Reply #10: This is a very good post and I do have something to add...

[politicaholic]

The fact that many of the school levys in the US are connected to property taxes is horrible. It perpetuates poverty by underfunding schools in depressed areas.

I went to one of these low funded and over crowded public schools. Out of 1400 in the graduating class there were 28 children born, the cumulative GPA was 1.75, and the school valedictorian is currently in prison for killing his boss in 2002. This was in the mid 80's.

If that money had been spread evenly and the school of 6500 student had been split into two or three then kids would have had the attention and the opportunity to achieve. This would have changed the community. 20 years later the neighborhood is worse.