Posted on 07/01/2008 10:40:58 AM PDT by wintertime
We must be willing to redefine education. What education looks like now is an artificial construct. It was not created by people who knew or understood children or teens. It was created by bureaucrats and special interests who wanted to control children and teens.
I talked with a young lady the other day – 14-years-old – who loves horses and aims to own stables and teach riding, among other things. She’s been working with horses since she was five. She’s good enough now that she “breaks” new ones and retrains ones facing changes in the use they’re being put to. She knows her stuff.
(snip)
Then there’s her other life – public school. She failed her end-of-year math exam by three points, so she’s going to summer school. She’ll have to pass the test to move on to the next grade. I’ve talked with her. She’s smart and highly competent – just not especially interested in algebra. She’s more accomplished than many adults (even ones who did pass algebra). But she has four more years of school to go, during which time she’ll have to pass endless tests and divert her efforts from what she knows she’ll devote her life to.
(snip) I get many calls a month from parents of teens who simply haven’t managed to fit into the school mold. They’re smart kids, often kids with serious interests they’re prevented from pursuing because so many adults in their lives are running them through the testing/counseling/therapy wringer.
(snip)
In order to redefine education, we will have to engage in some self-liberation, for most of us have a very hard time letting go (I mean really letting go) of the idea that the state knows some secret about education that we don’t and that if we defy their model we just might be sorry.
(snip)
Gosh, I’m sorry your beetle died! Anoreth’s hermit crabs passed on recently; we think they died of old age. And one of the dragons bit a toe off the other, hence the tagline.
Anoreth is signing up for college this fall. Bill learned blacksmithing at Boy Scout camp and is nagging for a forge, as well as his own room. We can go swimming at a subdivision a mile from ours, for a very reasonable fee considering how many of us there are. We’re growing some vegetables with a fair amount of success.
Vlad (2-1/2) told me “B-E-D is EEE-vil!” when I told him it was naptime. We’re doing a little summer school, and visiting the library a couple of times a week.
And I would call you an ass, but we weren't going to get all personal and insulting, were we?
The above is a personal insult.
However....I do not bother the administrator with personal insults. It is soooo much better to let them remain. Comments such as yours above say much more about you than they do me.
I said I would call you that, but we weren't going to have any personal insults.
Just like it's not a personal insult to the teachers on this board when you say that all public school teachers are Marxist enablers and/or Useful Idiots.
Thanks BlackElk,
I really try hard to make a difference in the lives of these kids...
One place you (and Wintertime) are so right is that I FIRMLY believe that if many of my LD students had better parents they would NOT be classified as LD at all.. (what a bad sentence)
I believe that they are PD...PARENTALLY DISABLED~
This illustrates just how VITAL the before schooling and after schooling is in the lives of kids.
And teachers are NO REPLACEMENT for good parents~
SoftballmominVA,
Your words are some of the nicest I have ever read.
May I use you as a reference?
LOL!
People frequently ask me what I do.
You have just described my job better than I ever have!
When feeling lazy, I often reply, “I do whatever needs to be done”....
Anyway...
To all FReepers who are or were homeschooling moms and dads...all FReepers who were (or will) homeschool...
To all teachers who try to do their best despite working in a system that can be SO FRUSTRATING, and all parents who CARE ABOUT THEIR CHILDREN (which seems to be ALL of us)...
Good Day~
(I love Paul Harvey)
Half staff for the hermit crabs..I’m so sorry!
Wow...dragons can be scary things, can’t they...
WOW COLLEGE!
AWESOME!
Running Start?
(I know....I know...but I’m just asking since free seems so good..)
Please tell her GOOD LUCK!!!!
I wish her THE BEST!
She’s going to ROCK!
Blacksmithing!
WOW!
That’s the coolest thing!
His own room...hmmm...is that likely?
Fun about the swimming...and we’re gardening too..
Not very exciting but we are eating radishes...waiting on lettuce and praying about the carrots...
Vlad said Bed is EEVIL???
LOL!
Today Andrew told me that “he wasn’t TRYING to be evil” when he spit cheese into the garbage can and then laughed..
Grrr......
We love the library as well..
The summer reading rewards are silly this year though...
Oh well...it’s still FUN!
:-)
The hermit crabs were boring, except to one of the cats, who would spend hours watching them, hoping to be there for the ten minutes a day that they moved around. Maybe they died of boredom.
Anoreth is making a trial run at college, at our local CC branch. See if she likes it, get some experience at classroom work, and hopefully pick up her SAT score so she’ll be competitive for an ROTC scholarship as a transfer in a couple of years. We said we’ll get her a dog if she has a successful semester (at least 9 hours with an A or B) and a job.
Bill’s not getting his own room any time soon. However, I’m willing to let him camp out in the yard all summer if he wants to :-). He’s not getting forge at home, either, but maybe we can get him into a metalworking program next summer for some more experience. He learned shotgun shooting, too.
We’ve harvested tomatoes (regular and cherry), one jalapeno pepper, and one yellow banana pepper. Other peppers including SIX bushes of habaneros are coming along. Eggplants aren’t doing much yet. Canteloupes have lots of flowers. I finally found a spot the cilantro liked, and then it decided to go to seed! I guess I’ll have a lot of cilantro next year :-). My parsley seeded last summer, and now it’s everywhere. The dragons love it.
This reminds me that I need to go water everything, as soon as I give Vlad a bath. Over a week without rain - the grass is desperate.
This post, as well, says far more about you than it does me.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Ok....I will attempt to explain this again.
I do believe that there have been Marxist infiltration of the government schools. Some refer to this as Gramscian Marxism.
The goal of the Gramscian Marxists was to gradually take over the leadership of the social institutions in a capitalist society. Therefore....It stands to reason, that those ( speaking generally ) who work for these institutions, and unwittingly assist the Gramscian Marxists would be, as Lenin, would call them, “Useful Idiots”.
I refer to those assisting the Gramscian Marxists in our societal institutions ( this includes the government school complex from the colleges of education downward) “enablers”.
I am speaking ***generally***, and I can NOT and will NOT make any judgment about any specific poster on this thread. I simple can't because I don't know their particular and unique circumstances.
Dear Moderator,
I hope that this was more acceptable to everyone's sensibilities.
You are one of the nastiest posters I’ve ever seen in all my years on FR. Try to make your points without the personal insults.
Keep that quote. Useful for blackmail when he gets older; and even now, it sounds like the basis for a very successful children's book.
Cheers!
Keep up the good work!
Cheers!
I believe that you are making a great difference, and I do believe that you are hardworking, conscientious, and creative teachers.
Imagine if there were small private schools that were organized like a professional law office? A teacher could start a small school, and then as it grew he/she could take on associates. There would be experienced teachers to mentor the younger teachers, and the "partners" would have a vested interest ( reputation and income for the school)to see that the new associate teachers were **successful**!
A school like this would have a coherent philosophy. The parents, students, associate teachers, and professional "partner" teachers would all share the same educational philosophy. The new associate ( just like a new lawyer in a law firm) would have the opportunity to become a partner himself, or start his own school. Finally, teachers could have the opportunity to be making the same salaries as physicians and attorneys.
One place you (and Wintertime) are so right is that I FIRMLY believe that if many of my LD students had better parents they would NOT be classified as LD at all.. (what a bad sentence)
I have never commented on learning disabled students in government schools that I am aware. Perhaps you are confusing me with someone else.
However....I personally have never met an ADD, ADHD or dyslexic child who has been homeschooled from the beginning. ( This is my anecdotal experience.)
I believe that they are PD...PARENTALLY DISABLED~
One of the problems of government schools is that they do not have the First Amendment freedom to dish out the ***moral** and **religious** advice that these parents need. Can you imagine a principal saying to a parent, "Mom, you and your live in boyfriend should get married!", or, "Your child would benefit from Sunday School! And...You, Mom, would benefit, too!" Can you imagine a government principal mentioning the word, "sin"? This principal would be slammed for making a judgment that is religiously based.
Private schools have the First Amendment freedom to dish out the politically incorrect, religious, and moral advice that these inexperience and/or dysfunctional parents desperately need!
This illustrates just how VITAL the before schooling and after schooling is in the lives of kids. And teachers are NO REPLACEMENT for good parents~
I have facetiously stated: "All academically successful children are homeschooled!" ( Yes, I **know** that is an outrageous statement.)
But...Let's really examine this.
It is **important** to know **exactly** where and how the child is absorbing most of his knowledge. I contend that it is at **home**. The child is studying the textbook. The child is doing the projects. He is working the problems. It is the parents who are review the math facts, and knowingly or unknowingly teaching phonics. What is the school **really** doing? I contend that the vast majority of learning is occurring in the home. The child and parents are pulling 99% of the load, and the the school really has little impact except to organize a curriculum, test the students, and assign and check projects.
I sincerely hope that this will be studied in the future because the answer will **greatly** effect how we help disadvantaged children. If 99% of the learning for academically successful children is occurring in the home then pouring money into the **school** is NUTZ! The homelife will need to be recreated or reconstructed, as the KIPP schools are doing, or the parents will need to be trained up in good parenting skills.
To all teachers who try to do their best despite working in a system that can be SO FRUSTRATING,
The problems with the government school are **intrinsic** to the system. They are fundamental, and can *not* be reformed. Government schools will always be frustrating for the parent, the child, the teachers, and the legislators. Why? Answer: Because their intrinsic design flaws that can **not** be corrected.
No one can be held accountable in a government school. The school district can not dismiss a child. The parent, if he can not afford to ransom his child, can **not** fire the government school. The legislators can not fired the government school because state constitution demand their existence. This is an absolute and **fundamental** design flaw. It is a flat-out, perfect prescription for frustration!
Then add to the mix the First Amendment.
As courts continue to uphold First Amendment Rights for students the government schools become more chaotic, more ineffectual, and more unsafe. Courts demand that government schools respect the First Amendment **but** it is impossible to have an orderly school if the First Amendment is respected. While private schools are **not** bound by the First Amendment, in many ways government schools are. And...As I previously pointed out to you, government schools can not be religiously, politically, or culturally neutral. This causes immense frustration for those taxpayers who are **forced** to subsidize the government religion of Secular Humanism as well as the worldview, politics, and culture of their neighbor. I don't know how to better say it,,,but,,,Government schools are a First Amendment and freedom of conscience nightmare that can **not** be fixed! When it comes to government schools and the First Amendment...WOW!...This is a perfect storm for frustration.
To All:
Not one one of the above is directed any one **Personally** here on this board. Every sentence is about education in **GENERAL**.
I could do a book about putting Vlad to bed. “Good night, Slytherin’ Susan!” “Good night, July!” (he likes my calendar) “Good night, Grandad and Grandmama!” “Good night, Peter Rabbit. No, wait! Peter Rabbit has a tail!” (Yes, he does) “Tom Kitten has a tail!” “Timmy Tiptoes has a tail, and umbrella for the rain.”
I see it differently. If the government schools are hopelessly flawed in their design, then how can continuing to support them be helpful?
SOME of those who post here have demonstrated that they are dedicated to doing a fine job with their students and that they succeed.
I surely agree that some here on this board are very talented.
Imagine if there were small schools that were organized like a professional law office? Can you imagine the creativity that would be unleashed? Not only that but associate teachers could be mentored by the "partner" teachers, and teachers really could have the opportunity to be earning the salaries of other professionals.
The problem, as you seem to appreciate, is that the system of gummint skeweling itself is fatally and irretrievably flawed.
Then what is the point of continuing to work in one?
If religion cannot (understandably in a pluralistic society) be taught in the gummint skewels, secularism (at the very best) becomes the established "faith." I don't want to be taxed so that children (anyone's) can be taught that God is irrelevant, that faith is irrelevant, or that the US is "imperialistic" or any of the rest of the drivel that is taught in gummint skewels.
Exactly! A religiously neutral education can **not** exist. It is impossible to simultaneously teach from both a god-less and God-centered worldview. Even if it were, **that** too would not be religiously neutral since some parent would want to have exclusively a god-less or exclusively God-centered.
Don't get me wrong. I believe as much as you do in the abolition of PS 666. However, fair is fair. If a hospital in Outer Slobovia has no CAT Scan device and no thermal imaging technology, that will have negative results but those results are NOT the fault of the doctors who practice there as best they can. There will be instances in which such doctors will do a very fine job against great difficulty and intimidating odds. There are young women who, despite grinding poverty, carry their pregnancies to term because they will not kill their flesh and blood. Those doctors and those women are heroes for their fight against the odds. So are good public school teachers. We owe it to them to abolish PS 666 and provide the good ones with the opportunity to teach in quality non-gummint schools where their efforts are appreciated in the delivery of actual learning and separate them professionally from those who actually believe in Horace Mann, John Dewey and Antonio Gramsci.
I would prefer to see government teachers ( in general) redirecting their efforts at building up a private system of schools, and working politically to begin the process of privatizing universal K-12 education for all children. Why attempt to give CPR to a dead horse?
Anyone tempted to think that public schools and their unions are not a toxic problem ought to go to the hotel where this year's convention of the National Education Association is held or this year's convention of the American Federation of Teachers and stroll through the area where various moonbats are hawking their "curricula" to the delegates. When I happened, thirty years ago or so to do this, I found "curricula" including every form of exotic flora and fauna as to the "oppression" of lavenders and of Latin American communist activists "oppressed" out of control of Chile when Allende got his at the presidential machine gun and of the evils of military leaders and what not. It is also useful to peruse the resolutions passed by these conventions and by their delegates.
I have read these resolutions. It is like reading the goals of the Communist Party. For the life of me, I simply do not understand why anyone would give money to an organization like that.
That you understand the term Gramscian and that I understand it and that not one PS 666 denizen in a thousand understands it is reason enough to abolish PS 666. That gummint skeweling has long been dominated by the secular humanists, by the Deweyite "progressive" "education" establishment, by an ideology hostile to our nation and our faith is reason enough to abolish PS 666. And, in both cases, more than reason enough to erect a will of separation between education and gummint extorted tax money.
I find it surprising that I must, on occasion, define the term "Useful Idiot". What are young people learning in their schools and colleges? How can they reach adulthood without having heard that expression?
Your apparent insight that nothing can "reform" gummint skewels since someone's views must prevail, since we are not interested in imposing our views on other people's children any more than we want them poisoning our kids' education, since no sane person wants to waste endless hours wrangling in vain against lavishly paid, thick-headed, impenetrable school commissars when the time can be far more profitably spent living and teaching our own kids, is very well founded. And, of course, who wants to waste ever-escalating amounts of tax money to promote the ideas that Americans despise, that Catholics despise, that Christians despise, that many Jews despise, that Mormons despise, that sensible pagans and atheists and agnostics despise, that you and I despise?
Of course there some in society who deliberately and willing fully choose not acknowledge that government schools can not be reformed. But....I don't post for them. I post so that I and other conservatives can sharpen our arguments. I also post so that conservative language and ideas can be picked up by the conservative press and media. I have been reward many, many times.
One final tiny disagreement. Unlike most nations, ours has had socialists who actually favored basic civil liberties like freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly for those of us who disagree with them. That sort of socialist (the late Sidney Hook, the late George Meany, the late William Green) did not look forward to communism but rather fought communism knowledgeably, vigorously and effectively. Their conservative critics wisely pointed out that freedom of the press was only theoretical if the gummint owned all the presses. The AFL-CIO was more of a bulwark against communism than Barry Goldwater ever dreamed of being. That was then. This is now after the repeal of those clauses of the AFL-CIO constitution and by-laws which prohibited communist involvement at any leadership level even shop steward.
I agree that in the past that our nation's socialists basically supported the Constitution. That has changed. The current crop of Marxists are very dangerous, in my opinion.
I have been accused of not be creative, but honestly I don't know of a better way to put it. Marxism is freedom's **most** serious threat. Schools are their most important weapon. We could easily lose our freedom if the Marxists succeed in indoctrinating the next generation of voters.
To All:
Every word in the post above is about education in GENERAL. Not one word is directed at anyone **personally** on this board.
I will grant you that special education situations have so far proven a real challenge in the private school program where my wife works. Recently one star student developed a need for very expensive medication to function in the classroom. My relatively new and poor (inner city) Knights of Columbus Council ponied up the first month's cost and we will convince four other councils to share 20% of the cost each month without anyone outside the school knowing the identity of the child. All we have to know is that his need is genuine and that the remedy is within our means before we let the kid depend on us. This is charity in the sense of Christian love (derived from the Latin caritas). As to the first month, the Knights present at a small meeting came up with the cash out of their pockets at the meeting. We would not be able to do that for dozens of kids but we can do what we can and we do. We will learn to do more. Many of the students at the school receive scholarship assistance through community generosity unfettered by constitutional restraints that apply to government institutions.
My wife's private school has tried to educate at least one profoundly emotionally disabled student but failed and was not afraid to try or to admit failure. This is not about the school's pride but about the best interests of the student who needed people highly trained in such problems as the student presented.
I cannot imagine any one being so callous as to resist the provision of first rate services including education to kids with special needs. As the late Governor Robert Casey of Pennsylvania once stated: "Those much less fortunate are part of our human family. Of course, we will care for them." I would fight against any effort to leave those kids behind. There are things more important than mere money. Those of you who are on the front lines on behalf of those kids deserve whatever you get and a lot more and you deserve the thankful respect of us all.
Also, reality suggests that the public schools will not evaporate suddenly. There will be transition. The toughest stage will be the last when the remaining kids will have the worst family situations as likely as not. Right now, we deal with kids from reasonably motivated families and often very religious families as well. I think of it as necessary that these kids be formed into a well-educated and motivated cadre to reclaim our society. If we cannot succeed with them, we will succeed with no one. If it works for them, we can expand the circle of students served. We now have a few non-Catholic students just as Catholic schools used to have when I attended them. We exempt them from religion classes if they wish but the nature of the school is such that history and literature courses will have a Catholic orientation. No one seems offended yet. I imagine it is easier for a parent from a reformed church to explain to the child the differences between Catholicism and Reformation churches than to fight secular humanism or bad schools generally. I have usually taken the position that I would send my kids to a good school that is a Reformation school where the proprietors have a reasonably respectful attitude than to send them to a bad "Catholic" school under the thumb of some feminist liberal Sister Mary Pantsuit with an agenda and an attitude.
I thoroughly agree that we do not want armies of illiterates roaming the land. Many kids in parochial schools under Sister Mary Pantsuit are in as much danger as any public school kid. Many are literate and some are not in each system.
In any event, God bless you all.
There are some disabilities that are **very** expensive. Those students who are deaf, blind, some cancers, kidney and liver failure, severely crippled, cerebral palsy, and profound mental retardation are only a few examples. Some of these expenses are educational in nature, but others are really nursing care expenses just to manage the child in a school setting.
Some states are now requiring **all** citizens to have health insurance. I propose that every child be have insured not only for the health expenses of a catastrophic disability but also for the educational expenses as well. I see this as a very fair way to share the risk among everyone.
Many kids in parochial schools under Sister Mary Pantsuit are in as much danger as any public school kid. Many are literate and some are not in each system
I agree! Some private schools are just as Marxist and rooted in Secular Humanism as any government school. But...In a private system a parent is free to choose Sister Margaret Traditional over Sister Mary Pantsuit.
Unfortunately, all children who can not pay the freedom of conscience tax to escape to a private or home school **will** be subjected to all the Secular Humanist and Marxist ills of their local government school. ( All government schools are by law Secular Humanist.) No choice there. ( Well....I suppose their is choice. The other "choice" is to have police action taken against the child and parents.)
To all:
The above is about education ( private and government) in **GENERAL**. Nothing that I have said is directed **personally** at any poster here on Free Republic!
I believe that you are making a great difference, and I do believe that you are hardworking, conscientious, and creative teachers.
Thank you. I appreciate your words.
Imagine if there were small private schools that were organized like a professional law office? A teacher could start a small school, and then as it grew he/she could take on associates. There would be experienced teachers to mentor the younger teachers, and the "partners" would have a vested interest ( reputation and income for the school)to see that the new associate teachers were **successful**!
A school like this would have a coherent philosophy. The parents, students, associate teachers, and professional "partner" teachers would all share the same educational philosophy. The new associate ( just like a new lawyer in a law firm) would have the opportunity to become a partner himself, or start his own school. Finally, teachers could have the opportunity to be making the same salaries as physicians and attorneys.
Like I said before, there are many things you say that I agree with. I agree that the above would be a good model. Much like a Charter school. You might be surprised to know that I campaigned AGAINST the Washington Education Association in support of a Charter School movement TWICE in the last few years. Twice it has been defeated. The WEA is awful. The NEA is awful.
One place you (and Wintertime) are so right is that I FIRMLY believe that if many of my LD students had better parents they would NOT be classified as LD at all.. (what a bad sentence)
I have never commented on learning disabled students in government schools that I am aware. Perhaps you are confusing me with someone else.
Yikes, in re-reading my words, I see that you are correct. I wasn't clear and my thoughts did not come through as I intended. What I mean to affirm was your contention that PARENTS are so VITAL in the lives of children. I believe many of these children are (wrongly) classified as LD because they have BAD parents. (thus affirming the importance of proper parenting)
However....I personally have never met an ADD, ADHD or dyslexic child who has been homeschooled from the beginning. ( This is my anecdotal experience.)
I have....yes, homeschooled from the beginning. However, in WA State MANY, MANY homeschooling families are EXTRODINARILY LIBERAL. And, as such, they do not believe in consequence based discipline. They do not subscribe to the idea that "anyone could be ultimately right"...including THEMSELVES as parents. These children are in constant 'testing mode'...hardly ever content to "just be". This is the fault of the parents. And no form of SPEED will ever make the child spontaneously behave.
I have also been "given" many diagnosed ADD and ADHD kids to teach.....All but 2 of them were clearly begging for boundaries. With those boundaries firmly in place, they did not flounder about looking constantly for 'the fence"... they were able to just "be calm" and just learn.
Additionally, 2 of my students (from hundreds throughout 18 years) clearly DID have ADHD. Without their medication they were UNAVAILABLE for learning. And, you could see them struggling TO MAINTAIN their composure, their sense of calm, their FOCUS...they were UNABLE to do so. These must be the kids who actually warrant the diagnosis.
I believe that they are PD...PARENTALLY DISABLED~
One of the problems of government schools is that they do not have the First Amendment freedom to dish out the ***moral** and **religious** advice that these parents need. Can you imagine a principal saying to a parent, "Mom, you and your live in boyfriend should get married!", or, "Your child would benefit from Sunday School! And...You, Mom, would benefit, too!" Can you imagine a government principal mentioning the word, "sin"? This principal would be slammed for making a judgment that is religiously based.
LOL! Nope, I can't imagine.
Private schools have the First Amendment freedom to dish out the politically incorrect, religious, and moral advice that these inexperience and/or dysfunctional parents desperately need!
Sadly, most of the children who MOST need this type of politically incorrect, religious and moral advice will never be schooled in a private school/ homeschool or any type of school which engages in any type of "judgment". And their parents WANT it that way. That is so sad to me.
This illustrates just how VITAL the before schooling and after schooling is in the lives of kids. And teachers are NO REPLACEMENT for good parents~
I have facetiously stated: "All academically successful children are homeschooled!" ( Yes, I **know** that is an outrageous statement.)
I was again, attempting to affirm your words (I did so upthread as well...did you notice :-). I actually LIKE the term ***afterschooled*** and have incorporated it into my classroom. THIS YEAR I said to a kid, "Listen, you either do some ***afterschooling***on your own or with my help, OR, you're going to be here for ***during-the-day schooling***for another year"...very effective. Thank you. I don't believe it is an outrageous statement at all.
But...Let's really examine this.
It is **important** to know **exactly** where and how the child is absorbing most of his knowledge. I contend that it is at **home**. The child is studying the textbook. The child is doing the projects. He is working the problems. It is the parents who are review the math facts, and knowingly or unknowingly teaching phonics. What is the school **really** doing? I contend that the vast majority of learning is occurring in the home. The child and parents are pulling 99% of the load, and the school really has little impact except to organize a curriculum, test the students, and assign and check projects.
Actually, for many students, I agree with you.
I sincerely hope that this will be studied in the future because the answer will **greatly** effect how we help disadvantaged children. If 99% of the learning for academically successful children is occurring in the home then pouring money into the **school** is NUTZ! The homelife will need to be recreated or reconstructed, as the KIPP schools are doing, or the parents will need to be trained up in good parenting skills.
The KIPP program sounds amazing, doesn't it?
It does seem to me though, to go sort of against the prison style system that you're talking about. The children are in class even longer than public school kids. They have less time to play...it's a regular building...I'm sure they walk in lines and raise their hands to go to the bathroom etc. I think it looks like a great solution...but it does seem to mirror many of problems you have with what you call the "Prussian Style" of education...I DO HOWEVER agree that it is an AMAZING system!
I wish I thought that parents would agree to being "trained up"...or, sending their kids to a KIPP type school....
To all teachers who try to do their best despite working in a system that can be SO FRUSTRATING,
The problems with the government school are **intrinsic** to the system. They are fundamental, and can *not* be reformed. Government schools will always be frustrating for the parent, the child, the teachers, and the legislators. Why? Answer: Because their intrinsic design flaws that can **not** be corrected.
No one can be held accountable in a government school. The school district can not dismiss a child. The parent, if he can not afford to ransom his child, can **not** fire the government school. The legislators can not fired the government school because state constitution demand their existence. This is an absolute and **fundamental** design flaw. It is a flat-out, perfect prescription for frustration!
Then add to the mix the First Amendment.
As courts continue to uphold First Amendment Rights for students the government schools become more chaotic, more ineffectual, and more unsafe. Courts demand that government schools respect the First Amendment **but** it is impossible to have an orderly school if the First Amendment is respected. While private schools are **not** bound by the First Amendment, in many ways government schools are. And...As I previously pointed out to you, government schools can not be religiously, politically, or culturally neutral. This causes immense frustration for those taxpayers who are **forced** to subsidize the government religion of Secular Humanism as well as the worldview, politics, and culture of their neighbor. I don't know how to better say it,,,but,,,Government schools are a First Amendment and freedom of conscience nightmare that can **not** be fixed! When it comes to government schools and the First Amendment...WOW!...This is a perfect storm for frustration.
I really have heard what you've said here. I believe with all my heart that you believe this to be true. Please hear me. I KNOW that you feel FERVENTLY about it!
To All:
Not one one of the above is directed any one **Personally** here on this board. Every sentence is about education in **GENERAL**.
To Wintertime:
I do not believe anything you have said in this post is offensive. I would NEVER object to you giving your opinion in this manner. I hope I have been clear about what I do find to be offensive. If not, please let me know. Because THIS, was a very nice exchange.
Oh Goodness...their biggest audience was the cats?
Died of boredom?
That IS funny.
I wish SUCH good luck to Anoreth.
Does she know what she wants to take yet?
So GREAT!!!!
Will Bill take you up on your camping in the yard?
I think Matthew would, but he’s only 8...I’ll tell him that Bill is MUCH older and wiser...
He learned how to shoot a shotgun...man, they can KICK!
My husband was a marksmanship instructor for the USMC...I had to pass the “is she willing to go shooting test?” prior to serious dating..
(I’m kidding...mostly..)
The garden sounds VERY yummy!
We haven’t tried peppers...does it have to be super sunny for them?
The neighbor goes crazy with tomatoes, so we don’t grow them. We just eat his!
6 BUSHELS of habaneros?
WOW!
That’s AMAZING!
Can’t you water and give Vlad a bath at the same time?
;-)
How’s Pat...
Running out of tinfoil?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.