Why American children are falling behind

[Charles Stucker]

Kids are with teachers about 40 hrs/week.

Kids are with parents 128 hrs/week.

From whom do you expect them to learn more?

Depends on the parent - I've run across a number that are appallingly ignorant at the most basic levels.

Yes, its amazing that so many have any grasp on the rudiments of procreation.

Actually, the fact that most kids learn anything at all at school, is evidence to the natural intelligence of humans, rather than any inherited intelligence from parents, or the environments they provide.

You must spread some reputation around.......

 

[Samson]

Kids are with teachers about 40 hrs/week.

Kids are with parents 128 hrs/week.

From whom do you expect them to learn more?

Let's see...

The kids should be asleep 56 hours.

Eating about 11 hours.

Leaves about 61 hours.

I expect they are in school specifically to learn. The 61 hours available have multiple purposes. I would hope instilling a work ethic (jobs around the house), morals (church) and enjoying each other would be some of the main duties of the home. I'm going to lay math and reading primarily on the school. By the way, the school seems bent on eating a large portion of the 61 hours with sports activities and homework. Just saying.

I was waiting for someone to say "kids SHOULD be asleep 56 hours" or that they might be fed at home.

This gives me a chance to get on my little soap-box: Schools don't expect very fucking much from parents: BUT WTF? can they at least make sure kids SLEEP?????

Guess what? THEY DON'T!!!

 

[Againsheila]

I think parent's are the biggest problem. between libraries and the internet there is nothing stopping you from teaching your kid as much as you want. my stepson is in 2nd grade now but was rated at reading above a 5th grade level and will soon be starting algebra with me. we do an hour every night beyond his homework in math, reading, and science. he also reads on his own everyday. don't blame the schools, blame the parents.

If you are educating your child, why are you sending him to school in the first place? I thought the whole reason behind public schools was so that our kids could get an education. Now it's the parents job? What the heck are we paying the schools all those taxes for?

He/she never claimed to be the only source of education for Stepson.

Kids are with teachers about 40 hrs/week.

Kids are with parents 128 hrs/week.

From whom do you expect them to learn more?

Depends on what they are learning...I expect the schools to teach them to read, to write, math, social studies, history, science, etc. If the parents are required to teach them those subjects, what are the schools required to do?

 

[Samson]

If you are educating your child, why are you sending him to school in the first place? I thought the whole reason behind public schools was so that our kids could get an education. Now it's the parents job? What the heck are we paying the schools all those taxes for?

He/she never claimed to be the only source of education for Stepson.

Kids are with teachers about 40 hrs/week.

Kids are with parents 128 hrs/week.

From whom do you expect them to learn more?

Depends on what they are learning...I expect the schools to teach them to read, to write, math, social studies, history, science, etc. If the parents are required to teach them those subjects, what are the schools required to do?

Who is requiring parents to teach math?

I'd be tickled pink if parents simply made sure they got 8 hours of sleep/night, fed them something besides Pop-Tarts, and dressed them in something I wouldn't expect a $20 whore to be wearing.

 

[saveliberty]

Kids are with teachers about 40 hrs/week.

Kids are with parents 128 hrs/week.

From whom do you expect them to learn more?

Let's see...

The kids should be asleep 56 hours.

Eating about 11 hours.

Leaves about 61 hours.

I expect they are in school specifically to learn. The 61 hours available have multiple purposes. I would hope instilling a work ethic (jobs around the house), morals (church) and enjoying each other would be some of the main duties of the home. I'm going to lay math and reading primarily on the school. By the way, the school seems bent on eating a large portion of the 61 hours with sports activities and homework. Just saying.

I was waiting for someone to say "kids SHOULD be asleep 56 hours" or that they might be fed at home.

This gives me a chance to get on my little soap-box: Schools don't expect very fucking much from parents: BUT WTF? can they at least make sure kids SLEEP?????

Guess what? THEY DON'T!!!

SOME don't, but it is a point well taken and I did leave out 3, hopefully 4 hours, for personal hygiene.

 

[Samson]

Let's see...

The kids should be asleep 56 hours.

Eating about 11 hours.

Leaves about 61 hours.

I expect they are in school specifically to learn. The 61 hours available have multiple purposes. I would hope instilling a work ethic (jobs around the house), morals (church) and enjoying each other would be some of the main duties of the home. I'm going to lay math and reading primarily on the school. By the way, the school seems bent on eating a large portion of the 61 hours with sports activities and homework. Just saying.

I was waiting for someone to say "kids SHOULD be asleep 56 hours" or that they might be fed at home.

This gives me a chance to get on my little soap-box: Schools don't expect very fucking much from parents: BUT WTF? can they at least make sure kids SLEEP?????

Guess what? THEY DON'T!!!

SOME don't, but it is a point well taken and I did leave out 3, hopefully 4 hours, for personal hygiene.

LMAO.....hopefully, 30 min/week on personal hygene.

 

[mdn2000]

The increase is directly proportunate to the increase in illegal aliens attending public schools.

Habla Ingles?

"The increase?"

In what?

Tacos served for lunch?

Eu nao fala? voce nao saber nada, voce muito lento.

 

[uscitizen]

Why are American children falliing behind?

Simple they follow their parents examples.

 

[mdn2000]

American children are not falling behind, illegal Alien children are bringing test scores down. The children of Latino families are bringing the test scores down. At least this is the case in California.

 

[sparky]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVSgQaSWhOg]YouTube - Generation in Jeopardy: Today's Youth, Tomorrow's Future[/ame]

 

[antagon]

Kids are with teachers about 40 hrs/week.

Kids are with parents 128 hrs/week.

From whom do you expect them to learn more?

Let's see...

The kids should be asleep 56 hours.

Eating about 11 hours.

Leaves about 61 hours.

I expect they are in school specifically to learn. The 61 hours available have multiple purposes. I would hope instilling a work ethic (jobs around the house), morals (church) and enjoying each other would be some of the main duties of the home. I'm going to lay math and reading primarily on the school. By the way, the school seems bent on eating a large portion of the 61 hours with sports activities and homework. Just saying.

your hopes are presumably shared by school administrators, but are failing to produce the results. schools must take the responsibility to instill a work ethic and morality in students. and thats that. anything short is making an excuse. sports activities and homework are some of the best institutions in the education system. typical, too, to reproach what works to protect what doesnt.

 

[editec]

If the teachers unions are to blame, why is it that the states with ther BEST education are alos the MOST unionized, and the states with the least unionized teachers are also providing the WORST educational experience?

That rather flies in the face of the premise that unions are to blame, doesn't it?

 

[Samson]

American children are not falling behind, illegal Alien children are bringing test scores down. The children of Latino families are bringing the test scores down. At least this is the case in California.

As distastefully racist as this sounds, let's just IMAGINE that its true.

If true, then it would be ridiculous to blame Public Educators for lower educational achievement scores.

 

[sparky]

If the teachers unions are to blame, why is it that the states with ther BEST education are alos the MOST unionized, and the states with the least unionized teachers are also providing the WORST educational experience?

That rather flies in the face of the premise that unions are to blame, doesn't it?

because we can't blame the kids, won't blame the parents, and don't have the collective horsepower to realize systemic problems have far reaching social implications

so unions are left, and in light of the union busting that's gained a lotta steam here, fits quite nicely into the American denial via demonization scheme we like sh*t ourselves with

~S~

 

[Samson]

Kids are with teachers about 40 hrs/week.

Kids are with parents 128 hrs/week.

From whom do you expect them to learn more?

Let's see...

The kids should be asleep 56 hours.

Eating about 11 hours.

Leaves about 61 hours.

I expect they are in school specifically to learn. The 61 hours available have multiple purposes. I would hope instilling a work ethic (jobs around the house), morals (church) and enjoying each other would be some of the main duties of the home. I'm going to lay math and reading primarily on the school. By the way, the school seems bent on eating a large portion of the 61 hours with sports activities and homework. Just saying.

your hopes are presumably shared by school administrators, but are failing to produce the results. schools must take the responsibility to instill a work ethic and morality in students. and thats that. anything short is making an excuse. sports activities and homework are some of the best institutions in the education system. typical, too, to reproach what works to protect what doesnt.

These statements aren't that unusual, nor are they necessarily unshared by school administrators: Schools LEAP at the chance to justify broadening any revenue-consuming program, regardless of however silly it might be.

How would you propose schools "instill moarlity in students," much less put them to bed before 10 PM and wake them before 7 AM?

First we'll need to hire a consulting agency to determine "what is moral." Better yet, we could send a team of administrators to an Island off Greece for the summer to ponder the issue. I volunteer.

Second, if the administrators ever return, we'll need to keep teachers afterschool for a few days, preferably Fridays, to disseminate the "Morality Curriculum."

Next, we need to increase taxes (bond issue) to purchase all the various and sundry books, materials, and films associated with the Morality Curriculum. Additionally, the taxes will need to increase the budget of the District's Legal Dept. to defend against all the ACLU suits that will be generated when anyone disagrees with The District's Morality.

......I could go on, ad infininum, but I think you get the gist.

 

[sparky]

gee, one would think running shcools like penal systems would already have imparted all the USDA moral fiber the kids need, eh Sam.....~S~

 

[Samson]

If the teachers unions are to blame, why is it that the states with ther BEST education are alos the MOST unionized, and the states with the least unionized teachers are also providing the WORST educational experience?

That rather flies in the face of the premise that unions are to blame, doesn't it?

because we can't blame the kids, won't blame the parents, and don't have the collective horsepower to realize systemic problems have far reaching social implications

so unions are left, and in light of the union busting that's gained a lotta steam here, fits quite nicely into the American denial via demonization scheme we like sh*t ourselves with

~S~

Texas State Law prohibits Teacher Unionization (much like Federal Employees are prohibited from Unionizing, e.g. Flight Controllers, who, striking in 1980 were summarily Fired by the Reagan Administration). Texas has no income tax.

New York (and California?) allow Teacher Unions, and they have high state income taxes to pay the resulting inflated salaries.

Where do students learn more?

 

[Samson]

gee, one would think running shcools like penal systems would already have imparted all the USDA moral fiber the kids need, eh Sam.....~S~

Yeah, its difficult to believe that after imposing such draconian rules like "Walk in the Hall," students would need much more Moralality.

 

[uscitizen]

If the teachers unions are to blame, why is it that the states with ther BEST education are alos the MOST unionized, and the states with the least unionized teachers are also providing the WORST educational experience?

That rather flies in the face of the premise that unions are to blame, doesn't it?

because we can't blame the kids, won't blame the parents, and don't have the collective horsepower to realize systemic problems have far reaching social implications

so unions are left, and in light of the union busting that's gained a lotta steam here, fits quite nicely into the American denial via demonization scheme we like sh*t ourselves with

~S~

Texas State Law prohibits Teacher Unionization (much like Federal Employees are prohibited from Unionizing, e.g. Flight Controllers, who, striking in 1980 were summarily Fired by the Reagan Administration). Texas has no income tax.

New York (and California?) allow Teacher Unions, and they have high state income taxes to pay the resulting inflated salaries.

Where do students learn more?

Got me, where is texas ranked nationwide in primary education?

 

[saveliberty]

If the teachers unions are to blame, why is it that the states with ther BEST education are alos the MOST unionized, and the states with the least unionized teachers are also providing the WORST educational experience?

That rather flies in the face of the premise that unions are to blame, doesn't it?

The basis for this claim that unions equate to higher education seems to be rooted in unions keeping down class size through contract terms. While that may have some truth to it, my guess is, less expensive teachers would also make for even smaller class size. Also, the lack of protection of poor teachers without unions would increase learning. Unions have also blocked programs like vouchers and charter schools, which may very well encourage better learning.