Rick Badie / My Opinion

By Helen Crane

January 8, 2009 12:10 PM | Link to this

I am a Republican and, thus, usually favor local control. However, this is a disastrous precedent. I believe the folks in Gwinnett got approval from above (ie Governor- whose M.O is to make horrid decisions and then let his appointees take credit.

First of all, this might work in a more affuluent, less racist, less good ol’boy locale. But, as those of us in small towns in Georgia know, local school boards are notoften leadership material but, often, make decisions based on what they perceive to be thier “johnny’s” best interest. As Jim Crow showed us, Southerners are adept at desguising segregation as benevolent prudence. In Gwinnett, where there has been a tsunami of immigrants, the effort will be to deny these children resources that state law can use to protect them. Soon to follow: school system reimbersment based on performance. Ethnic districts battling poverty will do less well, and we will see civil rights provisions battled for lost.

By BW

January 8, 2009 12:21 PM | Link to this

This School Board is like a secert society, it shares nothing with the public, much like our commissioners, look at the property they buy all behind closed doors, what will they share with the public now that they’re above state control?

It can be abused, more money and resources going to just the ‘Right’ schools in the ‘Right’ sections at the expense of ‘Those’ schools in ‘Those’ sections, hey, again just like our commissioners.

Will we ever know if the new system is working, probably not.

By Bubba

January 8, 2009 1:05 PM | Link to this

You’ll know if the new system is working when report cards start coming in.

Something needs to be done. Georgia state education defines a school as a “place to house kids during the day when they’re not in the fields tending crops.” I applaud Gwinnett for breaking loose from the plantation mentality and trying something that is - at the very least - different.

Rural school boards don’t care about “johnny’s best interest.” Many school board members aren’t even educators. They’re businessmen grafting money for themselves, doling out contracts for, among other things, cumputers sold at 40% above fair market that nobody knows how to use, service or support. As long as they get kickbacks for themselves and their buddies, that’s all that matters.

Maybe this works, maybe not. It’s evident, though, that what’s in place now clearly does not work, and at least someone says the cojones to try something new.

I know, folks down here don’t like “new.” They like things the way the are. The rabble can whine and complain as much as they want, the Good Ol’ Boys will let ‘em have their tantrum, then pat them on the head and say “Run along now.” I think any disruption to that system, even if the disruption fails, is better than what we got now.

What’s wrong with reimbursement based on performance? Why throw money at schools that don’t educate? That’s my money, and yours, all of ours. If the plumbing leaks at your house, you fix the plumbing. You don’t say, “Oh, the the plumbing’s not working, let’s throw more at the water bills and maybe it’ll fix itself.” Pay the plumber to fix it. If he does a good job, hire him to fix more problems. If he does a bad job, don’t say, “Oh well, his work stinks, but he’s government, so let’s just throw more money at him.”

By BW

January 8, 2009 1:33 PM | Link to this

“Why throw money at schools that don’t educate?”, talk about a plantation mentality. It’s my tax dollar too, I don’t support a royal class, but a level playing field.

But fear not Bubba, in this county your wish will granted and the royal class shall be rewarded.

By Michael H. Smith

January 8, 2009 2:01 PM | Link to this

I’m going to take exception with some of the things you have said Helen. Don’t take this as a personal attack, it isn’t.

First of all you and I disagree on the subject race to begin with: I don’t believe in “multiple races”, to do so would only give validity to the Klan dogma which determines race based on the color of skin or ancestral origin. There is only one race in my opinion: The human race. We are all closely related and the few differences among any of us simply are not great enough to require “a separate race”. That is a science fact Helen. We are all simply branches of one big human family tree, so to speak.

Secondly, there is such a thing as black re-segregation going on in our schools today which very few are willing to confront. In fact, that very issue appeared in article in this very paper awhile back.

Thirdly, amidst this tsunami of foreign nationals – not races – that have come to the U.S. there are many who don’t belong in this country under our laws. Many feel as I do about this matter. I oppose being forced by my government, which refuses to enforce immigration laws, to pay for the education of anyone’s children from a foreign country, who are residing illegally in our country and community. Yes indeed, every child deserves an education but that doesn’t mean I should have to pay to educate every child in this world.

I’m willing to give Mr. Wilbanks and the B.O.E. some leeway on this initiative – not that my moot opinion counts at this point - with the conditions that the promised results of improved academics and lowered drop-out rates must be achieved ACROSS THE BOARD and very quickly. If not, if the promised milestones are not reached, then this exemption from more stringent State oversight and control should be taken away by the State - with prejudice!

By Bubba

January 8, 2009 2:17 PM | Link to this

I’m all for a level playing field. As long as that “level” isn’t set so low that achievement becomes an unexpected anomaly, and not a standard to which to aspire.

“Royal” class? What the hell does that mean, “comrade?” That I’m snobby because I want to find ways to encourage to excel and not be a “woe is me where are my food stamps” simpleton?

The plantation got you good, dude.

By jim d

January 8, 2009 2:33 PM | Link to this

Yo Rick,

It isn’t any secret that I have long disagreed with much of the actions taken by the GCPS systems management but on this one I gotta say. WHAT A GREAT PLAN!

“IE2 contract approved and Gwinnett pulls The systemýs alternative schools, charter schools and a special education facility from the application.”

They may be able to get rid of all discipline problems and SPED’s in one fell swoop by transfering kids into these schools without regard to class size, then failing to make AYP for 3 years. Not to mention creating an advantage to regular schools over State approved Charters.

My god man, this is pure genius!

By jim d

January 8, 2009 2:42 PM | Link to this

my bad —- they will have to comply with class size requirements. But hey, those can be changed too as evidenced earlier today.

By BW

January 8, 2009 2:43 PM | Link to this

“It can be abused, more money and resources going to just the ‘Right’ schools in the ‘Right’ sections at the expense of ‘Those’ schools in ‘Those’ sections, hey, again just like our commissioners.”, now Bubba when you make a statement such as, ” Why throw money at schools that don’t educate?”, it seems to fit my worry that just the ‘Right’ schools will get the money. By your own statement you want a two-class system or is it you just got caught up in your rant?

Comrade, funny. Remember I didn’t try to take away your choice on who would collect your trash, nor did I take your tax dollars to go to a resort to think and last but not least, I didn’t decide the county needed a baseball team complete with a tax payer funded stadium during a deep depression.

So lemming, remember stay in line and follow orders.

By Bubba

January 8, 2009 3:13 PM | Link to this

The difference between you and me, on this point, is that I want to find ways to invest in success, and you want to keep investing in mediocrity.

Lemming? I’m the one supporting change here, Wilcox, I’m not the one saying, “No, we can’t do that, it’s too different. Stay with the herd, everyone needs to be the same.

What the hell do trash, resorts and baseball teams have to do with education? Aside from the fact, of course, that your short attention span prevents you from staying on topic.

Two-class system? You bet. Unlike your concept, however, of “have” and “have not,” my two class system involves “try” and “don’t try.” My system doesn’t exclude anyone who tries, but my system has no tolerance for those who make no effort.

My system won’t reward mediocrity. My system won’t take away funds and resources for those who want to succeed and give it to those who couldn’t care less (and if you think that’s not being done now, “lemming” - canceling band and arts programs because the majority of students don’t study these, don’t care, have no desire to be different - then it’s no wonder you staunchly support the status quo). My system will give those funds and resources to those students who want to learn, to those parents who view a school as something more than a glorified day care center. No discrimination regarding race, gender, creed, religion. Equal opportunity for all.

By jim d

January 8, 2009 3:34 PM | Link to this

Rick,

The real problem with education today in this country is that we’ve allowed politicans to EXPERIMENT with our kids education. Every experiment has caused a generation of students to lose just a little more, until we find ourselves where we are today.

As far as I’m concerned they can experiment on lab rats and leave kids alone. The majority of these folks have no vested interest in public education—their kids are not in public schools. Which opens up a whole nuther discussion.

By LB

January 8, 2009 3:49 PM | Link to this

I am a firm believer in doing things differently if it would create an improvement in our schools. Certification……. I have seen subs who present a lesson better than some certified teachers. Why not use this time to encourage good teaching as opposed to certified teaching. A certification means nothing if a lesson is presented in a way kids can’t understand.

Teacher pay…….. they all deserve good raises.

Class size……… excellent opportunity to require English be fluent before even being permitted to enroll in school. ESL classes are all over the place and free in most cases. Schools do not need to provide a segregated small classroom setting for non fluent English speakers. This will eliminate the need for these over rated ESOL teachers and special lesson plans. All illegals should go to a designated school in their area that is not part of the public school system. After all, they do not belong here and are crowding the classrooms with a don’t care to learn mentality in most cases. They should also be allowed to handle students who are a discipline problem because this holds others back. Parents who think their child can do no wrong should be required to examine the evidence and not have a recourse if it becomes necessary to remove that child. The school is not a day care and these dead beat parents who think the school owes them a baby sitter need to be dealt with as well.

By Michael H. Smith

January 8, 2009 4:12 PM | Link to this

I hope there is someone with a plan to change those who don’t seem to want the highest possible education they are capable of obtaining. I do appreciate the taxpayers investing in the needed government buildings that have provided me with an income for many years but building jails and prisons are not on my list of favorite projects. There is something very haunting in the realization that when you build a jail or prison, you are actually building a cage for another human being to live in. Possibly for the rest of their life.

So if it is all the same to the rest of you, I’d just as soon build some alternative school buildings that just might provide a place to re-direct some of these wayward minds to learn something that will keep them from pursuing a pathway that leads to a cage, in what can only be seen as society’s human zoo.

I realize the buried message in the adage of you can lead a horse to water but you cannot make the horse drink. However, we’re not dealing with horses. We are dealing with humans and humans can think beyond the resources of their primeval instincts.

We have the money or we certainly spend the amount money needed to educate our citizenry and a uniform legal immigrant population of lesser numbers than we have witness over the past decades. I’m in no mood for any idea that says some people are simply disposable or deserve less funding in educational resources.

By Bubba

January 8, 2009 5:25 PM | Link to this

I agree with you, Michael. To be clear, no one is disposable. If, for example, Meadocreek students are trying to get smart and Brookwood students just want to party, then take resources from Brookwood and give them to Meadowcreek. Can’t do that? Bus the achieving Meadowcreek students to Brookwood and the Brookwood partiers to Meadowcreek.

One of the big problems with schools in general (but in the South in particular) is that you have two core curricula in high school - college prep and “shop.” Later “voc ed.” That’s changing now. Educators are (finally) starting to realize that college is not, in and of itself, the only path to success.

CTAE shows a lot of promise. I would like to see high schools that offer some kind of apprenticeship or guild training, so someone can learn electronics, learn plumbing, learn skills that one doesn’t get in a 4-year school.

Gwinnett students are among the best in Georgia. However, because the current system requires that student be given “equal” education, Gwinnett students are put in the position of living down to state standards.

120+ years ago, public education was created with the objective being that all Americans should be able to read and write. Radical for the time, there was no such thing back then. Today, our needs and requirements have changed, but our public education structure has not. We have advanced - schools have not.

Kudos to GCPS for trying something new. Maybe they will succeed, maybe not. They are, nevertheless, trying

By Badie

January 8, 2009 6:27 PM | Link to this

Bubba: What’s CTAE?

By LT5000

January 8, 2009 9:43 PM | Link to this

I’m all for the Gwinnett plan.

The so called “educators” have produced several generations of illiterate morons all the while utlilizing the Teachers Union to extort more money out of the taxpayers.

Why does it cost less per child for kids at private school than a child in public school. By the way, it’s about 7000 per kid.

Vouchers and getting rid of underperforming teachers would be a great start.

Time to disband Jimmah Carters Dept of Education and start disbanding the Teacher’s Union. Hasn’t anybody noticed what the Unions did to the American auto industry.

http://www.cagw.org/site/PageServer?pagename=policyDepartmentof_Education

Not every public school dropout is going to barely graduate and be rewarded with a blog in the AJC.

LT5000

By Michael H. Smith

January 8, 2009 9:55 PM | Link to this

Wait a minute Bubba it seems you are confusing your own argument in this statement. I could be wrong, so correct me were you feel I’m in error.

One of the big problems with schools in general (but in the South in particular) is that you have two core curricula in high school - college prep and “shop.” Later “voc ed.” That’s changing now. Educators are (finally) starting to realize that college is not, in and of itself, the only path to success.

College prep and CTAE are precisely a two core curricula in high school. This has met with success in particular to the North as well, which I’ve cited in several other blog topics.

What I will say about CTAE is this: Unless our government from the federal level down to the State level enforces laws against illegal alien employment and corrects the government abuse of the visa programs that is placating to the cheap labor interests of business which allows an over abundance of legal immigrant workers into the labor force of this country for the sole purpose of lowering the wages and quality of life for all the American workers, and the workers that will be produced from CTAE in the trades and in the service sector, it will be an impotent effort producing pitifully poor results.

For the majority of the jobs that I’ve seen in the CTAE offerings: Academically speaking a 6th grade education – the ability to read and do simple math computations - would be sufficient until an individual reaches the technical, supervisory or management levels.

I certainly agree new educational approaches must be tested and employed were the efficacy is proven if future generations of Americans are to compete in what has become an irreversible global market. We will no longer be afforded or rewarded the luxury of a national market that is in any sense of the word immune to global economic conditions. This flat world conundrum will even apply to professional with multiple advanced degrees.

By Not_Bubba

January 8, 2009 10:38 PM | Link to this

CTAE: Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education

By BW

January 9, 2009 12:02 AM | Link to this

“I agree with you, Michael. To be clear, no one is disposable. If, for example, Meadocreek students are trying to get smart and Brookwood students just want to party, then take resources from Brookwood and give them to Meadowcreek. Can’t do that? Bus the achieving Meadowcreek students to Brookwood and the Brookwood partiers to Meadowcreek.” Wow Bubba, now you understand a level playing field that I was commenting about.

I do not want to see certain schools become nothing more than dumping grounds, which I’m afraid will happen, I hope I’m wrong. The big question is will the BOE ever let us know?

Now I see why your’re upset Bubba, you keep saying your program, I had no idea it was your’s alone.

Being a Yankee till my move down here, we have had CTAE for many years, but you have to be in the second year of high school to apply.

“What the hell do trash, resorts and baseball teams have to do with education?”. Simple Bubba, you call me comrade, I imagine as some kind of insult, yet you live in a socialist county that makes the decisions for you.

What exactly are the details of the plan that the BOE have been working on for the last five years with only two open meetings? Bubba, care to tell us?

By V for Vendetta

January 9, 2009 8:10 AM | Link to this

One thing to keep in mind: The only reason to opt out of the state mandates IE2 seeks to disregard is because the system wants to do the opposite of what is stated in the mandate. Any school system can perform at a level considered BETTER than the mandate—lower class sizes, high teacher salaries, etc. However, by opting out, Gwinnett can now choose to perform “worse” than what was originally stated in the mandates. It’s just another example of Wilbanks and the BOE wanting absolute control of the system.

Make no mistake, this is the WORST thing to happen to Gwinnett since the combining of technical and college prep courses a few years ago. (That in itself might be the worst thing to happen in the HISTORY of education in Gwinnett.) The ripple effects of these moves will be felt for years if not decades.

And, by the way, who says there should be a level playing field in the first place? That’s the kind of ignorance that has led to our current education system. No person owes another person anything, regardless of who that person is. If a student is not behaving or performing at a minimally acceptable level, that student should be removed and another more motivated and/or talented student should be given his resources/time/attention. Quite frankly, it’s common sense. There will always be haves and have nots in the world. Until we stop apologizing for the have nots, we will never be “progressive.”

Every year thousands of people come to this country seeking to improve their lives. Those that DO improve their lives do so by taking advantage of every available opportunity. But it’s not up to us, or anyone else, to GIVE them anything. By the time a student reaches high school, and most likely long before that, he or she should intrinsically understand the value and purpose of being educated.

If they don’t, why should we even think about them?

By LT5000

January 9, 2009 8:20 AM | Link to this

And From Today’s Illegal Immigrant News:

*LAWRENCEVILLE - Authorities are looking for a Norcross sex offender they believe may have moved back to Mexico. *

Investigators with the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office said Victor Manuel Barrera Montanez, 19, failed to register as a sex offender when, on or about the third week of December, he moved to Mexico without informing the county sex offender unit.

Nope, Blubbering Badie can’t find anything to write about in Gwinnett, so he had to write about teachers in Fayette county the other day.

Badie, are we going to see a blog soon about the “Fast Track” deportations from the Gwinnett County Detention Center?

Keep up the poor work.

LT5000

By jim d

January 9, 2009 8:53 AM | Link to this

After watching the DOE fiasco yesterday, I’ve concluded that politicians on education are like a bunch of kids with a new chemistry set—they keep playing with it hoping to discover a miracle cure. When the truth of the matter is they are going to keep playing with it until they blow us all to hell.

Best advice i can offer?

Keep your head down in Gwinnett!!

By Cindy

January 9, 2009 10:49 AM | Link to this

Yeah…what V for Vendetta said.

I wouldn’t mind seeing a blog about the upcoming “Fast Tracking…” too.

By Serendipitous Stipend

January 9, 2009 12:04 PM | Link to this

After reading LT5000, I think we should let the educators do what they think is necessary to educate. It not, we’re finished.

whew. I know I’d pay a penny poll tax for more short buses after reading someone like LT who went full-nitwit.

and I think it’s a damn shame.

By BW

January 9, 2009 12:41 PM | Link to this

V for Vendetta, may I ask what grade you received in reading comprehension? The statement was made about entire schools or districts, not individual students. Let me repeat the statement, “It can be abused, more money and resources going to just the ‘Right’ schools in the ‘Right’ sections at the expense of ‘Those’ schools in ‘Those’ sections, hey, again just like our commissioners.

We all know what school will be the dumping ground, who wants to buy a home near the prison school or the school of fools? I imgine not many, now you punish an entire distrct?

It’s common in this county to bow to the new sections and abandon the old neighborhoods. Look at the stadium, perfect spot would have been JBC in the village, a spot large enough and close to I-85 was there for the asking. No, the Braves told Bert where our taxes will be spent, of course it had to be the right section of Gwinnett, near the Mall of Georgia. But to be fair the commissioners are trying to shove a trash transfer station down the troats of the Village, Norcross or Lilburn.

I asked Bert one time if he would build a trash transfer station by his stadium? Of course it was no, now that he’s got his stadium, I bet we’ll get the shaft.

Can you tell me why the BOE should have a different atitude?

By Michael H. Smith

January 9, 2009 1:14 PM | Link to this

You bring some interesting arguments to fore Vendetta. I’m not in disagreement that on the skeptical surface of things this move has all the signs of a power grab. Then again, who says the State DOE and its’ mandates has all the answer and that those answer are the right answers or the only answers? Not sure that they do but I do agree that school systems or a school has a choice to do worse or better, even with less money and a student body stereotyped to failure: Et al Warren County Middle School, Truett Abbott.

The argument against combining of technical and college prep courses certainly has merit. In fact beyond the basics taught in elementary and middle schools there is the apparent fork in the road so to speak that in reality does exist between the practical side of (the more hands on) education and the advanced academic side of (the more theoretical) education e.g. Southern Tech verses Georgia Tech, though both are known for engineering. This is something that annoys me relative to the proverbial forcing of square pegs into round holes that goes on in education. Education should not be reduced to one-size-fits-all, in my opinion. Some among us thrive on algebra, trigonometry and calculus while others among us are lucky to function with the aid of a calculator when solving problems that require computations. So why take someone whose best opportunity in life will be obtained in a CTAE program and sit them in a classroom of students preparing for the possible entry into a MIT? Hands down you win that argument Vendetta.

Where we would disagree is in the area of dividing resources/time/attention, I think it is possible to strike a balance, if CTAE/Technical and college prep were separated where the natural divide occurs in the educational process. Do keep in mind when I’m saying this I do realize there will always be some that will simply drop-out, give –up, quit no matter what you or I do or anyone else does – Sad fact of life. Yes indeed, there will always be the haves and the haves not in this world and there will always be the haves more and the haves lesser, too – Economic parity is a socialist’s myth. All men are created equal but all men do not remain equal, once they’ve been created. No amount a slanting, no amount of discriminatory bias applied to the so-called playing field will change or improve any player’s lack of skills which ultimately determines their game performance. We certainly agree on that argument.

Though the unapologetic “progressive” part of me says, give any man or woman all the rope they need to either tie-up their nice successful package or just enough rope for them to hang themselves.

So in answer to your question, why should we even think about them?

That probably has more to do with how we value our worth and what we see as our responsibilities as members of a civilized society. I mean, should we do as the Greeks of old and cast our disabled or underachievers onto a Mt. Olympus, to leave them there most likely to die?

There probably is a fine line at times drawn somewhere between a competitive civilized society and a society that is ruled by the law of the jungle. However, in the blur I hope as a society we never cross over to live and let die, eat or be eaten.

By Serendipitous Stipend

January 9, 2009 1:45 PM | Link to this

Educate the uneducated, and damn the costs. Education is hardly a 700 billion dollar boondoggle.

V for vapid. S for stupid. P for peenyada.

By Michael H. Smith

January 9, 2009 2:49 PM | Link to this

It is not so much the costs of educating the uneducated that is objectionable.

It is the boondoggle of not receiving the desired results when more than appropriate monies have been spent and the alternatives of failure that continue to accrue an intolerable compound interest are being all too readily accepted.

By woodie

January 9, 2009 2:51 PM | Link to this

Basically the school system is trying to save cost by not following minimal state standards. I don’t see how this translates to better school performance. This sound stupid on the outside. We are staking education on flights of fantasy.

By Michael H. Smith

January 9, 2009 3:38 PM | Link to this

If the debate is centering on class size as to numbers of students in a classroom, then the argument must be presented that in cases where high academic achievers are lumped together in large numbers it would likely have no adverse affects on their abilities to learn; so one teacher could adequately teach 50 or more students in a classroom setting. Where on the other hand in cases where students of average academic achievements or students that are academically challenged, a class size of 20 students or less may be necessary in order for one teacher to adequately teach that class.

In school as in life there are variables that simply defy the application of a constant. If it works: Good, then do it. If it doesn’t work, then don’t do it. But please, we’ve got to get past this thinking that there is some magical numerical constant, an unchanging assigned standard number that replaces all numeric variables in every classroom equation.

By V for Vendetta

January 9, 2009 5:05 PM | Link to this

Michael Smith, I agree with much of what you said. I didn’t mean to imply that technical schools should somehow be given less resources. Perhaps I phrased it wrong. I think we should create viable alternatives and fund them accordingly. That way, the opportunity is there—opportunity being the key word.

As for social responsibility, it is a concept I can’t identify with. Every man, woman, and child is capable of making decisions and thinking rationally. Whether they choose to do so is another matter entirely. And I, for one, am not going to worry myself with those who don’t. I owe them nothing just as they owe me nothing. Being a “have” doesn’t obligate you in any way to cater to the “have nots.” Every human being should earn his or her own way in life.

By V for Vendetta

January 9, 2009 5:06 PM | Link to this

Michael Smith, I agree with much of what you said. I didn’t mean to imply that technical schools should somehow be given less resources. Perhaps I phrased it wrong. I think we should create viable alternatives and fund them accordingly. That way, the opportunity is there—opportunity being the key word.

As for social responsibility, it is a concept I can’t identify with. Every man, woman, and child is capable of making decisions and thinking rationally. Whether they choose to do so is another matter entirely. And I, for one, am not going to worry myself with those who don’t. I owe them nothing just as they owe me nothing. Being a “have” doesn’t obligate you in any way to cater to the “have nots.” Every human being should earn his or her own way in life.

By V for Vendetta

January 9, 2009 5:08 PM | Link to this

Apologies for the double post. I hate when it does that!

By Mark

January 9, 2009 5:31 PM | Link to this

I don’t care. I have no children, plus the fact that over 60% of the students in Gwinnett county are either muds or hispanics.

By Michael H. Smith

January 9, 2009 6:19 PM | Link to this

The truth is though anyone is more then free to dispute this, my comment on numbers of students in a classroom would in all likelihood (as I see it Vendetta) give more teacher attention to those that have the most difficulties learning.

So where is the balance in that?

Are the super achievers short changed in proportion of teacher per student?

We are probably talking about trade offs in reality. The high achievers are not being held back because their teacher does not have to re-teach as much or spend as much time on teaching a lesson. So the high academic achieving students can receive more in advanced knowledge and resources from their teacher.

I agree as long as we provide - within the means of our wherewithal - the opportunity to succeed our obligations to someone else’s success has been fulfilled. Our thinking on that has firm grounds to stand upon whether in the job market or in college, no one is going to wet-nurse in those arenas. In fact, as many know, when in college the professor teaches the material and if the professor can flunk you, then they have done their job as they see it. Welcome to the real world where the hand holding days are no more.

I’ll still worry about the ones who choose to work so hard to fail because a disproportional number of them usually turn out to be thugs, dope dealers, thieves or murderers. I do compassionately value my own hide, purely out of selfish reasons of course.

By Jerry Ratrix

January 9, 2009 6:41 PM | Link to this

V for vapid: Nobody reads your tripe, moron.

By nana

January 9, 2009 7:33 PM | Link to this

Mark the things you post on this blog make me, for one, for glad you have no children. The world is a bettter place for that.

By Crime Pays Sometimes

January 9, 2009 9:03 PM | Link to this

bravo, nana. U R very wise.

Trolls have ruined all the ajc blogs. Trolls are the bane of modern society.

I’m the cure. Here’s a vaccination booster shot….

<=3

By Crystal

January 10, 2009 11:46 AM | Link to this

Until education is the first priority in the home, it will never translate to the classroom. No amount of money spent per student will change that. Some of our nation’s schools that spend the most per student still have a poor performance record.

By Michael H. Smith

January 10, 2009 1:14 PM | Link to this

Very true Crystal but there is a problem in the homes across America. Many parents cannot read. Here is a very shocking piece of news:

DOBBS: More bad news on the quality of education in this country and a disturbing new report showing that one in seven adults in this country can’t read well enough to fill out a job application or to understand simple directions — one in seven. Lisa Sylvester has our report.

LISA SYLVESTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In Washington, D.C., adults, many of them in their 40s and 50s, are learning to read for the first time. One out of seven adults in the United States lacks basic literacy skills. What that means is they cannot read a sentence or comprehend even the most basic paragraph in English.

The extensive survey was done by researchers at the Department of Education, who followed a large cross section of Americans from 1992 to 2003. Why are so many unable to read in the United States, a first world country that mandates public education for children?

DAVID HARVEY, PROLITERACY: Why so high? Three reasons. Young people who drop out of high schools, failing schools, people with learning disabilities which may be undiagnosed in some circumstances and immigration.

SYLVESTER: The states with the highest illiteracy rates are California, 23 percent, Florida, 20 percent, New York, 22 percent, and the District of Columbia and Texas, both at 19 percent. Literacy experts say those who can’t read often struggle to find jobs.

If they do find work, they are among the lowest paid. And illiteracy is a cycle that perpetuates itself. Parents who are illiterate are unable to read to their children and not able to teach them basic reading skills.

RITA DANIELS, EXEC. DIR., LITERACY VOLUNTEERS: Based on what we know now we will be the first generation whose children are less educated than we are, less smart than we are, because we failed them. So what it means for our nation is that we have children that we are rearing who will need tremendous help in order to be successful in jobs.

SYLVESTER: U.S. workers have to be globally competitive but it’s becoming tougher to keep up with so many adults unable to read and write.

SYLVESTER: This report for the first time offers data on the county level. Researchers and educators can now identify precisely where to direct resources. Now some states have made significant progress since the last report was issued in 1992. Mississippi decreased its illiteracy rate from 25 percent to 16 percent by making a concerted effort to push education and to bring that rate down — Lou.

DOBBS: Yes, it’s a sad commentary as well when we look at a 15 percent illiteracy rate as progress in this country. As you point out, the largest states in this country, with one in five adults illiterate, and there’s this sort of high-bound political correct orthodoxy that doesn’t want to deal with this issue.

It is truly troubling to see the public hypocrisy on the part of our elected officials, on the part of both political parties, all sorts of interest groups here. When people are paying — in this society and the economy is paying a high price for this.

SYLVESTER: Yes, you can’t ignore the fact in this economic situation where people are having a tough time finding jobs as it is. Now compound that when somebody can’t even fill out a job application or can’t read in English. I mean that is a huge problem here, Lou.

DOBBS: Absolutely and there’s another problem. It took the Department of Education five years to come out with this report covering a span that ended in 2003? What the heck is wrong with those people?

SYLVESTER: Yes that is a very good point. I mean this report was actually — they had gathered all the data it was completed in 2003. But then they had to develop the statistical models and they had several attempts at trying to develop this model. And so here it is six years later and now we’re finally getting this report. So a long-awaited report, Lou.

DOBBS: Think about how many people they could have educated to read in the course of that five-year period. Thank you very much — Lisa Sylvester. We appreciate it.

By Mark

January 10, 2009 2:33 PM | Link to this

nana And you were born from a w*******.

By Crystal

January 10, 2009 4:05 PM | Link to this

And my parents couldn’t do physics, algebra or calculus, yet I managed to get straight A’s. Luckily for me, maybe, I lived in a small town with dedicated teachers who would have help sessions after school. Other parents would help out with getting kids home if their own parent was working. Being a school from a small town, it was a bragging right to have 75% of our graduating class go to college. My kids go to an elementary school that is larger than my high school by 500 kids. But, each and every time I have needed to speak with either of their teachers, they are there. Even if a student’s parents cannot read, they still know if their child is not doing well in school and should get involved. Some parents want to make excuses for themselves and expect the schools to be miracle workers.

By nana

January 10, 2009 4:46 PM | Link to this

Mark you are exactly one of the people MHS is talking about….go somewhere else dude.

By Michael H. Smith

January 10, 2009 6:33 PM | Link to this

Yeah but I betting your parents could read Crystal, right?

You can go through life and never do physics, any algebra or even know what calculus is and still earn a good livelihood. Can you say anyone will still earn a good livelihood without the ability to read?

I think we would agree, reading is the key that unlocks all the doors of education. If a person can read, they can learn anything if their desire to learn is strong enough.

By Crystal

January 10, 2009 7:25 PM | Link to this

Michael, wouldn’t you think that those that cannot read already do not have a desire to learn, hence, why they cannot read? If the parents REALLY wanted to learn how to read, they would seek out the resources to accomplish the task. Even if the parents cannot read, their kids CAN learn to read if they go to school and their parents instill in them how important education is. That was my point of the algebra scenario. The illiterate parents should be lighting a fire under their little ones butts to pay attention and do well and find them help if they need it, especially if they are living the life of an illiterate. The parents should know their ABC’s up to F to read a report card and see that little Johnny isn’t reading well either. That those same parents attend every parent/teacher conference. Just because you cannot read doesn’t make you stupid or unable to vision and/or want a better life for your kids than what you had.

If I had to guess, I would say that those 40 and 50 year olds that cannot read and are now having to fill out applications for work are from the manufacturing era. Those jobs are being farmed out or deleted altogether in this country and putting these folks out in the job market. I come from a family with a long line of “line workers” who were able to walk out of the tenth grade and into an auto factory. All of them had children who went to college because they knew all to well that a factory life was not a good life for long.

Overall, I am just tired of the schools getting all of the blame when it comes to kids not performing well. Just as much if not more responsibility has to come from the home or the children are not going to be successful. And if an illiterate parent cannot see how hard a life it is and doesn’t do everything to help in their child’s education, what’s the school system to do?

By Michael H. Smith

January 10, 2009 9:42 PM | Link to this

Granted Crystal I know the points you’re making in regards to excuses and the blame game. That doesn’t fly with me either, so I’m not arguing against you on those points. Though one out of seven adults, 40 and 50 years olds’ in this country can’t even fill out a job application. Which means they probably can’t read the name on their birth certificate, couldn’t read a note from a teacher if a teacher sent one home with the child.

Sure, just as much if not more responsibility has to come from the home or the children are not going to be successful. It is not that the illiterate parent cannot see how hard a life it is without an education. They simply cannot comprehend in many cases what they see written in a book, on a page in a newspaper help want-ad or the writing pasted on a road sign. The illiterate parent Crystal cannot help themselves to help their children.

So what’s the school system to do: Hopefully a hell of alot more than what the U.S. Department of Education did in the five years it took them to bring this national travesty to the public’s attention.

Look at this again: Based on what we know now we will be the first generation whose children are less educated than we are, less smart than we are, because we failed them. So what it means for our nation is that we have children that we are rearing who will need tremendous help in order to be successful in jobs.

We are sowing the seeds of “generational illiteracy” in this nation.

And this: The states with the highest illiteracy rates are California, 23 percent, Florida, 20 percent, New York, 22 percent, and the District of Columbia and Texas, both at 19 percent. Literacy experts say those who can’t read often struggle to find jobs.

The last time I seen the per-capita spending on children attending school in the District of Columbia it was the highest in the nation. New York definitely out spends Georgia per-child for schooling children.

So this excuse of throwing more money at failure is not the answer.

Crystal admit it, we have a broken government and nearly every system in this broken government is just as broken if not more so and among the ones most in need of fixing is the education system.

Yep, leave no child behind.

The helpless are leading the hopeless.

We better try to find an experiment that works and fast. The lab results are in on the last one we conducted and it isn’t looking so good project U.S.A. at the moment.