a problem with taking the optional part out of it.

[RamboPreacher]

What they are after is telling you how to think period.

EXACTLY - as example, public (and other) schools (no offense to those of you working in that area) begin at K indoctrinating an evolutionist "science": Billions of years ago, blah, blah. kids soak it up, and don't even know that they should question what their teachers are feeding them, let alone what to question, appropriately.

These decisions should always be the parents. If you decided voluntarily pro raising your children, great. This isn't your hunt. Chill.

If you still decide that I need to do it regardless of my personal convictions against it... you've got another agenda going on other than the personal well being of children.

another zactly from me.

[Brenda]

My daughter was telling me that her sister in law who is a teacher told her that Kindergarden isn't mandatory.
Thats for the state of Michigan.. not sure if thats in every state.

But I always thought it was.

[Shellie]

Brenda,

I didn't go to Kindergarten in Kentucky. I started in 1st grade. Don't know what the law is now though.

[Pastor Bill]

I think it's sort of assumed now, but not mandatory. But I am not positive on that either.

[A2JGirl]

In Arkansas you have to get a waiver if you don't want your child to go to kindergarten. Not a big deal.

[Jennifer Smith]

I am writing an argument paper about (against) Universal Pre-K. Universal doesn't always mean mandatory.. but I believe it suggests the possibility and it places pressure on parents. In Oklahoma where they have had it for ten years, 73% of four year olds are participating which is large number compared to states that do not have UPK


Anyway, I have some statistical info and all that, but I need to also include personal or first-hand examples. Would it be okay if I run some personal examples by you all and get some feedback on if they sound credible and convincing? If you have any personal examples of your own, or first hand observations you would like to share, I would appreciate them.

I was thinking of including some firsthand observations of what I have witnessed in working with children in the preschool setting (if I can come up with some good examples.)

But here is what I have so far:

(1st:)
Specific examples from experience- When I was growing up, preschool consisted of sitting at mom’s knee with a good book. My favorites were: Dr. Seuss:’ “The Sleep Book” and “The Sneetches.” At home with mom, I worked puzzles, played with dolls, colored at the table, and “helped” mom fold clothes. Mom also taught me about phonics, as I tried to sound out words from the books we read together. By Kindergarten, I was an avid reader, and I loved everything about books and learning.
When my own children were small, I wanted to give them the same meaningful experiences and I wanted to help shape their character as we explored the world together and learned to enjoy simple things. So, we bought school books and some art supplies, and enjoyed happy moments working at the table together for their early years. My children then entered a traditional school and in a short time they were placed in gifted and honors classes. I attribute their success to their love of books and discovery, and the positive learning and social experience they had at home.
In our society today, many mothers work outside the home, as I do, and our perception of what is best for our preschoolers has changed. We often feel they should be exposed to learning and to social situations at a very young age, often forgetting that what a young child needs and longs for most are his parents. These are the people who love and give to the child unconditionally, with an abundance of care, nurture, and concern. There are other nurturing caregivers, of course, but young children are always most impressed and influenced by their parents. Parents are still the most profound shapers of the child, and the preschool years are still the most impressionable part of his life.

Here is my 2nd version or part:

A good preschool teacher will tell you how truly simple the building blocks of preschool learning are: we provide a few toys, some dress up-clothes, colorful books, paper, crayons, and a little imagination. Since we as educators know what these “parts” are, we also know that for the most part, parents have been providing these basic elements to children quite effectively for some time in our nation’s history. Before this shift in thinking, it was believed that parents provided the basic needs of their preschoolers: the nurture, the moral training, a start in academics, and basic socialization, until the children were old enough to face society as individuals. Now, parents, thinking that a formal education is what their preschooler needs most, are often struggling and scraping together the means for their child to attend.(citation) Other parents, who might feel more inclined to keep their little birds under the wing for as long as possible, may end up feeling pressured by new, state funded programs to place their little ones in government or privately sponsored preschool programs. But what are the benefits? And, are there any drawbacks or negative consequences to this shift in thinking? Finally, what has caused this shift in our thinking? As William Gormley put it: “Two generations ago, we thought that they (preschoolers) should stay at home with their mothers. Then, as women joined the work force in record numbers, we decided that 4-year-olds could spend substantial time in a day-care center without turning into bed welters, biters, or bullies. Today, many parents think that 4-year-olds ought to enroll in a prekindergarten program that helps to prepare them for school.” American parents are one of the driving forces behind the push towards Universal Pre-K.