Discussion: Education

[Destructus86]

I wasn't aware we had an education system in the US

 

[Kelly]

I wasn't aware we had an education system in the US

Well, it certainly needs an overhaul...but maybe you should read more...become more aware of things around you.

 

[8wid]

Isn't it true that cutting the defense budget by 5% would give the students of the US enough money to all get a 4 year college education for free? Some things about socialism are not bad.

 

[dnno1]

Isn't it true that cutting the defense budget by 5% would give the students of the US enough money to all get a 4 year college education for free? Some things about socialism are not bad.

It would cover K-12 federal education spending, which is around $38 billion. I think federal funding on higher education alone is around 3 time that much.

 

[8wid]

Combined Bush and Obama gave large scale corporations about $1.7 trillion in bailouts and useless stimulus. Imagine how much of that would the economy have improved by now if they had gone to the education system and increased welfare benefits to alleviate poverty? It was one of the biggest wastes in decades.

 

[Kelly]

Combined Bush and Obama gave large scale corporations about $1.7 trillion in bailouts and useless stimulus. Imagine how much of that would the economy have improved by now if they had gone to the education system and increased welfare benefits to alleviate poverty? It was one of the biggest wastes in decades.

Um, giving money to welfare doesn't alleviate poverty, it increases the dependency on welfare and keeps people in poverty longer.....getting those people training, a job, etc will alleviate poverty....

Europe is figuring this out.....some figuring it out too late.

 

[8wid]

^You know looking back at how expensive and out of control medicaid, medicare, social security, food stamps and everything created by Lyndon Johnson for the Great Society has gotten in the modern era, I completely agree with you. Those things should have gone away after a time and been replaced with universal education instead. California is figuring out this problem right now too in part. The housing collapse really hurt it too though.

 

[Schlosser85]

So, let's talk about Louisiana's new voucher program that could send millions to public schools that use textbooks teaching "Bible-based" facts, including but not limited to humans and dinosaurs "definitely" being on Earth at the same time.

I would pull my child out of a school that teaches such primitive nonsense.

A private school can teach the kids their parents send there whatever it wants, but they have no right to inflict ignorance on the public school system.

 

[Kelly]

In my opinion as a public school teacher. I have no problem with the competition of Private Schools.....EVERY STUDENT that I have gotten in my classes from Private Institutions have been behind my kids....so bring on the competition..." I WILL CRUSH IT..." : ) BUT, I do think that if the school is going to be able to "receive vouchers" then that school should have to follow the same guidelines as the public schools.....if there are private schools out there that don't want to follow the same guidelines, then they do not get to receive voucher students....

 

[Kelly]

 

[8wid]

Teachers deserve to have higher salaries than they do already because they do take a lot of crap when the government fails to provide for the basic resources of its own students. The government focuses way too much on creating regime change in other countries and trying to booster the investment opportunities of corporations overseas. Not to mention bombing countries into oblivious because their combat planning sucks and having to pay to rebuilt after their mistakes and wrecklessness.

 

[Kelly]

Teachers deserve to have higher salaries than they do already because they do take a lot of crap when the government fails to provide for the basic resources of its own students. The government focuses way too much on creating regime change in other countries and trying to booster the investment opportunities of corporations overseas. Not to mention bombing countries into oblivious because their combat planning sucks and having to pay to rebuilt after their mistakes and wrecklessness.

Like most government agencies, they pay far too much for basic things like office supplies, etc.....the vendors they use are based on "we like you" rather than "you are the best quality for the price". Schools are no different. The amount of money we could save from just that could give all teachers probably at least a 5% raise....

 

[8wid]

^That is true. I have seen school districts use a single warehouse to get their dairy and school supplies just because its the closest to them and they get used to using it for years regardless of any evaluation of the bang for the buck. Tons of government waste through things like running air conditioning all day, overwatering the grass on their grounds, relying on school attendance of students to receive money from the state over others when poverty affects this factor the most, and basing how well a campus performs based on testing standards and then adding too many remedial classes to make up for it etc. are among the problems.

 

[Kelly]

Thousands of teachers strike in Chicago, parents scramble

Wow....highest paid teachers in the US, upset because testing will become a part of their appraisal system....and they will have to pay more into their already inflated retirement plans.....

"80% of our students are on free or reduced lunch...so the tests are unfair against them..." booo the **** hoo.....

Let's see, in my district 87% are free or reduced lunch, they are predominantly Hispanic, which IS a difference than in Chicago....yet, our students scored 10 points ahead of our state average....soooooooooo what's the problem Chicago....Teacher's in Chicago are on average making 50% more than those who support them....and oh....boo hoo, you're getting a 16% raise over the next 4 years....but because you are afraid you may lose your job because your students will not show that they are learning.....that must suck. I've taken a pay cut for the last 3 years, I pay more into my insurance than you ever will Mr/Mrs. Union teacher in Chicago, so get off your asses and do what you were called to do....TEACH...

If you don't want to, I know of 1,000s of teachers that are more than willing to take your place and probably do a much better job. Move out of the way so that teaching can continue, and the whining can stop.....

So true Mr. President, so true......

 

[Kelly]

Ooooh, and just found out.....or poor babies.....they have to work an extra hour this year because that was something that the parents felt was needed in the school system.


"We weren't asked......." is why they were pissed.

*throwing up*

 

[Hobgoblin]

I kept that bit of info in mind today, Kel. I'm in downtown Chicago right now for class and teachers are walking the streets with signs. They are getting a lot of support from the public, judging by the horns. I didnt honk after I remembered what you said about them being so highly paid compared to other teachers.

 

[Kelly]

I have to wonder if that public knows that those teachers on average are making more than they do by almost double.....and yet are "at work" (teachers do a good portion of their work in the summer months...SOME DO, SOME DON'T) 177-180 days per year, in the classroom....

I'm glad that the teachers have the support of the public, I think that is important, I just think that that public needs to be better informed. The teachers are also griping about the one extra hour of teaching they must do per day....WHICH WAS SOMETHING the public wanted. I just think a little more education of the public on what is actually going on would help them understand more.

I just have a really bad taste in my mouth when a group of people that are "public servants" are striking....just doesn't sit well with me. I truly believe the words of FDR are very much alive and well today.

The one thing I do agree with the teachers on is the shifting of money from public schools to "untested" charter schools that do not have to meet the same criteria.....I'm all for competition....put my students up against any private or charter school kids in my area...I have no problem with that. But, to shift funding to those schools that do not have to meet the same criteria I do.....not cool.

If I were Rahm Emmanuel I would take that off the table....

I almost fell out of my chair earlier this morning when I saw an interview with a teacher and she said...."she had the same kids all year long, and had to assess and teach them everyday, and that that was hard..." well hell what did she think she her job was???????

 

[The Question]

An article about alternative, democratic schooling from The Atlantic:

http://www.theatlantic.com/national...omework-would-you-send-your-kids-here/265354/

 

[Destructus86]

Our school system is painfully broken. I realize there are other issues currently going on in this country...but educating the next generationr eally should take more of a priority...therefore, repairing the school system as a whole is a NEED...not something we can put on the backburner. This is our future we are talking about.

 

[Grievous]

The problem I have with the school system is how some public schools are just straight up broken and some classes are sent out into the real world with about half the knowledge that someone else got at another school and thus that student has a unfair major edge over his/her peers.

 

[The Question]

The Educative Value of Teasing
What exactly is teasing, and what are its purposes?

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog...ign=Feed:+Freedom-to-Learn+(Freedom+to+Learn)

A very interesting article in regards to the bullying-in-schools debate.

 

[Siby]

Thousands of teachers strike in Chicago, parents scramble

Wow....highest paid teachers in the US, upset because testing will become a part of their appraisal system....and they will have to pay more into their already inflated retirement plans.....

"80% of our students are on free or reduced lunch...so the tests are unfair against them..." booo the **** hoo.....

Let's see, in my district 87% are free or reduced lunch, they are predominantly Hispanic, which IS a difference than in Chicago....yet, our students scored 10 points ahead of our state average....soooooooooo what's the problem Chicago....Teacher's in Chicago are on average making 50% more than those who support them....and oh....boo hoo, you're getting a 16% raise over the next 4 years....but because you are afraid you may lose your job because your students will not show that they are learning.....that must suck. I've taken a pay cut for the last 3 years, I pay more into my insurance than you ever will Mr/Mrs. Union teacher in Chicago, so get off your asses and do what you were called to do....TEACH...

If you don't want to, I know of 1,000s of teachers that are more than willing to take your place and probably do a much better job. Move out of the way so that teaching can continue, and the whining can stop.....

So true Mr. President, so true......

Totally agree with everything you said. Well said!

 

[Grievous]

I realize some people deserve more money for they're jobs, this might seem radical but I think people that make a lot more then other people who have the nerve to speak out on wanting more money should be fired on the spot so someone else who appreciates it more can have the job.

 

[Destructus86]

I realize some people deserve more money for they're jobs, this might seem radical but I think people that make a lot more then other people who have the nerve to speak out on wanting more money should be fired on the spot so someone else who appreciates it more can have the job.

But...but...how can someone who only makes $23k a year continue to afford the $300k home and the payments on their new oversized, overpriced SUV then??

 

[Destructus86]

The problem I have with the school system is how some public schools are just straight up broken and some classes are sent out into the real world with about half the knowledge that someone else got at another school and thus that student has a unfair major edge over his/her peers.

Agreed. They are VERY broken. I'm not even sure who to blame for it.
If I ever have kids I would like to send them to a private school but I doubt I could afford it...so they will just have to settle for a below standard education at a public one.

Maybe flipping burgers should be a new public school based class. A requirement.