magnet schools - your thoughts?

cameragirl21 wrote: Ok, so I'm curious what some of you think about this....
Up in Hollywood, which is just north of Miami, a magnet school is opening that teaches in English and in Hebrew...it's obviously designed to appeal to Jewish kids (and their parents) but it's a public school so no religion is taught but the kids will study Hebrew likely to fluency by the time they finish elementary school.
The premise, as I see it is that while no religion is taught, the Hebrew is a cultural thing and it's likely to mostly appeal to Jewish kids so any kids who go there will be surrounded by other Jewish kids. For me this would be a major factor in sending my own kids to Jewish schools only because I don't want them to feel like a minority in a regular public school. Magnet schools also have a higher level of education as I understand it. For most it would not replace the benefits of Jewish schools because there is no religion taught BUT it's free, which is a huge advantage. Jewish schools are crazy expensive and from what I know, so are Christian and Catholic schools so saving upwards of 10 grand a year on tuition and still reaping some of the benefits is a great idea to some.
Here is the problem--it's a public school using tax dollars but really only appeals to a certain populace, even though all are welcome.
The other thing is that there is already a magnet school somewhere up north (in the midwest I think, probably Dearborn, lol) that is arabic, which obviously appeals to Islamic kids (and their parents) and is also supported by tax dollars. There is concern among certain members of congress that a public school may be being used to brainwash children, I'm sure some of you kwim so there is no need to go into further details.
But if you allow the arab school you have to allow the hebrew school and vice versa and some feel that neither is a good idea.
My friends and I were talking about this the other day as I was curious what their thoughts were as for me, I'd rather just send my kids to Jewish school but they brought up the possibility that many can't pay the fees, which makes sense and they said that a Hebrew magnet school may appeal to certain Christians too as Hebrew is the language that Jesus spoke and there is overall benefit to learning any foreign language. So I asked them if they'd send their kids to the arabic magnet school and oddly enough, one of my friends said that if she were sure her kids wouldn't be brainwashed there, she thinks it's a good idea because in light of the situation in the world today, and the likelihood that it will continue for many decades to come (or longer) any person who speaks good arabic these days is guaranteed a good future. For instance, any and all Israeli (Mossad) spies speak arabic as well as if not better than any Arab in the middle east...you have to in order to break up some of these terror networks.
What are your thoughts? Would you send your kids to a magnet school where another language that is largely unique to a culture that is not your own is taught with great importance?
This is not a debate, just curious what parents think of this.

luvbug00 replied: our entire school system is comprised of magnet schools.

there is one for

*spanish
*koren
*german
*french
*sign language
and there is the best one which has a waiting list ( mya's old school)
*arts and sciences

The teachers are amazing, the homework is extensive and exausting, and they have projets on the scientific method in KINDERGARDEN! The kids HAVE to play the voilin and later on they choose another instrument. they have rotating classes and IMHO it was waaay too much too soon.

luvmykids replied: Around here those are called charter schools and IMO they have their pros and cons. I doubt I would send my kids to one based solely on language, for me the deciding factor would be if it was a good fit for us in general.

I think charter/magnet schools are great, they've been very successful here and are a great balance between the lacks in the regular public schools and the excesses of some of the private schools.

moped replied: I didn't get all the way through, but I think you are talking about Private schools and I think they are great if you can afford it!!!!!!!!!

cameragirl21 replied:
it's not a private school, Jen, it's a public school and totally supported by tax dollars and totally free to the general public, as opposed to private school where you pay monster tuition fees.
Idk if you guys have those in Canada, Idk how that works.

moped replied:
OH yeah - we have those!!!!!!

punkeemunkee'smom replied: I believe the school you are refering to that teaches Arabic is in New York,considering that is the one that has been in the news pretty continuiously of late. I am sure you are familiar with the the concerns that were brought up with that school. It DOES have a religious oversight board and the (now replaced) principal belongs to a group tyhat were premoting T-shirts that said INTIFADA NYC....For those unfamiliar with Intifada it is the Palastinian movement that is responsible for MANY suicide market and bus bombings in the Gaza strip in protest of Israli occupation. Even though I highly doubt that any of these schools can be completely seperated from religion. They are by nature of teaching the language and culture of a society going to have to,at some point,acknowledge the presence of the societies religious beliefs. However, to think of the school in your area as strictly catering to Jews,is a narrow view. The first Christians obviously spoke Hebrew as well. Jesus did, as would His apostles and first followers. I think that schools that allow a child to learn all they can are only a bonus.

cameragirl21 replied: actually, intifada means uprising...the palestinians are having an intifada against what they consider to be Israeli occupation but the concept of intifada is not unique to palestinians, it simply means uprising and the suicide bombings, etc all happened within Israel proper, not in gaza, gaza is where suicide bombers are born and bred.
The thing is, by saying intifada NYC, they imply an Islamic uprising against Americans in NYC in order to make it an Islamic city essentially as some Islamic groups like CAIR (Council for Islamic American Relations) have openly said that Islam is not in America to be equal but rather to be dominant so saying Intifada NYC is not merely supporting terrorists in gaza but rather is a direct threat to the US and NYC to be precise...it's probably a reference to 911 and suggests that it was well deserved or something to that effect.
So yeah, if that is happening then that school is trouble, no doubt about it.
I did say that Jesus spoke Hebrew and that the school is not only for Jews but it is most likely to attract a predominantly Jewish crowd. The issue is that when you start magnet schools based on language that is spoken mostly by a religious group then can the school truly be considered public and not religion based?
It's a tough call, I'm not sure what I think of this because in principle I have no problem with the Hebrew magnet school but if an Arabic one were set up so close to where I live I'm quite sure the community would be concerned so then is it fair?
Muslims may say that Jews are getting special priveleges, etc and they often claim Jews control the world, etc but then again, do you lose priveleges if your religious group is known for supporting terrorism and especially if students at that school are advocating an intifada against the US?!

punkeemunkee'smom replied: Thanks for the Google definition...I know what it means. It has been given proper address to specifically include the uprising in the Gaza strip

Here I just googled it too

I do not believe it is fair in that all belief systems are not welcome in the public school system. Why can there not be a school that prays and teaches Christian history and early languages AND is supported by tax dollars if we are going to do so for other cultures?

holley79 replied: I feel that anytime a school teaches languages other then English and are very strong in their teaching then I see it as a bonus as well. Dh has put Germany first on his wish list as a transfer. Annika will be attending a German based school and I look forward to what she can gain out of it/ grow culturally by attending school in another country. If there was a magnet school for my DD to attend I would allow it in a heartbeat regardless of the langauge. Now religion is another matter all together. I don't feel any school that is a public school should push any type of religious being upon anyone.

cameragirl21 replied:
I didn't have to google it, I'm a Jew, I've followed this story since it started in 1987 when I was still a little girl.
And what you said about schools offering up Christianity is precisely what I mean about the controversy behind these magnet schools...if Jews can have one, Muslims can have one then when are Christians going to ask for one? And then the whole separation of church and state goes down the toilet.
The question is not whether or not you support this separation of church and state as I know that many do not but rather the question is, if this is the ideal in the US then at what point are we breaking it?
If Jews have a cultural language as do Muslims but Christians could, I suppose, call Latin their language or maybe even Greek but these days, are learning in English whereas Jews are still learning in Hebrew and Muslims are still learning in Arabic then where do we draw the line?
That is the question?
We are catering to minorities and at what point will the majority ask for something that favors them, as you just essentially did?
This is where the root of my question lies.

punkeemunkee'smom replied: I figured this is what you were getting at.....There is no seperation of church and state in actuality. There is a seperation of Christianity and State at best and Morality and State at worst. I am a firm believer that it should be all or nothing....somehow minorities have become a conglomerate majority and still enjoy the special privilages afforded to their 'displaced' status. I am Irish-100% Irish BOTH sets of Great grandparents came off the boat. They spoke Galiec but they had to adjust to the culture that they came to. My grandparents and my parents do not complain about the treatment their families endured while the family was making a place here. The jobs were not good but they took what they could get and worked to carve a place in this Nation...none of us expect or receive special treatment for what they did that wasn't paid for by the sweat of their brow. ITA in one thing and that is when does it stop??? The land of the Free doesn't mean the land of special treatment...the sooner that is learned by everyone the better off we will be.

mysweetpeasWil&Wes replied: I don't think teaching Hebrew in public school (or in the schools you speak of) would be a religious thing, so I don't think it goes hand in hand with the separation of church and state. JMO. I do agree that it is a cultural thing, so I see it as a benefit. I want my children to learn other languages and about other cultures, the more the merrier. And I'm all for public school. That's where my kids are going, so if it's offered, yeah, I'm all for it.

luvmykids replied:
I'm not as concerned with something that favors as I am something that provides equality. I know we've covered this topic before but I'll repeat my feelings just for fun...ITA with Abbie that minorities have in essence joined to form a majority and I don't appreciate my "voice" being drowned out by the shouts of others demanding their privileges while trampling on mine. Why do I have to give up my rights in order for others to have theirs? I understand the separation of church and state...just don't understand why it only separates some churches from state I'm with Abbie, all or nothing, allow it for everyone or noone.

Cece00 replied: I'm fine with any public school teaching a foreign language AS A SECOND LANGUAGE (I dont think the whole day should be done in said foreign language, I think it should be a class...).

I do not agree with ANY TYPE of religion being taught in public schools- christianity, muslim, judaism, none of it. I dont support that because I think if people want their kids in a school that teaches about those religions (and any religion) then they should put their children in a private school that does so.

I do not support my tax dollars being used to teach ANY religion or its principals in a public school.