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Leave Them Kids Alone
Where's the evidence that longer school days produce smarter kids?
Children can be irritating—especially your children. That is why the notion of a school year extending 12 months is not completely revolting. But alas, the government is not a baby-sitting service. Not yet. Let's hope not ever.
In the midst of grappling with a scattering of thorny issues, President Barack Obama took time to lend a fatherly hand this week. Your little Jake, it seems, doesn't spend enough time under the gaze of the state. As it turns out, Jake is at a tragic disadvantage when competing against Yuri from Kazakhstan.
If you believe this tale, the administration has an answer for you: Kill summer vacation, and add a few hours to the school day. "Young people in other countries are going to school 25, 30 percent longer than our students here," Secretary of Education Arne Duncan claimed. "I want to just level the playing field."
He, generously, wants to level the playing field for your children. Hey, admittedly, I'm not a product of the dazzling Hungarian school system, yet I can't help but wonder: With the pitiful performance of so many of our school systems—Duncan left Chicago's schools with a more than 40 percent dropout rate—doesn't it seem counterintuitive to extend this interaction?
Where, after all, is the evidence that longer days translate into smarter kids?
We will hear all about Sweden, Belgium, and Denmark's longer days and high test scores, but as The Associated Press points out, kids in the U.S. spend more "hours in school (1,146 instructional hours per year) than do kids in the Asian countries that persistently outscore the U.S. on math and science tests—Singapore (903), Taiwan (1,050), Japan (1,005) and Hong Kong (1,013)."
In the U.S., we also piddle away more funding per student on education than nearly any other nation in the world. Employing Duncan's decidedly non-Singaporean calculus, this would necessitate a cut in education spending to achieve higher results and "even the playing field."
According to numerous studies, the most consistent indicator and predictor of a child's educational achievement is parental involvement. So while more time in the classroom may be beneficial to kids who lack parental participation, why would the administration peddle an across-the-board policy change that separates all kids from their parents?
If Duncan's theory is true, why do many school districts across this nation attain high standards of excellence with the same funding and a full summer vacation? Why do Asian-American students consistently outscore their counterparts in this country, within the same school systems and with the same class times?
Moreover, shouldn't local parents and educators be the ones making decisions about curricula and scheduling rather than having to adhere to the mandated vagaries of the newest "reform" efforts from Washington? (Some charter and public schools already shorten summer vacations.)
There is, of course, no denying that many school systems in the nation are failing. Students often are trapped in them. They need help ... to get out.
And though it horrifies some among us that Slovenian eighth-graders, on average, are more proficient at algebra than our kids, the Slovenian economy does not reflect this aptitude. Our achievement never has been about math scores. It's about a system that allows productive citizens to thrive. Unlike in nations chock-full of whiz kids, in this country, adults work. Children play.
When we don't work, we import. Surely my kids—if I can afford to send them to college—will be taught by a product of the Indian educational system. I'm cool with that.
But just as certain, the president's advice would hold more weight if he started sending his own children to public schools before mandating that your child be stuck in one during his or her God-given summer vacation.
David Harsanyi is a columnist at The Denver Post and the author of Nanny State. Visit his Web site at www.DavidHarsanyi.com.
COPYRIGHT 2009 THE DENVER POST
DISTRIBUTED BY CREATORS.COM
guy in the back row|9.30.09 @ 12:04PM|#
Children can be irritating-especially your
children
As a parent, I can confidently say that other children are almost
always more annoying than your own children.
Tomcat1066|9.30.09 @ 12:11PM|#
You know, my son is one of those kids who would do well in a
year round school environment. But I have a serious fucking problem
with some dipshit saying we need to change the whole system. My son
would do well because he loves to learn. In an environment where
other kids went to school year round for the same reason, then it
would be great.
But being in school with the thugs that occupy public education
today? Oh yeah...that'll help the test scores.
|9.30.09 @ 12:14PM|#
I learned more about the real world in my first year out of school than any other time. Keeping kids in school 144 straight months is a recipe for idiocracy.
lunchstealer|9.30.09 @ 12:14PM|#
In the U.S., we also piddle away more funding per student on
education than nearly any other nation in the world. Employing
Duncan's decidedly non-Singaporean calculus, this would necessitate
a cut in education spending to achieve higher results and "even the
playing field."
Is that more funding in real dollars, or is that normalized for
median income? Because spending half as much in real dollars in
Kazakhstan would be spending a good deal more in terms of
percentage of income.
Rich|9.30.09 @ 12:14PM|#
With all due respect, it seems many "school children" are on permanent vacation anyway.
|9.30.09 @ 12:17PM|#
"According to numerous studies, the most consistent
indicator and predictor of a child's educational achievement is
parental involvement."
Politicians never want to deal with this fact because it amounts to
telling the very people who vote them into office that they are
doing a bad job at parenting. Instead, the politicians focus on
abstract data - hours at school, dollars spent, test scores, etc.
That way they can blame the politicians on the other side of the
aisle rather than their constituents, which are the people actually
responsible.
|9.30.09 @ 12:25PM|#
It's not a smart idea. The top private schools in the country
have a shorter school year than the public schools. Improving
school systems
has nothing to do with funding, and everything to do with parents
and the community.
I guarantee that teachers will not do this for free, so the US will
pay the teacher unions more.
Jim|9.30.09 @ 12:28PM|#
If parental involvement is really the most significant factor,
why would we want to reduce the time the kids spend with their
parents?
My wife stays at home with the kids and she spends a lot of time
helping my older daughter with her homework and general school
skills. We are partly feeling like for all the time she spends in
school the teachers should be helping her more. We have even
considered pulling her out and homeschooling her - not for any
idiotic reasons like we don't believe in evolution (we do) but
because we figure we could teach the same curriculum effectively in
1 or 2 hours a day one on one instead of 6 in a class room
setting.
If anything, putting the kids in school longer will reduce parental
help with homework because of a) less actual time with the kids,
and b) we all figure that more time will improve results so we will
be less inclined to use our free time to help with educational
matters.
|9.30.09 @ 12:28PM|#
They also don't take into account that lots of kids work after
school or during the summer. Some of them to pay for college, some
to buy cars and/or pay for gas and insurance. And if kids are at
school all the time, when are they going to work to earn money that
they spend on all the things they buy? Kids drive the movie
industry. Kids spend on music and gadgets. Kids spend on food when
they're not at school.
If I were a small business owner in Anytown, USA, I'd not be very
happy that my business will lose patronage and my taxes will surely
go up to pay for teachers to work more. You know damn well the
teachers unions aren't just going to give up their summers without
a hefty increase in pay.
The Gobbler|9.30.09 @ 12:29PM|#
"I guarantee that teachers will not do this for free, so the US
will pay the teacher unions more."
Bingo!
Frank|9.30.09 @ 12:32PM|#
With all due respect, it seems many "school children" are on
permanent vacation anyway.
True, America's schools are infested with drugs. If we want to have
smarter kids we need to do a better job of keeping drugs out of
schools.
"According to numerous studies, the most consistent indicator
and predictor of a child's educational achievement is parental
involvement."
We should mandate a certain number of hours per week of parental
involvement.
botw|9.30.09 @ 12:32PM|#
A longer school day is a horrible idea. Kids are burned out
enough and need time for other activities. Keeping them longer is
just to babysit.
Longer school year can work and is being tried in many states. Why
the federal gov't feels the need to get involved, however, is
beyond me. Why exactly do we need a federal department of education
anyway?
Mary|9.30.09 @ 12:35PM|#
If I were a small business owner in Anytown, USA, I'd not be
very happy that my business will lose patronage and my taxes will
surely go up to pay for teachers to work more.
Good point.
You know damn well the teachers unions aren't just going to
give up their summers without a hefty increase in pay.
They need the summer off because it is a very stressful and
demanding job. Probably there would be other teachers for the
summer.
|9.30.09 @ 12:40PM|#
Let's just take the damn money and give it to parents for each "A" their kid gets. Each individual parent will have to figure out for themselves how many hits on the crack pipe they can get for each "A".
|9.30.09 @ 12:51PM|#
The REAL problem in our school system is that they waste valuable class time with useless classes and other bullshit (trust me, just left high school). Instead of focusing on, say, math or science, we're forced to take electives: shitty classes that are irrelevant to our interests (for instance, Sociology). On top of that, the main focus is on English which is stupid because everyone knows how to write, and Math and History are more important. Then, of course, some schools like to focus on Sports, the stupidest of stupid ideas, because it teaches the kids to value physicality over intelligence, and prompts some schools (namely our old rival school) to allow kids who are Failing to play (one of our football players Failed, transfered schools, and was allowed to play). So really the only reform needed in school is to cut out all the Bullshit like electives and focus more on Math, Science, and History. A longer day would just piss off a lot of kids.
|9.30.09 @ 12:57PM|#
To heck with this year round schooling discussion, I'm just here to point out that the School's Out LP reply to this
|9.30.09 @ 1:01PM|#
Why the federal gov't feels the need to get involved,
however, is beyond me.
Name something, any-goddam-thing that a congresscritter
hasn't proposed federal involvement with.
It's the nature of the beast.
|9.30.09 @ 1:05PM|#
Whether this is by mistake or on purpose, this plan will further
damage the family. Hell, when will the kids even see their parents
let alone bond with them and learn from them.
What do the schools plan to spend the time on? They do have a plan,
right? Teaching more verses to the "Mmm mmm mmm Barack Hussein
Obama" song?
How long, I wonder, before the government just says that children
belong to the collective not their parents.
CatoTheElder|9.30.09 @ 1:16PM|#
Oh yeah ... like the government schools don't already waste
enough of the kids' time.
Over the twelve years allotted for primary and secondary education,
it really doesn't take more than a few hours per day to attain
proficiency in the 3R's as well as scientific and cultural
literacy.
It does, however, take a lot of time to brainwash kids to love Big
Brother.
I expect that the additional time would be spent in compulsory
volunteer service and other activities to indoctrinate the kids
into believing that their pathetic existence as individuals has
purpose only when they are part of a collective working for the
good of others.
|9.30.09 @ 1:18PM|#
Hell, when will the kids even see their parents let alone
bond with them and learn from them.
Sadly, for some parents that is more of a feature than a bug.
One of the justifications I have seen for year round schooling is
that "kids forget what they learned over the summer". If that's the
case than the kid didn't fucking learn anything did they. You don't
forget how to do math or forget how to read or write over the
summer.
Personally, I would hate to see the school day extended or see year
round school for my son. I would much rather he spend some of that
time playing in the neighborhood, or getting a job, or visiting our
relatives in Europe or anything than sitting in fucking school
being taught obedience and how not to question authority.
Sadly, in Chicago, many of the schools are experimenting with year
round schooling, and I think it's going to catch on. One of the
other reasons is that many of the high crime neighborhoods would be
better off if the kids were in school rather than hanging out on
the streets during the summer.
Craig|9.30.09 @ 1:23PM|#
Just do away with the government indoctrination
camps schools, save "society" about $7,000 per student per
year, sell the buildings to the highest bidder, and help kids
become better educated and better adjusted.
|9.30.09 @ 1:23PM|#
On top of that, the main focus is on English which is stupid
because everyone knows how to write,
While I agree with you that (at least in California) the main focus
is on English, I disagree with your statement that "everyone knows
how to write." As a product of public schools myself, you'd be
surprised at the abysmal level of literacy among high-school
sophomores.
Ultimately, though, federal and state governments need to
understand that not every kid is cut out for college. Forcing
liberal-arts heavy curricula onto the next generation of
forklift-drivers and auto mechanics is a waste of taxpayer money
and high-schoolers' time.
|9.30.09 @ 1:27PM|#
the main focus is on English which is stupid because
everyone knows how to write
Ahahahahaha! No, not even close. I work part time as an editor, and
not even all self-proclaimed writers know how to write. And if you
read samples of writing from random high school kids, it's
cringe-worthy.
ryder|10.7.09 @ 1:48PM|#
You could pick that statement apart, but I think the original poster meant there is too much emphasis on English courses. It carries over into college as well. I do know folks that took all of the courses and still have trouble with spelling; however, they are in the top 1% in math. I'm glad that recent HS graduate is thinking and responding.
Anonymous|9.30.09 @ 1:27PM|#
ChicagoTom, One of the other reasons is that many of the
high crime neighborhoods would be better off if the kids were in
school rather than hanging out on the streets during the
summer.
Sounds like imprisonment without due process.
Jimbo|9.30.09 @ 1:30PM|#
What about childhood obesity?
Sitting around on their asses in school a couple more hours each
day and all summer sure isn't going to help them lose that
tummy.
I thought that with tough times and cutbacks in welfare that
problem was going to go away on its own, but I haven't seen any
cuts.,
|9.30.09 @ 1:39PM|#
Sounds like imprisonment without due process.
I suppose the argument would be that it isn't imprisonment -- they
are being kept in school for their own protection....to keep them
out of trouble and safe from the gang bangers and other
ne'erdowells that are on the mean streets of Chicago.
|9.30.09 @ 1:46PM|#
I was home schooled for seventh and eighth grade. I'd estimate I
spent an average of 2 hours a day studying or doing schoolwork.
Then while in daydreaming in high-school, as a senior in english
class, I remember a day when I had to actually pay attention. I was
actually being taught something I didn't already know, for the
first time in four years of high school english.
I am appalled at the lack of efficiency in school, and shocked
whenever I hear teachers complain about them not having enough time
to meet expectations.
I too wonder what business the federal government has in our
education anyway. It's certainly not authorized by the
constitution, and hasn't shown that they are helpful in anyway, at
least that I know of.
Zeb|9.30.09 @ 1:48PM|#
Summer vacation is the greatest thing in the world. It is the only time most people get where there are really no specific demands on their time. To take that away from kids would be cruel and awful.
|9.30.09 @ 1:49PM|#
I suppose the argument would be that it isn't imprisonment
-- they are being kept in school for their own protection....to
keep them out of trouble and safe from the gang bangers and other
ne'erdowells that are on the mean streets of Chicago.
Growing up in the SF Bay Area, the "gang bangers and other
ne'erdowells" were the ones they locked on campus with the kids who
actually wanted to learn. The school parking lot was divided by
race, with blacks and "cowboys" constantly beating each other up
over "turf".
anonymous|9.30.09 @ 2:04PM|#
"Summer vacation is the greatest thing in the world. It is the
only time most people get where there are really no specific
demands on their time. To take that away from kids would be cruel
and awful."
Liberals hate children. That's why they blame them for irritating,
meddlesome laws (it's for the children!), why they like to attack
Christmas, and why they think it's tragic when celebrities are
punished for raping them. It probably also helps explain why they
are more likely to favor abortion. It makes sense though, since
every child is a sign of failure of their part -- 60-80 years worth
of environmental damage right there.
gubmint logic|9.30.09 @ 2:04PM|#
We loose a little bit of money on each transaction but we make up for it in volume
|9.30.09 @ 2:08PM|#
Longer school hours won't do much, longer school years will do a
lot.
Yes Kids DO forget over the summer, and yes they do forget because
classes aren't properly structured. If you spend two weeks learning
fractions, and then don't use them again for 3 months, guess what
you have to do in 3 months, learn fractions again.
Repition, over a long period of time is the key for "really"
learning something.
So by changing the curriculum, and using a longer school year, you
could spend a bit more time on repition, and MUCH less time
relearning stuff again, and again.
Maybe you were one of the smart ones that could learn something
once and not have to worry about it again, but obivisouly that is
not the case for most kids.
|9.30.09 @ 2:48PM|#
Kroneborge,
I'm going to have to make you stay after school and write the word
"Repetition" 200 times on the blackboard...
After you've demonstrated a certain skill with a concept, any
repetition after that is known as busy work...which is a total
waste of everyone's time.
|9.30.09 @ 3:03PM|#
Liberals hate children........That's why they blame them for
irritating, meddlesome laws (it's for the children!), why they like
to attack Christmas, and why they think it's tragic when
celebrities are punished for raping them. It probably also helps
explain why they are more likely to favor abortion. It makes sense
though, since every child is a sign of failure of their part --
60-80 years worth of environmental damage right there."
And Republicans love children. Physically. Like Mark
Foley. Lovin' touchin' squeezin' kind of love.
Rhywun|9.30.09 @ 3:05PM|#
The dropout "problem" would go away if we stopped expecting kids who are obviously not college-bound to hang around through 12th grade. In Germany, for example, such kids stop at 10th grade and then enter trade schools or apprenticeships (although there has long been pressure to make the schools more "egalitarian" i.e. by treating all kids like identical units).
|9.30.09 @ 3:12PM|#
James, I agree. I wouldn't imagine it would take that much work
to make sure the skills stick.
So for example, if you had 50 math problems to do each week, if say
5-10 of them covered previsouly used stuff, that would probably be
sufficient. Just enough to keep the ideas and concepts fresh.
And it wouldn't have to be the exact same stuff each week either.
Shit I bet oftentimes you could tie it in with the new stuff (like
Trig with Calc etc).
IMO, the school system needs to work smarter AND harder. We don't
need all of our kids to go to college, but for those that do want
to go, they need to be prepared. For far to many of our kids that
isn't the case. And portion of that at least is the strucuture of
things.
J_B|9.30.09 @ 3:19PM|#
Well it was only a matter of time until they extended the logic of honors classes. The biggest complaint about high school honors classes in FL is their incessant need to work you like a dog. Instead of honors classes using learned skills and showing students their real-world applications, they gave you 50 repetitive math problems instead of 25. What incentive do students have to succeed if it's rewarded with more work?
|9.30.09 @ 3:25PM|#
Isn't it awesome the person in charge of schools was in charge of one of the most failed school systems in the nation? Now he can ruin your schools too! Now you know what it's like to live here in Chicago.
cangrejos fantasmas|9.30.09 @ 3:29PM|#
"Sounds like imprisonment without due process."
Just one more incentive for the kids to drop out.
cangrejos fantasmas|9.30.09 @ 3:31PM|#
"I suppose the argument would be that it isn't imprisonment --
they are being kept in school for their own protection"
And who better than Chicago to implement protection rackets?
|9.30.09 @ 3:33PM|#
What incentive do students have to succeed if it's rewarded
with more work?
Can't you see? Honors classes were meant to prepare the most
talented students for the arrival of the Messiah, Whose apostles
will ask us to work for the sake of work itself, because "rewards"
and "incentives" are too much like the evil "profit" He was
anointed to abolish.
He is the Crown of human existence. It is for His sake that we
labor, for He is good to all and shows mercy to all, not for the
fulfillment of our own selfish desires.
|9.30.09 @ 3:33PM|#
Keeping the kids in school 30% longer would require 30% more teachers or paying present teachers 30% more. Bet the NEA is behind this.
Paul|9.30.09 @ 4:30PM|#
Keeping the kids in school 30% longer would require 30% more
teachers or paying present teachers 30% more. Bet the NEA is behind
this.
Of course they are. A teacher who (often) makes more than I do for
180 days a year* of work is now going to demand more pay for
working the same number of days a year as the rest of us do.
*my ex-sister-in-law who is a public school teacher vociferously
corrected me, and told me that due to snow days, they may work
as many as 192 days. A chest-clutching moment to be
sure.
|9.30.09 @ 4:43PM|#
"A teacher who (often) makes more than I do for 180 days a
year* of work is now going to demand more pay for working the same
number of days a year as the rest of us do."
Isn't this a form of wealth envy?
|9.30.09 @ 4:51PM|#
Here's something I learned in (private parochial) school:
Correlation does not equal causation. Just because there seems to
be some kind of correlation between two variables does not mean
that the two are connected or one causes the other.
|9.30.09 @ 5:07PM|#
Kroneborge, that's the problem. Repetition is the definately the
key to learning. Unfortunately educators have abandoned it for more
vague and abstract techniques. Resulting in children never learning
the fundamentals and thus being unable to do math and science.
This, I believe, is the intended consequence of the government's
semi-education efforts.
I'm against adding one second to the school year. They are doing
enough damage in the 1146 hours they already get.
|9.30.09 @ 6:31PM|#
IMO, it all started when we stopped beating kids at school. Remember, spare the rod, spoil the child, lol
|9.30.09 @ 6:33PM|#
But alas, writes David Harsanyi, the government is not a
baby-sitting service. Not yet.
I wanna call bullshit on that one. They were already daycare
facilities at least 10years ago.
If parental involvement is really the most significant factor,
why would we want to reduce the time the kids spend with their
parents?
I've got plenty of answers to that, but they either sound crazy or
they give me the chills....
|9.30.09 @ 7:28PM|#
Crap, spelling and preview errors again. And on the education thread, of course.
|9.30.09 @ 7:45PM|#
This idea of extending the school year is just another sad example of blinkered and short-sighted thinking by the politicians. Have they even considered any of the downsides? For example: Letting out urban schools in the late evening, increased cost for cooling huge buildings during the summer months, increased need for maintenance personnel, increased usage of teaching supplies and...well the list could go on for some little while, couldn't it? The point is that school districts are already stretched to or beyond their budget limitations and probably would require even more taxes to support. But the politicians (especially but not only the Dems) are too in love with unfunded mandates and their own infinite wisdom to see any problems.
Chad|9.30.09 @ 8:29PM|#
You may want to study up on Japan a bit before spouting off.
Most middle-school and high-school students are in school for a
couple more hours after class for whatever club they belong to
(bukatsu), and then run off to after-school cram schools (juku) to
study like mad for the tests that will get them into better
schools. They get home just in time to do some more homework and
then go to bed.
Also, you may be conflating the minimum standards vs what is
actually practiced, and actual instruction hours vs hours in
school.
Andrea|9.30.09 @ 9:49PM|#
Why spend more days doing something that's not productive?
I hardly think the problem is that kids are not spending enough
time in school. Increasing the days in school is as bad a solution
as spending more money.
|9.30.09 @ 9:49PM|#
Duncan and Huberman's efforts to make schools "year - round" is without substance. It's just another way of rearranging the 178 days that are currently bunched between Sept. and June. If anything it just confuses the cops who try to bust ghetto kids for truancy (get the F*&k off me pig, I'm at a Track E school, sheeeit!) I'd much rather have August free than 3 cold dark weeks in december.
Ramal|9.30.09 @ 10:03PM|#
Liberals hate children........That's why they blame them for irritating, meddlesome laws (it's for the children!), why they like to attack Christmas, and why they think it's tragic when celebrities are punished for raping them. It probably also helps explain why they are more likely to favor abortion. It makes sense though, since every child is a sign of failure of their part -- 60-80 years worth of environmental damage right there."
And Republicans love children. Physically. Like Mark Foley. Lovin' touchin' squeezin' kind of love.
And Democrats really love children. That's why
drugging
them and buggering them in all three holes while they plead for you
to stop
isn't rape-rape. That's why downloading porn showing a
tied-up three-year-old screaming as she's being raped isn't
important news and a guy doing some dirty texting to a bunch of
older teen pages while they snicker about it to each other somehow
is.
That's also why, if George Soros drugs and buggers you, Lamar, it
won't be rape-rape either. It's only rape-rape if a Republican does
it.
Wat|10.2.09 @ 2:34AM|#
Wow, that account is rather disturbing, and here I assumed it was merely some "statutory rape". Which mind you, I think is a total farce. However... if this isn't "rape-rape" (as in real rape, as in, NON-consensual sex), then I don't know what is! Why do they bother defending someone for doing this and fail to defend some poor 19 year old boy for having consensual sex with his 17 year old girlfriend.
I just wish that only those who actually raped someone were charged with rape, and not a lot of people say who are 19 and have sex with their teenage future wife.
Why doesn't Whoopi complain about all of the bogus "statutory rape" charges and "child pornography" charges levied against couples having consensual sex, instead she defends this piece of shit. What the fuck is wrong with liberals? (and neo-cons for that matter)
Nemo|9.30.09 @ 10:32PM|#
Japanese and Korean students go to school all year round.
Japan and Korea also have some of the world's highest suicide
rates, with high rates of teenage suicide.
Correlation does not imply causation, but it does wink suggestively
and gesture furtively while mouthing the words 'look over
there'.
|9.30.09 @ 11:18PM|#
Some of you have commented on boycotting public school students,
etc.
I'm a product of the public school system, although not the typical
one...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jefferson_County_International_Baccalaureate_School
Believe it or not, we actually had to take two years of a class
called "Theory of Knowledge" which was a class in epistemology, and
this was a public school...
Crazy I know...frankly, I think I lot more will be accomplished if
you separate the kids who actually want to learn and achieve
something from the kids who need to be in a babysitting
service.
Much more efficient that way - for the students, for the teachers,
for the tax payers...
Mark S.|10.1.09 @ 8:38AM|#
There is significant research showing starting the school day later benefits students, especially in the high school years. There is a biological reason why teenagers stay up late and have trouble rising for the early call back to school. A few school districts around the country have found, even pushing the start of school back 30 minutes, improved grades, behavior, and attendance.
|10.1.09 @ 5:13PM|#
Wouldn't it be nice if the school system would teach my child the 3Rs and let me worry about character education, sex education, and manners?
spencer|10.1.09 @ 7:24PM|#
i went to both a public and private highschool and in my opinion public school teachers do more harm than good after 6th grade.
Andrea|10.1.09 @ 10:25PM|#
"Wouldn't it be nice if the school system would teach my child the 3Rs and let me worry about character education, sex education, and manners? "
******************
Rote is out. Thinking is in.
So we wind up with kids who think about 2 + 3.
NO ONE!!!|10.6.09 @ 8:37PM|#
. . . WHATS THE POINT OF THIS?! MORE TORTURE?! MORE PAIN?! MORE TIME WITH CRUEL BULLIES AND EVIL TEACHERS?!
CH|10.9.09 @ 1:27PM|#
"Unlike in nations chock-full of whiz kids, in this country, adults work. Children play."
Well said. This policy is downright mean. As if kids' lives don't suck enough already.
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