On Fri, 07 Apr 2006 21:53:57 GMT, Gene Kearns
wrote:

On Fri, 07 Apr 2006 14:39:03 -0400, JohnH penned the following well
considered thoughts to the readers of rec.boats:



They were also supported by parents who gave a damn.
You make a good point... and one that I should have addressed. Busing
destroyed the community schools and created a remote location that no
longer carried any oversight from the home or local community. A
recipe for disaster.

Another point to ponder is the number of kids that do not receive
supervision from at least one parent... and this happens when both
parents MUST work to pay the bills. Another recipe for disaster.


Discipline, in my
county's schools, is not a teacher prerogative. The teachers write a
'referral' which goes to the principal. The principal determines the
punishment, if any.


This is my point, exactly. It is no longer dealt with by the teacher,
as it should be... immediately and forcefully, but is sent up the
administrative ladder for latter handling subject to the politically
correct decisions made by administrators that do *NOT* want unhappy
parents. I have decades of horror stories surrounding the idiocy of
letting administrators (not) handle deportment.

I've worked for school systems that had a quota system. Once the
administration expelled [xx%] of [xyz demographic] students, no more
could be expelled during that school year.... no matter *what* they
did. The only "out" was having the cops come and haul them away....

This year I have been teaching for 33 years and I think, sometimes, I
must have seen it all. I will no longer teach in Public School because
you are given a job and no tools or authority. I have very good
experiences teaching in industry and I greatly enjoy the Community
College. They seem to understand their purpose and do what is
necessary to make the student successful... that is what it is all
about. It isn't always about keeping student and parents happy.... it
is about learning.... and that isn't always, "happy, happy, joy, joy."

To imply there is no place for standardized tests makes no sense. There are
good tests and bad. If I am testing high school seniors with an 8th grade
level test, I'm obviously doing something stupid.

That isn't the point, but I'll build on what you have offered, since
it relates to the hard solutions that administrators are not willing
(or perhaps able) to make...

What is your solution to testing high school seniors with an 8th grade
level test and having them fail it?

If administrators (of all levels) lack sufficient male genitalia to
make those incredibly hard decisions and lack the political backing to
take the totally politically INcorrect actions... well, then what?

IMHO... you end up right where we are.....

Gene, I can't disagree with anything you've said. I'm sure there are school
systems using 8th grade level tests to pass seniors, if they use any test
at all. If the kids can't pass a legitimate test, as a senior, then they
shouldn't get a diploma. I don't think it's fair to the system to let the
kids repeat grades year after year.

Normally, from what I've seen, the kids who 'fail' in my school have to
work hard to do so. They are in a constant battle with teachers and
principals and, if lucky, parents, who want them to succeed. But, many of
them choose to do nothing, and succeed at doing nothing. When they repeat a
grade, they get the same results.

What you say about expulsions is similar to what occurs here. Schools are
'rated' based on many things, but the number of suspensions, expulsions,
and other punishments are also counted. Therefore, principals (even the
female ones) are reluctant to take action.

The system needs work. Too many people think that 99% of the problem is the
teachers. Even Socrates would have had a hard time teaching a turnip!
--
'Til next time,

John H

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