Didn't anyone see the Oprah show today

[serryjw]

It may take Oprah and Bill Gates to finally awaken America to our education crisis......especially in minority areas. So much for the Brown vs Board of education
http://www2.oprah.com/index_du.jhtml

[qanda]

1. I watched

It was very sobering.

[MichiganVote]

2. its not just minority areas anymore folks...its everywhere

[The Backlash Cometh]

3. If you think it's bad now...

...wait until we change our laws and open our borders.

[madeline_con]

5. Stand by for incoming. eom

[The Backlash Cometh]

15. Gadflies hover. They don't stand.

[madeline_con]

4. In defense of the "school system".

Why does NO ONE seem to look at the sorry state of parenting these days? Too many kids aren't taught to value education. Because of the inability to coddle the students and please every parent, this is what we have wrought.

It's the "school system". It's the teachers. It's blah blah blah...

:puke:

[Hamlette]

7. agree

when you pay teachers $20K a year, you will not attract the best or brightest (some you will, but not enough) and you tell the kids teachers are on a par with babysitters.

[serryjw]

11. You obviously didn't see the show

so why are you commenting?

[serryjw]

8. All the above

Did you see the show? You can't blame the condition of the school & lack of appropriate teaching tools on the parents. I hear all the time how the parents are a pain in the ass...BUT I think that problem may exist MORE in the wealthier neighborhoods. The kids there are coddled and the parents think their kids are little angels. They are just as arrogant as their parents

[madeline_con]

16. The rich kids can be stoopid, too.

It comes from never having to face consequences or take responsibility. Soccer practice went too long for homework and other crap. Poverty and lack of opportunity in poor areas yields the same results. It's only the way the kids arrive at "uneducated" that differs.

I doubt if seeing the Oprah show somehow makes one more qualified to discuss the American education system.

BTW, I can blame a lack of appropriate teaching tools on parents. Having moved my child from a failing school to an A-rated one, I noticed what the real difference is. The parents actually give a damn in the A schools. They make things happen, show up for meetings, and do what parents are supposed to do.

[MichiganVote]

9. Agree, agree, agree

[qanda]

13. I don't disagree with what you're saying, but

did you see the show?

[madeline_con]

19. I didn't realize seeing the show was a prerequisite.

I have opinions regarding schools, having been outside looking in, and inside looking out. :shrug:

[qanda]

22. I wasn't asking to be smart or diminish what you were saying

I was asking because I wanted to know what part of the program led you to make those comments. Your comments seemed out of place when discussing this particular program and I guess you would have to see the show to understand what I'm saying.

Like I said, I didn't disagree with your comments.

On Edit: clarification

[madeline_con]

25. Sorry, but no, I didn't see the show.

I feel the schools have to do the bidding of the citizens, but too many don't get involved, and the students suffer because of it.

[Katherine Brengle]

14. The schools DO suck, BUT -->

I think that suckage is a product of the indifferent attitudes of community members.

[madeline_con]

17. Those "community members" being parents. eom

[Katherine Brengle]

26. Yes, a lot of them are ------>

I never said they weren't part of the problem. But have you noticed how many people without children react to being taxed to pay for public education and how they react to education-related issues?

I think a lot of Americans like to ditch their acceptance of the need for public education after they get theirs...

[madeline_con]

27. Good point.

Locally, some of the dumbest kids have parents who are "engineers" for NASA. Strange. I wonder what they think little Jimmy will do for a living, since he's nome too bright. :shrug:

[Katherine Brengle]

29. lol...

Hey, my parents weren't big on hitting the books--my dad barely scraped through high school and my mom never graduated--but I turned out okay, against the odds.

I guess the reverse can easily be true as well.

The shite thing of it is, my parents now own their own home, have a couple of decent cars, are able to basically enjoy life as much as anyone really can--all without very good educations. Twenty or thirty years ago, you could get away with dropping out or barely graduating.

Two and a half years ago, I had to hop out of college a semester before graduation and my higher education is considered virtually worthless. Nevermind that I was at the top of my class, tutored graduate students as a sophomore, and had the respect of the faculty in my department and others--all that matters is that piece of paper. Until I have it, I'm just a high school graduate, which is about as high up on the food chain as a high school dropout was thirty years ago...

The phrase "college dropout" sounds as pathetic as "highschool dropout" these days.

It's all a fucking racket--until the public schools start teaching these kids the things they really need to know (math, science, computer skills, serious communication skills, and skilled labor in vocational schools), they are going to continue falling through the cracks in record numbers.

[BlooInBloo]

20. I agree!

Better parenting combined with teachers who are actually educated is EXACTLY what we need!

[madeline_con]

21. Thank you for the small voice of support.

:)

[proud patriot]

6. savage inequalities

:-(

[Katherine Brengle]

10. I did--I read the Time article last night and they advertised the show...

It was scary. My husband and I are already planning for our 2-year old daughter's private education, starting in kindergarten, because the schools in our area are so bad.

No one should have to do that.

That video of Harper High School in Chicago made me cry--it's sick that Americans don't care more about ALL of our children.

[serryjw]

12. Unfortunately

you are contributing to the inequalities. Theses parents can't afford private schools and we will have a HUGE population that is not educated.

[Katherine Brengle]

28. I know, but I am also not going to send my daughter to a rundown shit

school if I can manage to pull together enough money to send her to a decent one.

I shouldn't have to make that decision, but I do. I have to think of her well-being first, and the well-being of other community children second.

It sucks, but it's how it is. I won't sacrifice her education on principle.

How do we fix a problem this far gone?

If it were up to me, instead of schools being funded by local tax dollars, all of the taxes would be pooled together for the state and distributed to each system according to the student population, equally for every student.

Fuck that $62 million school in suburbia that they showed on Oprah--that school was so good it bordered on plain indulgent.

We need to focus on curriculum and meeting health and safety standards--kids don't need an Olympic size swimming pool--they need a clean, safe place to sit and learn something and be engaged. They need spanking new textbooks and teachers who love teaching. And they need parents standing behind them who are supportive.

[serryjw]

30. we agree

I know, but I am also not going to send my daughter to a rundown shit

school if I can manage to pull together enough money to send her to a decent one. agreed

I shouldn't have to make that decision, but I do. I have to think of her well-being first, and the well-being of other community children second.try

It sucks, but it's how it is. I won't sacrifice her education on principle. understand

How do we fix a problem this far gone? When TWO of the wealthiest Americans start talking about the problem it is a step in the right direction. My question is how do you allow 10 million MORE immigrants into the country. It only makes the problem worse

If it were up to me, instead of schools being funded by local tax dollars, all of the taxes would be pooled together for the state and distributed to each system according to the student population, equally for every student. 100% agree. I have been saying exactly this for years

Fuck that $62 million school in suburbia that they showed on Oprah--that school was so good it bordered on plain indulgent.EVERYONE needs to get this money OR we will have a two layered class system in ONLY a few more years. look at the WHITE Valedictorian that was NOT prepared for college. this is NOT only a minority problem but a need to re-prioritize our resources. FUCK, the sports teams. IF parents want to fund the sports teams let them pay for it. This is supposed to be in addition to education NOT in place of it

We need to focus on curriculum and meeting health and safety standards--kids don't need an Olympic size swimming pool--they need a clean, safe place to sit and learn something and be engaged. They need spanking new textbooks and teachers who love teaching. And they need parents standing behind them who are supportive.

[PaDem]

18. I just read a solid book by Jonathan Kozol........

called "Shame of the Nation" about the segregated state of our public schools.

[qanda]

24. He was a part of the program

Oprah recommended his book.

[Horse with no Name]

23. What is happening in our town

Test scores are down. Our teachers haven't had raises in 5 years.
However, we have hired new coaches at astronomical salaries for mediocre teams that can't quite make it to state championships.
Mandatory drug testing was just implemented.
The only new students that come into the district are problem kids that get sent here to live with relatives because they were kicked out of wherever they came from.
Now, many of the parents of the children with higher test scores are pulling their kids out and sending them to other area schools which has caused racial inequity in our schools.
Our schools are underperforming, which means that parents have been allowed to put their kids in other districts, but now, we have more black kids than white kids.
So the school--by law--in order to maintain racial equality--can now stop the white kids from leaving the underperforming schools and so parents are moving out of town.
One of my friends is a teacher. She explained to me how difficult it is in the elementary schools to assign students to a classroom.
She told me the ratio was 4:1 in the younger grades black:white.
She said they have to divide the black kids up first into class, then divide the white kids so that they don't get into trouble with the state.
This is making parents angry because they want their Stephanie to be in the same class as Amy and it truly isn't possible.
So, these parents are taking the younger kids and putting them into private schools.
In the future, this school district will have nothing left except very poor students and crappy teachers and absolutely NO WAY for these kids to pass standardized testing. I have no idea what they will do at that point because driving isn't an option for many of the poor people in this town and it is 15 miles to the next town.