How to improve American Education in 2021. (1 Viewer)

[Paul]

The most recent PISA results, from 2015, placed the U.S. an unimpressive 38th out of 71 countries in math and 24th in science. Among the 35 members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, which sponsors the PISA initiative, the U.S. ranked 30th in math and 19th in science.

U.S. students’ academic achievement still lags that of their peers in many other countries

American students continue to rank around the middle of the pack, and behind many other advanced industrial nations, in international assessments of math, science and reading.

www.pewresearch.org

My suggestion is rather simple.

1. Study why immigrants from East Asia, India, and Nigeria do well with American education. Apply that insight to other groups (if possible).
2. Manage public schools as if though they were private schools with uniforms and discipline.
3. Create high end special schools for those that are truly disenfranchised.
4. Create a force of social workers to treat family dysfunction with regards to education.
5. Reduce the curriculum to the simple basics and repeat that on a yearly basis.
6. At about 10th grade divide college bound students away from non-college bound.
7. Provide solid basic education and trade training for non-college bound kids. There is no point in offering free college to these kids.

 

[Optimus Prime]

Not sure if this is better here or the Loyalist thread
===============
MISSION, Kan. (AP) — What students are learning about the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 may depend on where they live.

In a Boston suburb in heavily Democratic Massachusetts, history teacher Justin Voldman said his students will spend the day journaling about what happened and talking about the fragility of democracy.

“I feel really strongly that this needs to be talked about,” said Voldman, who teaches history at Natick High School, 15 miles (24 kilometers) west of Boston.

As the grandson of a Holocaust survivor, he said “it is fair to draw parallels between what happened on Jan. 6 and the rise of fascism.”

Voldman said he feels fortunate: “There are other parts of the country where ... I would be scared to be a teacher.”

Liz Wagner, an eighth and ninth grade social studies teacher in a Des Moines suburb of increasingly Republican Iowa, got an email from an administrator last year, warning teachers to be careful in how they framed the discussion.


“I guess I was so, I don’t know if naïve is the appropriate word, perhaps exhausted from the pandemic teaching year last year, to understand how controversial this was going to be,” she said.

Some students questioned Wagner last year when she referred to what happened as an insurrection. She responded by having them read the dictionary definition for the word.

This year, she will probably show students videos of the protest and ask them to write about what the footage shows…….

Teachers now are left to decide how — or whether — to instruct their students about the events that sit at the heart of the country’s division. And the lessons sometimes vary based on whether they are in a red state or a blue state.

Facing History and Ourselves, a nonprofit that helps teachers with difficult lessons on subjects like the Holocaust, offered tips on how to broach the topic with students in the hours after the riot.

Within 18 hours of publication, it had 100,000 page views — a level of interest that Abby Weiss, who oversees the development of the nonprofit’s teaching tools, said was unlike anything the group has seen before.


In the year that has followed, Weiss said, Republican lawmakers and governors in many states have championed legislation to limit the teaching of material that explores how race and racism influence American politics, culture and law.

“Teachers are anxious,” she said. “On the face of it, if you read the laws, they’re quite vague and, you know, hard to know actually what’s permissible and what isn’t.”……

Teachers at culture war front lines with Jan. 6 education

Teachers have found themselves on the front lines of the culture wars as the anniversary of the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol arrives.

apnews.com

I'm sure we'll see more of this, teachers told to not talk about it at all
=========================================


A school district in Pennsylvania warned teachers on the anniversary of the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol not to "wade into" discussions about the incident with students.

The Pennridge School District, located in Bucks County, outside Philadelphia, instructed teachers in a Wednesday email to "simply state that the investigation is ongoing and as historians we must wait until there is some distance from the event for us to accurately interpret it" if students had questions about the storming of the Capitol, according to local news outlet WHYY.

The email sent by administrator Keith Veverka, who is the supervisor of the district's social studies classes, asked teachers to conduct classes as "business as usual," WHYY reported.

Assistant Superintendent for Secondary Education Kathleen Brewster-Scheid reportedly added in the email thread that Veverka felt teachers were not prepared to instruct on the topic and "not enough time has passed to be able to design clear lessons on all of the outcomes."

The contents of the email leaked to parents shortly after it was shared with teachers, WHYY noted.

Kevin Foster, who has children that go to school in the district, told the outlet that other engaged parents informed him about the email, which he found "immensely concerning."

"When we start to meddle with what we want to tell kids or not tell kids in terms of history, I mean, that's something that you find in authoritarian countries," he said. "There are those that are so focused on politics instead of the kids that they are going to meddle and put their thumb on the scale as to ... what we want to tell the kids in the schools, what happened in the not-so-distant past."

Pennridge Superintendent David Bolton defended the contents of the email, telling WHYY in a statement that "multiple teachers" had reached out to Veverka prior to Jan 6. asking how they should address the anniversary...........

MSN

www.msn.com

 

[Farb]

BODY AUTONOMY

At what age though? You honestly can't think a 10 year old should have body autonomy. Right?

 

[Port City JJ]

At what age though? You honestly can't think a 10 year old should have body autonomy. Right?

100% yes.

I don't think body autonomy means what you think it does.

 

[Farb]

The thread is about education, not about tattoos or elective surgery, so I just sought to bring it back to something that resembles the OP.


That answers the question.
Just out of curiosity, are you opposed to Sunday school?



On the contrary, it can have dire physical effects on their bodies, when they do things like refusing blood transfusions, refusing vaccines, or storming Capitol buildings based on their religious beliefs.

We were discussing a teacher giving a child the vaccine without parental consent. You want to drag this down to 'religion bad'.

I am not opposed to Sunday school, just like I am not opposed to school.

Lot of gymnastics linking those. How many kids were present at the capital that were arrested or detained? None? Of those none, how many were religious?
How many kids get get to decide on blood transfusions? None?
Is there a dire physical effect on child that are unvaccinated? There is not.

 

[SystemShock]

We were discussing a teacher giving a child the vaccine without parental consent.

Yeah, you posted a link to a story about some teacher giving what looked to be a covid vaccine to a 17 year old in the teacher's living room - which doesn't have anything to do with education - then you went to porn, then drugs, then down to 15 year olds, then elective surgery, to 8 year olds getting tattoos...

Lot of gymnastics linking those. How many kids were present at the capital that were arrested or detained? None? Of those none, how many were religious?

No mental gymnastics at all. The number of banners and posters referencing Jesus and biblical passages at the U.S. Capitol on 1/6 was significant, and QAnon itself is a religious movement - with their claim of Satan worshiping cabal - and those religious zealots, many started in Sunday school.

How many kids get get to decide on blood transfusions? None?

I don't have a concrete number on that... I'll try to see if I can get some info for you.

Is there a dire physical effect on child that are unvaccinated? There is not.

If a child is exposed to a virus, say, poliovirus, what do you think?

 

[Farb]

Yeah, you posted a link to a story about some teacher giving what looked to be a covid vaccine to a 17 year old in the teacher's living room - which doesn't have anything to do with education - then you went to porn, then drugs, then down to 15 year olds, then elective surgery, to 8 year olds getting tattoos...


No mental gymnastics at all. The number of banners and posters referencing Jesus and biblical passages at the U.S. Capitol on 1/6 was significant, and QAnon itself is a religious movement - with their claim of Satan worshiping cabal - and those religious zealots, many started in Sunday school.



I don't have a concrete number on that... I'll try to see if I can get some info for you.


If a child is exposed to a virus, say, poliovirus, what do you think?

Sure.

How is the self guided tour of the capital on 1.6 have to do with sunday school. You might have needed to stretch on that one.

Ok.

When a person gets the polio vaccine, can they contract polio? They can't, that is what a vaccine does. Why is this called a vaccine again?
But I also think covid and polio are very different so not sure the point.

 

[SamAndreas]

I have been instructed that is a false equivalency. But, in good faith, I will answer.

At 6? No, they are not old enough. They still believe in Santa.

Are they old enough to decide to whether to go to school and believe in that particular indoctrination? Again no.

Parents have to make decision for their children so they turn out to be good people and productive members of society. Also, school whether that is religious or secular does not have a physical effect on their body like drugs, surgeries or the like.

Farb, I "liked" both your reply, and SystemShock's reply back to you.

I agree it's a false equivalency, however it's germane to the topic as it has developed in this discussion.

Technical matters about a conversation which seems thoughtful and civil.

 

[MT15]

Farb: So, the virus that causes Covid and the ones that cause polio or measles are very different. Moreover the SARS virus that causes Covid is a novel virus not known in humans until very late in 2019. So naturally there has been some uncertainty about how long vaccine immunity would last.

Vaccines are expected to do different things for different types of viruses. Corona viruses in general mutate significantly and fairly quickly. The Covid virus is in the Corona virus family as are common cold viruses. So it’s not likely that a vaccine could last a lifetime or prevent catching the virus 100%. Which is why scientists have talked about mutations since the very beginning.

It isn’t some sort of failure of the vaccines that:
A. The immunity conferred is wearing off and
B. There are variants that will elude the antibodies from the vaccine.
Both of these were and are expected.

What has been a pleasant surprise is that the original vaccines are still doing a wonderful job of preventing severe illness and death.

 

[SystemShock]

Sure.

How is the self guided tour of the capital on 1.6 have to do with sunday school. You might have needed to stretch on that one.

No stretch whatsoever. The religious ties are very obvious. Bunch of religions zealots running around with Jesus banners beating up cops, destroying property and threatening democracy. If it weren't for the evangelicals, Trump never gets to the WH.

"Self-guided tour"... cool beans.

When a person gets the polio vaccine, can they contract polio? They can't, that is what a vaccine does. Why is this called a vaccine again?

Just like viruses are not all the same, not all vaccines work exactly the same.

But I also think covid and polio are very different so not sure the point.

They are viruses nonetheless.

 

[Farb]

Farb: So, the virus that causes Covid and the ones that cause polio or measles are very different. Moreover the SARS virus that causes Covid is a novel virus not known in humans until very late in 2019. So naturally there has been some uncertainty about how long vaccine immunity would last.

Vaccines are expected to do different things for different types of viruses. Corona viruses in general mutate significantly and fairly quickly. The Covid virus is in the Corona virus family as are common cold viruses. So it’s not likely that a vaccine could last a lifetime or prevent catching the virus 100%. Which is why scientists have talked about mutations since the very beginning.

It isn’t some sort of failure of the vaccines that:
A. The immunity conferred is wearing off and
B. There are variants that will elude the antibodies from the vaccine.
Both of these were and are expected.

What has been a pleasant surprise is that the original vaccines are still doing a wonderful job of preventing severe illness and death.

So is natural immunity

 

[Farb]

No stretch whatsoever. The religious ties are very obvious. Bunch of religions zealots running around with Jesus banners beating up cops, destroying property and threatening democracy. If it weren't for the evangelicals, Trump never gets to the WH.

"Self-guided tour"... cool beans.

Just like viruses are not all the same, not all vaccines work exactly the same.


They are viruses nonetheless.

Yes, everything is based on religion, the catholic church at that. You got me good.

Do we call the flu shot a vaccine? Vaccine had a clear medical definition. It has now changed because Big Pharma and usually the libs would be going crazy against Big Pharma but now it is worshiped like a deity, so maybe your religion line of thinking is on to something!

 

[MT15]

So is natural immunity

Not as well, no matter how much you want it to be true.

 

[SystemShock]

Yes, everything is based on religion, the catholic church at that. You got me good.

Not everything, but QAnon certainly is, and so is the GOP's base of so-called evangelicals.

Do we call the flu shot a vaccine?

Yes.

Vaccine had a clear medical definition.

Yes.

It has now changed

No.
What's different is the type of viruses they fight against. Some viruses don't mutate or mutate a very slow rate, some others, like the coronaviruses, mutate rapidly. Flu shots I think are reformulated twice a year; covid, were are on the 4th-5th significant mutation.

because Big Pharma and usually the libs would be going crazy against Big Pharma but now it is worshiped like a deity, so maybe your religion line of thinking is on to something!

I'll give it a 25. Very easy to dance to, but it is because it is the Macarena, so...

There is a difference between "big pharma" and science.

 

[Farb]

Not everything, but QAnon certainly is, and so is the GOP's base of so-called evangelicals.

Yes.

Yes.

No.
What's different is the type of viruses they fight against. Some viruses don't mutate or mutate a very slow rate, some others, like the coronaviruses, mutate rapidly. Flu shots I think are reformulated twice a year; covid, were are on the 4th-5th significant mutation.



I'll give it a 25. Very easy to dance to, but it is because it is the Macarena, so...

There is a difference between "big pharma" and science.

Both sides like religion. You guys like the religion of big federal government and we like to put our faith in something other than politicians. But to each their own.


https://www.miamiherald.com/news/coronavirus/article254111268.html
The definition did change. I know 'language is fluid' and all of that, just seems strange, no?

 

[insidejob]

You guys like the religion of big federal government and we like to put our faith in something other than politicians.

This is just stupid. Bet you think you owned some libs though.

 

[samiam5211]

Both sides like religion. You guys like the religion of big federal government and we like to put our faith in something other than politicians. But to each their own.


https://www.miamiherald.com/news/coronavirus/article254111268.html
The definition did change. I know 'language is fluid' and all of that, just seems strange, no?

At least there is proof that the big federal government exists.

 

[brandon]

Both sides like religion. You guys like the religion of big federal government and we like to put our faith in something other than politicians. But to each their own.

Please. You put your faith in an obese orange. Your religion has nothing to do with God.

 

[Farb]

At least there is proof that the big federal government exists.

exists for good? I doubt that