Barak Believes Evolution Compatible w/Bible

[ChristopherHall]

Ferd, do you believe in the dumbing down of America? I do. I've discovered if something can't fit on a bumper sticker some folks just melt down. Victims of a soundbite society. The problem is, without examination of the details all one has is a simplified statement that may or may not have any foundation in on facts or regard for the more complex details.

[Ferd]

Originally Posted by ChristopherHall

Ferd, do you believe in the dumbing down of America? I do. I've discovered if something can't fit on a bumper sticker some folks just melt down. Victims of a soundbite society. The problem is, without examination of the details all one has is a simplified statement that may or may not have any foundation in on facts or regard for the more complex details.

Yes. the idiotic liberal teachers unions have been the ruination of the American Educational system.

Up with Vouchers!

Down with Teachers Unions!

Up with mesurable standards!

Down with Tenure!

[ChristopherHall]

Originally Posted by Ferd

Yes. the idiotic liberal teachers unions have been the ruination of the American Educational system.

I think that’s a highly politicized answer. It’s far more complicated than this. The American educational system is being ruined by parents who send their kids to school as though it’s government day care and don’t “parent” their kids at home. You can have the best schools, teachers, and educational materials but if parent’s aren’t parenting at home, it’s a lost cause.

As for the teacher’s union, I do see how some things the teacher’s union has done may undermine teachers but I wouldn’t pretend that the issue is so simple they could be blamed for the entire problem. C’mon, if the teacher’s union was really that powerful teacher pay wouldn’t be a national embarrassment. I know good men and women who were VERY qualified and SOUND educators. But they didn’t want to work for peanuts so they left teaching in the public sector and moved into the private sector.

Up with Vouchers!

Vouchers are overrated, but it might help some school districts. I’d say it’s a state issue.

Down with Teachers Unions!

Again, that’s not a cure all. Too simplistic.

Up with mesurable standards!

True. But how do we define measurable standards? The standards currently in place are just an exercise of memorization not education.

Down with Tenure!

I do agree here. We have to reward performance over tenure.

[Ferd]

Originally Posted by ChristopherHall

I think that’s a highly politicized answer. It’s far more complicated than this. The American educational system is being ruined by parents who send their kids to school as though it’s government day care and don’t “parent” their kids at home. You can have the best schools, teachers, and educational materials but if parent’s aren’t parenting at home, it’s a lost cause.

As for the teacher’s union, I do see how some things the teacher’s union has done may undermine teachers but I wouldn’t pretend that the issue is so simple they could be blamed for the entire problem. C’mon, if the teacher’s union was really that powerful teacher pay wouldn’t be a national embarrassment. I know good men and women who were VERY qualified and SOUND educators. But they didn’t want to work for peanuts so they left teaching in the public sector and moved into the private sector.



Vouchers are overrated, but it might help some school districts. I’d say it’s a state issue.



Again, that’s not a cure all. Too simplistic.



True. But how do we define measurable standards? The standards currently in place are just an exercise of memorization not education.



I do agree here. We have to reward performance over tenure.

you can claim its more complicated than bad liberal teachers unions all you want chris, you are still right about tenure!

I come from a long line of educators. my grandpa was a principle for 37 years and a teacher for 2 years before that.

he had 6 brothers and 5 of them were teachers or principles.

my dad was a teacher, his sister is a teacher, i have a half dozen first cousins that are teachers, and some of their kids are as well.

they all say teachers unions are evil.

[Nahum]

The NEA is of the devil!!!!!

[ChristopherHall]

Originally Posted by Ferd

you can claim its more complicated than bad liberal teachers unions all you want chris, you are still right about tenure!

I come from a long line of educators. my grandpa was a principle for 37 years and a teacher for 2 years before that.

he had 6 brothers and 5 of them were teachers or principles.

my dad was a teacher, his sister is a teacher, i have a half dozen first cousins that are teachers, and some of their kids are as well.

they all say teachers unions are evil.

Most teachers I know aren't really thrilled about teacher's unions either. My point is that the REAL issue is parenting. I think the political powers that be like to spin issues as fodder to use against the other side without really addressing the REAL issue. Parents are failing to parent. You can flush teacher's unions but that does't fix the problem of American parents failing their kids.