tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2212741399857110313.post673220252588406236..comments2024-03-11T11:13:12.066-05:00Comments on Homeschool and Etc.: What's REALLY Wrong With Public Schools?Happy Elf Mom (Christine)http://www.blogger.com/profile/15047347624037697311noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2212741399857110313.post-88722669220418441512008-09-24T13:59:00.000-05:002008-09-24T13:59:00.000-05:00Well, Dennis, I'm trying to think of something new...Well, Dennis, I'm trying to think of something new to say without rehashing the same old" stuff myself. I do have to say that I really like G's special ed teacher especially much this year. I wish all folks working in education were like that. Ya know, I never mean to demonize every teacher or administrator (well, ok, maybe **most** of the administrators, but most teachers feel the same way which is sayin' something...) when I write on education.<BR/><BR/>I *do* have to wonder though at what point we say that it's "enough." Enough asking for more money, enough patching up a system that in MANY PLACES doesn't work. And certainly this nonsense of abuse being ok if it's conducted by a "certified" teacher is crazy. Well, actually, it can't be called "abuse" if it's done by a certified teacher and the superintendent thinks it's ok in my state. Making it legal, you know, means it's moral... That kind of stuff has to stop. I guess I have lost trust. I don't imagine anyone should trust such a large and well-funded machine to be even a benign force in society.<BR/><BR/>And I do say that while respecting what teachers "in the system" are TRYING to do. And they do help this child or that. But overall I'm a bit jaded in that the district uses MY money to hire lawyers and the law is pretty well heavily stacked against parents. Especially special-needs parents.<BR/><BR/>I would strongly discourage my children if they expressed a desire to become teachers.Happy Elf Mom (Christine)https://www.blogger.com/profile/15047347624037697311noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2212741399857110313.post-13527717215683822722008-09-22T17:25:00.000-05:002008-09-22T17:25:00.000-05:00Mrs. C., I hate to let you down, but I can only re...Mrs. C., I hate to let you down, but I can only respond to this by saying something I've said before. I'm convinced that in the great majority of public schools in America, any student who really wants a good education can get one. The big problem is that not enough kids make their education a very high priority. I've just come home from "one of those days" where that lesson was brought home to me again in spades. I'll also say that I do have sympathy for people who complain about the amount of money public schools spend. That is why the two major reforms I propose--giving teachers power to remove disruptive and apathetic students from their classes, and giving principals the authority to keep their best teachers and get rid of their worst ones, regardless of seniority--would cost nothing. In fact, they might even save some money.Dennis Fermoylehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16066942564308377074noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2212741399857110313.post-5186990390842751012008-09-22T11:47:00.000-05:002008-09-22T11:47:00.000-05:00On the topic of "free" public education (from a co...On the topic of "free" public education (from a <A HREF="http://www.amazon.com/tag/nonfiction/forum/ref=cm_cd_et_md_pl?_encoding=UTF8&cdForum=Fx2OYDNY5URZTVV&cdMsgNo=6&cdPage=1&cdSort=oldest&cdThread=Tx3OLBZL70337O&cdMsgID=Mx156INNBTYX0ON#Mx156INNBTYX0ON" REL="nofollow">comment on Amazon.com</A>)<BR/><BR/>I was talking to a friend of mine's little girl, and she said she wanted to be President some day.<BR/><BR/>Both of her parents, liberal Democrats, were standing there, so I asked her, "If you were President what would be the first thing you would do?"<BR/><BR/>She replied, "I'd give food and houses to all the homeless people."<BR/><BR/>"Wow - what a worthy goal!" I told her. "You don't have to wait until you're President to do that. You can come over to my house and mow, pull weeds, and sweep my yard, and I'll pay you $50. Then, I'll take you over to the grocery store where the homeless guy hangs out, and you can give him the $50 to use toward food or a new house."<BR/><BR/>She thought that over for a few moments because she's only 6 years old. And while her Mom glared at me, the young child looked me straight in the eye and asked, "Why doesn't the homeless guy come over and do the work, and you can just pay him the $50?"<BR/><BR/>And I said, "Welcome to the Republican Party." Her folks still aren't talking to me.<BR/><BR/>[smile]<BR/><BR/> ~LukeLuke Holzmannhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07799632321310461828noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2212741399857110313.post-24386138563699082622008-09-21T22:06:00.000-05:002008-09-21T22:06:00.000-05:00Oh my gosh Mrs. C, I could spend all night on a di...Oh my gosh Mrs. C, I could spend all night on a discussion about this! Let's see if I can concisely touch on a few points here: I think the problems with public education come from: a) the fact that they do not acknowledge that parents are the primary educators of their children (and most parents seem to have forgotten this as well); b) Education should be available in the free market. Instead, the market for it is messed up by the government having a monopoly... (they get tax money to fund it.. lots of problems with that) c) the education system is set up for all students to learn the same way... that's not how it is in reality.<BR/><BR/><BR/>http://www.fff.org/issues/education.asp<BR/><BR/>I don't know how to create a link in comments, but copy and paste the above website in your browser if you're interested in some Libertarian viewpoint on the subject.<BR/><BR/>I have a personal interest in the history of public education. I don't think the founders of it ever intended for schools to take the place of parents, which is just about what the system has become. Personally, I don't think it will ever be a successful system again. I wonder how much taxpayer money will be wasted before some kind of education revolution occurs. In the meantime, people keep wondering what needs to be changed to make it better, more money gets poured into the system, methods and philosophies (and the silly programs and acronyms that go along with them) change every few years.... and nothing changes... kids aren't learning, teachers are getting frustrated, and parents are getting more and more demanding.<BR/><BR/>Please do not confuse my disgust with the public school system with my regard for the teaching profession. I have the highest regard for teachers. My own sister is one and I aspired to be one as well (heck, now I am one!). Actually, if we are living the right way, we are all naturally teachers. We don't need a special degree or method to do it. It's just the way God designed us (to be parents, raise children and pass on our knowledge to them.. that's teaching!).<BR/><BR/>I wish I had more time to talk, and could better discuss the issue! I have to run to prepare some lessons for my kids!LAA and Familyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16587951326698052928noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2212741399857110313.post-30664273619715567892008-09-21T19:06:00.000-05:002008-09-21T19:06:00.000-05:00I hear ya, Mrs. C. The whole thing is a convoluded...I hear ya, Mrs. C. The whole thing is a convoluded mess, isn't it?Elspeth https://www.blogger.com/profile/17495546895657214080noreply@blogger.com