A Comment About Our Educational System

[mojo84]

Cost per student per state
http://www.governing.com/gov-data/educa ... -data.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I can't make any conclusions from this data about the quality of education.
New York and D.C. have the highest spending, but they also has the highest cost of living.

Just food for thought. Do what you will with it. There are plenty of resources out there that will help with cost of living adjustments. Depends on how much effort you want to put in to it before making judgments.

[WildBill]

Cost per student per state
http://www.governing.com/gov-data/educa ... -data.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I can't make any conclusions from this data about the quality of education.
New York and D.C. have the highest spending, but they also has the highest cost of living.

Just food for thought. Do what you will with it. There are plenty of resources out there that will help with cost of living adjustments. Depends on how much effort you want to put in to it before making judgments.

I am not making judgments, just commenting on the usefulness of the data.
I don't think that the amount spent per student correlates with the quality of education.
I don't want to spend any effort trying to prove my opinion.
Thanks for the links.

[mojo84]

I think the data is very useful for those that want to make a little effort to help then form an opinion our confirm their opinion. If that's not you fine.

You are welcome.

[gringo pistolero]

Regardless of rank, if Texas taxpayers are spending in excess of $8,000 per student per year, we're getting ripped off. Looking at what passes for a high school graduate these days, most don't have a $100,000 education. Not even close.

I feel compelled to repost WildBill's original picture.

[mojo84]

Regardless of rank, if Texas taxpayers are spending in excess of $8,000 per student per year, we're getting ripped off. Looking at what passes for a high school graduate these days, most don't have a $100,000 education. Not even close.

I feel compelled to repost WildBill's original picture.

[ Image ]

It's silly to keep posting these broad generalities. I could also say fat old white men aren't the men like men used to be. That's a very broad statement and there are exceptions.

I have a high school graduate this year. I'd confidently put him up against any graduate from 50 or 100 years ago. Considering the academic and service scholarship offers he has received from universities from across this country, your generalization is way off base and the continued comments that all of today's graduates are imbeciles and dunces are quite offensive.


Let me ask those of you that think today's schools and students are so bad, how many of you took college courses during your high school years and graduated high school with almost 40 college credit hours?

[WildBill]

It's silly to keep posting these broad generalities. I could also say fat old white men aren't the men like men used to be. That's a very broad statement and there are exceptions.

I have a high school graduate this year. I'd confidently put him up against any graduate from 50 or 100 years ago. Considering the academic and service scholarship offers he has received from universities from across this country, your generalization is way off base and the continued comments that all of today's graduates are imbeciles and dunces are quite offensive.

Let me ask those of you that think today's schools and students are so bad, how many of you took college courses during your high school years and graduated high school with almost 40 college credit hours?

Mojo84, this is not an attack against you or your beliefs. I simply saw the picture on Facebook and it caught my attention so I posted it. I agree that it is a generalization, but you can't put a lot of words in a small picture. My original post was intended to start some dialog on the subject of education. So in that case, it was successful.

On the other hand, you are generalizing about the education system based on your child who has excelled. Do you give credit mostly to the school, the amount of money you paid in taxes or to your son, and you the father? I know where the credit goes; I salute you and your child.

I hate to generalize, but I'll bet that you and your wife supported your child, taught him the importance of a good education. You probably also gave him support and encouragement and a safe and stable home life so that he could concentrate on his studies and learn. And you probably didn't leave him at home at night while you were out partying with your friends.

[mojo84]

No. I realize some schools, some districts and even student are bad. No other way to put it. There is reform, changes and improvements needed. I would say every school and district needs improvement. I have never said otherwise. Typically the schools are reflections of the community they serve and function similarly.

It just gets old, tiresome and offensive when people continue to paint all with such broad brushes. I agree it's a topic that needs to be discussed. Continually insulting people and especially peoples' kids as some continue to do says more about them than those of which they speak.

I recommend you and all folks on here that have it all figured out, go be a part of the solution by talking to your local administrators, school boards and teachers. Heck, run for the school board. Just stop insulting people and their kids.

It's amazing how tough the internet and anonymous forums make some.

[iAmSam]

the continued comments that all of today's graduates are imbeciles and dunces are quite offensive.

It's a shame you don't understand the difference between all, most and some. I hope your recent graduate does.

[WildBill]

the continued comments that all of today's graduates are imbeciles and dunces are quite offensive.

It's a shame you don't understand the difference between all, most and some. I hope your recent graduate does.

It's amazing how tough the internet and anonymous forums make some.

[mojo84]

the continued comments that all of today's graduates are imbeciles and dunces are quite offensive.

It's a shame you don't understand the difference between all, most and some. I hope your recent graduate does.

Is that all you have to contribute to the discussion. Read back and you'll see SOME are using generalizations that can be taken as ALL public schools and public school products.


Welcome to the board. It's obvious you are going to have much in the way of valuable contributions to the discussions.

[tbrown]

Wow. It's getting tense in here. Maybe this will relieve the tension and help bring the funny back.

[android]

Regardless of rank, if Texas taxpayers are spending in excess of $8,000 per student per year, we're getting ripped off. Looking at what passes for a high school graduate these days, most don't have a $100,000 education. Not even close.

I feel compelled to repost WildBill's original picture.

[ Image ]

And I will restate that it is meme with a false premise.
Many high schools teach Latin, and my daughter's English is better than most posters here.
She is a junior at Anderson.

SOME children CHOOSE not to learn Latin and English in school and SOME parent choose not to provide motivation to their children to be academically successful.

http://andersonlatin.weebly.com/

[WildBill]

Latin was once required at many public and parochial schools, but fell into disfavor during the 1960s when students rebelled against traditional classroom teachings and even the Roman Catholic Church moved away from Latin as the official language of Mass. Interest in Latin was revived somewhat in the 1970s and began picking up in the 1980s with the back-to-basics movement in many schools, according to Latin scholars, but really took off in the last few years as a language long seen as a stodgy ivory tower secret infiltrated popular culture.

The resurgence of a language once rejected as outdated and irrelevant is reflected across the country as Latin is embraced by a new generation of students like Xavier who seek to increase SAT scores or stand out from their friends, or simply harbor a fascination for the ancient language after reading Harry Potter’s Latin-based chanting spells

Interesting article:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/07/nyreg ... d=all&_r=0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I checked out the website of my old high school and they no longer teach Latin, Russian or German.

Familiarity with a language other than English is imperative in today’s global and multicultural society.

They now offer Spanish, French, Japanese and Chinese. I also noticed that the language classes, except for Spanish, are teaching culture as well as the language.

[hillfighter]

Many high schools teach Latin, and my daughter's English is better than most posters here.
She is a junior at Anderson.

I have a high school graduate this year. I'd confidently put him up against any graduate from 50 or 100 years ago. Considering the academic and service scholarship offers he has received from universities from across this country, your generalization is way off base and the continued comments that all of today's graduates are imbeciles and dunces are quite offensive.


Let me ask those of you that think today's schools and students are so bad, how many of you took college courses during your high school years and graduated high school with almost 40 college credit hours?

It looks like the current system in Texas works very well and does it at lower cost than many states. Why are so many people trying to fix something that isn't broken?

[WildBill]

Many high schools teach Latin, and my daughter's English is better than most posters here.
She is a junior at Anderson.

I have a high school graduate this year. I'd confidently put him up against any graduate from 50 or 100 years ago. Considering the academic and service scholarship offers he has received from universities from across this country, your generalization is way off base and the continued comments that all of today's graduates are imbeciles and dunces are quite offensive.

Let me ask those of you that think today's schools and students are so bad, how many of you took college courses during your high school years and graduated high school with almost 40 college credit hours?

It looks like the current system in Texas works very well and does it at lower cost than many states. Why are so many people trying to fix something that isn't broken?

It's not a matter if something is broken. Every system can use improvement. What might be acceptable and best practice in 2014 may not be in 2024.