I'll ask Rog, but I am sure I've heard him mention the nuns and their disciplinary measures with a ruler across the knuckles. He went to a bilingial (French/English) parochial school all the way through to high school.

I went to a public school where the learning environment was respectful and fools were not tolerated, either. I've always felt my schooling was as good as any parochial school at the time and that the standards were so high, I received the equivalent of a college education through high school.

I know a lot of schools are not this way now, but turning the clock back is not going to remedy the problem. Niether are vouchers. What happens to the kids whose parents are not involved and don't make informed choices, or are even not present, and/or cannot provide them transportation to their school of choice?

Teachers have no respect, no backing of administration, and low pay while being expected to fill in the gaps in children's entire lives. It would be better to work on those things than to scurry around and separate by gender as class, race, etc. will be sure to follow.

NPR's Talk of the Nation had an hour segment on this today. I didn't listen to all of it, but found it ironic that the Bush toady was on there from a civil rights office in the Dept. of Education talking about what a movement there is among educators and parents to have same-sex schools and how they will be there to make sure the anti-discrimination laws are upheld. I am surprised some of the people on the right haven't expressed a concern about promoting homosexuality by having same-sex schools! From what I've seen, that's not a stretch for some supporters of this administration.

kat