How can states fix education?

[KC]

As someone who Is currently seeking an education degree I may be a little biased, but I'm really curious what broad reforms we could do in order to fix education at the state/local level.

I think at the very least we have to do away with tenure for teachers. Administrators need to be able to replace teachers who just don't ignite a spark in their students. That will create an incentive for teachers to try hard, just like in a free market.

[wingrider]

First bust the teachers Unions,, second get the feds out of the education business,

[Goldie Locks]

Do away with DOE for one. Get Fed government out of it entirely. Let the states handle their own. Some may continue the path they are on and some may revamp the system totally. Then you can vote with your feet.

[KC]

Yeah yeah yeah get the fed out. Easy talking points. Once the fed is out and unions are busted, what are the actual policies that can improve education at the state level?

[Goldie Locks]

Yeah yeah yeah get the fed out. Easy talking points. Once the fed is out and unions are busted, what are the actual policies that can improve education at the state level?

Well, they dumbed down the requirements for a teaching certificate/degree...you know to get minorities in as teachers. Maybe they should up those requirements...you'll get better teachers that way...ones who are really interested in teaching and not unions.

They need to get back to basics also. Children are graduating and can't hardly read or write...let alone math. Having the Fed in control of education is totally liberal no matter what side it comes from. We have to get rid of things we're teaching that won't get you a job later on...such as "I have two mommies" and how to put on condoms and crap like that. Revamp the textbooks to reflect an actual education and not an agenda.

[KC]

Well, they dumbed down the requirements for a teaching certificate/degree...you know to get minorities in as teachers. Maybe they should up those requirements...you'll get better teachers that way...ones who are really interested in teaching and not unions.

They need to get back to basics also. Children are graduating and can't hardly read or write...let alone math. Having the Fed in control of education is totally liberal no matter what side it comes from. We have to get rid of things we're teaching that won't get you a job later on...such as "I have two mommies" and how to put on condoms and crap like that. Revamp the textbooks to reflect an actual education and not an agenda.

I fundamentally disagree, I think part of having an educated citizenry is early on moving kids to adopt self expression rather than survival based values. It is not enough to simply teach them to survive (have a job) they also should learn to be more useful to society. Learning to put on a condom in order to stop your partner from contracting an std is useful to society. So is stopping teenage pregnancy.

However I totally agree about raising the bar for education majors in college. Bring it on. I could use a little less competition.

[patrickt]

Yeah yeah yeah get the fed out. Easy talking points. Once the fed is out and unions are busted, what are the actual policies that can improve education at the state level?

There is no state level. In the last state I lived in we had schools with less than two dozen students and schools with thousands. One size doesn't fit all. I went through public schools but it was back when teachers at least pretended to care. They weren't in teaching for the vacation time, the short work days, or the easy pay. I respected my teachers, mostly, and was in high school before I had a teacher who really didn't care. He was a drunk, close to retirement, and we had to suffer through him till he retired.

I think the system needs reworking, district by district, to meet the needs of the students. I think teachers should have some education in the subject they're teaching. I know of one Spanish teacher who taught Spanish for two years before she took a Spanish class. My son had teachers years ago in computer science who had never used a computer.

I think schools should form legitimate partnerships with the parents and the parents who are uneducated need the most help. Many want their kids to succeed but don't know how.

In my school district where I lived the ratio of students to school employees kept shrinking but the ratio of students to teachers remained fairly steady. We had a huge number of new administrators and federally mandated specialist. And, it seemed like most teachers had getting out of the classroom as a goal.

My children, both of them, were labeled as unable to read in the 4th and 5th grades. I went in and had the kids read for the "reading specialist" and the principal. They were forced to admit the kids read quite well so they started reprimanding the kids for tricking them into thinking they couldn't read. The reading specialists had written on their record that they obviously had a learning disability.

When I was in school teachers actually met with parents. Imagine that. In high school, my parents would split up and hit all my teachers with whom I had classes. I dreaded those meetings. Dad came home with blood in his eye. I was not an easy child.

Home schooling is absolutely necessary if your kids go to public schools. Schools should be keeping parents posted on what they're studying and what parents can do to help. My son was taught that the Holocaust never happened, Communism was the only compassionate system, and grammar was irrelevant. I verified all those with the teachers. Home schooling is critical. Too many teachers indoctrinate instead of teaching.

I think teachers who have sex with students should get ten years in prison. No early release. No time off. And, never teach again. It should also be illegal for schools to allow teachers who commit crimes to simply quit and moved to another school district with good references.

I had almost 80 people who worked for me tested for literacy and 25% were functionally illiterate. They all had graduated from high school, many had some college, a few had degrees, and quite a few were pursuing a degree. We had reading classes and two were identified as having significant learning disabilities, never diagnosed in the schools, and all of the employees who took the reading class improved significantly. Some refused to take the classes.

kathaariancode, in the interest of continuing the discussion I will ignore your snotty response which is unfortunately typical of those in the system. Now, you have to avoid blaming the victims. I am curious, though, as to why you decided to be a teacher?

Ah, yes, self-expression. Can't read. Can't do basic math. Can't write. I asked a man with a masters degree to tell me what a sentence was. "A bunch of words with a period." Right. Got it. One needs a basic set of abilities and facts before you go for self-expression. Unless you're a liberal and self-expression does not require any knowledge or abilities.

[wingrider]

lets start with the basics first and put education in the hands of the states and parents,, our schools should no longer be gin mills turning out students that can't read beyond the third grade level if at all,, If a teacher cannot inspire their students to learn, that teacher is gone period. why pay someone to do a halfassed job. bust the unions and the power they hold and you will see a big turnaround in the way teachers and administrators perform,, we have to start somewhere and this is a first logical step

[Mainecoons]

First thing is to notice that the Federal government involvement in education is useless and often counterproductive and get rid of it and the Department of Education. That alone, BTW, would save $100 billion per year on the deficit and get rid of a lot of D.C. Deadwood.

Kids are a lot more at risk from being mal-educated than they are from not knowing how to use condoms. You can practically guess the age of internet posters by their level of literacy. We need to dump this nonsense that everyone wins first prize regardless of their level of performance.

Modern education, like modern government, is basically a big fat flop. The really new idea is "back to the future" returning to a time when schools were much more focused on basic learning and discipline and much less focused on worrying about self esteem and teaching birth control and abortion, and general leftist theology.

Frankly, I think every teacher should be required to major in a real subject and minor in education. Not the other way round.

And get rid of the unions. Unions have no place in the classroom. All they do is protect the incompetent and overpay the bureaucracy.

[wingrider]

lets start with the basics first and put education in the hands of the states and parents,, our schools should no longer be gin mills turning out students that can't read beyond the third grade level if at all,, If a teacher cannot inspire their students to learn, that teacher is gone period. why pay someone to do a halfassed job. bust the unions and the power they hold and you will see a big turnaround in the way teachers and administrators perform,, we have to start somewhere and this is a first logical step excellent post... I owe you one,,

[GCF]

I fundamentally disagree, I think part of having an educated citizenry is early on moving kids to adopt self expression rather than survival based values. It is not enough to simply teach them to survive (have a job) they also should learn to be more useful to society. Learning to put on a condom in order to stop your partner from contracting an std is useful to society. So is stopping teenage pregnancy.

However I totally agree about raising the bar for education majors in college. Bring it on. I could use a little less competition.

Proper condom 101, yea I just don't see it. Yet I would think that going back to the basics such as Reading, Writing an Math would be a start. Plus I would suggest shorter days for the kids esp in grades below highschool, right now you have 6 year olds with 8 plus hours aday which is insanity! I would even suggest the use of tiers in Diploma's, you can have a basic then a elevated one for those that wish to apply to colleges after words, elevated ones would have to be paid totally by the family of the student or some assistance for poorer families.

Shorten the days of the students, then with the extra hours teachers can perform administration duties themselves. Students above 16 should be able to apply for jobs within the school, such as maintenence and warehousing of supplies that can easily be supervise by teachers.

Eliminate all school sports, I simply don't see the need for school funds to be use as nothing more then College an Professional sports recruitment centers. Then add longer recess times if needed depending upon the hours the students (esp younger ones) spend at the school. Shorten the day enough an lunch can be done away with, really we need our schools to be resturants?

[KC]

There is no state level. In the last state I lived in we had schools with less than two dozen students and schools with thousands. One size doesn't fit all. I went through public schools but it was back when teachers at least pretended to care. They weren't in teaching for the vacation time, the short work days, or the easy pay. I respected my teachers, mostly, and was in high school before I had a teacher who really didn't care. He was a drunk, close to retirement, and we had to suffer through him till he retired.

I think the system needs reworking, district by district, to meet the needs of the students. I think teachers should have some education in the subject they're teaching. I know of one Spanish teacher who taught Spanish for two years before she took a Spanish class. My son had teachers years ago in computer science who had never used a computer.

I think schools should form legitimate partnerships with the parents and the parents who are uneducated need the most help. Many want their kids to succeed but don't know how.

In my school district where I lived the ratio of students to school employees kept shrinking but the ratio of students to teachers remained fairly steady. We had a huge number of new administrators and federally mandated specialist. And, it seemed like most teachers had getting out of the classroom as a goal.

My children, both of them, were labeled as unable to read in the 4th and 5th grades. I went in and had the kids read for the "reading specialist" and the principal. They were forced to admit the kids read quite well so they started reprimanding the kids for tricking them into thinking they couldn't read. The reading specialists had written on their record that they obviously had a learning disability.

When I was in school teachers actually met with parents. Imagine that. In high school, my parents would split up and hit all my teachers with whom I had classes. I dreaded those meetings. Dad came home with blood in his eye. I was not an easy child.

Home schooling is absolutely necessary if your kids go to public schools. Schools should be keeping parents posted on what they're studying and what parents can do to help. My son was taught that the Holocaust never happened, Communism was the only compassionate system, and grammar was irrelevant. I verified all those with the teachers. Home schooling is critical. Too many teachers indoctrinate instead of teaching.

I think teachers who have sex with students should get ten years in prison. No early release. No time off. And, never teach again. It should also be illegal for schools to allow teachers who commit crimes to simply quit and moved to another school district with good references.

I had almost 80 people who worked for me tested for literacy and 25% were functionally illiterate. They all had graduated from high school, many had some college, a few had degrees, and quite a few were pursuing a degree. We had reading classes and two were identified as having significant learning disabilities, never diagnosed in the schools, and all of the employees who took the reading class improved significantly. Some refused to take the classes.

kathaariancode, in the interest of continuing the discussion I will ignore your snotty response which is unfortunately typical of those in the system. Now, you have to avoid blaming the victims. I am curious, though, as to why you decided to be a teacher?

My "Snotty response" was because my thread wasn't about the feds involvement. I'm also not blaming the victims. I just want to know what policies could theoretically improve education at the state/local level. You have offered numerous suggestions, so thank you for that. Scaling back federal involvement is not a state policy that can improve education, but it can enable states to be empowered to do so.

Why I want to become a teacher goes back to my own experience. I loved high school. Many of the people I looked up to were my teachers. I really needed this. I realize I was very fortunate in this. I lost my mom at a young age and up until high school my father was my only role model. Most can't speak to having great teachers who have a real impact on their lives. Since I was so fortunate, I want to be like those people. In my case I still correspond with and even hang out with one of those teachers, whom I consider my personal mentor and friend. I know it's always suspect when a student and a teacher become close and spend time together outside of class (something I would stay away from if I do end up landing a job in the field), but my teacher used to host philosophical debate clubs after school and even taught me calligraphy when I wanted to learn more. I have been friends with my mentor for the last 6 years now, and I can assure you that his intentions were always pure. I think teachers who are really passionate about having an impact are what's needed, and that's what I want to do.

[KC]

Proper condom 101, yea I just don't see it. Yet I would think that going back to the basics such as Reading, Writing an Math would be a start. Plus I would suggest shorter days for the kids esp in grades below highschool, right now you have 6 year olds with 8 plus hours aday which is insanity! I would even suggest the use of tiers in Diploma's, you can have a basic then a elevated one for those that wish to apply to colleges after words, elevated ones would have to be paid totally by the family of the student or some assistance for poorer families.

Shorten the days of the students, then with the extra hours teachers can perform administration duties themselves. Students above 16 should be able to apply for jobs within the school, such as maintenence and warehousing of supplies that can easily be supervise by teachers.

Eliminate all school sports, I simply don't see the need for school funds to be use as nothing more then College an Professional sports recruitment centers. Then add longer recess times if needed depending upon the hours the students (esp younger ones) spend at the school. Shorten the day enough an lunch can be done away with, really we need our schools to be resturants?

You have a lot of ideas, which is really great. I think the emphasis put on school sports would be better placed in better Physical education for every one. We definitely need to get into shape in this country. Having a job within the school could also be a very rewarding experience that would help them pick up a part time or full time job when they graduate.

[GCF]

You have a lot of ideas, which is really great. I think the emphasis put on school sports would be better placed in better Physical education for every one. We definitely need to get into shape in this country. Having a job within the school could also be a very rewarding experience that would help them pick up a part time or full time job when they graduate.

Honestly, I don't see what physical education has to do with school? We had recess and phy ed was nothing more then a class you goofed on. Just eliminate it an shorten the day! I would think that at highschool the day should be no longer then 6 hours, an that would be max as in grade school be shorten to 4-5 hours most. Really do we need 8-9 hour days for 6-12 year olds?

[KC]

Honestly, I don't see what physical education has to do with school? We had recess and phy ed was nothing more then a class you goofed on. Just eliminate it an shorten the day! I would think that at highschool the day should be no longer then 6 hours, an that would be max as in grade school be shorten to 4-5 hours most. Really do we need 8-9 hour days for 6-12 year olds?

I would argue physical education is important for developing social skills and getting used to competition. Not to mention being physically healthy is important for improving the mind. I don't think getting rid of PE is a good idea, but my high school required only two non consecutive semester, which you elect when to do.

[Chris]

Like others said, get back to basics--reading, writing, 'rithmatic, some logic! These are the intellectual tools that aid in how one thinks. Get away from teaching what to think, like they do now with emphasis on testing.

[Captain Obvious]

We are at a point in our society where there is no answer.

Gubmint is too bureaucratic, too inefficient, too wasteful to fix the problem. For-profit schools failed also.

We have painted ourselves into a corner.

[Agravan]

I would argue physical education is important for developing social skills and getting used to competition. Not to mention being physically healthy is important for improving the mind. I don't think getting rid of PE is a good idea, but my high school required only two non consecutive semester, which you elect when to do.

Unfortunately, when you give every student a trophy just for participating, refuse to keep score to avoid hurting feelings, you are NOT getting kids used to competition. You ae settingthem up for failure when they get to the real world where people DO keep score and there are no trophies just for showing up.

[KC]

Unfortunately, when you give every student a trophy just for participating, refuse to keep score to avoid hurting feelings, you are NOT getting kids used to competition. You ae settingthem up for failure when they get to the real world where people DO keep score and there are no trophies just for showing up.

Ok, so the best way to do physical education might be to not give out trophies so liberally.

[wingrider]

in my day.. back when I rode a dinosaur to school Phys ed consisted of exercise for 1 hour a day,, this included jumpings jacks running on a track and pushups amoung other strenuous activitys.. put it back to that level and the fat kids will soon trim down.

[Deadwood]

We could start with a paradigm shift; make schools for the students instead of the teachers.

Second, stop rewarding mediocrity with pay raises based on seniority and pay instead based on performance [see the film "Waiting for Superman"] Allow the outright dismissal of teachers who do not perform [such as sleeping in class].

And, as an experiment for now, shit can the classroom/lecture model for more interactive association [where the teacher sets the goals and the students work as a team to reach them] which is being tried here with so far, surprising results.

Finally, get rid of the concept of homework and integrate the learning experience with everyday life.

[Goldie Locks]

I fundamentally disagree, I think part of having an educated citizenry is early on moving kids to adopt self expression rather than survival based values. It is not enough to simply teach them to survive (have a job) they also should learn to be more useful to society. Learning to put on a condom in order to stop your partner from contracting an std is useful to society. So is stopping teenage pregnancy.

However I totally agree about raising the bar for education majors in college. Bring it on. I could use a little less competition.


Sorry, your answer is part of the problem...kids need education to be able to secure a job later on...this is exactly what the colleges need to concentrate on as well and it is not happening...sorry you are dead wrong.

[KC]

Sorry, your answer is part of the problem...kids need education to be able to secure a job later on...this is exactly what the colleges need to concentrate on as well and it is not happening...sorry you are dead wrong.

Since you can't confirm your opinion empirically I am dead wrong in your opinion.

[Goldie Locks]

Since you can't confirm your opinion empirically I am dead wrong in your opinion.


I'm suppose to prove a negative???
Something that has yet to happen???

[KC]

No, my point is that you cannot just say that I'm dead wrong. My being wrong is only based on your subjective evaluation of the subject. You may disagree with me, but neither one of us is right except in our own minds unless we can prove empirically that our own opinion is true.

Even so, we are trying to decide what the best educational policies are for kids. My assertion that in my opinion it would be best to equip future generations with jobs and teach sex ed is only an opinion, therefore I cannot be wrong about it; it is simply my opinion. Likewise, you can not be wrong about your opinion that I am incorrect. That is also your opinion.

It is possible for you to prove empirically that a school which does not teach sex ed is better at equipping future generations with jobs, but that still does not make it the best policy.

[wingrider]

I seen a cartoon the other day.. I can't seem to find .. but the gist of it was two students .. one was a liberal arts student the other was in trade school training to be a welder.

the punh line was the liberal arts student would graduate and if he is very lucky may find a job for about 15 K a year,, the trained welder would get a job right after training for about 50 k a year,

which student is going to be a success.?

[spcitocracy]

I often wondered whether or not it would be cheaper and more effective if a group of students banned together and hired an instructor to teach classes? Considering what college tuition costs are now a days would it be cheaper and more effective to cut out the middle men: 30 students contribute 5-10k a piece, the 150-300k would go to hire professors to teach at a designated place.

Just a thought.

[Goldie Locks]

No, my point is that you cannot just say that I'm dead wrong. My being wrong is only based on your subjective evaluation of the subject. You may disagree with me, but neither one of us is right except in our own minds unless we can prove empirically that our own opinion is true.

Even so, we are trying to decide what the best educational policies are for kids. My assertion that in my opinion it would be best to equip future generations with jobs and teach sex ed is only an opinion, therefore I cannot be wrong about it; it is simply my opinion. Likewise, you can not be wrong about your opinion that I am incorrect. That is also your opinion.

It is possible for you to prove empirically that a school which does not teach sex ed is better at equipping future generations with jobs, but that still does not make it the best policy.


i think my proof is the past.

[KC]

What if I told you that somewhere there is a Scandinavian country that likely teaches sex ed and has has the highest scores in math and science?

Would that prove that their methodology is the best?


No.


Because we have different ideas about what makes a policy best and what outcomes are best. For me, the best outcome would be having students excel in subjects like math and science while becoming educated, responsible citizens who understand fully the consequences of their sexual behaviors. They are also able to live life as a child, without too many long hours after school being punched to the breaking point, as the Japanese system tends to work out.

[Goldie Locks]

What if I told you that somewhere there is a Scandinavian country that likely teaches sex ed and has has the highest scores in math and science?

Would that prove that their methodology is the best?


No.


Because we have different ideas about what makes a policy best and what outcomes are best. For me, the best outcome would be having students excel in subjects like math and science while becoming educated, responsible citizens who understand fully the consequences of their sexual behaviors. They are also able to live life as a child, without too many long hours after school being punched to the breaking point, as the Japanese system tends to work out.


Sex should be for parents to teach...not the schools. How many minorities do the Scandinavian countries have??? We have latch key kids or kids without any parents who care...you can't teach that, but good teachers can inspire them beyond their social structure.

[Captain Obvious]

Sex should be for parents to teach...not the schools. How many minorities do the Scandinavian countries have??? We have latch key kids or kids without any parents who care...you can't teach that, but good teachers can inspire them beyond their social structure.

So you want Octomom teaching her kids about sex?

[Goldie Locks]

So you want Octomom teaching her kids about sex?

Do you want someone you don't know teach your children about sex???

[Captain Obvious]

Answer the question.

[Goldie Locks]

Answer the question.

You answer the question. All moms are like Octomom??? Hardly!!!!

[Captain Obvious]

You answer the question. All moms are like Octomom??? Hardly!!!!

A lot of them are worse.

[Goldie Locks]

A lot of them are worse.

That's your opinion. Parents are the ultimate authority. Whether you think they are qualified or not. Guess you subscribe to Moochelle telling kids what they should eat too.

[Captain Obvious]

Fact, not opinion.

[KC]

Sex should be for parents to teach...not the schools. How many minorities do the Scandinavian countries have??? We have latch key kids or kids without any parents who care...you can't teach that, but good teachers can inspire them beyond their social structure.

I agree that parents should teach their children about sex. I can't wait personally. My girlfriend of five years (and counting) and I abstained until after high school. I didn't make that choice because of sex ed, but sex ed did teach me a lot about the consequences of being irresponsible. I am agnostic in religious matters, so this choice was never about religion. I think that it would be immoral to bring another being into the world whom I couldn't support to the best of my ability. That potential will be better met when I am married, have a career and a house than now with a studio apartment, a job and a girlfriend. That's what I want my kids to know. The details of using a condom I can show my kids, but I want them to learn it in school, too.

Finland (the country I was referring to) does have a small number of minorities. It also has a much larger government and social spending level. We are so unlike Finland that it would be foolish to copy them and expect the same results. However, we may be able to draw inferences based on their success and apply some of them at the state level.

Demographically adjusted PISA scores:

450

[Goldie Locks]

Fact, not opinion.


Exactly what are the facts?

[Goldie Locks]

I agree that parents should teach their children about sex. I can't wait personally. My girlfriend of five years (and counting) and I abstained until after high school. I didn't make that choice because of sex ed, but sex ed did teach me a lot about the consequences of being irresponsible. I am agnostic in religious matters, so this choice was never about religion. I think that it would be immoral to bring another being into the world whom I couldn't support to the best of my ability. That potential will be better met when I am married, have a career and a house than now with a studio apartment, a job and a girlfriend. That's what I want my kids to know. The details of using a condom I can show my kids, but I want them to learn it in school, too.

Finland (the country I was referring to) does have a small number of minorities. It also has a much larger government and social spending level. We are so unlike Finland that it would be foolish to copy them and expect the same results. However, we may be able to draw inferences based on their success and apply some of them at the state level.

Demographically adjusted PISA scores:

450


That's right we spend way to much for to little results.

[KC]

That's right we spend way to much for to little results.

See, we agree about that much at least. :smiley:

[Goldie Locks]

See, we agree about that much at least. :smiley:

So what do you think the reasons for that are?

[KC]

I attribute it mostly to tenure. Unions certainly are to blame for protecting tenure, but Finland demonstrates a counterexample of how successful a country with unions but without a tenure system can be. It is not the case that we must have unions and tenure, in theory, but if in reality it takes busting the unions, then busting the unions would be a logical step.

Next, we ought to come up with a way to incentivize better teacher performance. It doesn't have to come in the form of taxpayer dollars, although it could.

Kids also need to eat better if they are going to be more receptive to learning. Countries with large nanny states tend to worry a lot about people's nutrition. I don't think we have to go that far, but I think we'd get better results if schools offered a breakfast and lunch program with only nutritious choices. This could be managed by states with a real interest in the success of future generations.

[Goldie Locks]

I attribute it mostly to tenure. Unions certainly are to blame for protecting tenure, but Finland demonstrates a counterexample of how successful a country with unions but without a tenure system can be. It is not the case that we must have unions and tenure, in theory, but if in reality it takes busting the unions, then busting the unions would be a logical step.

Next, we ought to come up with a way to incentivize better teacher performance. It doesn't have to come in the form of taxpayer dollars, although it could.

Kids also need to eat better if they are going to be more receptive to learning. Countries with large nanny states tend to worry a lot about people's nutrition. I don't think we have to go that far, but I think we'd get better results if schools offered a breakfast and lunch program with only nutritious choices. This could be managed by states with a real interest in the success of future generations.


Well, I'm totally against public unions. Better teacher performance needs to start at the education of teachers.

You know when I was a kid we ate breakfast at home and packed our lunch, now we seem to have every meal at school, why is that???
Some schools now don't even allow packed lunches from home, because they might have some cookies or otherwise contraband in there...gezzz Louise.

[KC]

Well, I'm totally against public unions. Better teacher performance needs to start at the education of teachers.

You know when I was a kid we ate breakfast at home and packed our lunch, now we seem to have every meal at school, why is that???
Some schools now don't even allow packed lunches from home, because they might have some cookies or otherwise contraband in there...gezzz Louise.

I did the same in high school. The food in the cafeteria was both awful and awful for you. When kids can choose between grease soaked pizza or chicken nuggets, but often just choose cookies and soda instead there's a problem with a kid's diet.

[Goldie Locks]

I did the same in high school. The food in the cafeteria was both awful and awful for you. When kids can choose between grease soaked pizza or chicken nuggets, but often just choose cookies and soda instead there's a problem with a kid's diet.


But as a kid I hated everything...I took a PBJ everyday...LOL and I am no worse for it. As an older person now I eat, fruit, veggies, meat...balanced diet. mostly low carbs. Weigh less now than I did in high school, but eating what I wanted was important then as it is now. School lunches suck and it is not what the kids want...kids are kids and then they grow up.

[KC]

So you think that kids should have access to all sorts of junk food in school, correct?

Why not use them as an incentive? In my early childhood education, pizza parties were offered as an incentive for our good behavior. Why not structure cafeteria lunches the same way?

[Goldie Locks]

So you think that kids should have access to all sorts of junk food in school, correct?

Why not use them as an incentive? In my early childhood education, pizza parties were offered as an incentive for our good behavior. Why not structure cafeteria lunches the same way?


Not at all, but kids won't eat what they don't like. I ate PBJ's and later in high school we could go out and ate hamburger and fries every day...so what??? My health was not damaged...I got filled up with what I liked and excelled in school.

[Goldie Locks]

Have to say though we were not fat. We didn't have computers or video games...we played outside from dawn until dusk when not in school...that is the main problem with kids weight today, because of the risks of going outside unsupervised and latch key children, they are stuck in the house or want to be in the house and play video games whenever they can. Most kids today have no imagination. They would not fathom having sword fights with two sticks.

[roadmaster]

As someone who Is currently seeking an education degree I may be a little biased, but I'm really curious what broad reforms we could do in order to fix education at the state/local level.

I think at the very least we have to do away with tenure for teachers. Administrators need to be able to replace teachers who just don't ignite a spark in their students. That will create an incentive for teachers to try hard, just like in a free market.

I am not a teacher but if she or he has a classroom of unruly students that don't want to learn it's not the teachers fault. Parents should be involved and come together for their children and teach them respect. Not saying all teachers are good because I had my share of dealings with a few of them when I children were young.

[roadmaster]

Most kids today have no imagination. They would not fathom having sword fights with two sticks.

You know it sounds funny but you are absolutely correct.

[Goldie Locks]

I am not a teacher but if she or he has a classroom of unruly students that don't want to learn it's not the teachers fault. Parents should be involved and come together for their children and teach them respect. Not saying all teachers are good because I had my share of dealings with a few of them when I children were young.


Well one problem is a lot of parents are not involved. They are working, on drugs or otherwise non-parenting. This is one reason why teachers must be more today than they were when I was in school. Is it too much to ask...probably, but those are the the steaks.

[roadmaster]

Well one problem is a lot of parents are not involved. They are working, on drugs or otherwise non-parenting. This is one reason why teachers must be more today than they were when I was in school. Is it too much to ask...probably, but those are the the steaks.

Both my parents worked different shifts and believe me I knew better than to bring home a failing grade. I know things were different back then but I wanted an education and didn't want to disappoint my parents or myself. I don't understand kids that don't want to succeed in life. Kids have no excuse today. I worked on a farm, walked to school, and still had time to want to better myself.

[KC]

Not at all, but kids won't eat what they don't like. I ate PBJ's and later in high school we could go out and ate hamburger and fries every day...so what??? My health was not damaged...I got filled up with what I liked and excelled in school.

There's nothing wrong with any of that. However it's my opinion that the lunch offered by the school should be healthy. Our brains function better with proper nutrition. The schools I went to always gave us really healthy food... when standardized tests came around.

[roadmaster]

There's nothing wrong with any of that. However it's my opinion that the lunch offered by the school should be healthy. Our brains function better with proper nutrition. The schools I went to always gave us really healthy food... when standardized tests came around.

I only ate lunch at school and yes healthy foods are good but I think it's the parents responsibility to make sure they are feed correctly. In High School they are going to eat what they want period.

[Captain Obvious]

I ate lunch for free during my senior year in HS. My buddies mom was the lunch lady and she had the hots for me.

She was kinda cute, I shoulda banged her.

[roadmaster]

I ate lunch for free during my senior year in HS. My buddies mom was the lunch lady and she had the hots for me.

She was kinda cute, I shoulda banged her.

Or maybe she was just being nice. Bet you think every waitress that's nice to you wants you too? They want a tip, not you.

[Captain Obvious]

Yeah, nice. She must have thought my package was off kilter in my boxers when she grabbed my crotch that one day

[roadmaster]

Yeah, nice. She must have thought my package was off kilter in my boxers when she grabbed my crotch that one day

Or maybe she thought you were a girl.

[coolwalker]

Start with the teachers actually providing input for any laws...get rid of no child left behind...funnel all lottery money only into the schools...test teachers every 3 years to see if they are truly capable of teaching and keep the bar high...stress education and not atheletics...go back to neighborhood schools.