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The high school diploma probably means very little now anyway. At least here in Oregon public education has gone so far over the cliff they no longer have to even pretend there is an attempt at education. Below is the letter I send annually to Oregon papers and elsewhere.

Oregon Eliminates Educational Standards

For this school year, Oregon students will not be required to demonstrate skills in reading, writing, and math. Until 2026, an Oregon high school diploma no longer guarantees academic achievement, but only participation in a system with undefined parameters. The legislators, school districts, and the governor supporting Senate Bill 744 saw that this “will benefit Oregon’s Black, Latino, Latina, Latinx, Indigenous, Asian, Pacific Islander, Tribal, and students of color”.

The state adopted the position held by many 19th century abolitionists. When I read Fredrick Douglass’ autobiographies, one passage always stays with me. After speaking to an abolitionist audience, Douglass considered the evening a great success, because he concluded his talk believing these people were convinced, he was equally human with them.

He mentioned this as a significant event, because many supporters of black freedom questioned whether these people were fully human. If educators would treat minorities as individuals, they would design programs allowing opportunities for achievement commensurate with those they see for white students.

I remember Dr. Martin Luther King saying, "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character…..little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.”

To me these men’s understanding of brotherhood and individual value proves more meaningful than perceptions of racial or ethnic inferiority.

Oregon just dropped all graduation standards, failing all of its students in the name of ‘equity’

https://thehill.com/opinion/education/4288044-oregon-just-dropped-all-graduation-standards-failing-all-of-its-students-in-the-name-of-equity/

1 posted on 02/08/2024 11:50:55 AM PST by Retain Mike
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To: dfwgator

Thought I’d better join before I got drafted.


2 posted on 02/08/2024 11:53:20 AM PST by SaveFerris (Luke 17:28 ... as it was in the Days of Lot; They did Eat, They Drank, They Bought, They Sold ......)
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To: Retain Mike

yeah they only have to be able to run modern nuclear instruments and weapons...

If they cant read the dials whats the problem ???


3 posted on 02/08/2024 11:54:11 AM PST by Tennessee Nana
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To: Retain Mike
Any American between 18 and 41 can now enlist in the Navy, as long as they score at least a 50 on the Armed Forces Qualification Test and meet other requirements outside of education, according to the Navy’s policy released.

50? 50 out of 100? Is this from the Bee...

6 posted on 02/08/2024 11:58:24 AM PST by 1Old Pro
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To: Retain Mike

Well... somebody who doesn’t graduate from high school is at least malleable, maybe more so than somebody who is an experience party animal with college under their belt. Besides the military can train them up to GED... not a big deal.


8 posted on 02/08/2024 12:00:00 PM PST by Clutch Martin ("The trouble ain't that there is too many fools, but that the lightning ain't distributed right." )
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To: Retain Mike

ASVAB is more meaningful. I went to public school with city blacks.
They graduated. They didn’t earn it.


9 posted on 02/08/2024 12:01:17 PM PST by EEGator
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To: Retain Mike

Reading and comprehending is extremely low among non grads (HS) which means they may not understand safety rules, equipment operation, etc. This failure to understand can/will lead to accidents, injuries, deaths, etc.


16 posted on 02/08/2024 12:18:09 PM PST by elpadre (an)
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To: Retain Mike

Less exposure to public school is a positive. Hopefully the advanced techy jobs will go to the educated.


19 posted on 02/08/2024 12:32:51 PM PST by Wilderness Conservative (Nature is the ultimate conservative)
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To: Retain Mike

“McNamaras Morons” redux.


20 posted on 02/08/2024 12:40:11 PM PST by donozark (Even when Paul Pelosi isn't drinking, he's getting hammered.)
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To: Retain Mike

All this means is the Draft is coming soon for non white skinned americants!


22 posted on 02/08/2024 12:47:14 PM PST by Harpotoo (Being a socialist is a lot easier than having to WORK like the rest of US:-))
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To: Retain Mike

When I joined the Navy, (back when Moby Dick was a minnow) the Nav recruiters classified me as a HSAR (High School Airman Recruit). So, I went to “A” school and became an Aircraft Electrician.

Later on, in my Navy career, I managed to get a BS degree from Southern Illinois University attending classes on the weekends.

Always Air Crew in many different Nav planes and squadrons. (P5M sea planes in the Nam, P2V’s, P3’s, EC-130s)

Those were the days :)


23 posted on 02/08/2024 12:51:15 PM PST by airdalecheif
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To: Retain Mike

When I served, they were bringing in people who had a choice between jail and the Navy.


28 posted on 02/08/2024 12:56:06 PM PST by roving (Deplorable Listless Vessel Trumpist With Trumpitis and a Rainbow Bully)
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To: Retain Mike

You know, boys, it wasn’t until the late 70s or mid 80s that you needed a HS diploma to enlist. There were a ton of people who joined or were drafted during Vietnam, Korea, WWII, WWI and earlier without diplomas.

My father left HS and enlisted at 17, with his mother’s signature, into the Navy, during WWII. At that time, the Navy had a program for sailors to earn a GED while in service, which he did, or after separation.

While I’d agree diplomas are an ideal requirement, I don’t really see the wheels falling off without a diploma. There are many other things more detrimental to our services than this.


31 posted on 02/08/2024 1:27:36 PM PST by rey
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To: Retain Mike

You hijacked your own thread.

Congrats.


34 posted on 02/08/2024 1:34:05 PM PST by Jacquerie (ArticleVBlog.com)
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To: Retain Mike

So the USN is getting 500 new members for the deck crew to operate paint scrapers & needle scalers while muttering “rust never sleeps.” Brilliant!


40 posted on 02/08/2024 2:09:18 PM PST by T-Bird45 (It feels like the seventies, and it shouldn't. )
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To: Retain Mike

I’m reminded that 43% of the residents of Detroit and New Orleans (and, probaly many others) cannot even read or write.


42 posted on 02/08/2024 2:18:42 PM PST by blam
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To: Retain Mike

They are probably right since around half of high school graduates cannot read or write at grade level.


44 posted on 02/08/2024 2:21:02 PM PST by EastTexasTraveler
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