Public Education

[-|DDA|-Chicken]

Any ideas on this?

How do we improve it? Those with experience in the field in some form or another are invited!

[-|DDA|-Chicken]

Well alright, all of these were great ideas, but I'll give this a try too!

Less standardized tests. (Sure, the same material would basically be taught anyways, but actual emphasis into the ideas surrounding the material rather than the stated facts and formulas within it.)

Weaken the Teacher's Union, without eliminating it.

Show school administration that they do NOT have the final say in school matters - parents do.

[Pz_MelOtt]

As far as the teacher's Union, we pay our mechanics more than the people who teach our children, hmmm, makes you wonder about our priorities. More power to the union, it does more good than harm.

While the parents should have say over the school administration, it should be through the people they elect to oversee the administration. When you give the power over the schools to everyone who has a child that means your child is exposed to ideas you have no recourse to change because you have no control over other parents. Mob rule is no way to run an institution or country.

Does our education system need improvement, you bet, but I don't think the answer will come from a National policy, each community and state understand better than others what education is important to them. While some basic national standards should always hold, most education priorities should be left to those communities and special institutions.

I personally support more charter schools where at an earlier age our children can get a focus on their interest. A school for science, school for art, school for first person shooter gamers, important subjects like those.

Not every peg fits in the same hole and we shouldn't think our children will either. We need to make sure we, as a country, can provide the best hole for the best peg. No lewd comments please.

[-|DDA|-Chicken]

As a student and aspiring teacher, I would prefer that the starting pay for teachers does not become too high. The starting salary for a teacher in my area is $42,000, which is perfectly reasonable to me. I don't want my teachers or coworkers to do the job merely because the pay is nice. The current pay helps ensure that those who become teachers do so - not for the paycheck.

When the comptency of the teacher can not be determined by their employers directly, and only by test scores, there is a problem. Long ago, they fought (notably) for what is now covered by law...time off, breaks and certain salary requirements. Unfortunately the increasing power of unions, including the teacher's union, has lead to many cases of corruption. I'm not against the teacher's union, but this is why it must be weakened. There is a reason that union parcipitation is decreasing.

My argument with school administration is that it has too much say into certain aspects invloving the student, one in particular being disabilities. In no way, shape or form should the school administration be allowed to decide what is or is not a disability. There are instances in which school policy needs to be streamlined for every school.

Another issue that has just recently popped up - A BAN ON HUGGING! Holy fucking shit these people are idiots.

Pz: "most education priorities should be left to those communities and special institutions."

Although I agree, and this would seemingly be obvious to those with common sense; unfortunately as shown through cases around me, it's the institution that has the only say.

I'm just tired of people with power abusing it.

[-}ID{-Shredder]

i got an opinion....CALCULUS SUCKS

[Wolfy]

WORD..dont think i can go to pre calculus cuz im stupid or somthin ...barely in geometry...and if u guys think thats good then u guys must live down south ...highest i can go is alg2 trig... and public schools should have better food and less homework..i think the reason we have krappy food is that we have to eat food with less calories ..i blame the fat kids of america


PS just cuz im azn dont mean im good at math..."and i have an A in geo cuz i copy from the guy next to me and BS the hw and still get credit" dont tell!!and i will prob delete the stuff in the quotes on fri if i remember..

[Pz_MelOtt]

Again, if the communities don't like the way their institutions are being run they have the ability to run for office and change the boards that govern them. It really is quite simple. Try it chick, you are old enough. Run for school board, you might win. Would look great on the resume whether you win or not.

[Stretch45]

How about this: how many are registered voters? You'd not believe how many local elections come down to a few hundred votes separating the victor. (or less)

Think about it.

[Pz_MelOtt]

Recently, in a town of 15,000 people, about 7,000 registered voters, a proposition was passed that essentially sent the community into bankruptcy and raised their property taxes even higher to pay for a sewer.
With a proposition, which has since been deemed illegal, but had already done its damage, less than 60 percent of the people voted.

The difference in votes on the proposition--19.

That's an education our kids should be getting about how important it is to participate in the process.

[-|DDA|-Chicken]

19? Holy crap...

Here in Texas, proposition 12 was only voted on by 10% of the people of Texas. It cost us 8 billion dollars.

[-|DDA|-Chicken]

Again, if the communities don't like the way their institutions are being run they have the ability to run for office and change the boards that govern them. It really is quite simple. Try it chick, you are old enough. Run for school board, you might win. Would look great on the resume whether you win or not.

That's one of the reasons I'm studying to become a teacher, however, just because these people were voted in, it does not give them the right to be absolute morons until they are voted out, it's ludacris.

These dopes need to have some common sense injected into them. No more "learning from the last guy's screw ups." I'm more into, "not screwing up in the first place."

I have a pretty general plan. Become a teacher; after roughly 10 years move into an administrative position, and so forth. If I have to, I'll redo the whole damn system in my area.

[Pz_MelOtt]

As I understand it, Texas needs your help.