Schools in America: how to fix our education system.

[Odin]

Originally posted by Kidicious
Let their parents deal with them. Then maybe their parents will get on their ass to get their act straight.

In my little village we have parents who don't give a f*ck what their kids get into.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Let their parents deal with them. Then maybe their parents will get on their ass to get their act straight.

Should the kids suffer for the parents problems? I think these kids should be able to stay and maybe they turn into late bloomers and get away from the lives their parents lead.

I would also like High Schools that specialized in certain areas, like Pure and Applied Sciences; History, Political Science, etc; or what not else.

I also disagree with this. You simply do not know enough at age 13, 15, or even (in some people) 17, what field you wish to go into. High school should remain general studies... you can pick in college.

[Kirnwaffen]

Either way, I see no reason why they should graduate.

One test, one day. Standardized tests are not indicative of overall education or academic performance. I'm not saying that they are particularly hard. Hell, my CSAP essays basically consisted of me telling the test makers to **** themselves, and I scored higher than everybody I know. The fact that some people aren't as eloquent as me (and I am not that eloquent), doesn't mean that they are necessarily any less intelligent than I am.

The bigger issue, as I see it, is that the state does not offer any viable alternative for students that are enrolled in what it deems 'failing shools'.

"Haha! Your school is failing."
"So what can I do?"
"We'll get back to you on that..."

Not acceptable.

[mrmitchell]

as for the creationism issue... why the hell not teach creationism? if the community whose tax dollars goes towards education wants creationism taught then it is their right to have creationism taught... i'm surprised you of all people, david, would be against tax payers getting what they want out of their money

Parts of the Constitution were written expressly to protect the minority and keep government from becoming church-related. Creationism is church-related and breaches the church-state barrier. That's just the first reason, buddy. Don't get the Apolyleft started.

A couple of solutions. First of all, higher better teachers. Secondly, allow much more discussion. In general, philosophical issues don't have answers that are clear cut one way or another - that is, you can make arguments either way on many issues, and hearing all sides of the debate is valuable.

"Hire better teachers". I wish, but not one in every 100 adults in America is equipped to be a bias-free intelligent teacher. Much less one in twenty. Also, do most high school students even want to debate important issues? Apathy is the larger threat than bad teachers or bad lectures, and fixing it is another murky problem with murky solutions.

[Kirnwaffen]

By the way, I should have said that just because someone is not as eloquent as me on a given day, does not mean they are any less intelligent.

[mrmitchell]

By the way, I should have said that just because someone is not as eloquent as me on a given day, does not mean they are any less intelligent.

Very true--in another broken record player style, it's a balance of measurability and restrictedness (aka PITA.)

[Imran Siddiqui]

Apathy is the larger threat than bad teachers or bad lectures

Very true. I can't tell you how many classes we would have where the teacher would constantly ask questions (trying for some discussion) and get the same 3 people talking.

[Odin]

Oh, BAN religious schools, they are too biased with the sciences.

[David Floyd]

Kirnwaffen,

One test, one day. Standardized tests are not indicative of overall education or academic performance

Yes, but someone who can't pass a standardized test is most likely stupid in the first place.

[mrmitchell]

Parents are free in a way to send their child through whatever brainwashing they want, Odin. If they believe their child should become a model all-American good conservative moral True Christian citizen, then so be it.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Oh, BAN religious schools, they are too biased with the sciences.

Yes, let's ban private organizations that we don't agree with. That sounds... familiar .

[Al B. Sure!]

ban religious schools? what the hell kind of stupid position is this? i can't even count how many things are wrong with that statement

[David Floyd]

Very true. I can't tell you how many classes we would have where the teacher would constantly ask questions (trying for some discussion) and get the same 3 people talking.

On the other hand, we can force kids to participate by simply basing the grade in a large part on class participation, at least for discussion heavy classes.

[Kidlicious]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui

Let their parents deal with them. Then maybe their parents will get on their ass to get their act straight.

Should the kids suffer for the parents problems? I think these kids should be able to stay and maybe they turn into late bloomers and get away from the lives their parents lead.

They don't. They just screw it up for all the other students. You want to really fix the problem. Do it. Get these students out. Otherwise you only talk about things that aren't the real problems and the problem continues.

[mrmitchell]

Yes, but someone who can't pass a standardized test is most likely stupid in the first place.

Very true. Either their school failed them, their home environment failed them, or they are just quite simply an idiot. Then again, the major reason once again is apathy--who cares? Unfortunately, too many of the test takers don't, and it won't be an easy road into making them do.