Monday, October 06, 2008

Cincinnati Public: Best in Class

Ohio State Report Card performance measures show that for last year, Cincinnati Public Schools were as good as it gets among urban districts in Ohio.

Expecting the usual knee-jerk responses from confirmed opponents of all public schools including especially CPS, we stress the following:

  • The Ohio State Report Card is not the best measure imaginable for a school district's performance. It is at least arguably more reliable than anecdotes and dicta about "what everyone knows."
  • SWNID has never been an apologist for CPS as a whole, just an eager advocate for those who live in Greater Cincinnati to realize that the district has pockets of consistent excellence that make it entirely possible to live in the city and provide a fine education for one's offspring without paying tuition.
  • SWNID does not ascribe moral virtue to those who choose to live in the city and navigate its educational and social labyrinths for the sake of its economic and cultural benefits. We simply find it a wise choice for a cheaper, more interesting lifestyle, one made more accessible by the ready availability of good public schools.
  • Similarly, we don't ascribe moral turpitude to those who have moved to the 'burbs for the schools. Your choices keep the urban core of the city affordable for people like us, so ironically enough, we have you to thank.
  • Urban education is a problem for everyone in our Republic, even those who eschew urbanity. What will we do with the many humans who live in cities if we don't educate them effectively? Revert to a sweatshop economy? Radical dismantling of public education might be an expedient worthy of consideration, but waiting around for it to happen without a transition plan is hardly a thoughtful way to address the problem and its implications.

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