are we defunding education to fund entitlements?

[madryan]

I've got four grandkids and all of them have school iPads and are responsible for them. I asked them what do you do with these? "Nothing" was their response. Oh, also all the teachers got one also

That's a failure of the administration because I use the fuck out of mine in most of my upper Div. college courses.

[Lloyd Blankfein]

I think schools need to focus more on the individual rather than teaching some broad based shitty curriculum.

I'm not saying go full soviet style but if a kid has good solid skills with his hands, we need to make sure he knows how to build shit. Focus on geometry, algebra and fabrication based skills.

If a kid has a way with a paint brush, lets focus on his design, art and philosophy.

Instead we have kids that are paired up in classes that will do them no good and that's a waste of money.

[Noah]

Ipads are cheap. It is paying staff and retirees that is blowing budgets.

[madryan]

I think schools need to focus more on the individual rather than teaching some broad based shitty curriculum.

I'm not saying go full soviet style but if a kid has good solid skills with his hands, we need to make sure he knows how to build shit. Focus on geometry, algebra and fabrication based skills.

If a kid has a way with a paint brush, lets focus on his design, art and philosophy.

Instead we have kids that are paired up in classes that will do them no good and that's a waste of money.

To some extent this is absolutely the way to go.

Our local highschool split into 4 or 5 distinct schools. It's got a School of Business, a School of Science and Tech, a School of Humanities, etc. They're completely separate from each other, students can choose their own track and follow what interests them. My stepdad, after teaching for 30-something years started a foundation to get kids money for college or tech school. It's run out of the same highschool and up until this year, every kid that applied got a scholarship. He talks to every senior throughout the year and tries to keep them on a path to graduation and also tries to council them on where they want to go after. Lots of kids get pressure to go to a standard college when they really have no business or desire to be there. He tries to show them other options.

He's sent kids to Linemans school, Auto-Tech schools, Welding Schools, all sorts of places.

[PurpleTrails]

The entitlement increases you are so mad about have little to nothing to do with funding for schools. Schools are mostly funded at the local and state levels, while the entitlement programs you mentioned are funded at the federal level; in the case of ssl, it is pretty much a separately funded entity that has little to nothing to do with the rest of the federal budget.

If you want to get bent out of shape about school budgets, try taking a look at the Bush era "no student left behind" program. This imposed increased testing requirements, curriculum materials needed and standards for getting teacher certification without providing funding to do so. That immediately put a bunch of school district budgets way out of whack. It also puts all students on a college track. Ask my wife, who is a special ed teacher, how much sense it makes to expect barely functional kids to follow a college prep track.

Beyond the idiotic LAUSD wasting money on iPads, a lot of districts have problems with funding pensions. A lot of state and local government folks have had their pensions increased quite a bit through political activism, and in the time honored tradition of robbing Peter to pay Paul, districts have underfunded the pension funds for years to balance their current budgets. The increased demands are now being exacerbated by the retirement of the baby boomers. To try to keep current salaries down, and to reduce future pension contributions most districts are trying to get their most experienced teachers to retire, replacing them with relative newbies who have both lower salaries and reduced benefits in their contracts, which tends to move out more effective teachers.

Also, like the corporate world the amount of salaries being paid to upper administrative personnel has ballooned way out of proportion to increases to teachers.

I really don't get why conservative voters are so obsessed with entitlements and fraud, other than the right-wing media tells them to be. Yes, entitlements have grown slightly over the past 20 years, but their increases are dwarfed by the run up in spending on both military operations and procurements both in absolute terms and as a percentage of GNP. If you want to make a substantive dent in either the deficit or government spending levels you really need to start there.

[Walt]

I think schools need to focus more on the individual rather than teaching some broad based shitty curriculum.

I'm not saying go full soviet style but if a kid has good solid skills with his hands, we need to make sure he knows how to build shit. Focus on geometry, algebra and fabrication based skills.

If a kid has a way with a paint brush, lets focus on his design, art and philosophy.

Instead we have kids that are paired up in classes that will do them no good and that's a waste of money.

Completely agree.
Just saw a great lecture on education reform based around specialization.

[Noah]

I think schools need to focus more on the individual rather than teaching some broad based shitty curriculum.

I'm not saying go full soviet style but if a kid has good solid skills with his hands, we need to make sure he knows how to build shit. Focus on geometry, algebra and fabrication based skills.

If a kid has a way with a paint brush, lets focus on his design, art and philosophy.

Instead we have kids that are paired up in classes that will do them no good and that's a waste of money.

Mike Rowe says it best:

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NwEFVUb-u0[/video]

[DNW]

Schools need to figure it out.

The 1940's and 1950's spit out astronauts, inventors and all kinds of very intelligent people. They did this with textbooks, pencils and a slide ruler.

Now we have kids who can barely read a magazine while shitting and they need iPads?

lol. Schools got bloated with bullshit curriculum that increased costs due to an abundance of supplies like smocks for art class, 'journals' for your feelings, etc.

Fuck that, here's an abbicus and a book about mars. Get to work putas.

*ahem*... abacus. Back to school for you.

But yeah, a friend of mine is a primary school teacher. She was explaining to me and showed me some documenty outliney thing a while back, some bullshit way of teaching that they're all supposed to follow. From what I can recall... she doesn't teach much, the kids are supposed to figure shit out themselves. If a kid asks a question, instead of actually helping them apparently they now ask stupid shit like, "Well what do YOU think." Bitch, if I had an answer I wouldn't be fuckin' asking. It seemed like there wasn't going to be much learning going on, and just a whole bunch of being really careful to not make stupid kids feel stupid. And any learning that did go on would be at the pace of the dumbest kid in the class.

I told her it sounded fucking stupid, and that it sounded like we're setting up for a generation (or more) of fucking morons. She pretty much agreed, but said that's the way they have to do it.

That said, I was reading some thing the other day that said Australian kids apparently score pretty well. The article was about American kids scoring rather poorly on whatever... standardised test bullshit. And about some testing showing that it's not just kids, apparently there are a lot of stupid adults in the US too. Which wasn't really all that surprising. I was more surprised that Australian kids apparently score pretty well. Now that I think about it though, that's probably more down to all the Asian immigrants.

[madryan]

Schools need to figure it out.

The 1940's and 1950's spit out astronauts, inventors and all kinds of very intelligent people. They did this with textbooks, pencils and a slide ruler.

Now we have kids who can barely read a magazine while shitting and they need iPads?

lol. Schools got bloated with bullshit curriculum that increased costs due to an abundance of supplies like smocks for art class, 'journals' for your feelings, etc.

Fuck that, here's an abbicus and a book about mars. Get to work putas.

*ahem*... abacus. Back to school for you.

But yeah, a friend of mine is a primary school teacher. She was explaining to me and showed me some documenty outliney thing a while back, some bullshit way of teaching that they're all supposed to follow. From what I can recall... she doesn't teach much, the kids are supposed to figure shit out themselves. If a kid asks a question, instead of actually helping them apparently they now ask stupid shit like, "Well what do YOU think." Bitch, if I had an answer I wouldn't be fuckin' asking. It seemed like there wasn't going to be much learning going on, and just a whole bunch of being really careful to not make stupid kids feel stupid. And any learning that did go on would be at the pace of the dumbest kid in the class.

I told her it sounded fucking stupid, and that it sounded like we're setting up for a generation (or more) of fucking morons. She pretty much agreed, but said that's the way they have to do it.

That said, I was reading some thing the other day that said Australian kids apparently score pretty well. The article was about American kids scoring rather poorly on whatever... standardised test bullshit. And about some testing showing that it's not just kids, apparently there are a lot of stupid adults in the US too. Which wasn't really all that surprising. I was more surprised that Australian kids apparently score pretty well. Now that I think about it though, that's probably more down to all the Asian immigrants.

Ahem...

[primeholy]

Dudes, we could easily solve all this shit by letting gasking teach all teh kids his new math.

[madryan]

In all seriousness, Waldorf (at which my sister teaches) and Montessori schools do a great job of modifying the curriculum to fit the kids. Most of them are either private or charter schools so they don't fall under the "One size fits all" mandate of No Child allowed to succeed.

If NCLBH taught us anything it's never let a guy from Texas set policy for your education system.

[DNW]

Ahem...

http://www.ibtimes.com/us-17th-global-e ... ots-901538

[madryan]

Ahem...

http://www.ibtimes.com/us-17th-global-e ... ots-901538

I was just pointing out that there's alot of disparity in our nation depending on where you go.

[~Abstract~]

Education is an entitlement.


oke:

[DoubleBarrel]

Food Stamps (SNAP) has a very low rate of fraud. .

Are you really that dumb or just don't read

http://www.macon.com/2013/10/09/2710083/store-employee-sentenced-to-probation.html

http://www.fbi.gov/baltimore/press-releases/2013/nine-retailers-arrested-on-food-stamp-fraud-charges

http://www.sacbee.com/2013/09/19/5748481/california-faulted-for-food-stamp.html

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/03/08/food-stamp-fraud-increasingly-sophisticated-despite-reports-drop-in-cases/




[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McW90W_9Iws[/video]

Wow... Anecdotal evidence which wouldn't even denote a statistical bump.

lol...

You obviously slept through stats class.

Hmmm.....4 sources PROVE you wrong without a doubt. So you use the old lefty trick of, "if you can't refute the facts, insult the messenger." ..........You are a rube for the "regressive" party and a pawn of the liberal agenda. Facts, and statistics mean nothing to you unless they agree with your narrow view.

You obviously slept thru ALL your classes.

[DoubleBarrel]

Schools need to figure it out.

The 1940's and 1950's spit out astronauts, inventors and all kinds of very intelligent people. They did this with textbooks, pencils and a slide ruler.

Now we have kids who can barely read a magazine while shitting and they need iPads?

lol. Schools got bloated with bullshit curriculum that increased costs due to an abundance of supplies like smocks for art class, 'journals' for your feelings, etc.

Fuck that, here's an abbicus and a book about mars. Get to work putas.

*ahem*... abacus. Back to school for you.

But yeah, a friend of mine is a primary school teacher. She was explaining to me and showed me some documenty outliney thing a while back, some bullshit way of teaching that they're all supposed to follow. From what I can recall... she doesn't teach much, the kids are supposed to figure shit out themselves. If a kid asks a question, instead of actually helping them apparently they now ask stupid shit like, "Well what do YOU think." Bitch, if I had an answer I wouldn't be fuckin' asking. It seemed like there wasn't going to be much learning going on, and just a whole bunch of being really careful to not make stupid kids feel stupid. And any learning that did go on would be at the pace of the dumbest kid in the class.

I told her it sounded fucking stupid, and that it sounded like we're setting up for a generation (or more) of fucking morons. She pretty much agreed, but said that's the way they have to do it.

That said, I was reading some thing the other day that said Australian kids apparently score pretty well. The article was about American kids scoring rather poorly on whatever... standardised test bullshit. And about some testing showing that it's not just kids, apparently there are a lot of stupid adults in the US too. Which wasn't really all that surprising. I was more surprised that Australian kids apparently score pretty well. Now that I think about it though, that's probably more down to all the Asian immigrants.

Ahem...

Don't confuse "educated" with "intelligent" , they are 2 very different things.

[Marc G]

Educated and intelligent are two different things for sure BUT being educated helps you make intelligent choices.... if you aren't educated in basic math a budget will make no sense to you.

[DoubleBarrel]

Educated and intelligent are two different things for sure BUT being educated helps you make intelligent choices.... if you aren't educated in basic math a budget will make no sense to you.

There are plenty of "educated people who don't understand a budget. For example, MadRyan, Obama, and Congress

[Marc G]

I think Congress understand... they understand it well... they understand it enough to fuck it up and put things in the way of progress and further their goals... and keep in mind, being educated in Latin or will not equip you to understand a complicated budget that has Macro and Micro economic consequences and results... the thing is that's why you hope people elect representatives that have this type of education but that often is not the case... the same way I hire a certified accountant to manage my companies accounts and a qualified engineer to do my designs... each are educated and qualified in their fields and aren't really interchangeable.

[Noah]

Are we defunding entitlements to fund this?

Flaming beer-pong ball blamed for Pa. blaze

[madryan]

Educated and intelligent are two different things for sure BUT being educated helps you make intelligent choices.... if you aren't educated in basic math a budget will make no sense to you.

There are plenty of "educated people who don't understand a budget. For example, MadRyan, Obama, and Congress

Bullshit...

Isaac Asimov was talking about folks like you when he uttered this quote...

There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there always has been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that "my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge."

Oh and DoubleBubble...

I'm fucking dying here. You claim to be a patriot and all this but don't even understand the basics of the appropriations system as laid out by the constitution. You blame Obama for spending when the Republican dominated house is exclusively in charge of that.

lolz...

Maybe you should take a basic civics class so I don't have to clean coffee off my monitor again.

[Noah]

madryan, if you want to encourage intellectual discussion you need to stop starting your arguments with "Bullshit".

Avoid childish put-downs like telling people to go take a civics or a sociology class.

Treat everyone with respect whether they are a garbageman or the president of Harvard. It's called class.

[DoubleBarrel]

Educated and intelligent are two different things for sure BUT being educated helps you make intelligent choices.... if you aren't educated in basic math a budget will make no sense to you.

There are plenty of "educated people who don't understand a budget. For example, MadRyan, Obama, and Congress

Bullshit...

Isaac Asimov was talking about folks like you when he uttered this quote...

There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there always has been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that "my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge."

You make me laugh SadRyan. Just because you quote Asimov does not make you an intellectual. In fact that last part could be about you.

Oh and DoubleBubble...

I'm fucking dying here. You claim to be a patriot and all this but don't even understand the basics of the appropriations system as laid out by the constitution. You blame Obama for spending when the Republican dominated house is exclusively in charge of that.

lolz...

Maybe you should take a basic civics class so I don't have to clean coffee off my monitor again.

SadRyan. You know who you remind me of ? You are Otto West (played by Kevin Kline) from a Fish Called Wanda. Every post I read is so wrong it reminds me of this

Otto West: Don't call me stupid.

Wanda: Oh, right! To call you stupid would be an insult to stupid people! I've known sheep that could outwit you. I've worn dresses with higher IQs. But you think you're an intellectual, don't you, ape?

Otto West: Apes don't read philosophy.

Wanda: Yes they do, Otto. They just don't understand it. Now let me correct you on a couple of things, OK? Aristotle was not Belgian. The central message of Buddhism is not "Every man for himself." And the London Underground is not a political movement. Those are all mistakes, Otto.

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5IQnQhzMSI[/video]

[DoubleBarrel]

[quo

Oh and DoubleBubble...

I'm fucking dying here. You claim to be a patriot and all this but don't even understand the basics of the appropriations system as laid out by the constitution. You blame Obama for spending when the Republican dominated house is exclusively in charge of that.

lolz...

Maybe you should take a basic civics class so I don't have to clean coffee off my monitor again.

Oh Otto............I never said that..........can't you even read ?



Stop using the diversionary & insult tactics of the left and look at the facts.

[Marc G]

Educated and intelligent are two different things for sure BUT being educated helps you make intelligent choices.... if you aren't educated in basic math a budget will make no sense to you.

There are plenty of "educated people who don't understand a budget. For example, MadRyan, Obama, and Congress

Bullshit...

Isaac Asimov was talking about folks like you when he uttered this quote...

the only way my statement is bullshit is if we are conversing in two different languages.... or Websters and Oxford changed the definitions of the words overnight...