Another school year is upon us. With this comes the constant talk about school taxes, expenses, school conditions, teachers' pay rates, teachers' experiences and backgrounds, student-to-school populations and students' abilities to learn, comprehend and retain. I know that is a mouthful, but I still don't believe I have mentioned all that is associated with -- and controversial about -- yet another school year!
I wonder -- am I the only citizen who views our current school system as a bust and a probable waste of tax money? I truly believe that " teaching to the test" -- in other words, to teach students to continue to pass these glorious equivalency tests -- is wrong, a waste of taxes and even a fundamental waste of the school system's resources!
I also believe that it is a very wrong and dangerous practice of how our school system is seemingly an accepted way of weeding out the bad, slow and sometimes ignorant -- and yet very good-at-heart students! The American school system must not become the accepted method of creating the working, blue-collar class of citizens by seemingly catering to the white-collar class of citizens.
I have heard mention of very innovative suggestions of changing our school system to make it better, more fair and more efficient. Two of these very great ideas are to change the equivalency tests and to go to a four-day school week.
Granted, these changes are very different, but citizens are going to have to make and embrace changes for the better!
Timothy M. Bledsoe
North Augusta, S.C.
The Augusta Chronicle ©2010. All Rights Reserved.
lol
Glorified baby sitters.
how about a 4 day school week for students who are on track and reserve the 5th day for those who need extra help? a modified bus route could be used and only high school / middle school students required to attend the 5th day. would also solve the social promotion issue by giving extra time to students when they need it rather than ex post facto retention.
Schools will not improve until the Management is held accountable. We still have the same empty suits running the system except for a semi new talking head. It's all about money, where else can this bunch make over $100,000 per year to screw up everything. The administrative staff needs to be cut in half.
The stupid ideas laid out in this LTE are what's wrong with the current school system. Trying to make all parts of the school "fair and equal" regardless of the effort of the "good hearted" student. When schools stopped concentrating on the 3 R's is when we started having discipline problems, not enough money for phys.ed. and music, and lack of student effort (because of being discouraged). Today's school is little more then an extended babysitting service for about 40% of the students.
Maybe we should have another type of alternative school for good hearted non-achievers that don't wish to fail in school.
Pubic school was an experiment that hasn't been around long. Home schooling has been around forever and has worked. Home schooling needs to be encouraged and for those who can't, have private schools compete for the rest.
If you want your child to have the best; home schooling seems to be it. It is hard for a public school student to compete in life against a home schooled student.
How does a product of Richmond County Schools qualify to home school their children? I am not a proponent of home schooling based on current rules. One cannot teach what one doesn't know. Besides what percentage of families have both parents working outside the home? Who will be the teacher? Why not offer classes in the school, many via the computer and let attendance be the responsibility of the parent? If kids misbehave, have the 3 strikes and you're out for the semester. As far as no child left behind, that is BS. Social promotion certainly doesn't solve that problem. There will always be kids left behind. Offer the free education with behavior requirements as well as performance requirements. If the kids don't meet those, I'm sure there will be options for them. They will certainly be more costly but tough luck. They had their chance and blew it. It is not our job to coddle these kids. Military Schools will be available, as will other forms of private schools that are willing to deal with these behavior problems when the need is large enough.
Everybody can't afford to home school.Is everyone forgetting these children is our future.IT START with all of us.If the children are n'tmeeting federal,state ,and locals standards we need to start cutting salary.Ga.still getting failing grades.We rank at the bottom.Some one need to raise their voice for the children.We need to stay on our policymaker.This country is going backward.All children need education.Remember BROWN -VS-Board of Education.We as people are selfish.
concern, did you attend school in Richmond County? I don't know you're age but I'm 57. I thought I had a good education and was very smart until I went into the military and was exposed to folks from all over the country. It took lots of self education and intermittent classes for me to feel I was on an even keel with others. From everything I see the education system is worse now. Cutting pay for teachers is not the answer. Making parents take responsibility for their kids education and behavior is.
Amen and well said 14PUTT...
Close all public schools and issue vouchers. Saves money and at least those who wish to get an education can!