A start to the School/Education Solution

[Towntalk]

Here's a link you might be interested in ... the way public schools use to be:

http://www.nd.edu/~rbarger/www7/cardprin.html

It's criminal what the NEA of today has done to public education, and it's even more criminal what the government has allowed to happen just because they want the teachers vote.

[Mary]

I apologize for taking offense and if i offended you.
I do agree that the public schools are a mess. My daughter is in private school and will NEVER return to public unless drastic measures are taken with them. I would never let her step foot in a youngstown school for education.  I pay through the nose to keep her in private schools and they are well worth it. I am a product of public education, my fiance came from private (in four years of high school he got a $16,000 education!! ouch). We have had many many conversations about this and the prevailing two items that come up over and over is parent interaction (or caring) and the fact that the school works as a business. If customers are unhappy they go elsewhere. Private schools will bend over backwards and sideways to help a student/family. They know if the passing rate is low families will go elsewhere.

[Towntalk]

Point 1. It's not "Mr Towntalk"

Point 2. I thought that I was being polite and quite respectful in a very old fashion way.

Point 3. As to "followups" I quite agree that this is a major problem since the lines of communication between the school and home were broken down by the NEA

Point 4. We can talk till the proverbial cows come home about the problem, but until we finally realize that the public school system is beyond repair and turn to the private sector, the problem will continue and the dumbing down of our most precious treasure will continue.

Among other topics that he has covered, Lou Dobbs has been reporting this problem, and it's not just confined to Youngstown. It's a national shame.

By the way, discussion is a two way street ... all sides have their say just like talk radio.

America's public education system is falling behind in just about every subject. Money is poured into the system, but without results.

It's an absolute shame that teaching is limited to passing mandated tests to the point that there is no real innovation that sparks the interests of the students.

[Mary]

Oh and Bellamy will you please clarify where these PC's would be? If i misunderstood you thats fine, just want to know.

[Mary]

Well lets see Mr.Townstalk. First of all how according to Bellamy and i quote " mandatory at home followup, monitoring and tutoring through technology." How else then with PC's are you going to due followups at home? Also I never said anything about lap tops.
Secondly I never said they didn't give. Have you ever looked at the Gate Foundation? Do you know how they work? Do you know that Youngstown cant not apply? They would have to be chosen. They can not send a letter of inquiry. see below.

I am interested in a grant from the Education initiative. How can I apply?

A. The Education team works directly with districts, states, and cities across the United States in an effort to transform large, existing schools and to create new models. While we appreciate your interest in our initiatives, we do not accept grant requests or unsolicited proposals for our Education initiative. To learn more about our funding priorities and the organizations we are currently working with, please visit the Education channel of our Web site.



And by the way there is no need to be nasty about this. I brought up concerns I have. You don't like them, oh well. They are mine. The beauty of a group is that it brings out more then one side of an issue and can improve the plan as a whole. Oh wait i learned that at ysu!

[Towntalk]

1. The Gates Foundation has suppled thousands of computers around the world to schools.
2. These computers stay in the schools. They are all desktop. NOT LAPTOPS.

What's your answer Miss YSU?

[Mary]

A textbook cant be sold for drugs.
Unfortunately Bill Gates is not going to give Mahoning county enough for the entire population of school kids (grades 1-12)

[Towntalk]

The Bill Gates foundation for one supplies computers to schools.

With the proper softare controls that would prevent the children from misusing the Internet (also available and in use in schools) these young folks could benefit, and if the internet provider is the school system (also doable) further controls can be added, and the teachers can also monitor the students in their class just as parents can monitor computer use by their children.

The computers could belong to the Board of Education and assigned to students just as textbooks are assigned.

[Mary]

Well as a parent of a 4th grade student i have an opinion.



These are all correct except that the responsibility  as parents does not end there. Conference with teachers, supporting the school, making sure we know what is going on inside the classroom, these are important also. And for poor families that struggle to put dinner on the table and shoes one their kids feet breakfast may not be an option. There are so many kids just in mahoning county that do not have enough to eat everyday. I spend on average of 2 hours a night helping my daughter with homework. What about the parents don't don't care? How are you going to help those children since their parents don't care? 



First the PC's and internet, who's paying? What happenYoungstownd in Youngstown we know this could happen) the computer disappears? What happens when the family doesn't have electric? No these may not be the norms but they happen. Who's going to make sure the kid  gets on line and does what needs to be done?

I am not saying your plan would not help however these are my questions.

[Frank Bellamy, MAP Masters of Applied Politics]

A start to the School/Education Solution

Let's face it, we all know what the problems are in our schools locally and nationwide.  But the solutions are very hard to face.  One starting solution is to admit to what we have as our Educational System in America today.  We have a DUMB-Down system of education.  This dumb-ing down started over 40 years ago with the fear on Public School Integration in that we [Americans] where duped into believing that Black children were not capable of being as smart as White children.  This misconception led to less demanding educational curriculums in our public schools from the 1st through the 12th grades. 

What our educational leaders at that time did not want to accept as the truth was, that Black children where able to make educational gains equal their White counterparts even with outdated books and school facilities.  Many of our better educated Blacks were products of segregated school systems.

The Dumb-ing down of our schools has produced lower educated parents in both White and Black households.  If you are age 55 years old or younger you are a product of a dumb down educational system.  I speculate that parents may find it taxing to assist their children with homework past grade 4 in today's school system.  So to levy the blame on parents for not helping with homework or even understanding the necessary discipline of achieving in school is not fair to the parent.  Because the parents have been dumb down just like the rest of us.

THE SOLUTION

The parent's job [ONLY] is to may sure that the child arrives to school on time, well dressed, well feed before school starts and has a strict sense of disciplinary/respect for the school and teachers.

The school's job [ONLY] is to teach a strict and rigorous form of educational curriculums with a slant towards proficiency testing requirements.  This should be assisted by a mandatory at home follow-up, monitoring and tutoring through technology.  This would involve placing computers with internet connectivity in all homes with school age children that is supplied free in most cases.  This should be administered by certified educators/IT professionals and this is all very doable in today's world.

Will all of our children be Rocket Scientists?  No.  But all of our children will be much better educated and prepared.  This educational investment is cheap compared to the USA being competitive in a global economy. This only my start.........     

What do you think?