"Gene Kearns" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 12 Oct 2003 00:36:10 -0700, "jps" wrote:

"Calif Bill" wrote in message
ink.net...

When an H-1 visa engineer that is just as capable as a USA born
engineer will work for $60k, you think we can compete in the
world market?

If we had our **** together and did a decent job of educating our kids,
we
could be pumping out labor ready technical folks who'd be damned pleased
to
make $40 to $60K a year. We haven't made the investment in our own
educational infrastructure, India obviously has.


Throwing money at education isn't the fix... education's problems in
this country are societal in nature. There is no person in a school
saddled with more superfluous work and less control over *making*
education happen than a classroom teacher. Given the situation and
marching orders endured by most teachers... it is surprising that
students learn as much as they do. You want learning? Give the
teacher the tools to get the job done....

That's true but there's other perspectives to consider. In Seattle we have
severely run down buildings. Our kids are in portables that were installed
anywhere between the mid-1940s to the mid-sixties. A few are more modern.
White flight to the burbs made for a ****ed-on urban infrastructure. I'm
sure it's common across the country.

We may have made investments in education, I don't think we've made the
right ones and enough of them.

Teaching to tests is foolish. Shoving reading skills at kids before they're
ready is stupid. This new accountability is right wing buffoonery. Let's
find a way to make parents more responsible for their kids performance in
schools. That'd make the biggest difference of all.