So last night somebody in my church group jokingly suggested we start a school.

[Jackpine Radical]

A Unitarian church school to take advantage of Walker's increased funding for private schools.

We would teach skepticism and critical thinking and all that kinda stuff that Unitarians keep trying to push on their kids.

Although the idea was proposed as a joke, it's been reverberating in my head all day. Could we do it?…Should we? Could we get kids from "unchurched" homes to send their kids? I'd want to do a Montessori model for the younger ones.

[msongs]

1. be a charter school and hijack money from taxpayers. it's the latest thing lol nt

[Jackpine Radical]

2. Exactly.

We could use the proceeds to send Unitarian missionaries around the world to convert the heathens to whatever they feel like believing in. Heathenism, for example. That's so much easier than trying to sell some specific doctrine, you know.

[siligut]

9. " . . . convert the heathens to whatever they feel like believing in."

Love this idea, just go around giving support in an organized manner.

[Canuckistanian]

11. "convert the heathens to whatever they feel like believing in"

What a GREAT idea!

[wildeyed]

4. I send my kids to a charter school started by Unitarians back in the day.

It has no true affiliation to the UUs, but was very influenced by their preschool curriculum and was started for parents and educators who wanted their kids to continue along that path. Most at DU seem to want to revoke my Liberal Card for having the audacity to send my kids to an evil charter, but it is probably the most liberal and diverse group of parents you could find in my southern city.

[liberal_at_heart]

5. being in the south I don't blame you

More an more southern states are introducing creationism into the curriculum and making sure history is seen through a caucasian lens. I am in a liberal area but am also searching for an alternative. The people introducing race to the top policies have deemed it necessary to require all 8th grade students to take 8th grade math regardless of cognitive ability. Also, I was told there was no way they could create a special needs science class. In this modern time that makes no sense to me. It's not like we only have two special education students in the whole school. Most schools now have 10, 20, or even 30 special education students. There is no reason why they couldn't create a special education science class. Except maybe funding which of course is one of the major problems with our schools that neither republicans nor democrats seem to be interested in fixing.

[intheflow]

3. I have often thought about opening a UU school.

I have an M.Div., was a UU minister, and raised my child to be a teacher. Now I work at the Public Library. I've worked with several vocational education models that stressed community self-governance, developing critical thinking through the arts, and experiential learning through both action and community organizing. I'm often dismayed at how lacking people are in critical thinking skills, it just kills me. One model I thought of was a pseudo-agricultural model, kind of an urban farming community. Children would not only learn how to grow things and perhaps take care of chickens/goats/compost worms, the fruits of their labors could be donated to local shelters and/or sold at farmers markets. They would learn economic principles through both avenues, as well as the value of community. History could be taught through a social justice lens. Math could be taught in everything from calculating feed amounts to working a farmer's market (I'm sure there are other ways, but I admit math isn't my strong point!). Anyway... if I can help from Denver, please hit me up! I have other ideas for UU school models, but this just happens to be the one I fantasize about these days.

[tarheelsunc]

6. What would Walker say if a group of a group of Muslims wants to start an Islamic school?

Would he be so quick to give government funds to them? I kind of doubt it.

[LeftInTX]

12. We got them in Texas

There are Turkish based charter schools who hire a bunch of H-1B workers. They are also present in other states.

I think the states support them cuz they are cheap.

I don't think the schools teach religion though.

[judesedit]

7. Maybe American kids would have a chance.Teach them what they need to survive, also. Not only crap

most kids will never use. Teach them how to count change, how to identify various mortgages and other rip-off ventures, how to invest their hard-earned money, how to balance their accounts . Stuff they can use. Stuff so they can survive in this dog-eat-dog world.

[judesedit]

8. Teach them survival basics along with academics.

[rosesaylavee]

10. Do it and make the O.W.L. curriculum part of it...

We have parents from other denominations - Catholic, Presbyterian - sending their kids to our OWL program thru our church just so their kids get a good grounding in how their bodies and sexuality work.

I just had a thought... what if there was a ground swelling of support for UU based schools across the country - THAT would be an end to this charter school business.