Good insights. Having worked in public education for many years, I can cite numerous examples of well-meaning ideas gone wrong, and some that have gone right.
But some programs are designed to fail, for example No Child Left Behind. Implementing it was an exercise in undermining public schools. The aspirational goal that all children should attain proficiency by a certain date sounds good, of course. But implementing that project and then declaring that schools have failed when it didn't happen was the whole point. The damage done isn't failure to implement, rather the damage was the intent.
Community service budgets had been improving for many years in Illinois, but suffered greatly from the Rauner budget impasses and the severe impact of the Covid pandemic, and have not really recovered. Staffing issues remain critical for many outpatient and residential services. Elementary, Secondary and Higher Education budgets are benefiting from Governor Pritzker's funding priorities that are having a positive impact -- but are still in COVID recovery.
Two of your statements jumped out at me: "...a community-based system was never adequately created.."..." As the population of mental health institutions went down with their closures, prison populations increased..." I worked in the mental health and welfare systems in MN from 1967 to 2014. I saw the mentally ill trying to survive on the streets. I saw women who had to quit a low-paying job & reduce the money to feed/support their kids just to keep medical coverage for them. In WI I am frustrated by my property taxes going up as our local public schools lose state funds that the Legislature has diverted to high-cost private schools and tax breaks to the rich parents who send their kids to those schools. Benefiting the rich at the expense of the needy does NOT make our country better!
Good insights. Having worked in public education for many years, I can cite numerous examples of well-meaning ideas gone wrong, and some that have gone right.
But some programs are designed to fail, for example No Child Left Behind. Implementing it was an exercise in undermining public schools. The aspirational goal that all children should attain proficiency by a certain date sounds good, of course. But implementing that project and then declaring that schools have failed when it didn't happen was the whole point. The damage done isn't failure to implement, rather the damage was the intent.
Community service budgets had been improving for many years in Illinois, but suffered greatly from the Rauner budget impasses and the severe impact of the Covid pandemic, and have not really recovered. Staffing issues remain critical for many outpatient and residential services. Elementary, Secondary and Higher Education budgets are benefiting from Governor Pritzker's funding priorities that are having a positive impact -- but are still in COVID recovery.
Two of your statements jumped out at me: "...a community-based system was never adequately created.."..." As the population of mental health institutions went down with their closures, prison populations increased..." I worked in the mental health and welfare systems in MN from 1967 to 2014. I saw the mentally ill trying to survive on the streets. I saw women who had to quit a low-paying job & reduce the money to feed/support their kids just to keep medical coverage for them. In WI I am frustrated by my property taxes going up as our local public schools lose state funds that the Legislature has diverted to high-cost private schools and tax breaks to the rich parents who send their kids to those schools. Benefiting the rich at the expense of the needy does NOT make our country better!