Jackson Jambalaya

If most parents spent as much money, time, and mental enthusiasm teaching their children math and science as they do on sports, these reports would produce much better results. Focus on what is going to count in the later years, not what gratifies the senses in the current.

Part of the problem is there are a good many teachers who are not qualified to teach. The were taught by unqualified teachers so therefore they are just as unqualified. The education system has been dumbed down and no amount of money they throw into education will help until we get some teachers who know how to teach. Now I'm not talking about all teachers just those who do not meet the qualifications.

The largest majority of teachers are very qualified and very dedicated to doing their jobs well. But, they are required to teach students how to pass state testing. State testing is developed towards all students. State testing is how schools are graded. A schools grades and attendance decides the amount of funding the school will get - "No child left behind." Over the years, schools have dumbed down the system so that some athletes can make a passing grade to be allowed to play. The current system drags all students down to the lowest level.

This isn't new. It's been going on for 40 years.

If most parents spent as much money, time, and mental enthusiasm teaching their children math and science as they do on sports, these reports would produce much better results. Focus on what is going to count in the later years, not what gratifies the senses in the current.

An anonymous with no bona fides is an anonymous comment no different than from an childless intern at the JFP ... or even the owners of the JFP themselves.

So, how does one explain Mennonite school children being formally educated through the seventh grade by non-degreed teachers and parents, and housed in portable classrooms, "aceing" GED tests to get into nursing school and colleges? The answer is sooooooo simple!

Those of us who went to good schools know that parents let teachers teach their subject so they could make it interesting for the class. Students could be divided up according to their readiness to learn the subject matter. Students weren't passed on if they weren't ready to advance. Politics and religion weren't a part of school. Yes, we said the Pledge and had a minute of devotional that was a reminder to be kind and could be done today with zero controversy if anyone bothered with he content. Parents believed the teachers and not little Johnny's excuses. Few tests were multiple choice as it was seen as important for little Johnny to learn to write and think not just memorize or recognize key sentences in a paragraph for testing. The activities allowed kids to learn to organized and manage and select leaders with minimal adult supervision. And, at the university level, it wasn't about making money for the university other than through donations and fund raising and those giving money didn't get to dictate how every dime was spent. Colleges and universities wanted to be " ivory towers" of academic integrity for a sound reason. Those students with emotional problems and serious learning disabilities didn't hold back an entire class. There parents had to find alternative schools at their own expense. We didn't make the absurd assumption that every child could pass a test just because they'd reached a certain age. Nor did we assume every child could go to or graduate from college. But, now, a college education is not much better than a high school education in my day. Again, testing is objective.
As a society, we just don't like smart people that know more than we do. We hate knowledge and trust our feelings and instincts. We don't defer to people who have acquired expertise with rare exceptions like medical doctors and they are quickly losing credibility as well as medicine becomes a business where again integrity,knowledge and the purpose of healing is secondary. Doctors are required to treat every patient as falling in the average rather than use their training to assess an individual.
We've gone from Buckley to Beck , from King to Sharpton, from Stevenson to Pelosi. And, we wonder why things aren't working out!

But on the bright side, at least our kids know all of the Justin Bieber songs and what Kim Kardashian is wearing on any given day.

Still waiting for AH comments on Mississippi State's loss to UCLA.


Maybe AH should be looking at Charter Schools for the solution to declining scholastic achievements in public schools?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABxuHgMVft8