Submitted by Steve Sforley, Dec 15, 2006 07:51

The idea of running a school system as a private company has much to offer. Imagine the learning process as the teacher-operators awoke to realities, such as competition and business-like budgeting. What surprises me is that no one has made mention of how these potentially large businesses might utilize competitive tactics, such as outsourcing. This is done to a certain extent by at least one private school I have some familiarity with. In this case, the entrenched and protected teachers, after exhausting themselves with a whole week of effort, refer "failing" students to "tutors" (in reality, moonlighting colleagues), who, for various princely sums, will "improve" the student. I don't think this enterprise has caught on in the public school sector. Yet. What I had in mind, however, was to actually subcontract the work to qualified off-shore businesses in, say India or The Netherlands. My business and educational experience in both countries convinces me that there are more expert speakers and writers of the English language than we could possibly utilize - maybe some English teachers among them, too. Some wrinkles might need some attention, for example, how to supply certain necessities to the American experience like the subtle benefits of Eubonics, or the constant drone of environmental doomsaying. I'm still trying to resolve the weather-terror caused by the uncertainty of Snow Days for working parents, or what to do about the sudden lack of Teacher Development Days. Of course we could choose not to export our children for their education; but if we keep them here in the States, how would they ever learn that George Washington was a more important figure to the development of our country than Bill Clinton? This effort by the Sun is commendable, and in the spirit of the old joke involving <insert a heinous occupation on a ferry boat outing> and torpedoes, it's a good start.

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