California's fiscal crisis hits schools - Yahoo! NewsQuote:
25 percent of students are "English learners," who need to be taught in special classes, and the number of schools serving low-income students is well above the national average.
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California's fiscal crisis hits schools - Yahoo! NewsQuote:
25 percent of students are "English learners," who need to be taught in special classes, and the number of schools serving low-income students is well above the national average.
Holy crap, is there anything that the US does well? 'Cause it seems there's massive problems with taxation, the public school system, corrupt administrators, illegal immigrants, etc. Is there anything going well there??
Thank you Tom; may I quote just a portion pertaining to illegals: "25 percent of students are "English learners," who need to be taught in special classes, and the number of schools serving low-income students is well above the national average."
HI NK: there are plenty of things going very well and it is because 'government' is not involved. Last time I checked, I was able to buy gas, groceries, and medicine.Quote:
Originally Posted by NeedKarma
Hello again:
Ok, I guess you want me to solve it... All right.
Public education works. I know. I'm the last guy to have gotten a good public education. It worked then because we had good teachers with NO union to speak of, NO administration to speak of, and NO bureaucracy to speak of.
Then, for whatever reason, the government opened the cash window - to itself and to the union. From that point on, everybody got a piece of the education dollar except the students.
We need to fire several million federal and state bureaucrats and union officials... Then we can get on with educating our children.
excon
A few million people there do not have that luxury.Quote:
Originally Posted by George_1950
I guess I see this from a sense that home schooling is like a house cat not expose
To the views of the real world -- sheltered from reality... Many teach RELIGION
Public schools teach what society is all about -- an outside cat that has to hunt to
Survive -- survival of the fittest -- being kind is not the kind of world we live in
With all respect, California's $13 billion surplus went to Enron, because of energy "deregulation," not to our teachers. The only pocket pickers in this case were the executives in private industry, not hard working public employees like teachers, police, and fire fighters. Enron found a way to pick our pocket from afar, by artificially creating hours-long energy shortages--shutting down power plants in places like Nevada--then forcing California to pay the highest rates to turn the plants back on and keep the state online.Quote:
Originally Posted by tomder55
Whether the economy has been good or bad, state per pupil spending on education has gone down. Through thick and thin, our children have been the beggars at the end of the line. Educating the next generation is what we should do out of self interest if nothing else--because our children and grandchildren are the ones who will be in charge when we are old and helpless. We need an educated nation that can earn and run the country, not ignorant folk who don't know how to do anything useful in a modern, global economy. Education is not a luxury for a few or a form of "pocket picking." California has the 6th largest economy in the world BECAUSE we invested in education in the past. To the extent we have stopped doing that, we will lose that good position in the future.
Asking
Actually, all of these things are regulated and/or subsidized by the government. Just for example, the government subsidizes farms, agricultural research, and the human genome project--the backbone of industrial research for new medicines. We have cheap food because food and farming research are both subsidized and regulated. We have cheap gasoline because we use our military to influence events in the middle east and south america. If you think gas is expensive here, try buying it in Europe. We don't have cheap medicines, but we have the drugs we have because of massive gifts to researchers by the National Institutes of Health as well as heavy regulation by the Food Drug Administration. The annual budget for a single institute of NIH is a billion dollars--that's every year. And I think there are something like 20 institutes (I forget). The FDA has a separate budget.Quote:
Originally Posted by George_1950
Do I supprt all these subsidies? Not necessarily. I'm just saying that the government is involved in all the things you mentioned.
Asking
asking writes: "...I'm just saying that the government is involved in all the things you mentioned." And it has been the dismal failure of government in one of its most fundamental tasks - one for which it must not fail - to maintain and protect our borders that has led to the demise of California's high educational achievement. And on top of that, an activist judge rules that a parent does not have the right to teach his own children in a home school. In other words, Dr. Einstein couldn't teach his own kids in California; that is totally upside down, and that is what 'government' does to 'common sense'.
In general most home school children achieve better than public school, in areas like the last Spelling Bee is a good example, and do very well in their colleges. Most are taught the silly evolution ideas so they are aware what the world teaches, but as with any Christian Child, their parents should be teaching them at home anyway that their teachers are wrong and although they have to answer the questions to pass the test beyond that. Sadly that also has issues then the child will now not fully trust anything the teacher latter teaches since they are teaching them the "lies" of evolution which has to be corrected by their parents and the church.
No wonder there is a lack of respect amongst youth if parents should be telling children the teachers are wrong. I would hope some more diplomacy is shown other than simply declaring the teacher wrong and lying.
I feel sorry for kids who are home schooled (in Australia very very few are). They miss out on a wonderful time in their lives. Attending school with your mates and interacting with peers and teachers alike.
Of course though, I suppose in the US it means they do avoid the chances of being shot during English class. :)
I agree with you. I'm from Canada and that's the same feeling I have. It has become apparent to me that America's school system is a pit of despair by reading these threads. Let's be glad we are where we are.Quote:
Originally Posted by Skell
Whoa! It's not that bad here. It depends on the school. I think there are still lots of happy kids and some great teachers. And not every school is a battleground between parents and teachers trying to teach or refute basic science. (But, on the other hand, I was just reading about how much better Canadian schools are than American schools. And I won't argue about Australia. :) )Quote:
Originally Posted by NeedKarma
Asking
There are school systems in the US that yes, my goodness close the doors. But there are so many that are incredible. Why the inequity... I don't know.
The school system I live in, I hear is one of the finest. $4,000.00 of the taxes I pay go towards just the school system and I live on the "lower" end. Meaning there are others that pay way more then me.
I wish they were all equal. And they should be.
I guess I'll finally chip in my two cents here. First NK, that was cute little video stunt but that isn't the issue. The issue is whether parents have a right to home school their children - even if that education doesn't conform to the ideological hogwash that permeates our public schools (especially so in my opinion). Besides that, Bill Jack, the bald guy leading the tour in the video has spoken in our church several times (not on creationism) and I've always found him to be an intelligent, inspirational and dedicated man. Teaching against evolution is hardly kooky or outrageous. Creationism makes more sense than global warming alarmists do.
The case was a child welfare case in which the attorneys for the children asked the court forced enrollment in a public or private school. If a child is in an abusive home then I can see the sense in that, but the appellate court reached further in ruling home schooling illegal in California unless the parents held a teaching license that qualifies them to teach in public schools.
The notion that the quality of education of home schooled children is at stake is a farce, as they have repeatedly been shown to outscore public school counterparts by 30-37 percent. The idea that kids need to interact with other kids and learn about life has merit, but who's to say they don't get that already in church, sports, etc. Avoiding placing your children in a poor, possibly unsafe environment also has merit.
Home schoolers list 5 main reasons for doing so, "to give their children a better education, for religious reasons, to avoid a poor school environment, for family reasons, and to instill 'character/ morality.'" I can't argue with that but I'm sure someone will.
Studies have also shown "there was little distinction between the transitional experiences of homeschooled students and traditionally educated students," and "homeschooled students also have tended to be more active in civic and community activities than the norm."
Public schools are failing, the NY Times recently reported "Fewer than half of American teenagers who were asked basic history and literature questions in a phone survey knew when the Civil War was fought, and one in four said Columbus sailed to the New World some time after 1750, not in 1492." I'm sure most home schooled children could have answered the questions. Of course they blame that on NCLB and testing students on math, language and science proficiency, saying we need to focus more on liberal arts. What they don't mention is that too many schools aren't making enough progress in NCLB categories so what's the point of more history and literature if the kids still can't read?
What would Einstein do? He would pursue the best education for his children in spite of public schools.
I agree, there are some good schools here, and some bad ones. Eight high schools (including the one I graduated from) in my county were ranked in the top 5% in the nation by Newsweek, and consistently make the list of "America's Best". The county which neighbors mine also is renowned for having great schools.
Here's the complete list, for anyone who would like to check it out:
America's Top Public High Schools | Newsweek Best High Schools | Newsweek.com
But anyway, not all schools in the States are awful, but there are a lot. Our system needs work, but can you point me to a system which is flawless? We need more equality in our schools, without a doubt, but remember, you only hear the bad things in the news - it's juicier that way! :)
Quote:
Originally Posted by jillianleab
Jill - I just have to tell you, I LOVE reading all your post. You have such a wisdom about you and an incredible way of communicating it. You WOW me every time.
Once again, great post!!
Aw, shucks, Allheart! :o
Thank you, honestly. I try to make my posts interesting, and I try to support my claims. I try not to sugar-coat too!
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