How is this NOT the most racist thing you ever heard?

[BigK]

[url="http://www.thenewamerican.com/culture/education/item/16003-alabama-adopts-race-based-standards-for-school-students"]Alabama Adopts Race-based Standards for School Students[/url]

 

For once, Jesse, Al, and their ilk should be throwing a hissy fit over something. This is the most racist thing the Federal gov't has come up with since Affirmative Action.

 

For example: the article says 93.6% of Asians, 91.5% of white, 85.5% of poor, and only 79% of black students have to pass the new math standards. Only special needs children have lower standards than black kids.

 

Sounds dangerously close to saying a black person's diploma is only worth 4/5 of a regular diploma to me.

 

 

[xjsnake]

Because sadly it's based in reality.

 

Each one of those percentages for a given group is actually a goal; meaning that it's an improvement in proficiency from where that group is now. The idea is to raise standards across the board say 3-5% for each group with an eye to get everybody up to say 90% over the course of time. But taking a group that right now averages 75% proficiency  and saying 90% of them must pass next year will cause teachers to teach black students only and neglect everyone else because they are trying to save their jobs. You would have massive teacher firings, and school closings because of unreasonable standards.

 

By taking each groups passing rates and raising them the same amount you are allowing teachers to teach each group of students more equally while hopefully raising everyone's chances of passing the test.

 

Is this a perfect system? **** no. But it's really not as racist as people are making it out to be.

[RobertNashville]

The public school system, as a whole, is a complete and abject failure as are just about all government programs/institutions.

 

Most kids coming out of the public system in the past 40 years know almost nothing worthwhile and more importantly, have no idea how to even think rationally. Only those who have chosen to educate themselves after being in the public system have any real intelligence or ability to process data in a logical, rational way.

 

Of course there are always exceptions...individual schools/school systems...individual excellent teachers; but they are the exception.

[Guest Bonedaddy]

Let's see....1980 was 33 years, ago, which is less than 40 so I'm well on my way to full on tardom. Soon, life will be much easier, I hope and the family will be obligated to help. Yep. Gettin' better, all the time. :rofl:

[peejman]

The public school system, as a whole, is a complete and abject failure as are just about all government programs/institutions.

 

Most kids coming out of the public system in the past 40 years know almost nothing worthwhile and more importantly, have no idea how to even think rationally. Only those who have chosen to educate themselves after being in the public system have any real intelligence or ability to process data in a logical, rational way.

 

Of course there are always exceptions...individual schools/school systems...individual excellent teachers; but they are the exception.

 

 

Two entire generations of drooling mouth breathers who will never amount to anything?  Nice.

 

 

 

Let's see....1980 was 33 years, ago, which is less than 40 so I'm well on my way to full on tardom. Soon, life will be much easier, I hope and the family will be obligated to help. Yep. Gettin' better, all the time. :rofl:

 

Ignorance is bliss. 

[RobertNashville]

Two entire generations of drooling mouth breathers who will never amount to anything?  Nice.

Which might at least partially explain why some 50% of the population are living completely or almost completely off the other 50%.

[peejman]

Which might at least partially explain why some 50% of the population are living completely or almost completely off the other 50%.

 

 

50% isn't "most". 

[jtmaze]

The public school system, as a whole, is a complete and abject failure as are just about all government programs/institutions.

 

Most kids coming out of the public system in the past 40 years know almost nothing worthwhile and more importantly, have no idea how to even think rationally. Only those who have chosen to educate themselves after being in the public system have any real intelligence or ability to process data in a logical, rational way.

 

Of course there are always exceptions...individual schools/school systems...individual excellent teachers; but they are the exception.

That Almost offends me. I graduated public school systems in the last 40 Years and went on to college, Paid off those loans and became a productive member of society....WHY? BECAUSE MY PARENTS TAUGHT ME THAT IS HOW LIFE WORKS.

 

My point is education starts at home. I have 2 daughters in college and both have jobs and take care of most of their own business. Why? Because according to htem I am a "HARDASS"because I have to be. One has gotten to the age where she understands why I am such a hardass on them and the other still hates me....so be it...She will understand someday!!!!!They didn't get pregnant in HS to get more money for mom's welfare. Education starts at home.

Edited July 18, 2013 by jtmaze

[Guest TankerHC]

Its a % based standard. Its 79%, if 79% pass, graduate HS, etc, they have 100% success. And then they can tell all of us how successful their program was and how they need more money.

[npgunner]

@jtmaze
You hit it right on the head IMO. While the quality of teachers/schools certainly has something to do with the end product of the public education system, the biggest denominator is the quality of home life and instillation of personal pride and responsibility by the parental units. Obviously over the last 40 years this has been severely degraded across the society as a whole, but do see why @robertnashville's comment could be offensive. Myself, I graduated high school < 10 years ago, have since earned a master's degree (actually a useful one, not one in 18th century East German lesbian studies), and am a productive member of society. I do think its fair to say that now, more so than in the past, the public education system is a babysitting service and turns out non-dead walkers (walking dead reference sort of), but do think its still possible for motivated individuals with good home lives to succeed in the broken system we have. Edited July 18, 2013 by npgunner

[homeagain]

Its a % based standard. Its 79%, if 79% pass, graduate HS, etc, they have 100% success. And then they can tell all of us how successful their program was and how they need more money.

 

Exactly.  That's how many governmental 'success' measurements occur.  Same concept as the 'budget cuts' that were actually reductions of proposed future expenditures that landed still above the prior year's expenditure. 

[RichardR]

Part of the problem is that they are graduating functionally illiterate graduates, not just a handful or smattering of them here or there either, large percentages of the graduates all across the nation are illiterate according to some of the data in the reports that I've seen.

It couldn't possibly be accidental oversight either, it has to be purposeful, there is no other rational explaination for that sort of phenomena.

[Wiljo05]

You can't teach logic like this in public or private schools. It can only be learned in a direct proximity to political offices..

[Guest Lester Weevils]

Part of the problem is that they are graduating functionally illiterate graduates, not just a handful or smattering of them here or there either, large percentages of the graduates all across the nation are illiterate according to some of the data in the reports that I've seen.

It couldn't possibly be accidental oversight either, it has to be purposeful, there is no other rational explaination for that sort of phenomena.

 

I have gripes about the educational system. I have lots of gripes about the educational system. However, no school can make up for bad family environment, even if they add-on headstart, before-school programs, after-school programs, midnite basketball and whatever else you try to tack on to compensate for nearly nil parenting at home, and nearly nil "auxiliary parenting" from responsible people in the neighborhood.

 

I worked social work in po neighborhoods, both po white out in the sticks and po white and black downtown, but it was many years ago. Uneducated don't-know-enough-to-care parents generally have uneducated don't-know-enough-to-care kids. It is real difficult to solve. Chicken and egg.

 

If the reproductive rate is greater than replacement rate among don't-know-enough-to-care people, you will just keep getting more and more of them every generation, and I can't imagine any solution to the issue, that would be satisfactory to voters, even "educated working voters".

 

For instance abortion among po folks of all colors is a scandal nearing targeted genocide. But it does slim down the rate of growth of don't-know-enough-to-care people. The social conservatives would halt such programs if they had their way, making the rate-of-increase of don't-know-enough-to-care people even worse, making the overall problem even more worser, even more faster. I think the abortion is rather scandalous even though I'm basically pro-choice. Just sayin, what can you do?

[Guest TankerHC]

Part of the problem is that they are graduating functionally illiterate graduates, not just a handful or smattering of them here or there either, large percentages of the graduates all across the nation are illiterate according to some of the data in the reports that I've seen.

It couldn't possibly be accidental oversight either, it has to be purposeful, there is no other rational explaination for that sort of phenomena.

 

Yep, and it aint just the kids in the poorest neighborhoods. Remember that Chef? I believe he was a College Grad or Culinary School grad. Got caught on national TV, couldnt read.

 

Same with a couple of pro basketbal players, College grads, couldn't read or write.

[Dennis1209]

I was a part of the segment of children they needed to lower the standards for starting about 5th grade, in order to pass grade school.

 

When the girls started to develop "bumps" on their front side in 5th grade, I developed attention deficit disorder (ADD).

 

In public high school in the late 60's when mini skirts came out and the "bumps" got huge, I spent most my classroom time with my head 180 degrees from where I was informed it should be?

 

Seriously though... It makes no sense to lower standards as a feel good measure. This country was built by achievers and not lazy low life's who demand equal anything. Eventually this country will reach a point where this nonsense will not be tolerated or we will be doomed.

 

I've talked to public school English teachers that do not have command of the English language and speak ghetto trash (kid's former public school). The Principle had a P.H.D. and when she spoke, she be, he be, I axed, etc.

[BigK]

The practice of promoting/graduating students despite their performance is the reason a HS diploma is barely worth the paper it's written on nowadays.

 

I think the quality of educators has only slightly diminished. I believe the real problem is two-fold: 1) parents aren't involved (as several others have mentioned) and 2) the education system is mired in red tape, artificial standards, and budgetary incentives. 

 

The first problem is only compounded by the growing number of single-parent households. God bless single moms. Many can do a fine job without a husband, but let's be real...2 sets of hands/eyes/ears/incomes is better than one.

 

The second problem is an ongoing failure of the gov't to find it's own ass with both hands. Everything they try to fix just becomes worse and damn near irreparable.

Edited July 18, 2013 by BigK

[Guest Broomhead]

The public school system, as a whole, is a complete and abject failure as are just about all government programs/institutions.

 

Most kids coming out of the public system in the past 40 years know almost nothing worthwhile and more importantly, have no idea how to even think rationally. Only those who have chosen to educate themselves after being in the public system have any real intelligence or ability to process data in a logical, rational way.

 

Of course there are always exceptions...individual schools/school systems...individual excellent teachers; but they are the exception.

 

Hmm...I graduated the public school system, in KS, in '99. I went to college for four semesters (two summer semesters), in '06-'07, before dropping out due to my back injury (still no real employment possibilities due to my physical imitations). I'm not trying to toot my own horn with this, but I think I am an intelligent, logical, rational adult. Due to my upbringing I am mostly book smart. My wife, a product of TN schools, graduated in '00. She is one of the smartest people I have ever met in my life, yet she has no education beyond high school and her high school education was a joke. She has street smarts, more common sense in her pinky than most people will ever have, which is due to her upbringing. She is quick on her feet and processes information very quickly. I don't think that intelligence has anything to do with formal education but more with how people choose to process things. You can choose to be illiterate, choose to lack math skills, choose to be a mouth-breathing imbecile, or you can choose to learn and do so continually, choose to be intelligent.

 

With all that said, I am saddened that most these days choose not to be intelligent.

Edited July 19, 2013 by Broomhead