Chavez vows to close or take over private schools

[DanielX]

I've always wondered why we have a one-tiered health care system, but never bothered to do the same for education in Canada. There's no reason for private schools to exist.

That's pretty much fascist. (To be frank, single-payer healthcare is also borderline, but eliminating private education is worse).

I am not kidding. I believe that the existence of alternative methods of education is an essential feedback to prevent governments from indoctrinating students in propaganda. Forcing private schools to tow a government line, or be eliminated in favor of all-public education... where have those tactics generally been done? Fascist and/or Communist dictatorships, or authoritarian monarchies. That Chavez is doing the same thing is one thing that proves he is a totalitarian nutjob and deserves to be assassinated or overthrown in a coup.

And as someone who spent 13 years in public school, I'm thoroughly convinced in the value of private schools.

[DanielX]

That's pretty much fascist.

Is it? Why?

Forbidding private or home schooling? Can you not see why it would be, at least, suspect? It leaves no option other than government approved "public" education.

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Now you're just being absurd. Clearly everyone with different opinions to you is a fascist! That's the sort of idiocy I'd normally expect from Trots...
[/quote]

Not true as such. However, any blanket prohibition on establishing a business that does not actively harm other people is, at best, suspicious. If I want to pay for my own healthcare, why shouldn't I be allowed to do so? Is paying money for my own surgeries such a threat to society? Its not as bad as banning private education, because at least it is not dealing with the minds of young children (generally speaking; I do wonder about psychologists on state payroll...).

I do agree that perhaps "fascist" is the wrong label, as it is often used, more specifically, to indicate only certain kinds of totalitarian ideologies. Perhaps "authoritarian" or "totalitarian" is more accurate and less overused.