If You can read this, thank a teacher!

[firie]

Originally Posted by apocalipstic

With less money being spent there is less tax money to pay the teachers, I get that.

But when I think of the things we do spend money on like the 2 wars we are fighting for NOTHING and how much that money could do to help kids with their education and their health care it makes me want to scream.

Art and music programs being canceled/cut back way before sports makes me want to scream too.

I do wonder about the ups and down in numbers of students based on population booms, how some years we have a shortage of teachers and another a surplus...and I also question the media's love of stirring the pot and freaking us out. CNN has zero idea where Hawaii and Estonia are...grrrrrr and I wonder how anyone gets out of elementary school not knowing at least where the states are...and ends up as a newscaster.

I could go on....

Great thread Diva! I hold a special place in my heart for some of the great teachers I had who shaped my life more than they will ever know. Many of them music teachers.

Yeah, I think we tend to look at the logic of the funding behind two wars and then the move at slashing the school system this way, and automatically go wtf, but it's all about the genius of insuring American stupidity by bureaucratic budgets. We don't just throw one pile of cash into another budget and for good reason. Everything is so "complexly" allocated, I guess. Makes me think we don't really want a good education system. Why would we? We have had a better record at being so so in education and still manage to be the number one super power. That isn't because the masses in this country are rocket scientists. It's because most Americans are not critical thinkers. So those in power in this country are able to secure conquer and control of citizens, and then the terror (nice equation for world power) of fear internationally. Kinda like dick and balls idioacracy, you know? This benefits Americans in power because it keeps the pie tightly theirs. In order to truly ensure that, I think, you need a complacency among the masses that fuels stupid consumerism and thus the rich and their pockets. Hence, the rich don't really send their children to public schools. They also placate the masses (tossing out scraps is far easier when you are dealing with so many people than to fight them as hungry hordes) and with things such as television, new cars, cola, and well, public education.

[theoddz]

Originally Posted by firie

Yeah, I think we tend to look at the logic of the funding behind two wars and then the move at slashing the school system this way, and automatically go wtf, but it's all about the genius of insuring American stupidity by bureaucratic budgets. We don't just throw one pile of cash into another budget and for good reason. Everything is so "complexly" allocated, I guess. Makes me think we don't really want a good education system. Why would we? We have had a better record at being so so in education and still manage to be the number one super power. That isn't because the masses in this country are rocket scientists. It's because most Americans are not critical thinkers. So those in power in this country are able to secure conquer and control of citizens, and then the terror (nice equation for world power) of fear internationally. Kinda like dick and balls idioacracy, you know? This benefits Americans in power because it keeps the pie tightly theirs. In order to truly ensure that, I think, you need a complacency among the masses that fuels stupid consumerism and thus the rich and their pockets. Hence, the rich don't really send their children to public schools. They also placate the masses (tossing out scraps is far easier when you are dealing with so many people than to fight them as hungry hordes) and with things such as television, new cars, cola, and well, public education.

I totally agree with this and have thought this for quite a number of years. The political system, which also controls funding, wants to further the agenda of the dumbing down of America. Uneducated people don't read and for the most part, don't encourage their children to become educated. They let pop culture....in other words, the television and mass media, educate their children in what the establishment wants them to know.

Some folks may call me a "conspiracy theorist", but I strongly believe that this worldwide trend toward wealth redistribution is fully in play. That's why all of the (former) higher paying American jobs have been sent overseas. In such a process, the goal is to lower the standard of American living and increase it in other areas of the world which have, historically, had a lower standard. We all know that education has been the key to enjoying a higher standard of living. Well, that's exactly why the political system in this country has been gradually tearing down/dismantling the educational system.

These politicians may preach education, but that's not what they really want to do. Cutting education is means to an end. Here's a good link to what I'm saying.

http://pakalert.wordpress.com/2009/0...ntury-exposed/

~Theo~

[NJFemmie]

In all fairness, my sister taught me how to read and write before I even entered school. *smirk*
But .... I do think (some) teachers are grossly underpaid and under appreciated.
It is interesting how funding will go to financial institutions before they consider the educational system.

[The_Lady_Snow]

Columbus City Schools give layoff notices to 113 teachers on Friday.. Teacher's Union calls it a dark day for the district..

[Diva]

And I just saw a story on the power of music in the life of an autistic child, whose mother believed in her and fought for her, even though she herself was fighting cancer.

This child, Stephanie ~ who lives in southern California ~ had a passion for opera, it seemed. And sang "Ave Maria" at her mother's memorial service.

Yeah....let's kill music, et al, in our schools.

Snowy....it is a sad day. I'm sorry to hear this.

NJ...while she may not have been paid at the time, and unpaid, she was/is still a teacher. <smile> Don't You smirk at me, girl, or I'll spank You..... corporal punishment lives! LOL!

[blush]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/0..._n_498003.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/13/ed...n/13texas.html

We can debate the effects of these articles.
We can debate the loss of teachers.
We can debate the decline of schools.

It doesn't mean shit unless we get out into our local community and GET INVOLVED in the schools. It is PUBLIC education. Most of the people who have control of curriculum, school boards, and textbook content are elected. Unfortunately, most of us would rather complain than go to a board meeting or go to a public textbook meeting or vote these assholes out of office.

If you care, back it up, and get involved. As an educator, I'm damn sick of being told what's wrong with our schools and watching election after election go by with very little voter turnout. I'm sick of PTA meeting with only a handful of parents in attendance.

The special interest groups know our apathy and are banking on the fact that no one will stop them. In Texas, they have gotten their foothold in pretty well. Unfortunately, we are a big state. Most school districts follow our lead. So this disease will spread until we stop it.

[Nat]

The teacher who "taught" me to read was a horrible, mean, snippy, condescending woman who put me in a corner facing away from the class and told my parents she thought I belonged in special ed. Sooooooo, I'm afraid I don't feel hugely grateful to her.

But, I am hugely grateful for the vast majority of teachers I had growing up, and I am hugely grateful for the very important role they play in our society. I am sure being a teacher has its rewards, but even a mediocre teacher has applied her/himself greatly to the profession and has made many personal sacrifices in order to serve society.

So - many thanks. I sure hope Austin doesn't lay off a single teacher.