God in the Classroom?

[ebacon]

There's a clue in that all of you are blaming someone else for the problem.

Education is a community effort. I did volunteer work for Detroit City Schools. Those kids are not dumb. They are not inherently mean. What they are are dejected.

Bill Cosby was on a rant a few years ago. He basicly was urging the black community to pull themselves up by their own bootstraps. Easier said than done. At the time Dr. Cosby gave a speech in Detroit. Afterwards I was listening to a local black FM station and they talked to student. What he said literally made me cry. They asked him about the physical condition of his school and he said that he never gave it much thought until he visited a school in the suburbs. Then, he said, the condition of his school made him feel like he was worth less. Once a kid gets hit with that kind of dejection it is hard to pull him out.

I firmly believe that white flight, largely enabled by easy mortgage credit, has done more damage to our educational system than any other policy. We simply live too far apart and our tax dollars are spread too thin to provide a meaningful community in which to learn.

On top of that we are teaching kids stuff that they are not interested in --- but that's a different issue.

As for religion in schools, I think that should be left for each school to decide. They can get feedback from parents. Personally I am a fan of teaching kids about different religions so that they are not afraid of them, but that's just me.

[Boreas]

Originally Posted by piece-itpete

I have a memoir of the Cleveland Superintendent of Schools from back at the turn of the last century, when Cleveland was a leading district nationwide. He said 'You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.'

Now, he'd be fired.

Pete

George Washington Carver did.

John

[piece-itpete]

My turn to ask, explain please

eb used to be that way here, but a few years back the State matched Cleveland funds and they spent a billion dollars on the buildings.

Hate to say it, but I call them palaces of craptitude.

Pete

[ebacon]

Originally Posted by piece-itpete

My turn to ask, explain please

eb used to be that way here, but a few years back the State matched Cleveland funds and they spent a billion dollars on the buildings.

Hate to say it, but I call them palaces of craptitude.

Pete

Palaces of crapitude. I like the word, unfortunately that's the American way. Whenever we face a problem we try to fix it by spending on machines or buildings or computers or whatever. It is a byproduct of our focus on GDP.

If we focused more on being human I think we would be better off.

[BlueStreak]

Originally Posted by piece-itpete

I have a memoir of the Cleveland Superintendent of Schools from back at the turn of the last century, when Cleveland was a leading district nationwide. He said 'You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.'

Now, he'd be fired.

Pete

Was he suggesting that a stupid child will never be a successful adult----So why bother?

Regards,
Dave

[piece-itpete]

I figgered he was saying a slow child was better off going into trades.

Pete

[BlueStreak]

Originally Posted by ebacon

There's a clue in that all of you are blaming someone else for the problem.

Education is a community effort. I did volunteer work for Detroit City Schools. Those kids are not dumb. They are not inherently mean. What they are are dejected.

Bill Cosby was on a rant a few years ago. He basicly was urging the black community to pull themselves up by their own bootstraps. Easier said than done. At the time Dr. Cosby gave a speech in Detroit. Afterwards I was listening to a local black FM station and they talked to student. What he said literally made me cry. They asked him about the physical condition of his school and he said that he never gave it much thought until he visited a school in the suburbs. Then, he said, the condition of his school made him feel like he was worth less. Once a kid gets hit with that kind of dejection it is hard to pull him out.

I firmly believe that white flight, largely enabled by easy mortgage credit, has done more damage to our educational system than any other policy. We simply live too far apart and our tax dollars are spread too thin to provide a meaningful community in which to learn.

On top of that we are teaching kids stuff that they are not interested in --- but that's a different issue.

As for religion in schools, I think that should be left for each school to decide. They can get feedback from parents. Personally I am a fan of teaching kids about different religions so that they are not afraid of them, but that's just me.

Good post, and I largely agree.

While in highschool, I was failing English class. Not because of a lack of ability, but because I felt the time was better spent smoking reefer off campus.

The guidance counselor asked why I refused to attend English class.

"Do you have any difficulty understanding my speech and writing?"

"No, I understand you perfectly well."

"Then why are you wasting my time? I'd like to learn a language I don't already speak, please? Maybe German, Russian or Japanese."

"You must learn Engilsh first."

"Do I have to ask again?"

At this point he bacame frustrated and ordered me to shut up and go back to class.

Anyhow, when it comes to religion, I still believe religion is personal and should remain that way. Your suggestion that all religions should be taught, makes some sense, but leads to the question of how much time should be devoted to it? There are many different religions and sects. It could simply become too much. Also to consider are the headaches of dealing with parents who may object to their kid being taught what they believe to be "false" religions. Which, is why I believe that NO religion taught in public schools is the only way to go. Those who object can just send their kid to a religion based private school.

Regards,
Dave

[BlueStreak]

Originally Posted by piece-itpete

I figgered he was saying a slow child was better off going into trades.

Pete

In the Finnish system, this is generally what is encouraged. And, as I recall, we were given the same choice in Ohio, as we graduated tenth grade. But, that was many moons ago. I don't know what the deal is now.

Regards,
Dave

[piece-itpete]

So when the Declaration is taught, how does one discuss it?

"because I felt the time was better spent smoking reefer off campus" ROTFLMAO!!! I took that class too

Pete

[piece-itpete]

Originally Posted by BlueStreak

In the Finnish system, this is generally what is encouraged. And, as I recall, we were given the same choice in Ohio, as we graduated tenth grade. But, that was many moons ago. I don't know what the deal is now.

Regards,
Dave

Yeah they had vocational when I went, but the whole 'machine' was set up for college prep.

I think a lot of European countries have a test at a certain age that determines which kind of school you go to.

Pete