From a girl who comes from a family of 8 educators, I too am concerned.
Having 3 children of my own traveling through the public school systems, it surely is getting scary.
For instance, my 9 year old can't spell. I've had to home school him in many areas because the schools in this district don't "believe" in testing them, ever.
They say that it "depleats their self esteem to be tested, for, failure is the biggest culprit of self esteem issues."
'Scuse me?!

Now, there are still great teachers out there, my 6th grader's teacher being one of them. However, with this train of though, and then the implementation of AIMS, I don't see much of a future for our children and their educations. They are setting them up for failure, not only within their academics, but in life as well.

Parents really need to pay attention to what is going on within their local schools and become pro-active within the academic arena if we are going to see children become successful.

Posted by Jade at April 20, 2005 12:00 PM

I wonder what percentage of the tax-paying public really knows what goes on in our high schools? If one reads about a number of killings at various high schools over the last ten years, what should one conclude from that? How about if one notes that there are full time armed police forces JUST for many high schools? What if the incidence of assaults against others students and teachers has risen from near nothing in the 1950s to a level that there are assaults and threats on a daily basis? Has anyone actually gone to a high school and just stood in the hallways and listened to the filthy language that is shouted back and forth? I submit that the toleration of tension, anxiety and actual violence in our public schools is, indeed, a crime. Why does our society tolerate such children (note: a 17 year old "boy" who weighs over 200 lbs and stands over 6' is not a child in the sense of his ability to do violence to another) acting in manners such as this? We talk alot about child abuse, but we allow foul-mouthed gang members to walk the halls of our schools and sit in our classrooms. Why? I believe that more talk isn't necessary. I believe that more studies are not necessary. I believe that school boards and administrators should develop tough standards of conduct and make damn sure that they're followed. Failure to do any less is a sign that they are co-conspirators in crimes. That is my take.

Posted by tad at April 20, 2005 06:52 PM

Tad, I am sympathetic with what you say. There are a couple of contributing issues:

1. Every child is required to attend school (absent a home schooling exemption) until age 18.

2. Unlike Private schools, Public schools may not permanantly expel a student and are forced to accept those expelled from Private schools.

So, you have at least a subset of children in school that absolutely do not want to be there. Is there any wonder that they can be disruptive? And you are required to keep even the most troublesome of individuals - which is a distraction of attention on teaching and costly in terms of resources. Add to this the Public School System's teaching approach of one-size-fits-all, society's disapproval of education in the Trades, and the non-merit based system for hiring, evaluating, and retaining teachers....

Our daughter (youngest) is graduating from High School this June. Senioritis has been in full swing for a few months now. My wife and I have fought this and we are somewhat worn down from the experience. The school hasn't helped - the seniors completed regularly scheduled classes last Friday (graduation is June 4). They are now "required" to participate in an intership of their own choosing with a small number of their friends. From what I've observed, there has not been any meaningful educating going on for these kids over the past six to eight weeks.

As Jade says, there is a pervasive attitude among teachers and administrators that demanding performance, grading fairly and honestly, and placing requirements on student behavior are all view as potential attacks on the individual's sense of self-esteem and self-worth. What a load of crap!

As has been said by many a successful person: we learn as much or more from our failures as we do from our successes.

Posted by too many steves at April 21, 2005 12:34 PM

“Too many steves� has nailed it squarely on the head; the educational system lacks across-the-board honesty. There are two parts of the American education system: That which is said, and that which is done. Even young students are smart enough to realize the hypocrisy of the system, and they learn quickly to become successful within that framework. When people talk of the “unspeakable� ills that are done to children, no one � NO ONE mentions the damage perpetrated against students by the system that is charged with teaching them, more than any other facet of education, that honesty is to be recognized and rewarded, or that being honest means doing the right thing when no one is looking. Teachers inflate grades in order to stay off the horizon; principals routinely offer athletic exemptions to failing students; there are no consequences for unseemly behavior in our schools. The situation is so serious, as I have said at Shades of Gray; I wonder why there has not been a mass migration to private academies.
HB out

Posted by HB at April 21, 2005 12:58 PM

Michelle Malkin has an excellent article on this very subject. Next time I will save the post to write mail since the system ate my earlier lengthy one.

Posted by Alnot at April 22, 2005 03:43 AM

Plaudits and accolades to all. There are so very many "horror" stories about the broken education system, the breaking up of families, the toleration of truly awful behaviors that one is sorely taxed as to where to begin. I can tell you what I do. I require students to arrive on time. I do it. Why cannot they? If they are not on time, they formally apologize to the other class members. I do not allow the male students to wear caps in class. I intone that my grandmother told me that gentlemen do not wear hats inside. This may seem a small thing, but it is in line with the Broken Windows method of policing and discipline. You get them to go along with small outward, and visible, signs of their obedience to collective authority. Interspersed among the lectures on American (World, really) history, is a running commentary on values, morality, how criminality and corruption is ruinious to societies (I give them some examples of some countries that have all sorts of natural wealth..but are in the proverbial toilette as countries and how living there is awful due to a lack of law and a dedication to truly "doing the right thing"). I don't want to get too preachy here as I know you all have as good, or better, examples than mine. I may very well may be shoveling sand against the tide, but I will continue for a while more. BTW, has anyone actually listened to the truly awful filth that passes for music these days? In this last week, I have asked the students if they thought it would be all right for me to write the words of some of the songs on the board. Further, I wondered aloud if they really thought that trash that advocates violence towards women is a social good? Did real men believe that was a good thing? I even talk about my ideas of what characteristics real men and real women ought have and why. I find that putting in specific examples is useful. This, as opposed to, hedonistic, self-centered immature babies in adult bodies. Wisdom and character do not come with the ticking of a clock. Wisdom and character are also topics. Whoops, I do go on too long.

Cheers to you all. Keep it up.

Posted by tad at April 22, 2005 07:54 AM

too many steves wrote about the government schools having to take all students rather than being selective for the better ones, which skews their performance results. I saw a study (and, please don't ask me to find it at this point) where these "trouble" students did measurably better when they had the opportunity to attend a school outside of the public system. I think that this defense claim goes under excuses rather than reasons.

I see two problems with the schools--the teachers and their unions. People who major in education in college have among the lowest SAT scores from high school, and people who graduate in education have lower GPAs than most other departments. So, we're not starting out with the brightest bunch. Then, the teacher unions fight any innovation, alternatives, and attempts to grade performance mainly to protect teachers' jobs and to maintain power over the system. Educating the children comes last.

I have a kid in high school, and I witness how incredibly stupid his teachers are and the time-wasting assignments that they require. Teachers claim that they're not paid what they're worth. That's one thing they have right--only in the wrong direction.

Posted by Woody at April 22, 2005 12:18 PM

Woody is certainly correct about one thing, if you want real solutions to problems in education, don’t ask educators. Part of the problem is, especially among teachers/administrators with master’s degrees or higher, is that in order to obtain advanced degree’s, you almost have to “buy into� contemporary ideas about education. Remember now, these people gave us such remarkable programs as new math and holistic grading, and pushed forward the idea that one can have self-esteem without achieving anything.

Take a moment to visit the Cato Institute and read the article by Neal McCluskey about market driven schools, versus corrupt government schools (Link: http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=3724).

Let me make one final point here � public schools are not ever going to change as long as most parents consider public schools little more than day-care centers for working parents. Remember, folks, your kids ARE learning in public schools, they’re just learning the wrong things.

Posted by HB at April 22, 2005 04:42 PM

I really like the idea of market driven schools. In my earlier comment I mentioned my observation of one-size-fits-all approach of the public schools. The applies not only to the teaching style but also to the outcome objectives. That is, all students are steered toward and expected to go to college. This is foolish at best and malfeasance at worst.

My youngest brother - many years ago - attended ninth grade in our local high school. He was, to be kind, a troublemaker, not violent, mind you, but certainly disruptive. Sitting still in a classroom was a problem for him. He was suspected of having some form of dyslexia.

Fortunately, a smart and insightful guidance counseler suggested to my parents and my brother that the local trade school might be a better fit for him. So the three of them went over, did a tour, met with some of the teachers, and, ultimately decided that they would give it a try.

He went on to graduate as an electrician and to build a nice and productive business for himself. He learned all the math and english that he needed. He spent most of his time working with, rather than sitting on, his hands. A success for everyone, no matter how you look at it.

I wouldn't advocate government or school tracking of students, but the idea of a wide variety of choices - from the trades to academics to arts to education - and true encouragement to consider them, would go a long way to fixing what ails our public school system.

Posted by too many steves at April 23, 2005 06:22 AM