Voice For Liberty

Wichita Schools Thrive With Wichita School Castoffs

Bob Weeks

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A big part of the bond issue in 2000 for USD 259, the Wichita public school district, was the elimination of portable classrooms. This desire played a part in the 2008 bond issue, too.

So when I was driving by the Annoor Islamic School in northeast Wichita and I spotted some portable classrooms, I immediately thought we’ve got to get to work and pass a bond issue for this school.

But then I remembered that only government schools like USD 259, the Wichita public school district, have the power to tax to generate revenue. Private schools like Annoor have to earn their revenue through voluntary transactions.

How does this school survive using portable classrooms, ones that I’ve been told are former USD 259 classrooms, determined to be unsuitable for use by public school students? I asked the principal of the school, and he told me that “while they are not ideal they are very adequate and serve their purpose well.”

It’s amazing how when spending someone else’s money, only the best will do. Others learn to make do with what they can afford.

And still the public schools complain about being underfunded.

Annoor-Islamic-School, Wichita, Kansas

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2 responses to “Wichita Schools Thrive With Wichita School Castoffs”

  1. James

    And the students probably score twice as high on standardized tests compared to public school kids too.

  2. Craig

    The truth of the matter is that virtually all private schools do more with much less than their public school counterparts. My oldest daughter has attended a local private school for the past 8 years. She went to public school kindergarden. When we transfered her to her current school they wanted us to have take kindergarden over. Her entrance test scores were to low and she was far behind the other first graders.
    That aside, I pay $4000 per year for her to receive a christian based education.
    I am not a member of the parish, and am not asked for any other compensation. This compares to the approximate $13,000 we all spend per student in USD 259. You might ask what does the student
    not receive from this lack of funding. My answer would have to be “absolutely nothing”. She participates in sports, choir, drama and has been a cheerleader for 4 years. The basket ball team is currently competing for city champs in the christian league. Over 90% of all students passed their math assessments, compared to about 65% of 259 students.
    Next year she moves to a Christian high school, where there are only 7 students in each class. Students from this school consistently rank in the top 1% in State assessment tests. And it will still only cost me $5900 per year. If it came to living in a more modest home, or not driving a new car, and a private school education for my children I would gladly live in a cardboard box. Craig

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