Posted on 03/07/2006 6:56:04 AM PST by ZULU
The girl at the register had no way to enter the coupon and was told to figure it out -- i.e., figure out what my 70+ photos should cost. I watched here struggle with the multiplication that she was doing on scrap paper because there was no calculator behind the counter and she couldn't even use the register to do it for her.
2nd best part: I'm a math teacher, so I trying to politely instruct her how to do this. She ignored me (or didn't here me) when I said that should be an '8' not a '7'.
Best part: She hadn't a clue about decimal places. Apparently, 75 times .19 equal $1.07.
I did bother trying to correct her (I mentioned something about the decimal) but to no avail. I usually correct anyone that screws up my change (up or down) because they are responsible. But that screwup didn't make it into the system. Maybe it'll instruct Rite-Aid to either upgrade equipment or upgrade their staff.
TS
Ohio, Michigan, Illinois.... there are still some poorly run districts, but some are fantastic. The one I live in now does not get the highest test scores, but they offer many advanced classes (15 different AP courses plus the more rigorous IB program). All this while about 40% of the students are considered poor, more are minorities, and the property tax rate is the lowest in the area.
There are some well run public schools in the DC area (Thomas Jefferson High in Fairfax is EXCELLENT)- but DC's public schools are a mess. There are some poorly run districts around here as well, but there are many that are VERY good.
Sorry - that should read Fairfax County....
Excellent points joesbucks. Both kids and adults naturally will tend to learn what will get them the most "bang for the buck".
I do get a chuckle about kids that can't count back change correctly (although problems with that in TN seem to be much less frequent these days - maybe schools or the businesses are teaching it).
However, maybe we should remember that while some kid might not know how to count back change, he/she might get a chuckle to find out that we can't do something that they can do with ease - like program a computer application or build a web page in HTML, etc.
Fletcher J
Same here. I'm very satisfied with the education my kids are receiving in my rural area. Almost every other family at my Baptist church homeschools, and I would say that my kids are on the same level as the homeschooled kids.
I think the key is (obviously) having the kids in a good school system, and then staying very involved as parents and working with them on homework and extra-curricular studies.
Fletcher J
There are some very well run public schools and some that are very poorly run.
I will always contend that the main problem is not how the schools are run. It's an issue, but not the main problem.
Take those kids from DC or many urban areas and put them in some of the best run shools in the nation and they would still have behavioral problems and scholastic performance problems.
Take the kids from the best run districts and put them in our "poorly run" urban schools and my guess is they would still do very well.
I think you're largely correct, in that the schools are not the main problem across the country, but you do have to admit there are some schools some places that just are not run well at all. That doesn't mean that you could expect high test scores from them by addressing just the administration of the school. But there are districts facing similar problems that perform better.
The biggest influence is still the parents. Those that could be moved from a good district to a poor one and still do well most likely have a good influence at home. Those with behavioral problems probably have bad influences at home...
Have you seen the home prices in that neck of the woods? Completely nuts.
You were addressing the manager is English?
There's the problem, she didn't understand your complaint.
What's a $1.58 hamburger ?
Yes, the prices are insane.
That was meant as a single example. Thomas Jefferson accepts students from quite a few counties, though. You don't have to live in Arlington or even Fairfax County. There are also quite a few other districts around DC that are very well run where housing is more affordable.
Our local talk radio station has a caller who likes to call attention to the problem of children and parents in this mix. He says, "how many times have I heard we need to return corporal punishement in our schools to return them to integrity, but in the same breath I hear "don't let them touch my kid."
Change the oil or anti-freeze??
You don't even have to get that complicated. My oldest son picked up spending money on the campus at Southern Miss by knowing how to change a flat and the right order to connect jumper cables to jump off dead batteries.
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