Comments on: Top 10 politically incorrect reasons our schools are failing

By: Steve22

Steve22 — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 02:23:28 +0000

Good point, overpaid lazy employees doing substandard work aren’t the only things unionized employees from GM and schools have in common. The schools and GM both need to just declare bankruptcy and start over.

By: Jerome

Jerome — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 02:18:52 +0000

In Japan they are studying for tests literally every day they are in school and most of their effort is devoted towards them. They spend a fraction of the money we do on education and simply focus on the basics (math, science, grammar) and leave the fluff out. Another huge difference we have with Japan is the parents make the kids do homework, and take interest in them getting A’s.

By: Robert

Robert — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 13:55:39 +0000

I must agree with most of the causes you listed, but I was glad to read that you were joking on most of the solutions. I work in the school system as a computer tech, and see many of these problems.

Oddly missing from your list is the new government focus on testing. They use the test scores for teachers raises and to determine how much funding a school gets. These “standard tests” are poorly created and make teachers focus only on what is on the test and force them to leave out a lot of good useful information kids need. Also the idea that a school with low test grades gets less funding is insane, that starts a cycle in which the kids suffer.

Handicapped kids do raise costs for the school, but they still deserve an education, separate them to other classes or schools would help the kids in normal school some, but would cost more tax money in the end.

By: noahsmom

noahsmom — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 20:00:18 +0000

I have to say, Aleksey, you are a complete disgrace to your generation. You claim to be so educated, yet your grammar is so poor. Maybe you should be less critical of these so called “stupid kids” since you seem to be one of them.
Also, your views on disabled children and abortion are disturbing. I am thankful you are in New York and nowhere near my children. It is kids like you that put fear in my heart regarding our country’s future. You need some mental help and I pray your parents recognize this.

By: Emmeline

Emmeline — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 18:43:11 +0000

I read this article as far as the comments on children with special needs. I couldn’t at that point continue. What I can not believe is that in these supposedly enlightened times, somebody is saying that the additional assistance given to children who are mentally disabled is causing failure in our school systems. That is about the weakest argument I have ever heard!
It is very easy to state that us individuals who are highly intelligent somehow have anything other than luck to thank for that fact. Whether or not you have special needs is merely an accident of birth. Surely assisting children to make the best of themselves and their lives is something that as a society we should do, if not because we are decent people, but because encouraging inprovement and independence will save additional cost at a later date.
To Aleksey, you are a sad, narrow-minded individual who is to be pitied for their lack of humanity, decency and thought rather than reviled for being scum.

By: Ivan

Ivan — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 06:37:34 +0000

“give financial incentives for interracial marriages (if we all are semi-asian, semi-black, semi-white, semi-hispanic and kinda everything there will pretty much be just one race.”
Now there’s a solution to race problems!
Love it!
Many salient points in this post, and kids and schools are much the same as when I failed miserably at it, thirty-five years ago. If my parents had opted for the trade school option (here they were for the ‘slow’ and ‘difficult’), I probably would have finished high school.
Critics of grammar, etc., remember the new school mantra is ‘ Let the kid express himself, spelling and grammar aren’t that important’. In today’s society, people are discouraged from being intelligent, and are encouraged to join the ‘lowest common denominator’ club. Excellence causes isolation, and criticism from the herd.

By: Farmer

Farmer — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 20:17:48 +0000

Ummmm, since when is the time a person commutes to and from work considered time spent at work? The way I see it, Nemo’s only spent 7 1/3 hrs on the job… and that’s if he/she hasn’t taken lunch or breaks. Which would reduce his/her time to 6 1/3 hrs.

By: Nemo

Nemo — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 20:25:35 +0000

“Parents are working until five so teachers and kids should be putting in a full day too.”
I’m a middle school student and I wake up at 6, hop on the bus at 6:45, and arrive at school when the clock strikes 7 AM. I get out at 2:20. That’s 8 1/3 hours, a bit more time than a “full day” of work. Do your homework before you speak, in the meantime, you’re grounded. Go to your room.

By: Matt

Matt — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 18:59:38 +0000

The only thing i disagree on is the uniforms. Uniforms really dont do much at all. The statistics you’re getting are flawed in that schools that require uniforms are usually private schools (better teachers/education), so the answer isn’t uniforms, its better schools with smaller classes. Also the fact that providing uniforms to a school of more than 1000 kids would be more trouble than its worth.

Also, teachers work more than most people do. A lot more.

By: Chris GR

Chris GR — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 00:48:50 +0000

It is obvious you are neither a teacher, married to one, or the child of one. If you were, you would understand that teachers invest many evening and weekend hours into their job. It is 7:30 p.m. on a Friday night and I am working on lessons for next week.

During the summer we are revamping curriculum, taking classes or doing summer workshops for kids. One year I kept track of the hours I worked per week. I had put in over 2000 hours by April. A colleague once said that most people work 40 hours a week for 50 weeks. Teachers work 50 hours a week for 40. Then we spend our summers getting ready for next year.

I enjoy my job. Although there have been frustrating moments, I have never been bored. Ninety percent of my students are great people to work with. I try not to let the other ten percent ruin my day–although they may come close at times. Most of the frustration I have during the day comes from meaningless administrative paperwork that is ruining the profession…most of it mandated by government.