Obama Wants More School, Less Vacation

NBC Miami ^ | Sun, Sep 27, 2009 | Natalie Rix

[nickcarraway]

President Obama wants kids to spend more time in school. Students in the U.S. need more class time to remain competitive with students around the world, the President said. Obama advocates schools adding time to classes, extending hours into evenings and weekends, and shortening summer vacation.

"Now, I know longer school days and school years are not wildly popular ideas, not with Malia and Sasha, not in my family, probably not in yours. But the challenges of a new century demand more time in the classroom," Obama said.

Some schools that extended their hours have seen positive results. Early results from Massachusetts' expanded learning time initiative, which adds extra time to the school year, show that some students involved in the program do better on state tests than those at regular public schools.

[johniegrad]

Yeah, I don't know what I was thinking.

Well, I could see why. At face value, it sounds like it could help education until you consider the ramifications. I just try to remember that more federal government is not a good idea.

[Minn]

Longer school hours are a ruse for a taxpayer-paid child care and babysitting service.

Exactly. That, and more money for the education establishment and it's political activities.

[mimaw]

Since most parents work even in the summer the children are often in the care of others. I’m not saying attend school all summer I’m saying cut it to maybe 6 weeks. When our younger children return to school after a 3 month summer vacation a lot of time is spent reviewing material.

[drinktheobamakoolaid]

Let’s see.
(School is in session more + Mommy and Daddy get to work longer and more days + less family time) = MORE income tax for Uncle Obama

I am beginning to hate his math more and more...

I see more and more people starting to homeschool...

[parsifal]

You could put the average little heathen in school for 15 years and it wouldn’t make much difference. We been throwing money at education for 50 years for squat. Maybe the new America, after the depression hits, will lower the expense and up the result.

parsy, who sees no reason for trying to teach algebra to your average numbskull kid

[bboop]

I bet he’d like the Chinese system — 6am to 7:30 pm. Kids never see their parents. Great good way to break up the family.

[johniegrad]

When our younger children return to school after a 3 month summer vacation a lot of time is spent reviewing material.

You aren't getting it. This proposal has nothing to do with providing your children with a better education.

[bboop]

He said nothing about better teaching nor about less indoctrination, tho. It’s just more of ‘OUR’ time with ‘YOUR’ kids.

So glad we homeschooled.

[Pearls Before Swine]

Sorry we need the long vacation to deprogram the little rascals.

I agree. And they need some experience other than that found inside institutional walls.

[machogirl]

Is this for his “re-education” manifesto?

[eyedigress]

My parents always worked and I was all over the place. I had alot of freedom and never did anything to get my ass in bad trouble. I guess coming from AK to TN might have had something to do with it. (Dad had quite a belt as well)

[savedbygrace]

But the challenges of a new century demand more time in the classroom," Obama said.

No, they don't, and Obama cannot prove they do. All he can do is bluster about it.

[Kanzan]

This is a terrible idea coming from a terrible president. Can you imagine what kind of summer ‘lesson plans’ these freaks have in mind?

[vicar7]

I would recommend home schooling for all that I have seen lately.

[Sarah Barracuda]

Hey Obama, I want a lot of things too, I want your ass impeached, doesn’t mean it’s gonna happen anytime soon. So now this fool wants to take away kids summer vacations. Yeah that outta go real well with the kids

[FastCoyote]

If a little NEA socialist indoctrination is good, then keping your kids 24/7/365 in a gulag is better!

mmmm,mmmm,mmmm Barack Hussein Obama!!

[machogirl]

I have my k-8 license. I can only imagine. I found this at Math Daily. From site: President Obama "...In 8th grade math, we've fallen to 9th place. Singapore's middle-schoolers outperform US students three to one. Just a third of our thirteen and fourteen-year olds can read as well as they should" * Find out just how good you really are! Take our math challenge today! Our free quiz has questions carefully selected from the Singapore schools math syllabus so you can know if you're just as good at math as a Singapore student. -if you would like to take this "Our Dear Leader" Math Quiz, here is the link (questions change daily, i think) http://www.mathdaily.com/games/ ABOUT THE CHALLENGE (from site) What is the MathDaily "Obama Math Challenge"? The MathDaily "Obama Math Challenge" was conceptualized in honor and support of United States President Barrack Obama's vision and desire to raise the level of proficiency of American students in math. On Tuesday, February 3rd, 2009, in his remarks after reading to the Second Grade Class at Capital City Public Charter School Washington, D.C., President Obama emphasized that one of his priorities would be to reform our schools, reward innovation, and to raise standards for all children so that everybody can learn "math and science that are going to be so important for the jobs of the future". In his remarks to the US Hispanic Chamber of Commerce on "A Complete and Competitive American Education" on 10 March 2009, President Obama said "...And yet, despite resources that are unmatched anywhere in the world, we've let our grades slip, our schools crumble, our teacher quality fall short, and other nations outpace us. Let me give you a few statistics. In 8th grade math, we've fallen to 9th place. Singapore's middle-schoolers outperform ours three to one. Just a third of our 13- and 14-year-olds can read as well as they should. And year after year, a stubborn gap persists between how well white students are doing compared to their African American and Latino classmates. The relative decline of American education is untenable for our economy, it's unsustainable for our democracy, it's unacceptable for our children -- and we can't afford to let it continue." Why did he point out that Singapore students are better at math than Americans? What's so special about the Singapore math syllabus? How much more challenging or advanced is the Singapore school math syllabus? It is with these questions in mind, that we designed the MathDaily "Obama Math Challenge", which carefully follows the Singapore schools' math syllabus, and is modelled after test papers taken by students at Singapore's top 10 elementary schools. We engaged highly qualified and experienced Singapore teachers and tested the Obama Math Challenge on Singapore students, to make sure that this is what you would get if you were in Singapore. Now, you can find out how you or your child's math skills compare to a Singapore students' And yes, its free of charge! The Obama Math Challenge consists of a series of 6 quizzes, with increasing levels of difficulty. Level 1 should be attempted by first graders. Level 1 consists of questions which can be solved by Primary 1 (first year elementary school) students in the top 10 Singapore schools. Refer to the table below to better understand the difficulty levels. Try our challenge, and find out how you would do as a student in Singapore! Best of all, you don't have to pay for anything - it's completely free! *No part of this website or the MathDaily Obama Math Challenge has been endorsed personally by President Obama, or the United States government.

[pallis]

More propaganda, less deprogramming.

[machogirl]

sorry about the form. i cut and pasted, which didn’t leave any breaks. ;(

this reads almost like the show, “Are You As Smart As A Fifth Grader”.

[LiberaMa]

Good summary of the situation! It seems like the new Regime thinks THEY know best for ALL Americans, no matter WHAT the particular topic or question.

Whatever happened to “Laissez-faire”—i.e., “LEAVE US ALONE”; i.e., STOP THE GOVERNMENTAL INTERFERENCE IN OUR LIVES!?!