[Rhodes22-list] Mo Gubmint - Politics & Education..Big Al suck it up

Herb Parsons hparsons at parsonsys.com
Sun Mar 9 21:35:19 EDT 2008


Ha! As to your last comment, you're in it because you answered!! Serves 
you right. :)

I don't get away from my home area dealing with kids much anymore since 
mine are all grown, but what I see in TX aren't people asking for 
voucher systems so they can move the schools away; what I see are people 
wanting a voucher system so they can send kids to schools already in 
existence in their areas. Private schools abound here in TX. The 
problems are that they are somewhat expensive, and the teachers are 
REALLY under paid. Funny how they can attrack quality teachers on low 
pay, but they do.

I don't think poorly performing students would be left behind. I do 
believe that there will be schools that offer to deal with those 
students who were not able to remain in the schools that demand too 
much. Personally, I believe those schools will put out a poorer quality 
of students, but that happens today anyway, so it's no loss.

Excellence and mediocrity are both infectious. The problem is that 
mediocrity is so much easier to obtain, it more easily takes over. 
That's what's happened today. If you pull those that are determined to 
fail no matter what away from those that are more open to a better way, 
demand excellence from what's left over, people would be surprised at 
the results.

Have you read the story of Ken Carter from Riveside, CA? He was the 
subject of the slightly fictionalized Coach Carter.  Basically, he took 
a baskeball team of students doing poorly in school, had them sign 
contracts stating they would maintain at least a 2.3 GPA (the district 
only required a 2.0), and then enforced it. He cancelled two games in a 
row, forfeiting them, and the players' families were ready to have him 
fired. But the students complied, and in a school full of kids that 
didn't succeed academicly his players DID. His actions actually raised 
the academic performance of the entire school.

Of course, he's no longer part of the public school system. I haven't 
heard the story of why that is, but I have my suspicions...


elle wrote:
> Herb,
>
> Schools are on the most part overcrowded...where are
> these kids going to go? Resources will follow the
> crowds...what happens to the kids left behind??
>
> What about the kids who can't move ? they may not have
> transportation options...or other limiting factors...
> what about these kids who are left behind??
>
> Who says the kids moving with their vouchers aren;t
> the non-performers? They just spread the original
> problem around more. Poo still stinks in small
> quantities.
>
> Why move out kids with the outspoken parents...they
> are just the ones you want in your school ... (maybe
> not if you are a teacher,,,!)...they ae the movers &
> shakers..all you're doing with vouchers is pretending
> that there is a choice...heck, with "No Child Left
> Behind" the kid will get the same watered stuff
> anywhere.....
>
> Re: your anecdote...yes..things were that way...my
> gals are 26 & 25...things are really different
> now....parents...esp the unreasonable ones..(and by
> the way, I refused to let my kids watch the abysmal
> Channel One garbage, so I get your point..) rule.
>
> There are solutions...but they call for qualities in
> short  supply in the 'Me' childrearing populace.
>
> Man..I'd thought I'd escaped this stuff. No mas, mi
> amigo!
>
> elle
>
>
> --- Herb Parsons <hparsons at parsonsys.com> wrote:
>
>   
>> I'm lost. Why would (under a voucher system) kids
>> remain in a "crappy 
>> school"? Their vouchers would work at the good
>> schools as well as the 
>> "crappy ones".
>>
>> It's not segregation unless there's some sort of
>> discrimination going 
>> on. And folks wouldn't be segregated by $$ (at least
>> not any more than 
>> they are now). Kids would use their vouchers to go
>> to the school of 
>> their (parents') choice, that school would receive
>> the funding those 
>> voucher's represent.
>>
>> As far as parents working with the school when
>> there's a problem, sorry 
>> that only goes so far. The schools don't WANT to be
>> "worked with". They 
>> long ago adopted the attitude of "we know best for
>> your child", and 
>> telling use we will follow those instructions.
>>
>> Another personal example. When my youngest (she's 22
>> now, so this was 
>> about 15 years ago) was in 2nd grade, she brought
>> home a "permission 
>> slip" for me to sign. Seems her class was going to
>> have "aid awareness 
>> instruction", and since it was a delicate issue,
>> they wanted permission 
>> slips signed. I wrote a note back declining my
>> permission, stating that 
>> my 7 year old did not need "aids awareness" at this
>> time, and I would 
>> take care of that need when it arose. The school
>> teacher decided to put 
>> Katie in the hall during that time, and have her
>> write a paper on her 
>> understanding of aids.
>>
>> In other words, she was punished because I wouldn't
>> sign the paper, and 
>> my wishes were deliberately undermined. I spoke with
>> the princepal, but 
>> she didn't agree with my assessment, and saw no
>> problem with "the 
>> assignment". 2 months later, Katie was in private
>> school.
>>
>>
>> elle wrote:
>>     
>>> Herb, 
>>>
>>> I agree...we are in agreement on many
>>> points...but.....
>>>
>>>   
>>>       
>>>> With the ills you describe, no matter their
>>>>         
>> cause,
>>     
>>>> can you BLAME parents  who want alternatives?
>>>>     
>>>>         
>>> Absolutely not; that is a parent's first duty. But
>>>       
>> I
>>     
>>> STRONGLY disagree with the methods.
>>>
>>> Again, an educated populace benefits and
>>>       
>> strengthens
>>     
>>> the country...parents should fight (and it is a
>>> fight....I've sparred w/enough sch bd members
>>> separately & at public meetings)... to improve the
>>> school that their children attend. Vouchers are
>>>       
>> just
>>     
>>> another way of making 'separate but  sorta equal.'
>>>       
>> All
>>     
>>> schools have parents who are able to become
>>> invvolved...along with thoose who let others do
>>> it....vouchers don't solve anything...they just
>>>       
>> move
>>     
>>> the game pieces (kids) and parents are happy.
>>>       
>> (Sounds
>>     
>>> like segregation to me...but using $$ rather than
>>>       
>> skin
>>     
>>> color...)
>>>
>>> What about the kids left behind in the
>>> 'non-performing' schools? And the teachers...They
>>>       
>> know
>>     
>>> that they are not improtant.....Believe me we WILL
>>>       
>> pay
>>     
>>> the price if we encourage the vouchers instead of
>>> concentrating the resources.  The costs will just
>>>       
>> come
>>     
>>> later. The price we pay will be for more prisons,
>>> police, higher ins costs b/c of vandalism...all
>>>       
>> those
>>     
>>> things kids do when they are not valued...and when
>>> they go toschool in a crappy bldg when the admin
>>>       
>> bldg
>>     
>>> had the latest & greatest they get the picture.
>>>       
>> When
>>     
>>> no one else cares, why should they? Bailing
>>> out....(vouchers)... just allows the rats to leave
>>>       
>> the
>>     
>>> sinking ship. If the parents had no other option,
>>>       
>> you
>>     
>>> can bet your boots that they fight for their
>>>       
>> school.
>>     
>>> I'm not saying this is right...but that is human
>>> nature.....
>>>
>>> And please don't blame the teachers...yes, they
>>>       
>> are
>>     
>>> part of the system...and there ARE crappy ones out
>>> there! Just as in any profession...but they can
>>>       
>> only
>>     
>>> do what they are allowed to do...the majority of
>>> teachers really want to help kids....but the
>>> administrative a**coverers soon squelch that. 
>>>
>>> Teaching is not a noble profession
>>>       
>> anymore...everyone
>>     
>>> is looking for someone to blame, and why not the
>>> teacher? Why not these parents (
>>>
>>>       
> http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/07/AR2008030703511.html)
>   
>>> Give me a break...
>>>
>>>
>>> Sorry for the soapbox...
>>>
>>>
>>> elle
>>>
>>>
>>> --- Herb Parsons <hparsons at parsonsys.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>   
>>>       
>>>> This paragraph pretty well sums it all up, and
>>>>         
>> we're
>>     
>>>> much coser to 
>>>> AGREEING on the topic than we are DISAGREEING.
>>>>
>>>> With the ills you describe, no matter their
>>>>         
>> cause,
>>     
>>>> can you BLAME parents 
>>>> who want alternatives? In spite of the non-sense
>>>> rhetoric spewed on this 
>>>> forum, those that seek something different,
>>>>         
>> whether
>>     
>>>> it be home-school or 
>>>> private education, are not doing it because
>>>>         
>> they're
>>     
>>>> a buch of wide-eyed 
>>>> fantatics trying to protect their children from
>>>>         
>> the
>>     
>>>> evils of a godless 
>>>> world. They're, for the most part, concerned
>>>>         
>> parents
>>     
>>>> trying to break 
>>>> their children out of a broken system.
>>>>
>>>> As far as "blaming the teachers", that's where
>>>>         
>> you
>>     
>>>> and I have to part 
>>>> ways a bit. I blame the system, and the teachers
>>>>         
>> are
>>     
>>>> part of that 
>>>> system. Every workable iniative, wether it be
>>>> voucher systems or higher 
>>>> standards for educators, is opposed by the
>>>>         
>> teachers
>>     
>>>> unions and their 
>>>> lobbies.
>>>>
>>>> Personally, I'd love to see a voucher system.
>>>>         
>> Then
>>     
>>>> those to whom 
>>>> education is the most important, the parents of
>>>>         
>> the
>>     
>>>> students, would 
>>>> dictate where the money goes for their
>>>>         
>> educations.
>>     
>>>> elle wrote:
>>>>     
>>>>         
>>>>> ...   
>>>>>   CYA was the mantra of the senior teachers..the
>>>>>       
>>>>>           
>>>> principal was only interested in being popular
>>>>         
>> with
>>     
>>>> parents & kiddies...if there was a problem yoou'd
>>>> better get to him FIRST & tell him...'cause as
>>>>         
>> sure
>>     
>>>> as I am not 10' tall if the parent came in the
>>>> teacher'd be up s***s creek. (And this was the
>>>>         
>> story
>>     
>>>> in the majority of schools...ever wonder why the
>>>>         
>> the
>>     
>>>> 1st grades gets suspended for hugging his
>>>>         
>> friend???
>>     
>>>> A**hole principals who are afraid to stand
>>>>         
>> up...b/c
>>     
>>>> the superintendents don't want flack. The teacher
>>>>         
>> is
>>     
>>>> at the bottom of the pecking order...so don't
>>>>         
>> blame
>>     
>>>> the teacher fornot enforcing discipline or
>>>> whatever....you step out of line & you're
>>>>         
>> OUT...go
>>     
>>>> to the superintendent & school bd who make the
>>>> rules.....)
>>>>     
>>>>         
>>>>>    
>>>>>   
>>>>>       
>>>>>           
>>>> -- 
>>>> Herb Parsons
>>>> S/V O'Jure - O'Day 25
>>>> S/V Reve de Pappa - Coronado 35
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>         
>> __________________________________________________
>>     
>>>> Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help?
>>>> www.rhodes22.org/list
>>>>
>>>>     
>>>>         
>>> We can't change the angle of the wind....but we
>>>       
>> can adjust our sails.
>>     
>>>  1992 Rhodes 22   Recyc '06  "WaterMusic"   (Lady
>>>       
>> in Red)
>>     
>>>      
>>>       
> ____________________________________________________________________________________
>   
>>> Never miss a thing.  Make Yahoo your home page. 
>>> http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs
>>> __________________________________________________
>>> Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help?
>>>       
>> www.rhodes22.org/list
>>     
>>>
>>>   
>>>       
>> -- 
>> Herb Parsons
>> S/V O'Jure - O'Day 25
>> S/V Reve de Pappa - Coronado 35
>>
>> __________________________________________________
>> Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help?
>> www.rhodes22.org/list
>>
>>     
>
>
> We can't change the angle of the wind....but we can adjust our sails.
>
>  1992 Rhodes 22   Recyc '06  "WaterMusic"   (Lady in Red)
>
>
>       ____________________________________________________________________________________
> Never miss a thing.  Make Yahoo your home page. 
> http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs
> __________________________________________________
> Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list
>
>
>
>   

-- 
Herb Parsons
S/V O'Jure - O'Day 25
S/V Reve de Pappa - Coronado 35



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