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If We Want to Grow as a Nation, We Must Invest More in Education than Incarceration
BlackAmericaWeb.com ^ | December 15, 2006 | Judge Greg Mathis

Posted on 12/17/2006 6:32:35 AM PST by wintertime

Last year, more than 7 million American people -- that’s about one in every 32 adults -- were behind bars, on probation or parole. The United States has, for years, imprisoned more people than any other country in the world. Yet, we don’t have the highest literacy rate....

(snip)

Inner-city schools fail half of their students, and jobs are removed from communities, replaced with guns and drugs, resulting in incarceration, if you’re lucky; death if you’re not. Nonetheless, many U.S. states have cut their education budgets to compensate for rapid growth in prison populations and prison construction. The misguided priorities that inform such decisions have only served to further marginalize already oppressed populations. It’s time that this country shifts its focus away from imprisonment and commits its resources to education and empowerment.

In the past 20 years, more than a thousand new prisons and jails have been built in the U.S. Yet, our prisons are more overcrowded now than ever.....(snip)... The nation’s "war on drugs" and the stiff sentencing laws that grew out of that war are largely to blame.

......The numbers of individuals sentenced for drug crimes increased nearly 65 percent between 1996 and 2003, accounting for the largest increase in inmates in the federal system.

(snip)

If federal and local governments were to adequately fund the nation’s public schools, ensuring all students had access to high-quality teachers, tutoring and after-school programs, we could stem the growth of the nation’s prison population. With support, many could be steered away from drugs and the street life and pushed towards college or vocational school. Instead, the country has poured its money into a criminal injustice system that, instead of creating special programs designed to rehabilitate the low-level offender, corals these lost souls into the nation’s prisons. Upon release, having no education and no skills, many return to the lifestyles that landed them in prison. It’s a dangerous cycle, and only prison architects and big business benefit.

In 1977, I was incarcerated for seven months. I was told that it cost taxpayers $30,000 to incarcerate me. A year later, I enrolled at Eastern Michigan University under an affirmative action program. Because I was poor, I had to use loans and tax-payer supported government grants to pay for my education. The cost of my four-year education was $24,000, less than the cost of my short jail sentence. No longer a burden to taxpayers, I am a significant taxpayer, helping, through my tax contributions, to pave the way for others who’ve yet to get an opportunity to make a way for themselves.

The tax dollars used to support my education were a worthy investment, one that benefits all of society. America should take note and act accordingly.


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KEYWORDS: blamewhitey; gimmeegimmee; gimmeemo; homeschool; mo; momomo; schools
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1) Judge Mathis, falsely states that money to K-12 education has been cut. It hasn't.

2) Government schools can NOT provide the moral direction that parents and children need. The advice that must be given to, and demands made of parents and children can only be dished out by a private school. Why? Answer: Because those demands and that advice is politically incorrect and would violate establishment of religion.

3) Due to the points made in #2, more time in government schools make children worse, not better.

4) Shouldn't a judge know that it is unconstitutional for the federal government to be involved in education?

5) Judge Mathis falsely believes that spending more money on education will reduce the prison population. I won't. Ending the war on drugs will. These people are in prison because they are working in the black market. That black market has NOTHING at all to do with K-12 schools.

6) He states that he benifited from his college education. Well....that college education was funded by vouchers and loans that he could use to attend any private or government school that would accept him. K-12 schools would benefit from free markets too.

1 posted on 12/17/2006 6:32:37 AM PST by wintertime
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To: wintertime

He wrongly blames the drug war and not the criminals.


2 posted on 12/17/2006 6:39:15 AM PST by ClaireSolt (Have you have gotten mixed up in a mish-masher?)
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To: wintertime

"Government schools can NOT provide the moral direction that parents and children need. "

You are right on target, friend.

The only thing that will improve our educational systems and reduce prison populations is a higher social standard in which people are held accountable from birth to death for bad behavior.


3 posted on 12/17/2006 6:39:17 AM PST by wgflyer (Liberalism is to society what HIV is to the immune system.)
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To: wintertime
We already spend an average of $10,000 per public school student per year, and yet half the inner-city kids graduating can't even read. Money is not the problem.
4 posted on 12/17/2006 6:40:09 AM PST by E. Pluribus Unum (Islam is a religion of peace, and Muslims reserve the right to kill anyone who says otherwise.)
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To: wintertime
"...Inner-city schools fail half of their students, and jobs are removed from communities, replaced with guns and drugs..."

Due to liberal polices enacted since WWII that declared war on the traditional family, marriage and fatherhood.

5 posted on 12/17/2006 6:41:11 AM PST by rlmorel (Islamofacism: It is all fun and games until someone puts an eye out. Or chops off a head.)
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To: wintertime

I love your second comment.


6 posted on 12/17/2006 6:42:37 AM PST by YoungSoutherner
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To: wintertime

Two words that did not appear in the article: Family and Father. Anything in the original source about this, or is government-financed education the judge's answer to all ills?


7 posted on 12/17/2006 6:42:48 AM PST by Bernard ("Be thankful we're not getting all the government we're paying for." Will Rogers)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Exactly public schools get so much money. Throwing money at them is not the solution.


8 posted on 12/17/2006 6:44:06 AM PST by YoungSoutherner
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To: ClaireSolt
Jut thinking this guy still doesn't undestand "if you can't do the time don't do the crime".

Maybe he needs some more time in stir or something ~

9 posted on 12/17/2006 6:44:08 AM PST by muawiyah
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To: wintertime
That state both, simply and logistically cannot take the place of a family, particularly that of a mother and father.

To believe and say otherwise is a larger statement of ignorance, if not an intentional deception on their part.

10 posted on 12/17/2006 6:44:10 AM PST by Caipirabob (Communists... Socialists... Democrats...Traitors... Who can tell the difference?)
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To: wintertime
"many U.S. states have cut their education budgets to compensate for rapid growth in prison populations and prison construction"

Aha! So we already were spending money on education and now that's being cut to build prisons.

Well then, it obviously wasn't working, was it? Why should we go back to a failed policy?

Give prisons a chance!

11 posted on 12/17/2006 6:45:19 AM PST by robertpaulsen
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To: wintertime

Mathis: "....and jobs are removed from communities, replaced with guns and drugs....."

he states it exactly bassackwards......


12 posted on 12/17/2006 6:46:59 AM PST by Vn_survivor_67-68
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

$10,000 per public school student per year,

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

It is far, far more than that.

In my state, the only numbers reported are the operating expenses for the school. Not included are capital expenditures, the services of the state ( for example snow removal, attorney's fees, and grass cutting), and **teacher's pensions and post-retirement benefits.

The teachers' at retirement are considered retired state employees and, therefore, not included in the cost of educating children.


13 posted on 12/17/2006 6:47:08 AM PST by wintertime (Good ideas win! Why? Because people are not stupid)
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To: wintertime
such decisions have only served to further marginalize already oppressed populations

Same old oppressed population bull.

14 posted on 12/17/2006 6:48:22 AM PST by KingArthur305
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To: wintertime

" Because I was poor, I had to use loans and tax-payer supported government grants to pay for my education. "

So did my daughter, plus she did a work\study program on campus. Let me clue you in, having to make sacrifices for education isn't limited to the black community alone,even though listening to the mainstream media would have people believe that b.s. !!!


15 posted on 12/17/2006 6:49:22 AM PST by Obie Wan
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To: wintertime
Nonetheless, many U.S. states have cut their education budgets to compensate for rapid growth in prison populations and prison construction.

If a 28% increase in one year on my property taxes for education alone is a cut, then lets increase education spending and maybe my taxes will go down...

Pretty soon I will be getting school lunches out of true need.

16 posted on 12/17/2006 6:50:39 AM PST by EGPWS
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To: wintertime

Money isn't the problem. Students fail because teachers don't teach. Failing students are promoted because it would hurt their self esteem to hold them back. I suggest getting both government and unions out of education, and it makes me sad because I know it won't happen.


17 posted on 12/17/2006 6:51:18 AM PST by Mustard Plaster
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To: Bernard
Family and Father

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Bingo!

The government schools do all in their power to undermine the traditional family, make all living co-habitations equivalent, support and promote unwed motherhood, emasculate males, denigrate fatherhood as sexism, and leave boys illiterate and innumerate.

Only in a private school can children and parents get the advice they need to build strong families consisting of a mother and a ***father**.

I once attended a monthly private school meeting that was mandatory for all parents. (Babysitting provided by the older students)


At the meeting, the principal explained a principle for building an educationally centered family. Then the meeting separated into smaller women's and men's groups led by an experienced mother or father. In these more informal groups the group leader encourage parents to share ways to strengthen the family and gentle disciplining techniques.

Can you imagine the above happening in a government school? Hardly! The lawyers would be sharpening their torts.
18 posted on 12/17/2006 6:54:49 AM PST by wintertime (Good ideas win! Why? Because people are not stupid)
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To: wintertime

Education...

Here it is... commit a crime, you get punished...


19 posted on 12/17/2006 6:56:43 AM PST by Sir Francis Dashwood (LET'S ROLL!)
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To: Vn_survivor_67-68

"he states it exactly bassackwards......"

Sad, isn't it. It's nothing new, though.


20 posted on 12/17/2006 6:57:20 AM PST by L98Fiero (The media is a self-licking ice-cream cone)
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To: Mustard Plaster

Students fail because teachers don't teach.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

And,,,teachers and principals can not dish out the moral and ethical (religious) advice that students and their inexperienced parents need. Try that and they would be quickly fired.


21 posted on 12/17/2006 6:57:30 AM PST by wintertime (Good ideas win! Why? Because people are not stupid)
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To: wintertime

yeah....piss more money on education...that's the answer!!!

no matter how much money is spent you cannot change all ....

seems the moneyed basketball players in the garden last night were a shining example to the youth...their fans!!!!

certain individuals cannot be civilized....the best answer might be a charlie rangle mandatory conscription....at least the money spent trying to civilize educate them might have positive benefits...

what the US has now surely is just a lib/dem'd wet dream!!!!


22 posted on 12/17/2006 7:00:27 AM PST by hnj_00
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To: wintertime
Yawnnnnnnnnnnn....money isn't the answer. If it was, the Washington DC schools which received some of the highest funding in the nation, would be one of the best performers. It's one of the worst.
23 posted on 12/17/2006 7:01:56 AM PST by Drango (A liberal's compassion is limited only by the size of someone else's wallet.)
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To: wintertime
What Mathis is saying is very disappointing because he is suppose to be an example of strength instead he avoids blame in the homes because he knows the building of jail is mainly because of his people.

What kind of judge encourages dependence on the government and leaves out sad educational practices on the part of minorities as significant reasons for this accurrance.

Don't mention Asian because they are not suppose to show Blacks how the system can work.

24 posted on 12/17/2006 7:02:20 AM PST by KingArthur305
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To: ClaireSolt

Is he suggesting we put criminals on scholarship intead of in jail? Tell you what, Mathis--if killers stop killing and thieves stop stealing, then maybe we have something to talk about.


25 posted on 12/17/2006 7:03:43 AM PST by BamaAndy (Heart & Iron--the story of America through an ordinary family. ISBN: 1-4137-5397-3)
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To: wintertime
Isn't this "Judge Mathis" the stoo-pid television 'judge'?

In any case, he's a moron. And I didn't even have to read the article to reach that conclusion. All I needed to see were the words "Invest More" in the headline.

26 posted on 12/17/2006 7:04:31 AM PST by Condor51 (Tagline Under Construction - Kindly Wear Your Hardhat)
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To: wintertime

How about the fact that the majority of black children are born in fatherless homes

Gee, maybe there's some coincidence there


27 posted on 12/17/2006 7:05:02 AM PST by KosmicKitty (WARNING: Hormonally crazed woman ahead!!)
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To: YoungSoutherner
We must indeed invest more in education.More investment in personal effort and family commitment.More investment in basic learning of reading,critical thinking,writing, basic economics,responsibility and competitive life skills .Less on 'feelings' and how to put a condom on a cucumber.
28 posted on 12/17/2006 7:05:34 AM PST by Carl LaFong ("We must protect our phoney-boloney jobs, gentlemen"- Congress - (by way of Governor Le Petomane))
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To: wintertime
This article makes sense when you listen to rap music and contemplate Jesse Jackson's love child(ren?).
29 posted on 12/17/2006 7:05:56 AM PST by King Moonracer (Bad lighting and cheap fabric, thats how you sell clothing.)
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To: wintertime
Richard Prior: "I been to the penitentiary; I talked to the Brothers. Thank God, they got penitentiaries!"

You're right; the article is so full of logical fallacies and inconsistencies, one does not know where to begin to start.

30 posted on 12/17/2006 7:06:16 AM PST by Lonesome in Massachussets (The hallmark of a crackpot conspiracy theory is that it expands to include countervailing evidence.)
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To: KosmicKitty
More on Judge Mathis here

MEET T.V.'S JUDGE MATHIS: He roughed up KFI's John Ziegler during Tookie night at San Quentin

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1539893/posts

31 posted on 12/17/2006 7:09:00 AM PST by KosmicKitty (WARNING: Hormonally crazed woman ahead!!)
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To: KosmicKitty
How about the fact that the majority of black children are born in fatherless homes

Shhh.. you can't let the general public now that. We have to keep blaming "institutional racism, underfunding and cultural bia".

32 posted on 12/17/2006 7:09:30 AM PST by KingArthur305
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To: wintertime; Mustard Plaster
Inner-city schools fail half of their students

1) It should really say, "Half of inner-city school students (and families) fail themselves."

Students fail because teachers don't teach.

2) I taught in some of the worst inner-city schools for seven years and to say that the teachers didn't teach is absolutley untrue. In my department, everyday the teacher busted butt to provide the best for those kids only to have it thrown back in their faces by kids who only showed up a couple times a week and who caused trouble when they did show up. Most of the kids received no moral guidance AT HOME. Those that did actually managed to learn amid the chaos and apathy of their peers.

33 posted on 12/17/2006 7:10:59 AM PST by Right Wing Assault ("..this administration is planning a 'Right Wing Assault' on values and ideals.." - John Kerry)
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To: KingArthur305

Utter rubbish.

a fools breakfast.


34 posted on 12/17/2006 7:11:18 AM PST by CBart95
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To: KingArthur305

ErrRRRR

I guess I spend too much time watch Maury testing the 14th guy for some woman who gat drunk at a party and doesn't know who her baby daddy be!!


35 posted on 12/17/2006 7:12:03 AM PST by KosmicKitty (WARNING: Hormonally crazed woman ahead!!)
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To: wintertime

Mathis should have lunch with Cosby.


36 posted on 12/17/2006 7:12:51 AM PST by Glenn (Annoy a BushBot...Think for yourself.)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum
We already spend an average of $10,000 per public school student per year, and yet half the inner-city kids graduating can't even read. Money is not the problem.

For sure. . .and the Countries who lead over America in superior 'educational outcome' spend far less on their students than do we.

. . .and we should take note; that every child 'rising' in China is compelled to learn English. . .their education begins, 'pre-school' or our Kindergarten level. . .

Seems the least we could do; is have a second language available for our young (yes. ..some shools do; but not national profile) and even better for future competition or even survival; perhaps Chinese should be made a mandatory language skill in all American schools, as well.

37 posted on 12/17/2006 7:13:22 AM PST by cricket (Save a Terrorist - join the Democrats/Live Liberal Free; or suffer their consequences)
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To: wintertime
The only mandatory subjects for k-9 should be the English language, Math and History.

Start with American History and gradually include World History starting around the 5th or 6th grade.

By the time Junior High starts, enough should have been so firmly imbedded in the minds of a child that the whole of human knowledge could/would be more easily and truthfully absorbed and thus, hopefully, an informed electorate will be able to ensure the survival and reclamation of this once God blessed land ... The united states of America.

38 posted on 12/17/2006 7:13:36 AM PST by knarf (Islamists kill each other ... News wall-to-wall, 24/7 .. don't touch that dial.)
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To: wintertime
1) Judge Mathis, falsely states that money to K-12 education has been cut. It hasn't.

No, he doesn't. He says that "many U.S. states have cut their education budgets..." which may be true. You wouldn't know without looking on a state-by-state basis. I'm sure federal funding has increased.

2) Government schools can NOT provide the moral direction that parents and children need. The advice that must be given to, and demands made of parents and children can only be dished out by a private school. Why? Answer: Because those demands and that advice is politically incorrect and would violate establishment of religion.

Actually, there are some government schools and some educational programs which have been very successful with inner-city children. As examples, I'd point out the KIPP program (which I believe you first drew my attention to), and Success For All.

The problem with these programs include requirements for highly motivated teachers who work extremely long hours, extremely structured programs that some teachers do not like because they "stifle creativity", and very disciplined programs that some parents will not comply with. They also tend to be more expensive than "regular" schools, and funding can be a problem in poor neighborhoods.

3) Due to the points made in #2, more time in government schools make children worse, not better.

I think it's debatable whether inner-city children are better off in school or on the street.

4) Shouldn't a judge know that it is unconstitutional for the federal government to be involved in education?

Regardless of whether it's unconstitutional or not, the federal government is involved in education, and doesn't seem likely to uninvolve itself any time soon.

In any case, the judge's recommendations could be equally applied to state and local governments.

5) Judge Mathis falsely believes that spending more money on education will reduce the prison population. I won't. Ending the war on drugs will. These people are in prison because they are working in the black market. That black market has NOTHING at all to do with K-12 schools.

You make a good point about ending the war on drugs. I believe Judge Mathis's point is that those without education or skills to obtain good jobs, and thus participate in the legal marketplace, are more likely to participate in the black market.

6) He states that he benifited [sic] from his college education. Well....that college education was funded by vouchers and loans that he could use to attend any private or government school that would accept him. K-12 schools would benefit from free markets too.

I think it's worth a try, but there are many neighborhoods where there are no private schools. I think if vouchers are ever tried, it will be interesting to see what sorts of schools begin springing up to take advantage of them.

39 posted on 12/17/2006 7:13:45 AM PST by Amelia (If we hire them, they will come...)
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To: Right Wing Assault

absolutley => absolutely


40 posted on 12/17/2006 7:14:39 AM PST by Right Wing Assault ("..this administration is planning a 'Right Wing Assault' on values and ideals.." - John Kerry)
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To: wintertime
Image hosted by Photobucket.com till they QUIT saying "you trying to be white???" to those that TRY/WANT to learn... money means nothing.
41 posted on 12/17/2006 7:16:06 AM PST by Chode (American Hedonist ©®)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

The well-known fact everyone is too afraid to say is:

Many inner city kids JUST DON'T GIVE A SH** ABOUT EDUCATION. No amount of money or special "program" will force a kid to learn who doesn't care to learn. And that is 95% of the time because the parents of said kid never instilled proper values in that kid.


42 posted on 12/17/2006 7:16:15 AM PST by RockinRight (Barack Hussein Obama, Jr. He's a Socialist. And unqualified.)
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To: wintertime
We Must Invest More in Education than Incarceration

Ok. Quit committing crimes. That's the fix. It's simple.

43 posted on 12/17/2006 7:16:36 AM PST by ExtremeUnction
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To: Mustard Plaster
Students fail because teachers don't teach.

Sometimes they fail because they don't come to school. Sometimes they fail because they don't do their work even if they come to school.

Failing students are promoted because it would hurt their self esteem to hold them back.

Sometimes failing students are promoted because administrators don't let the teachers hold students back, because they'd have to build more classrooms to hold them, hire more teachers to teach them, and they don't want older students in with the more innocent younger children.

44 posted on 12/17/2006 7:20:15 AM PST by Amelia (If we hire them, they will come...)
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To: Mustard Plaster

Students fail because they care more about pimpin' hos, smokin' weed, partyin' and the new 50-Cent CD than anything else. If a kid doesn't want to learn, they won't, no matter how good a teacher is. The reason? Parents. Parents who themselves are uneducated, or otherwise inadequate, that don't instill proper values in the kid.


45 posted on 12/17/2006 7:20:15 AM PST by RockinRight (Barack Hussein Obama, Jr. He's a Socialist. And unqualified.)
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To: CBart95
Utter rubbish. a fools breakfast.

What is?

46 posted on 12/17/2006 7:20:20 AM PST by KingArthur305
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To: wgflyer
every prison I have been in has made it a requirement to get a GED and even then many resist it because it infringes on their rights to be lazy.
47 posted on 12/17/2006 7:22:39 AM PST by bdfromlv (Leavenworth hard time)
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To: wintertime

No farther at home = crime.A black problem.


48 posted on 12/17/2006 7:23:42 AM PST by Unicorn (Too many wimps around.)
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To: RockinRight
Students fail because they care more about pimpin' hos, smokin' weed, partyin' and the new 50-Cent CD than anything else. If a kid doesn't want to learn, they won't, no matter how good a teacher is. The reason? Parents. Parents who themselves are uneducated, or otherwise inadequate, that don't instill proper values in the kid.

That's the problem root problem. Money will only get misused. The more we pour into the inner city schools the worst they get.

49 posted on 12/17/2006 7:25:32 AM PST by KingArthur305
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To: Lonesome in Massachussets

You're right; the article is so full of logical fallacies and inconsistencies, one does not know where to begin to start.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Logical fallacies, indeed!

This man is supposed to be judge ruling on law? Scary!


50 posted on 12/17/2006 7:29:10 AM PST by wintertime (Good ideas win! Why? Because people are not stupid)
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