Fixing America's Education System

[Sazari]

I mean, understand most of the problems teachers have with students is DISCIPLINE. If the kid cant sit at a desk without causing a fight, i wouldn't put them in an autoshop or anything and hope that turns around either. At the end of the day these kids just arnt afraid. Schools can't discipline them. Parent's cant or wont discipline them.

I honestly think you need to attach welfare benefits to a child's attendance and discipline in class. Tons of kids would get their shit turned around real quickly when mom realize her welfare check depends on little jonny not f**k up. Besides, its only fair. Society invests in you via welfare to get on your feet, you invest in society by making sure you kids will be productive citizens.

I agree though they need more vocational training. I'm not disputing that at all, we should have european style vocational program because not everyone is cut out for college etc. But i dont think it will do a damn thing to address shitty scores in 3rd grade and 8th grade because the problems these kids have are largely due to discipline. They go to school to shoot the shit and fight instead of leaning, and none of the teachers ever bother to do their job because it isnt like they lose anything by taking the easy way out and ignoring these kids. Improve the teachers so when kids come someone is taking an interest and making an effort, and make parents acocuntable via the tax code or welfare system. It's a radical solution, but this is a pretty serious problem. If we can blow up 2 countries for 9/11, we sure as shit can take away a moms welfare payments if her kid never shows up to school and on the rare occasion he does, f**k with other students and teachers.

[phosphide]

Well, I think also people need to keep in mind that not all districts face the same problems. The district I am helping raise money for has the following issues:

1. Very low-income hispanic population with a majority of kids who work with their parents
2. 50 different spoken languages
3. 80% of students are on reduced or free lunches.
4. Tax zones do not include the northern more wealthy areas which reduces their funding potential.
5. Do poorly on math and science but excel in the other studies.

So it's difficult to really say what the problem is. These kids work on top of school, don't even have meals at home, don't have the most adequate support system at home, probably don't speak english, etc. It's hard to expect students to be paying attention in class when they come to school starving and are forced to work with their parents. It's hard to blame teachers exactly, who are partially responsible, when they are also so many other issues at play.

[Mr.Bill]

I think we always expect the teachers to change the students.. But in many cases because the teachers get NO help from the parents, nor from the school Admin, and because there is NO discipline anymore in the schools, the students end up changing the teachers.. In other words the teachers get burnt out..

THAT IS NOT a blanket excuse for all bad teachers.. Some are just bad, and the only reason they became teachers is because maybe that's the only job that was open, or for the benefits, etc.... BUT when my kids were in school over time I saw good teachers just give up.

[The Comrade]

[Sazari]

[Spider]

[Sazari]

[Sazari]

[Spider]

[phosphide]