Posted on 09/29/2009 10:00:08 AM PDT by Nachum
If the academic year gets pushed deeper into summer, as President Obama is advocating, the grumbling will not be limited just to students and teachers who will be forced to spend more days in school.
Critics say the president's call for a longer academic calendar and a shorter summer vacation will bring on a host of unintended consequences -- including increased costs for school systems, major cuts to the nation's hotel and tourism industries, and a serious blow to summer camp operators.
Obama says kids in the U.S. spend too little time in the classroom, putting them at a disadvantage when competing with students in other countries. The president has suggested that making school days longer and extending the school year will increase learning, raise test scores and close the achievement gap.
But while Obama's proposal is meant to improve education, critics say a curtailed summer vacation will have a dire economic impact on school systems, which could be forced to retrofit their schools for air conditioning, pay overtime to teachers and incur higher utility costs
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
The list, ping
More time to indoctrinate.
Let me see here. My school district this year cut three days from our work year. Now, Obozo wants to increase the number of days and the number of hours per day that students are in school. So, those of us working in public education are going to be expected to work more time, but for less pay?????
Not only that, but there will be a lack of kids available for summer employment.
His rapidly falling poll numbers have convinced him that he needs more time to indoctrinate our kids.
WHAT A GREAT PRESIDENT WE HAVE...
...not...
I would support year round school if it wasn’t for the fact that I know that most of the schools in America waste a lot of time as it is stepping outsides the bounds of “reading, writing and arithmetic”.
Outside of the fact that it would devastate the tourism industry, consider the cost to air condition schools or the energy costs of running those air conditioners.
And talk to me about kids in Arizona and Texas riding to school on unairconditioned buses in the middle of July.
I have come to the conclusion that WHATEVER this guys suggests we do, we should instead do exactly the opposite and we’ll be just fine.
That being said, I think the problem lies in the quality of education American children receive, not the quantity.
That’s the intent. Break the country and in so doing, indoctrinate!
“Obama says kids in the U.S. spend too little time in the classroom, putting them at a disadvantage when competing with students in other countries.”
This is actually a misconception.
While American kids spend fewer days in school, they spend more hours than even places like Japan.
Interesting.
Besides, I thought our public schools were failing? If they suck for 9 months out of the year, will 10 or 11 months be a good idea?
Don’t forget more time to waste, in my experience there could be a great deal more value added.
While quality is most assuredly a huge problem, the long summer break is as well. Most of the first semester each year is spent remembering all the stuff they need from last year to move forward. I think it would be a much better system to get 2 weeks or so off every quarter and let them go year round. It is my preferred method for homeschooling as well.
This is the underlying pressure behind all of these measures -- including not only extending the school year, but starting school earlier in childhood, extending the school day, serving more meals at school, etc.
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