Slightly off topic - I always laugh when the UFT has radio ads talking about "our kids" and how dedicated the teachers are. As someone who has done plenty of substitute teaching in NYC public schools I can say that most of the teachers cannot stand their "kids." As for "dedication" I would say that one-third of the teachers are outstanding, one-third are horrible (people who cannot get a job in private industry so therfore need civil service), and one-third are average and just biding their time until retirement and are interested in just making more money, not getting killed in class, more pension and time off.

God knows the British school system is fucked up enough. But one thing I can say: everyone took a good look at "whole word" learning and "fuzzy maths" and, a few years ago, it was decided - with parents and Government leading the way - to dump them in favour of phonics and real maths. The result has not been overwhelming, but without a doubt the long downwards slide has been arrested - the worst problem now is discipline.

“What is needed is to maintain standards while at the same time keeping doors open.”

TRUE Perhaps our community colleges will come to the rescue to those who want to remediate their education. They are run on a voucher basis of course.

“Instead, the public school system is being debased and fragmented. The common culture is under attack as white-male-dominated and Eurocentric.”

TRUE And I would add, though Rita probably wouldn’t, the common Judeo-Christian ethical culture is under attack too. Hence the “War on Christmas” and recently even “bunny rabbits” and innocent “Happy Easter” signs paid for by private individuals are being prohibited by bureaucrats in public places. What to say at such a time? Happy Holidays or Season’s Greetings? A little stale I think by then. How about a drunken orgy for “Spring Break” instead. Cheers!
“Racial and ethnic separatism are emphasized, in the name of “self-esteem.” Bilingual programs are leaving many of the children who live in this country without a working knowledge of the English language. How will that benefit them in later life unless Spanish has become the nation’s official language?”

TRUE if we are talking about PHONEY BILINGUALISM that is to say NENLI (Non-English Native Language Instruction). At least in California Prop 227 seems to have had a transformative effect. Instruction in the English medium is now the norm. Authentic bilingualism and multilingualism will continue to be valuable. All of my children are fluent speakers of Spanish (and naturally speak the lingua franca that is a sina qua non: ENGLISH).
Nonetheless, as Victor Davis Hanson has written English, is rapidly becoming the first language of the second generation of immigrants via popular culture. Spanish literacy cannot be, on average very high.
Many people are heritage speakers but few –in most California communities- read and write Spanish at a higher level than the fourth or fifth grade. The only thing that sustains the Spanish speaking community is a high rate of immigration from Spanish speaking countries. That may or may not continue. But cultural illiteracy is very high. Every student knows who “Lil’ Kim” is but few know any framers beyond Washington and fewer know anything about the ratification debates on the Constitution.
In fact the other a day a student asked me what was all the fuss about this ‘RAT’. I wish I could say he was joking but he wasn’t. I kindly and quietly mentioned that it had to do with ARTICLE VII of the Constitution and the term RATIFICATION things he and his classmates should know about for the final exam. He then asked if the final was multiple choice or true false. I am not kidding. I said no. Short answer, terms, identification and short essays.
You see, he has missed 40% of the classes and still hasn’t signed out a book. I told him to listen –he might learn something. I told him to attend classes. I also told him he had essentially turned from a student into an auditor UN OYENTE that is to say one who hears a few lessons now and then but has no chance to obtain credit in this term perhaps not in this decade.
I did inform him there was an Adult School class offered from 6pm to 9PM and if he completed –oh say- two or three classes a year- he might graduate in the year 2010 or 2015. Naturally, he would have to supply his own transportation and buy his own books.’ This used to bring a profound silence to the students –some still listen- but today there is a new petulant, angry, aggressive attitude. Because they the students by and large don’t care. How they expect to earn a living except by a life of crime or the dole of state-provided welfare I do not know. It is almost enough to make one consider Margaret Sanger’s teachings seriously (almost- unfortunately the more educated the person the more like one is to embrace Sanger’s teachings and practice a “dud-in-the-mud” lifestyle.)
There are still, Thank God, exceptions, but generally speaking America is rearing an entire generation of historically and culturally illiterate children. This is not my personal opinion –though this is confirmed by my teaching experience and travels- but is according to the Department of Education NAEP report on US history.

“Hard work and discipline are deemphasized, content is trivialized, and accountability ignored.”

TRUE…..let’s have another ‘reform’. Let’s have more group work. Let’s have more cooperative learning. Teacher-Ed colleges Dewey-centered Madrasas of Indoctrination. Teacher-Ed should be turned over ENTIRELY to Master Teachers at the local school district level. No one who has not been in a k-12 classroom as a teacher for at least 10 years should ever be a teacher ed teacher (nor an administrator for that matter).

“The partisans of these policies and the curricula they foster are not really interested in education at all; what interests them is a political agenda.”

This is very true in most cases but if you get a chance read the excellent essay on THOMAS SOWELL in the WSJ today. Professor Sowell emphasized THOUGHT AND EDUCATION not indoctrination as a teacher.

Thank you Rita for your informed voice on education. Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammuniton we are going to need plenty of both if we are to survive this 4th Jihad. That may be the main reason public schools will need to be transformed or abandoned.

“What is needed is to maintain standards while at the same time keeping doors open.”

TRUE Perhaps our community colleges will come to the rescue to those who want to remediate their education. They are run on a voucher basis of course.

“Instead, the public school system is being debased and fragmented. The common culture is under attack as white-male-dominated and Eurocentric.”

TRUE And I would add, though Rita probably wouldn’t, the common Judeo-Christian ethical culture is under attack too. Hence the “War on Christmas” and recently even “bunny rabbits” and innocent “Happy Easter” signs paid for by private individuals are being prohibited by bureaucrats in public places. What to say at such a time? Happy Holidays or Season’s Greetings? A little stale I think by then. How about a drunken orgy for “Spring Break” instead. Cheers!
“Racial and ethnic separatism are emphasized, in the name of “self-esteem.” Bilingual programs are leaving many of the children who live in this country without a working knowledge of the English language. How will that benefit them in later life unless Spanish has become the nation’s official language?”

TRUE if we are talking about PHONEY BILINGUALISM that is to say NENLI (Non-English Native Language Instruction). At least in California Prop 227 seems to have had a transformative effect. Instruction in the English medium is now the norm. Authentic bilingualism and multilingualism will continue to be valuable. All of my children are fluent speakers of Spanish (and naturally speak the lingua franca that is a sina qua non: ENGLISH).
Nonetheless, as Victor Davis Hanson has written English, is rapidly becoming the first language of the second generation of immigrants via popular culture. Spanish literacy cannot be, on average very high.
Many people are heritage speakers but few –in most California communities- read and write Spanish at a higher level than the fourth or fifth grade. The only thing that sustains the Spanish speaking community is a high rate of immigration from Spanish speaking countries. That may or may not continue. But cultural illiteracy is very high. Every student knows who “Lil’ Kim” is but few know any framers beyond Washington and fewer know anything about the ratification debates on the Constitution.
In fact the other a day a student asked me what was all the fuss about this ‘RAT’. I wish I could say he was joking but he wasn’t. I kindly and quietly mentioned that it had to do with ARTICLE VII of the Constitution and the term RATIFICATION things he and his classmates should know about for the final exam. He then asked if the final was multiple choice or true false. I am not kidding. I said no. Short answer, terms, identification and short essays.
You see, he has missed 40% of the classes and still hasn’t signed out a book. I told him to listen –he might learn something. I told him to attend classes. I also told him he had essentially turned from a student into an auditor UN OYENTE that is to say one who hears a few lessons now and then but has no chance to obtain credit in this term perhaps not in this decade.
I did inform him there was an Adult School class offered from 6pm to 9PM and if he completed –oh say- two or three classes a year- he might graduate in the year 2010 or 2015. Naturally, he would have to supply his own transportation and buy his own books.’ This used to bring a profound silence to the students –some still listen- but today there is a new petulant, angry, aggressive attitude. Because they the students by and large don’t care. How they expect to earn a living except by a life of crime or the dole of state-provided welfare I do not know. It is almost enough to make one consider Margaret Sanger’s teachings seriously (almost- unfortunately the more educated the person the more like one is to embrace Sanger’s teachings and practice a “dud-in-the-mud” lifestyle.)
There are still, Thank God, exceptions, but generally speaking America is rearing an entire generation of historically and culturally illiterate children. This is not my personal opinion –though this is confirmed by my teaching experience and travels- but is according to the Department of Education NAEP report on US history.

“Hard work and discipline are deemphasized, content is trivialized, and accountability ignored.”

TRUE…..let’s have another ‘reform’. Let’s have more group work. Let’s have more cooperative learning. Teacher-Ed colleges Dewey-centered Madrasas of Indoctrination. Teacher-Ed should be turned over ENTIRELY to Master Teachers at the local school district level. No one who has not been in a k-12 classroom as a teacher for at least 10 years should ever be a teacher ed teacher (nor an administrator for that matter).

“The partisans of these policies and the curricula they foster are not really interested in education at all; what interests them is a political agenda.”

This is very true in most cases but if you get a chance read the excellent essay on THOMAS SOWELL in the WSJ today. Professor Sowell emphasized THOUGHT AND EDUCATION not indoctrination as a teacher.

Thank you Rita for your informed voice on education. Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammuniton we are going to need plenty of both if we are to survive this 4th Jihad. That may be the main reason public schools will need to be transformed or abandoned.

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