You know back when i was in school, we had several liberal teachers - everyone knew who they were and respected their beliefs (did not necessarily agree with them), but they would work with you for the betterment of your child. My dad - after he quit teaching and before my brother and I graduated was on the school board. I suspected that i was going to have to be as well. My wife (stay at home mom) volunteered in the classrooms for several years and were trying to make things work in the public system because it was very important to my family. You cannot say that we were not involved in the educational system -- and not in a political way. The system is broken -- much like our health care-- I would love to see public schools " teach" again and turn out people we would be proud to have join our ranks in the workforce, however i don't see that happening anytime soon. My grandmother taught in a one room schoolhouse that is still standing about 1.5 mile from our house, she started there when she was 18. when they closed that school and merged it with the local current district, she went to work for it for over 30 years. My dad taught for only about 15 years -- (3 different schools ) and my mom substitute taught for about the same time. Luckily I didn't have either one of them for a teacher . I guess my point is --- Don't stop trying to make things better but realize that things change and we all need to respond to those changes. There are consequences to actions. Make them known.

I smoked in the bathroom. The vice principal liked me and let me get away with it. I could hear his shoes clacking from some distance off. He'd come in and bark asking who was in there. I'd tell him it was me and off he would go. There's no way he didn't see or smell that cloud of smoke. I wasn't always the model citizen people know me to be today.

You mean like Thomas Edison?

I love how when you're not whining you're being a smug jerk.

Mike

gryhkl -- It is not the problem kids that are being removed. I am also not saying that all in public are problem kids. The schools don't deal with the problems anymore which causes --- you guessed it -- more problems.

Not sure what your smoking but everything in my post happened here. No tin foil hat people telling me nothing.

And how would you know anything about the schools in my area?

It's obvious your comments are not based on anything.

Must be a regional thing, and individual teachers make a huge difference. My Grandchildren seem to have good teachers.......some especially good in my mind.

Spot on, Finster! The only time many kids have ANY structure in their lives is when they are in school. It's little wonder that so many young adults can't work for anyone who won't listen to their whining.

Why do you and your locals elect such fools

Nope, not like TJ.
I'm talking about some of the kids of the uneducated loudmouths who see their only way to bring the attention they need to themselves is to try blaming the school for their loser children. It is amazing how many of this type of parent collects SS for some kind of label they have found a DR. to give the kid. And I have seen such cases increase greatly over the past 34 years.

Home schooling done for the right reason, by the right people, Is the best option for most kids. The problem is that very few parents have the time, the education, the dedication, nor the means to do it. Therefore, the vast majority of kids are better of in a most public schools.

If your local school is so bad, why do parents elect the folks they do to run things?

I look at it a different way. If they are doing it for teaching students responsibility then let them make decisions on their own. Doing it this way only teaches control. There are way better ways to give them structure then to have to ask to use the bathroom.

Time management is part of responsibility. Decision making is also. Doing things without the need to ask is to. I teach my kids to think for themselves so they grow up not being dependent on anyone. Indoctrinating is all about control.

I agree with cell phones being a big problem. And it's hard to deal with without setting more control or rules but in this case i do believe they should be cracked down on. It's taking away from learning and distracting. Even the kids in elementary has them. That's the parents fault as I see no reason for a 3rd grader to be so addicted to a phone they must carry it to school.

My suggestion instead of changing or making rules that control all the students make a policy to control the phones.
Maybe it be no phones in K-6. And have a lock box similar to a post office for when students arrive they lock their phone up and only can be accessed by permission. Maybe this would be only for grades 7-10. 11-12 could be given more freedom as long as it don't become to much of a problem.

It's still control but it hits the problem head on and teaches better structure and responsibilty.

Gryhkl I am guessing you are a teacher?

You sure talk like one. Lol

I have never seen anyone make up so many assumptions on a topic.

To you it's never the schools fault. It's always the parents and the kids. I think you need to pull your head out of the sand and really look around as public schools are failing our students. Schools today are not preparing our kids for their future. The schools take away from morals that I want my kids to have.

The more I checked into home schooling I found it's becoming the new better option and kids are learning from the programs and learning independence from being their own monitor.

I have no clue why cell phones are allowed in school. They ought to be immediately dropped in a pan of boiling water. A few folks would whine but phones would be left at home or outside in a vehicle. The primary function of school should be education. There is no good reason for a kid to have a cell phone at school. I'm sure the office of every one still has a land line

You make more assumptions than most anyone on the site.

If there are kids who attended your local public school and have become great successes, the parents of those who do poorly need to ask their kid first and check with his teachers to see if he is putting in the needed effort.

My sons did very well in school because we made them know that we expected them to get as much from their education as they could. They all got some academic scholarships. They are now doing very well in college. The oldest will have his masters this May in a very demanding major and has employers renting cars and paying for hotels rooms to have him interview with them. A big part of their success can be traced back to the public education they had-though two of them are now attending private colleges.

Some of their classmates, who were given the same opportunity, barely scraped by and many are still going from low wage job to low wage job. Most have problems with being told what to do and be accountable for the work they do.

All that said, when I have researched the public school quality of some states, and some city schools would certainly cause me pause before I'd have them attend.

If you have to worry that they will be brainwashed, you haven't done your job in raising them to be free-thinkers.

The good news is if any ever join the military after school, bootcamp will be a breeze.

Im only 36 year old and went to a public school with great teachers, the total enrollment was 220 kids 9-12 grade. We had a designated smoking area for the kids that smoked between classes. That ended in 98' when I was a sophomore. Things have definitely changed. Lol

They changed from my fathers time to my time and from my time to my boy's. Believe it or not, a lot of the kids work is done on computers now.
If liberals have done anything to damage public ed it is the many new labels that have been given to disruptive and lazy students that allows them to get away with more and cost much, much more per student than most of their classmates.

When Miss Cameron took that dowel rod pointer to my rear end in 2nd grade she had my undivided attention. She solved a lot of behavior problems with it.

I shut down phones in my classroom, you should hear the parents complain. Schools have many short comings but it is also a result of government, courts, society shifts in general. Lack of accountability at homes and parents wanting to mow down all obstacles for their kids as well.

Homeschooling has it's place, I have seen a lot of bad situations, and lack of accountability. What I mean by that is, parents simply creating grades and reports, no substantiation of what kids have accomplished or learned. Lack of socialization and very immature. I have a seen a couple do it successfully. If it works for you great.

I will tell you some of us are still trying to instill values, respect, parenting, and education. It is easy to sit on the outside and think you know the issue or simply complain. Get involved make a difference, run for office, go to meetings, create youth groups, events, coach a sport, referee, find ways to make a difference. Heck adopt a kid, become a foster parent or mentor. Been working for kids for 39 years not ready to give up yet.

I get tired of getting college crammed down the kids throats. My son took a welding job last fall right out of high school for Caterpillar making at $20 hr with all the perks. At 4 years he will be xxx dollars ahead of the graduate and no student loans to repay.

Spot on, Bear Tracker. There are those that cry about it and those that do something about it.

TBN we don't do that. We encourage trades, 1-2-4 year schools or internships. We need to replace us baby boomers that are leaving fields like plumbing, metal fab, electrical, contractors etc. The four year plan is for some but not all or even most. Plus if going to a four year school go to a tech college and pay way less for your first two years of gen eds then transfer.