"No Child Left Behind"????????

[elwood127]

Good catch on my spelling. I think what I meant to say is that unions (in theory) are great, but they have been bastardized by the greedy. Do the math. 449 billion spent on 6.2 million teachers = $72,419.00 per teacher. Average pay is $47,394.00. That leaves 155 billion dollars at the top. Considering that schools don't supply anything accept the room and teacher sums it up. As for punishment, how many of remember "swats" in gym class and did the threat keep you inline? Because of pussy parents, teachers are afraid to teach because of the threat of lawsuits. I think I just made your point Noonereal. Dammit! Your right parents need to step up.

[merrylander]

I agree that parents should be more involved, then I think back to my days as a working stiff. Young engineers putting in 10 hour days, wives also working, when would they have time to attend PTA meetings?

Then there are the businesses (who moved into the area because they were promised a tax holiday) moaning about how the schools are not turning out the people they need.

They did not give me a tax holiday, over the 22 years we have been here I do believe we single handedly paid for the foundation of the new school building up the road.

They say that we have some of the best schools in the nation here in Howard and Montgomery counties so maybe it is all worth it.

[piece-itpete]

My last hometown, Parma, the teachers went on strike because they were asked to pay 1% of their health care. 1%!!

So in a heavy pro-labor district, district of Kucinich, they lost the next levy request. A-B-C. Teachers aren't immune from human wants and desires.

$47k average? A 250 workday year (common rule of thumb for us normal workers) = $23.50/hr plus some great bennies. How many days off do they have?

Pete

[JCricket]

No child left behind. WHAT A JOKE!!!!
I have kiddo's and am greatly invoilved with their education and the schools.
NCLB, was a political ploy to get kuddos for a deranged president. He signed a piece of paper that made him a savior to kiddos. There was no thought, no funding, no real consideration ever put into this legislation. Simply put, Bush did this to pat himself on the back.

What does it really do, it forces the teachers toteach to a test or loose money for the school. Note, I did not say it forces the teachers to teach the children. Children do not benefit from this. Shcools use funds to manage a worhtless program. Parents are expected to take a bigger role in their kids(now here is a republican ideal - we will tell you how to manage yourself). I figure a parent will or won't. Nothing we can do to change that.

I once heard, but have never been able to verify this, bush actually makes money off all the paperwork and documentation needed to "measure and contol" this legislation.

[Boreas]

Originally Posted by JCricket

I once heard, but have never been able to verify this, bush actually makes money off all the paperwork and documentation needed to "measure and contol" this legislation.

It's Neil. Remember him? S&L scandal? Basically the black sheep of a very dusky family.

Neil Bush owns a software company that preps students for the standardized tests they're required to take. Nice racket.

John

[jon_s]

Originally Posted by elwood127

Do the math. 449 billion spent on 6.2 million teachers = $72,419.00 per teacher. Average pay is $47,394.00. That leaves 155 billion dollars at the top.

Careful with the math! The difference between cost per teacher and pay likely is due to benefits and various costs. Teachers may not get paid much salary, but they do have proper retirement and health plans.

[finnbow]

Coming from a county with (mostly) good public schools and lots of emphasis on keeping them good, No Child Left Behind is nothing but yet another assessment test. The kids here probably had too many such tests before NCLB went into effect. So in this county, it is a waste of time and money. The same might not apply to the inner city schools near here. I still not convinced of its efficacy - seems like mostly feel-good BS to me.

[gazelle1929]

Few people are aware of the true tragedy that is represented by the No Child Left Behind law. It was actually the result of a simple terrible typographical error.

I can hear you asking, "How can that be?"

Once upon a time, young Georgie Bush was sent to a private school where there was a strong belief in corporal punishment. Georgie was not immune, even though his father was a minister to the good King Richard, and Georgie basically got the crap beat out of him pretty much every week. He vowed that when he became king he would pass a law to cut down by fifty percent the amount of pain that could be inflicted on any child.

And lo, Georgie did become King, and Georgie told his minions, "Write me a law to accomplish this." And his minions thought and they thought. And what they came up with was a law that would allow paddling of a child on only the right buttock. They figured this would cut down the pain by one half. But a lowly scribe in the White Castle choked on a Slyder while she was typing up the name of the law, and it went to the legislators as No Child Left Behind instead of the intended name No Child's Left Behind. And for the remaining seven years of Georgie's reign there was a little S running around the White Castle causing nothing but trouble.

[Boreas]

Originally Posted by merrylander

They say that we have some of the best schools in the nation here in Howard and Montgomery counties so maybe it is all worth it.

Both my kids were educated from Howard county schools. I was ultimately pleased with the education they received. It's good to hear that things are still good. Here in California things ain't so hot. There has been a steady erosion of quality and standards in what was once regarded as the best educational system in the country.

Not surprisingly, the slide downhill began under Gov. Reagan. He began the systematic underfunding of schools here for nakedly ideological reasons. I wish I could find the quote but he once asked why it would be a good idea for him to adequately fund education when it would just produce students who would grow up to vote against him.

St. Ronnie!

John

[Boreas]

Originally Posted by gazelle1929

.... And what they came up with was a law that would allow paddling of a child on only the right buttock. They figured this would cut down the pain by one half. But a lowly scribe in the White Castle choked on a Slyder while she was typing up the name of the law, and it went to the legislators as No Child Left Behind instead of the intended name No Child's Left Behind. And for the remaining seven years of Georgie's reign there was a little S running around the White Castle causing nothing but trouble.

Meanwhile, the even more mischievous Big S was at a secure undisclosed location.

I wonder if Georgie got the right-buttock-only idea when he was merrily branding pledges at Yale with a hot coat hanger.

Ah, college daze!

John