Public schooling has gone down hill.

[128shot]

This is no secret for most people, but I'm bringing it up anyway.


I'm appalled at how bad I feel public schooling is. I'll just cite some quick examples.

1.We're teaching creationism in science class, aren't we suppose to have a religious class to learn about religion and its impact on society? Actually, I think it should be religion/philosphy class so you can have a 1 2 punch of learning.

2.I can't believe what we are learning it history, its often watered down and dry compared to the real truth. I know people who still think the civil war was about slavery.

3.Sex education is complete crap. Why aren't they teaching about birth control pills, or condoms ?

4. What about these "life lessons" they're trying to teach us? Get a good job and education? there is a hell of alot more in the world to know than just that. They don't teach about owning a business, the future of SS, and why its better to invest for yourself and not depend on others. (I think this is conclusive facts) Bargaining with the employer etc. there is so much to offer and there is so little they teach.

And thats just the start of my list.

If school is suppose to be about life lessons, all this should be part and more.

and don't even get me started on standardized testing...

 

[Nemo]

Your post has given be pause to reflect on the "ABC's" of life. (Never mind about subjects that have no business being taught in school!)

In school we were taught the basics - reading, writing, arithmetic. “Two plus two equals four,” we were taught. However, this fundamental principle of mathematics, which worked with consistent regularity in the classroom, breaks down immediately when applied to the affairs of men where one is confronted with the confounding fact that two plus two equals five, or only three (depending on one’s investment counselor or tax adviser); and even a government study that concludes that the actual sum may amount to several billion (depending on how you crunch the numbers). And from the Pentagon we have proof of the principle of appropriations financing, viz. that costs expand or retract to equal or exceed budget limitations. (Think of it as water seeking its own level - with some slopping over occasionally.)

But now people are being called to account; and the nation is facing a crisis over balancing the budget. You listen in dumb amazement to the news of Alan Greenspan testifying before the Congress on the need for fiscal conservatism. “What is he talking about?” you wonder.

Anxiously, you punch up two plus two on your pocket calculator; but in your hurry you press the wrong function key and make an error. You reflect on life’s contradictions: Why didn’t they teach us that in school?

 

[128shot]

Your post has given be pause to reflect on the "ABC's" of life. (Never mind about subjects that have no business being taught in school!)

In school we were taught the basics - reading, writing, arithmetic. “Two plus two equals four,” we were taught. However, this fundamental principle of mathematics, which worked with consistent regularity in the classroom, breaks down immediately when applied to the affairs of men where one is confronted with the confounding fact that two plus two equals five, or only three (depending on one’s investment counselor or tax adviser); and even a government study that concludes that the actual sum may amount to several billion (depending on how you crunch the numbers). And from the Pentagon we have proof of the principle of appropriations financing, viz. that costs expand or retract to equal or exceed budget limitations. (Think of it as water seeking its own level - with some slopping over occasionally.)

But now people are being called to account; and the nation is facing a crisis over balancing the budget. You listen in dumb amazement to the news of Alan Greenspan testifying before the Congress on the need for fiscal conservatism. “What is he talking about?” you wonder.

Anxiously, you punch up two plus two on your pocket calculator; but in your hurry you press the wrong function key and make an error. You reflect on life’s contradictions: Why didn’t they teach us that in school?

I don't have too much to say to that.

 

[FiremanRyan]

theres a lot of things wrong with our public schools but you didnt name one of them.

 

[128shot]

theres a lot of things wrong with our public schools but you didnt name one of them.

Doesn't look like you did either then.

 

[FiremanRyan]

Doesn't look like you did either then.

i wasnt attempting to.

but i will say what i think is wrong. we as tax payers are paying into a system that doesnt allow us to use that money as we wish. vouchers should be issued and parents should not be liable for school taxes when their children attend private or home schools.

they are trying to play too much of a part in a childs life and are taking away the role of the parent. things like sexual education should be non existant past the scientific facts. if you want to teach your kids abstinence or to have all the sex they want, it should be taught at home. sending a kid to a gay tolerance camp or a christian camp is the same thing. its forcing a political agenda on a young mind and its the right of the child and parent not to have them exposed to it.

rather than pilling on more mandatory science classes, we should be teaching more social studies. any science past biology should be an elective. why are kids being forced to take all science classes up to chemistry when most take no more than one year in government and econ?

nutritional and medical instruction is sadly missing.

standardized testing should be mandatory. equal opportunities right? how is a college supposed to gauge one's knowledge and potential against other applicants without them? maybe diversify their subject coverage, but doing away with them is completely would be a mistake.

finally, they arent putting enough emphisis on common sense and skills. this is one thing i agree with you on. high school students should be learning how to budget their finances and write a resume, not learn about abortions

 

[128shot]

i wasnt attempting to.

but i will say what i think is wrong. we as tax payers are paying into a system that doesnt allow us to use that money as we wish. we should be issued vouchers and not be liable for school taxes when our children attend private or home schools.

they are trying to play too much of a part in a childs life and are taking away the role of a parent. things like sexual education should be non existant past the scientific facts. if you want to teach your kids abstinence or to have all the sex they want, it should be taught at home. sending a kid to a gay tolerance camp or a christian camp is the same thing. its forcing a political agenda on a young mind and its the right of the child and parent to not have the exposed to it.

rather than pilling on more mandatory science classes, we should be teaching more social studies. any science past biology should be an elective. why are kids being forced to take all science classes up to chemistry when most take no more than one year in government and econ?

nutritional and medical instruction is non-exisistant.

standardized testing should be mandatory. equal opportunities right? how is a college supposed to gauge one's knowledge and potential against other applicants without them? maybe diversify their subject coverage, but doing away with them is completely would be a mistake.

finally, they arent putting enough emphisis on common sense and skills. this is one thing i agree with you on. high school students should be learning how to budget their finances and write a resume, not learn about abortions

This really says it better than I did. I believe we should be learning better technical and vocational skills too.

 

[FiremanRyan]

This really says it better than I did. I believe we should be learning better technical and vocational skills too.

i agree. all you have to do is look at the numbers of high schoolers who go on to be computer people, mechanics, agriculturists, construction workers, etc. to be honest, there isnt one thing i learned in public school that i actually apply in my job today. and sadly i learned more from browsing the internet than i did in $80k worth of college too :roll:

 

[128shot]

i agree. all you have to do is look at the numbers of high schoolers who go on to be computer people, mechanics, agriculturists, construction workers, etc. to be honest, there isnt one thing i learned in public school that i actually apply in my job today. and sadly i learned more from browsing the internet than i did in $80k worth of college too :roll:

Agreed. I think we should figure out a better, more complete way of teaching math too. From what I'm hearing, its broken down instead of being taught in a "fluent" matter. I can't proclaim because all I got is what I'm learning right now..

 

[Nemo]

Much of what passes for education is a waste of time, albeit that now a college education (which is little more than a high school refresher course) has come to be the ticket to middle-class society. Beyond that, what good is the pursuit of useless studies and advanced academic degrees that only certify learning beyond one’s capacity to think? It seems a tiresome venture with but little prospect for any substantial reward; and yet one sees such masters of arcane knowledge who are no good for anything but a pretentious display of pedantry. There was once a noted ichthyologist who prided himself with knowing the Latin names for the entire genus, and whose students joked that the professor was so full of fish that every time he learned of a newly-discovered species another previously learned would pop out his backside in an expression of unpardonable French! One cannot help but think that more useful things might well be learned outside the halls of academe at the local tavern.

The goal of education should be to acquire sufficient knowledge and develop intellect suitable to a purposeful life. To seek knowledge for its own sake is at best an idle pursuit, and to cram one’s mind full of useless information is to be worse than a blockhead. Knowledge acquired for purpose is the proper use of intellect and point of education.

 

[Nemo]

Granted. However the topic of the thread is "public schooling"; which raised the issue of curriculum. What knowledge is important in public education? - that is the question.

The importance of education depends on what value one places on knowledge. Knowledge to fit purpose is certainly of value, for without it is like being blind, both for being unable to see what is needed or where to find it; but by the same token, to pursue useless knowledge is worse than worthless, it is a waste of precious time. See Herbert Spencer, "What Knowledge is of Most Worth," Westminster Review (July 1859).

Good schools are scarce, and useful knowledge invaluable. Individually, we are as much as we know; and as a nation, our democracy is dependent on an enlightened citizenry, which justifies placing a premium on education. What form that education takes - what curriculum our public schools provide - is a matter, if not all important, at least essential to everyone.

 

[cnredd]

It's this fear of offending people that has rendered public education worthless.

That...and this...

A school district in Southern California approved the "affirmation and recognition" of Ebonics into its curriculum as a way to help black students improve academic performance.

The San Bernardino Board of Education says a pilot of the policy, known as the Students Accumulating New Knowledge Optimizing Future Accomplishment Initiative, has been implemented at two city schools, according to the daily San Bernardino Sun.

"Ebonics is a different language, it's not slang as many believe,' Texeira told the Sun. "For many of these students Ebonics is their language, and it should be considered a foreign language. These students should be taught like other students who speak a foreign language."

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=45334