The Anti-education movement

[Zero]

We actually have some radical right wingers out there that are screaming to not send kids to college or even public school, but instead to teach them the Bible and only the theories and ideas you want them to learn. The scary and sad part is, this movement is really starting to gain some vocal ground. We're heading for a theocracy which is just.. not the best way to run a country this size, to say the least.

There is always a problem in any group or sect, as with the Christians who want to only teach the Bible. Thats scary that people who belong to my religion would actually do that. Then they have no idea how to answer questions thrown at them, and thus not defend themselves. Plus, they would be screwed when they got out of that school. And about the Anti-Muslim thing, according to Fox News, during Reagan's funeral they said it was the fastest growing religion.

The next area of concern we have is the cut in funding to arts and physical education programs. Our school systems are becoming filled with a bunch of fat kids that have no appreciation for what is beautiful or unique. And any teacher worth his/her salt will tell you that education in the arts and running your chunky butt around the block a few times is important to maintaining a well-balanced education. Go look up some of the studies sometime. Of course, this is what happens whenever people who aren't teachers make decisions on what should be taught. Now the Democrats want them to also make decisions on what operation you should have. Yikes.

Both of my parents are teachers (Mom - 1st grade teacher, Dad - High School Weightlifting Coach). They are both tired as hell now. My mom has to stay up late at night doing paperwork that our County makes us do (most schools don't do it, but alas she has a very scary Vice Principal). My Dad is on the verge of not caring, and gets home annoyed because of alas the students who do not attend his class and expect, "A"s. Or the occasional kid that tries to pick a fight with him. They're starting to lose insentive, and instead of having fun teaching they're just going every day because it is , alas, they're jobs. Most of the paperwork and restrictions, along with what they have to teach and do, are because of the County not wanting to be sued. It's convinced me to never be a teacher, and to tell friends not to be.

Other than that, I guess I'll have to pretty much agree with Martyr.

[Grandmaster_Skweeb]

In other words: America's education system is no longer down the toilet. Its clogged the tube and is now a rotten lump of crud.

What 0zero0 said reminded me of that commercial where a saxaphone player is plying his trade in a public park and some snotty little twit of a kid with his mom walks past and says, "get a job." I've always appreciated that commercial 'cause it is indeed showing how kids are becoming nowadays. I've tried explaining Ansil Adams, an amazing landscape photographer, to my younger cousins and basically anything related to Art they say is a waste of time.

its quite sad really.

[Atma]

If American schools are so shitty, what makes Japan's school so much better? Or French? Or whatever?

In all honesty, the school system does suck, but there's really nothing we can do about it. My generation is a bunch of ignorent slackers who would give anything to get out of schools. Making the schools harder or raising the bar is not the answer. We'll only have more dropouts. I don't know how to improve the schools so that it would work out for everybody, but I'm working on it.

[Squishy Cheeks]

Simple, Get rid of standardized tests. They really don't work, and they prove next to nothing.

[Royalspork]

I could say the great things about MY school system but I am lazy so I will just re post this

Originally Posted by kirk

wow my school system gets 20 cents on the doller.

[Omega]

the quality of a school system is based on two thing
Teachers and social system
i my opinion teachers make the school if they are invigerated and acctually qualifyed then as long as the bad student dont drag them down it is actually a good place to learn however all in all your attitude towards school makes the place ... and i am rambling

another thing! is it just me or is the only reason people dispise school is because it becomes part of the daily grind by highschool standerds this is why i think grades 6-8 should be eliminated and given to people as 3 year off so when high school DOES start they will not feel run down beaten and half-dead

[Jagos]

If I tried to explain how all of how I felt it would take too long for people to read.

So to keep this short, this leave no child behind thing along with only christianity being used in the school is for the birds. Giving people the knowledge to learn about other religions (I have friends that are Wicca and even one that practices VooDoo despite the bad association it has in movies and such) or the right to make their own choices of schools among other things is something I am really going to advocate in the upcoming years. As soon as I find the right venues...

If you want to learn more of how I feel, I'm a PM away on this topic.

[Lockeownzj00]

Having set through a few biology classes in my time, the whole evolution thing is full of holes, anyone can see that. A lot of it just sounds like lame excuse after lame excuse. This isn't necessarily because it isn't true, we just can't observe speciation because it takes so long. But, we can't pretend that the idea of evolution isn't out there because we disagree with it. Its the osterich syndrome: if you hide your head in the sand, the problem still won't go away. The theory of evolution is just that, a theory. And theories can be modified as new information arises, we sure as in hell know that species that are better adapted to a climate or situation survive and reproduce. The rest is just a guess to where millions of years of that could head.

And the bible isn't a series of lame excuses? And the koran isn't a series of lame excuses? And the talmud isn't a series of lame excuses.

I want to learn the Bible, and I want to learn the koran, and the talmud. I want to know about religions so when I disagree with them I can do it even more informed than I am right now. No, I will not be converted. I'm set. I'm an atheist. But the bible should not be a mandatory or automatic class, it should be an elective for both christians and non-christians.

Oh wait, let me just add the little tag that automatically makes me a religion-basher with no foundation in his arguments:

[Darkblade]

"You learn what we want you to learn. Screw the truth. "

Welcome to america home of the easily persuaded morons. A land where people will beleive whatever you tell them.

Welcome to a land where pain and suffering are only images on the tv. Welcome to an uncaring and cruel world. Welcome to the wonderfull and free and "happy" world of america. Enjoy your stay cannon fodder.

[The Tortured one]

Darkblade, pessimistic aren't we? Keeping an attitude like that is gonna give you an ulcer, son. I've noticed that people who keep a pessimistic attitude tend to die old and alone, maybe they have a cat or two, or twenty, to keep them company. Just some friendly advice.

It really is unfair to compare Japanese kids to American kids, because the Japs have their share of problems as well. Teen suicide is a big problem in their society, which stresses good grades in tough subjects to no end. I would think some of you would be pretty depressed if you were a social outcast because you got a D in your advanced Calculus class.

The problem in America that I see is that kid's have no incentive or go to school or succeed. Why go to school and college and get a job when you could get a very well paying job selling drugs immediatly? I think that high school should be voluntary. If these losers want to screw up their lives, that's their business, but nowadays they are forced into school where they bring down the standards and make it an enviroment not condusive to learning, well that makes it other people's business. Get them out of the school, let them throw their lives away, it doesn't bother me any. Besides, there is still demand for manual labor and jobs like that which don't require an education, if that's all they aspire to be, hey, they can come work for me when I own my own company.

I am also in support of a scholarship program set up by the government for private schools. let students who want to better themselves but do not have the access to the money have a chance to do better, and with scholarships, if you fall below the standard, you are cut off, so it is in the student's best interest that they have the best grades possible.

these are merely short term goals, however. I feel that the best system would be a fully privatized education system, where schools compete amongst themselves to attract new students, and the students fully understand that the reason they are in school is for their own betterment, not because the state mandates it.

the whole religious thing really doesn't bother me, and i think some people here are overreacting. Seriously if some evangelist in Bible belt U.S.A sends his kid to a school named "school of Jesus Christ, our overlord and enslaver" it really isn't going to affect my life very much. People are perfectly capable of leading happy and productive lives with a religion based education, and if they are I see no problem with them doing what they're doing. Separation of church and state works both ways; the church doesn't meddle in the affairs of the state, and the state doesn't dictate religion (assuming that religion isn't physically hurting anyone of course)