Writerly News

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Don't be so hard on public schools. Granted, there are some terrible public schools, but there are some excellent schools, as well. My daughter attends a public school in which: 100% of graduating seniors are accepted into colleges and universities nationwide; last year's senior class received scholarship offers totaling over $10.1 million; 100% take AP courses, 97% pass the AP exam (average 3.5 tests per student).

This is not a school in an exclusive suburban enclave. It is an inner city public school--71% of the students are minorities; 35% receive free or reduced lunch.

Everyone gets accepted to college these days; its 98% of the problem.

Lincoln, and most Americans, got no free lunches or affirmative action during the 19th Century. No school buses, either. And here we are with millions of fatso asshats who know nuthin much after 12 years of school.

 

[soflabbwlvr]

Everyone gets accepted to college these days; its 98% of the problem.

Lincoln, and most Americans, got no free lunches or affirmative action during the 19th Century. No school buses, either. And here we are with millions of fatso asshats who know nuthin much after 12 years of school.

I can't really argue with you. It's pretty difficult to discuss 21st century problems with someone whose frame of reference is the 19th century. Life was better without cars, computers, nuclear reactors, air travel, telephones, televisions, electricity, and nearly everything else that has happened in the last 150 years.

Your old fart award is with the academy. They're sending a carriage to deliver it to you.

 

[sr71plt]

Don't really need to argue on his point anyway. Of course everyone doesn't get accepted to college. We have an panemic problem of students not even being able to get out of high school.

This would be just another of those outrageously falacious premise "discussions" we are so fond of here.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

I can't really argue with you. It's pretty difficult to discuss 21st century problems with someone whose frame of reference is the 19th century. Life was better without cars, computers, nuclear reactors, air travel, telephones, televisions, electricity, and nearly everything else that has happened in the last 150 years.

Your old fart award is with the academy. They're sending a carriage to deliver it to you.

Little do you realize how you confirm my assertion. The technology you hurl my way wasnt hatched by Black Studies Scholars and Self Actualization Perfessers.

 

[Stella_Omega]

Money for what, exactly? And how much money? Whats the magic number that guarantees success?

How about we add $550 billion, the cost of just one of the air force's next stealth bombers.
And maybe we could add $720 million, the cost of one day of our current wars.

Maybe give the war a rest for ONE day a year. $720 billion a year would come in real handy for a hella lotta kids and teachers.

That would pay for a couple of teachers and books, don't you think? It might not guarantee success, but it might promote some success.

The technology you hurl my way wasnt hatched by Black Studies Scholars and Self Actualization Perfessers.

Much of it was hatched by black engineers and technicians -- but without the black studies programs, no one would know that.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

How about we add $550 billion, the cost of just one of the air force's next stealth bombers.
And maybe we could add $720 million, the cost of one day of our current wars.

Maybe add that once a year-- give the war a rest for ONE day.

That would pay for a couple of teachers and books, don't you think? It might not guarantee success, but it might promote some success.

Much of it was hatched by black engineers and technicians -- but without the black studies programs, no one would know that.

I recently bought Kindles for my grandchildren. What makes you confident the Kindles wont collect dust in their lockers? We do this sort of thing in Schlub County, buy air conditioners and bicycles for the masses, and the goods endup at the pawn shop. The average Schlubian makes 32K per annun, the average teacher makes 55K. How much should a teacher make before her lessons stick?

 

[Stella_Omega]

The one thing that really promotes success in the classroom is a smaller ratio of children to teacher. More teachers, fewer kids means quantitatively better results-- no matter if the teacher is not so skilled, or highly skilled.

But we won't budget salaries for enough teachers or schoolrooms to accommodate our burgeoning population.

Which of course, is why Bush didn't name his program "No Child In An Overcrowded Classroom."

 

[mynameisben]

Which of course, is why Bush didn't name his program "No Child In An Overcrowded Classroom."

Also because "Behind" was the longest word he could wrap his head around.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

How about we add $550 billion, the cost of just one of the air force's next stealth bombers.
And maybe we could add $720 million, the cost of one day of our current wars.

Maybe give the war a rest for ONE day a year. $720 billion a year would come in real handy for a hella lotta kids and teachers.

That would pay for a couple of teachers and books, don't you think? It might not guarantee success, but it might promote some success.

Much of it was hatched by black engineers and technicians -- but without the black studies programs, no one would know that.

I reckon not.

Looking thru my Encyclopedia of Black Genius it looks like the pennacle of black brilliance was the staple and paperclip.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Also because "Behind" was the longest word he could wrap his head around.

Stop recruiting people like Gore and Kerry to oppose GOP idgits.

 

[Ellafun]

That's disingenous, isn't it?--and I'll bet grossly unfair to that individual teacher who quite probably hasn't had a raise in years and is now buying her own classroom supplies.

I agree with you on the SOLs not having proved to be a good idea. I don't agree with you suggesting (and writing a nasty note to that effect to send in every day of the test) that all of the government support money at stake (or much of any, really) goes into raises for teachers or that any of this at all is the teachers' fault.

Who saw these notes? Was it just to your child? If so, you really helped her deal with the stress of the testing, didn't you? If it was to the teacher or the principal, I think you owe them an apology for putting blame on the wrong people--ones who undoubtedly are more frustrated and hands tied about all of this than you are. You at least can lobby actively against the situation. If the teachers do, they get sidelined or fired.

FYI...The teacher and I actually had a conversation about the funding for her classroom that would be lost if my daughter didn't take the test. Salaries in our district are, in fact, based on the level of performance on those goddamned tests. When I say 'sent', I mean 'sent her off,' as in said it to her when she got out of my car, because our school district wouldn't provide a bus for her even though we live on the other side of a major highway from the location of the school. Apparently there wasn't funding for that. I sort of resent your nasty attitude at me for suggesting that I would EVER put my child under any stress. I'm an inch from saying, "how dare you."

I believe standardized testing is the biggest waste of time that a teacher, who loves to teach, must be subjected to. I don't believe in it; the teachers don't believe in it. The students in our district have this silly habit of rising to the level of their own incompetence based upon what lies within their genes. No Child Left Behind was one of the worst (continuing) pieces of bullshit ever put into place.

 

[sr71plt]

Apparently there wasn't funding for that. I sort of resent your nasty attitude at me for suggesting that I would EVER put my child under any stress. I'm an inch from saying, "how dare you."

I can only know what you post. And I responded to what you posted seemed to be saying. And, if as you now say, you left off your daughter to go into taking the SOLs for a week by saying to her each time, "Have fun making sure Mrs. M gets her raise!" and if you don't see that that added to her stress at a high stress time, then I think you're a blind little elephant. Sorry that you don't see that. If you said anything at all like that to your child, you brought her into the middle of a contentious situation that she could do nothing but stress over.

So, I guess you'll have to move that extra inch.

 

[Stella_Omega]

You read funny, Pilot.

 

[Ellafun]

I can only know what you post. And I responded to what you posted seemed to be saying. And, if as you now say, you left off your daughter to go into taking the SOLs for a week by saying to her each time, "Have fun making sure Mrs. M gets her raise!" and if you don't see that that added to her stress at a high stress time, then I think you're a blind little elephant. Sorry that you don't see that. If you said anything at all like that to your child, you brought her into the middle of a contentious situation that she could do nothing but stress over.

So, I guess you'll have to move that extra inch.

Since my daughter has much more of a sense of humor than you do, I will have to just let you keep whatever judgement you have in your head. Carry on.

 

[lance gt]

You read funny, Pilot.

I keep telling him about that problem, but he won't listen,lol

 

[lovecraft68]

The problem for the kids in high school these days is that no one has developed an App yet that can get them to pass.

As soon as there is one they will all download it and pass.

Granted public schools are grossly under funded and even many private schools (especially Catholic schools at least around here) are hurting as well.

But the kids themselves are not helping and that starts at home. Lazy parents, doctors who want us to believe every kid has ADD and lazy students who don't want to have to put the work in.,

why should they? If they all keep failing they'll lower the bar.

 

[lovecraft68]

This has been a very amusing thread.

I would like all to note that without me getting into the mix at all we have Pilot getting snippy and acting like a priss "cite this" this is "fallacious"

With a couple of members who never bother anyone here.

By removing myself from the equation we now see who the problem really is.

 

[sr71plt]

Since my daughter has much more of a sense of humor than you do, I will have to just let you keep whatever judgement you have in your head. Carry on.

Well, now, you ask how I dare. I dare because you brought it to the forum. That means I don't have to keep whatever judgment I have in my head.

And, no, I didn't see in humor in what you've been posting. (And I don't really think that's me not seeing something that's there.)

But, that's OK.

And I can see that the boobsy twins are back in business. Lovecraft must have really been busting a gut to get back into it over the last two days.

 

[sr71plt]

This has been a very amusing thread.

I would like all to note that without me getting into the mix at all we have Pilot getting snippy and acting like a priss "cite this" this is "fallacious"

With a couple of members who never bother anyone here.

By removing myself from the equation we now see who the problem really is.

I respond to the posts, not the posters (in contrast to what Lovecraft's post obviously is doing here). When I see one where a conclusion is based on an obviously falacious premise, I'm not convinced by the argument. If folks here insist on pushing political partisanship, I see no reason not to poke obvious holes in their propaganda--just like lots of other folks here do (although not posters who Lovecraft is conducting a hate campaign against, so of course he doesn't comment on their posts.)

I think Lovecraft is just disappointed that I went the whole time he was backing off without tangling with him--which does pretty much prove who is driving this hijacking of threads for personal vendetta.

 

[sr71plt]

You read funny, Pilot.

And sometimes you think really funny (I think)--which I guess would match how you project.

I can wait for some more mainstream, less zealot discussion on this--if others want to weigh in.

 

[lance gt]

I respond to the posts, not the posters (in contrast to what Lovecraft's post obviously is doing here). When I see one where a conclusion is based on an obviously falacious premise, I'm not convinced by the argument. If folks here insist on pushing political partisanship, I see no reason not to poke obvious holes in their propaganda--just like lots of other folks here do (although not posters who Lovecraft is conducting a hate campaign against, so of course he doesn't comment on their posts.)

I think Lovecraft is just disappointed that I went the whole time he was backing off without tangling with him--which does pretty much prove who is driving this hijacking of threads for personal vendetta.

"Go to the mirror, boy, go to the mirror boy and seeeeeee. Toddy can you hear me? Toddy can you see me? Toddy? Toddy?"

 

[sr71plt]

The shocking thing of my going to the mirror is that I can see you and Lovecraft trying to get your noses up my butt.

 

[ishtat]

The one thing that really promotes success in the classroom is a smaller ratio of children to teacher. More teachers, fewer kids means quantitatively better results-- no matter if the teacher is not so skilled, or highly skilled.

But we won't budget salaries for enough teachers or schoolrooms to accommodate our burgeoning population.

"

I strongly disagree Stella. I won't get into an argument of what constitutes success or failure but I am certain that if we are to achieve success, failure is both a desirable and necessary part of that equation. Success where everyone is deemed successful is not worth having, because it is too easily gained for the able, and deludes the less able into thinking they have capacity which they lack.

The teachers Unions have shot themselves in the foot big time with their drive for smaller classes. When classes get smaller the salaries pot has also diminished in relative terms. Teaching has become a less well paid profession and over time has been a less attractive career to able people. Smaller class = less money per teacher = less able teachers = poorer results historically.

Children need to learn to fear failure and understand its consequences; we do them no service by giving them a false sense of success. Tough love, but necessarily so.

 

[lance gt]

The shocking thing of my going to the mirror is that I can see you and Lovecraft trying to get your noses up my butt.

Dillusional fantasies, I see. Goes along with all your other problems.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

I strongly disagree Stella. I won't get into an argument of what constitutes success or failure but I am certain that if we are to achieve success, failure is both a desirable and necessary part of that equation. Success where everyone is deemed successful is not worth having, because it is too easily gained for the able, and deludes the less able into thinking they have capacity which they lack.

The teachers Unions have shot themselves in the foot big time with their drive for smaller classes. When classes get smaller the salaries pot has also diminished in relative terms. Teaching has become a less well paid profession and over time has been a less attractive career to able people. Smaller class = less money per teacher = less able teachers = poorer results historically.

Children need to learn to fear failure and understand its consequences; we do them no service by giving them a false sense of success. Tough love, but necessarily so.

Before the 2008 meltdown my local school board planned to give every teacher a free house to live in. Schlub County had surplus land and money enough to build free homes for all teachers. It didnt happen, mostly cuz other government workers squealed UNFAIR! Ten thousand teachers is a lot of houses. The average teacher pay is 55K, the average fireman makes 75K, and the average Schlubian makes 32K. To hear them tell it theyre starving or eating beans.

The last new school house in this county cost 50 MILLIONs. It has an olympic pool, stadium & track, and a lab equipped for making quality YOUTUBE vids. SAT scores dropped, and 80% of the high schoolers failed the writing test.

I dont think any amount of money is enough to satisfy educrats.