The State Of The Union

[err0r]

yes but maybe the standards we have aren't the right ones. Is knowing your geography more important than knowing how to run a computer. Which is a more valued subject to be knowledgeable in. Does a degree in history make you smarter than a degree in agriculture? I think it's time we look into what we are teaching our kids. History and geography are important things to know but of what use are they to the average person in the work force. I think that is why trade schools are becoming so popular. You can decide what you want to be and go and study just that.

 

It's not just standards that are the issue.

There is more for kids to do these days and it's harder to get them to focus on education.

Teachers are overworked and underpaid but that is no excuse for them not to do their job. Either do it or quit i'm tired of hearing them cry about it

I've had jobs that didn't treat me right so i quit.

You can't expect kids to do what grownups aren't willing to do. ( there is too much about that to go into )

 

I'll give you a prime example of where education rates in the u.s.

 

A local community college decided to go to a 4 day class week instead of 5 because of the price of gas

 

Now many think hey that's a good idea

 

Is it?

 

trading education for gas money is a good idea?

 

never occured to them to maybe cut the costs of books or school a little.. of course not they want their money they aren't concerned with the students or their education.

 

The system doesn't care about you or your kids and never will. Raise the standards through the roof or lower them to the floor it doesn't matter.

 

Tell me what the worst thing about lowering the standards would be. maybe graduating a child and sending them off to a college they wouldn't normally get into. If one out of ten of those kids actually makes it through college isn't it worth it.. I mean the college is gonna get their money regardless.

 

I don't like it anymore than you do. I see the dumbing down of america but i also see us pandering to everyone in sight so why leave the kids out.. If anyone of us deserve it they do.

 

ah i have too much to say about this with every sentence i type i want to say more but i think it will fall on deaf ears so i'll end it now.

 

 

 

[Guest Travis]

I understand your point but there are more things to life than making money. If we created a species whose sole purpose, drive and mindset was based around money it would be a very boring, uncultured group. History, geography, philosophy, sociology, these teach culture. They give a larger base of reference when considering everyday instances in life.

 

History teaches us of our past and the path of mankind as we know it. This gives us insight into who we are as a whole and an individual comparitively. Geography shows us how small we are compared to the world, and how many different cultures there are out there. Without these subjects I would think the world revolved around me and make the same mistakes our ancestors made. Philosophy is out there to give a base of what has already been discovered so we can add to it and take it up a notch, without it everyone could easily be mulling over the same ideas every 100 years.

 

I believe in Sweden, around the age of puberty kids are tested to see what fields they do well in and enjoy. Then they have the option of picking a field of study. Then you are taught it. The idea is to look at the individual, figure out what job they would enjoy the most and set them up in it. It is extremely important to enjoy your job. It also means they will excel at their line of work since they enjoy it so much. The colleges are run by the government so it is free. It is the government educating it's work force to support the government which is the people. Make sense? It isn't a profit system, it's a real life system. Doctors are doctors because they want to help people, not because they want a hot chick with fake boobs and a mercedes. Since medical school is free doctors aren't paying off tuition so they don't charge exorbitant amounts. Actually I believe it is all free healthcare but I'm not positive.

 

By the way, this knowledge of another way of living is what history and geography is all about.

 

okay, I just realized a drawback to history. If it weren't for the recording of history we wouldn't keep bringing back old styles like paisley or bellbottoms. Or rapping over some old hit song every year acting like you are so awesome for rapping over some old hit song. But I digress ...

 

I don't think we should leave out subjects just because they aren't immediately profitable.

 

ah i have too much to say about this with every sentence i type i want to say more but i think it will fall on deaf ears so i'll end it now.

 

That's exactly how I feel.

Edited May 2, 2008 by Travis

[Kent]

I have read bits and pieces of several replies in this thread.

 

We have to realize before we start making harsh criticisms of policies and laws, that if we are to change things and make them something else, SOMEONE OR SOMETHING is going to be left out.

 

We halt illegal immigration. Prices go up on certain luxuries, shortage in the labor market for certain fields. (No I don't believe in illegal taking jobs Americans dont want.) We keep illegal immigrants. Immigrants cost the US government 50 billion a year and yet they pay only I think 40 billion in taxes. That's a net fiscal deficit of around 10 billion a year.... Centers for Immigration Studies. http://cis.org

 

As you can see with everything, there are two outcomes, a good one and a bad one. There is always going to be someone left out no matter what decision we make in life.

 

------------------------------------------------I hope this above makes sense, it's 2 am and I'm tired.----------------------------------

 

America is ran on a capitalistic society. We ARE THE OLDEST SURVIVING FEDERATION IN THE WORLD, with our form of government being the most duplicated. We have been for hundreds of years. It's sad to say, BUT our greed and money have given way to some of the world's greatest inventions. We are still the world's ONLY REMAINING SUPERPOWER and we are the leader in the technological and medical fields. "Partly as a result, the United States maintains the highest labor productivity in the world. However, it no longer leads the world in productivity per hour as it did from the 1950s through the early 1990s; workers in Norway, France, Belgium, and Luxembourg are now more productive per hour." - Wikipedia. Despite American's wrong doings, we work hard. Americans do work hard for what we have. We are forced to by our society. Unfortunately there are the negatives. The downside to that is we have used other nations for their resources (oil, water, diamonds, work force, etc...) We are becoming more materialistic, more interested in material goods as a way of showing our wealth, intelligence, etc.. instead of using knowledge in sciences, history, math, etc... as means.

 

America in a sense has drifted away from our true meaning.

 

Like I said there is a good and bad to every situation.

 

blah blah blah, to be continued. I'm tired!

[err0r]

I'm pretty sick of people thinking money, power, and status somehow makes them smarter than other people. Not everyone strives for or has the opportunity to get those things.

 

yeah i talked about that as well.

 

I think some of the subjects we teach are outdated and less important than others. ( my personal opinion )

 

The future of trade schools will continue to rise in popularity

 

Public school has become a joke in many areas and state and federal mandates aren't going to make a difference.

 

If you want to make a difference it has to start with the Parents/Teachers/and local school board. Ask a Katrina victim what happens when you depend on the govt for something.

[Kent]

This is a sad joke, but to some of the KATRINA VICTIMS, they shouldn't have been stealing TVs and shooting at the government when they came to help. Just a thought?

[err0r]

don't get me wrong i really don't have that much sympathy for some of the people during katrina. If a storm that big is coming and you are told to leave then leave. If you depend on the govt to fix all your woes you are going to be in for a lot of disappointment in life.