Iowa's school-funding bill and the school-choice debate
The hosts discuss the Iowa bill moving per-student public-school funding to families choosing elsewhere (the host's homeschooled kids' share follows them to Southeast Polk). Nuance cuts both ways: parents have real responsibility for what kids are exposed to, and choice has legitimate pull — but public schools are a public good that must take everyone, private schools can refuse admission, and fixed building costs don't shrink when students leave. The hosts worry about draining good kids out of public schools and note taxpayer money and accountability follow the students.
More on Parenting
-
Dear LFTP: Champ the untrained dog and holding boundaries with your son
- How do I handle my son bringing his untrained dog Champ on our weekend grandson visits?
Mike reads the second letter: the writer hosts weekend grandson visits where her son Dennis brings Champ, an untrained destructive puppy that runs wild, barks, and digs.
From No. 586 · Nothing Personal
-
Dear LFTP: wife mocks husband's bladder problem in public
- How should I respond when my wife mocks me and my bladder problem in public?
Mike reads a letter from a man married three years whose wife calls him vulgar names in public and makes his bladder-control problem into comedy.
-
Dear LFTP: the birthday invitations
- Should parents be allowed to send birthday invitations to school when only select students are invited?
Mike reads the second letter: the parent of a special-needs pre-K child saw a Facebook group post exposing that her daughter was excluded from a birthday party.
From No. 574 · Starring Ted Danson as Joab
-
Dear LFTP: Cindy's baby name ideas
- What should I do about my friend's terrible baby name choices?
Mike reads a letter from Dave about his longtime friend Cindy, six months pregnant, who keeps proposing names like chlamydia, bidet, chalet, and cliche because they sound pretty regardless of meaning.