Politics thread

[uconnrecruitingviolator]

obama opponents are all phonies. they kill obama for telling school kids to stay in school, then they bash obama for trying to extend the school day, and then they turn around and talk about how the public school system is a complete failure.

at what point are they just saying no just to say no?

[Giggles]

Let's see those stats that show that America has the dumbest kids "in the world."

Here's the first thing that came up...

Leading Economists Warn That Education Gap Between the U.S. and Industrialized
Countries Threatens America's Ability to Compete

Experts cite strong link between student achievement and economic growth; New
poll reveals Americans believe the quality of a country's education system has
a big impact on its economic prosperity

WASHINGTON, June 27 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- America's failure to keep pace
with the education gains of other industrialized countries is creating a
serious education gap that will impact our economic prosperity, warned some of
the nation's preeminent economists who gathered today at a national policy
forum convened by Strong American Schools' ED in 08 Chairman Roy Romer and
Librarian of Congress Dr. James H. Billington.

The forum, Remaining Competitive in a Flat World, featured economists and
educators who have studied the economic returns of boosting academic
achievement and graduation rates. Researchers presented the latest results of
international assessments showing that American students lag behind the top
tier of industrialized nations. For example, American 15-year-olds score
significantly below average on the Program for International Student
Assessment (PISA). Out of 30 industrialized countries participating in the
2006 assessment, the United States ranked 25th in math and 21st in science.

[longpolelax]

How'd we do in English?

[SC]

I'm basically making a comment against blanket statements that have no proof or support behind it.

The fact is, there are hundreds of reports out there. Some of them show the US in the top ten, and some show the US behind third world nations. The issues go far beyond keeping kids in school for an extra hour.

[SC]

Giggles, you claimed we were "dumbest in the world." 21st is far from dumbest in the world.

[Giggles]

Giggles, you claimed we were "dumbest in the world." 21st is far from dumbest in the world.

Not to be taken literally. I don't actually think that American kids are dumber than say Amazonian fisherman kids or Mongolian sheep herding kids. But when you're by far the richest and most powerful country on the planet, 21st is pretty bad.

[AY]

Giggles, you claimed we were "dumbest in the world." 21st is far from dumbest in the world.

Not to be taken literally. I don't actually think that American kids are dumber than say Amazonian fisherman kids or Mongolian sheep herding kids. But when you're by far the richest and most powerful country on the planet, 21st is pretty bad.

Well the Democrats are working on putting an end to that, so our economy should match our smarts very soon.

[Guest]

That makes sense.

This thread is off to an awful start. We may have to delete this one and start another one.

[TEE]

So everyone is fine with American kids being the dumbest in the world then huh? Good to know.

Sure teachers are going to have a problem, but most work another job in the summer anyways. Keep them in school longer, pay them more. Done and done. Any teacher that takes a 2.5 month vacation in the summer doesn't get any sympathy from me.

Pay them more? How many states & cities have extra cash to pay them? Teachers Union is very powerful, probably not a good idea for a Dem to piss them off.
Parents wont be too happy about it either. I know if my kids' school year gets extended I have to pay more. Our kids spend more "teaching hours" in schools than most.

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). That is despite the fact that Taiwan, Japan and Hong Kong have longer school years (190 to 201 days) than does the U.S. (180 days).

So it's not the time, it's the lesson plans.

[SC]

And I'm pretty sure that if you want to look deeper inside those numbers, you'll find that urban schools are bringing down our overall rankings. Simply making kids stay at school longer isn't going to improve test results. I don't have answers, but I know that's going to have about zero effect on those kids from the districts who do poorly. It has to do more with teacher education and getting the most out of those kids who are poor students, or who aren't going to be engineers are financial analysts.

[SC]

That makes sense.

This thread is off to an awful start. We may to delete this one and start another one.

You're not making the thread any less awful.

[Guest]

It has to do more with teacher education and getting the most out of those kids who are poor students, or who aren't going to be engineers are financial analysts.

Neither are you.

[5TOOLER]

a couple of rocket scientists we got going back and forth here.



...quality

[AY]

[rearadmiral]

Again, parental failure = shitty schools