My children were in the public system in Texas as well — one of the exemplary districts. I spent summers filling in the gaps of their education — things like knowing states and capitals, as they were never made to memorize them. Both of my kids were bored to tears — but I know that many parents were perfectly happy in the system.
Beyond the absence of challenging curricula, I was also irritated by the lack of accountability for student behavior, lack of accountability for rotten teacher behavior, and over-emotional schtick in the classroom. I was taken aback to hear my child’s teacher tell the class how much she ‘loves’ them. No, you don’t. You care for your class, but when they walk out of there at the end of the year, they don’t hear from you again. That’s not love. It’s a lie to say that, and it’s ridiculous. In addition, kids were not allowed to say — no, I don’t want to play with you on the playground. Sorry, teachers, but there is still freedom of association in this country, and if my child does not want to play with the class paste-eater, that’s the way it is.
Yes, there are problems outside the schools — lots of parents demanding things that have zip to do with academia. Parents are expecting schools to raise their children rather than educate them. There are children who have zero support at home to help with homework and they drag the class down, because heaven forbid schools should ‘level’ students according to ability. Someone’s feelings might get hurt. And then there are the kids who barely speak English — how do you teach a child who has no idea what is being said?
In short: if your children received an excellent academic education in Texas public schools — I think that’s wonderful. But I also imagine that your definition of excellent and mine are wholly different. We pulled our kids from the public system; my 10 year old has almost completed pre-Algebra with 96%, and my 14 year old is wrapping up Algebra 2 (he is scoring in the upper 90%’s as well). It’s looking like he’ll be finished with high school at 16. If we were still in the system, they wouldn’t be excelling as they are — they’d have been held back and forced to a mold, and force-fed state emotional/societal crap like what to do if you get in a car with a drunk driver (this was a program my daughter was made to attend in 2nd grade), counseling propaganda about ‘bullying’ (while the school completely ignores actual bullying when presented evidence). Much happier out of that ‘exemplary’ system. Not sure what it was supposed to have been an example of — but to me, it was an example of all that’s wrong with American schools.
No, sir, my definition of excellent is excellent. Like National Merit excellent, OK? Like top-of-the-class multiple scholarship excellent. Like nearing six figures upon college graduation excellent.
I could not have taught the tough curricula my kids took in high school, but they had excellent teachers who could and did, with my support all they way.
And I honor them for it.
There are terrible teachers and there are terrible schools, and there are terrible doctors and great ones, and terrible lawyers and great ones, etc. etc. It’s a mistake to use a broad brush to tar and feather the good with the bad, and that’s what many on this board want to do.