The United States should create a national K-12 public school system with a national curriculum, national textbooks for each subject in each grade, national teacher qualifications and standardized exams for all subjects in all grades. Furthermore, each school created for this national school system should have a board of directors consisting of the parents/guardians of the students enrolled and this board would have the power to set disciplinary standards for the school, hire school administrators and teachers and make regulations regarding religious observances. The federal government should provide a minimum level of funding for each school (mainly $50,000 teacher salaries) and each school should be allowed to use BINGO games and lotteries as fundraisers if the school is located in a state where the government runs a lottery. The national curriculum should not include any material pertaining to the origin of life or the history of life, i.e., evolution and creationism/intelligent design should not be addressed. The solution to public schools with low standards is not private schools with no standards. Neither private schools, nor home-schools in Florida are regulated by state law in regards to their curriculum, teacher qualifications, accreditation or student testing. As a consequence there are at least 100 private schools in my part of Florida and with very rare exception they are simply diploma mills for brats that cannot or will not do the work required by public schools. In the absence of government regulation private schools do not work and cannot serve as an alternative to public schools.
137 days ago | Tagged As: National K-12 school system
How will students learn about Evolution and theories on the origin of life? despite it's controversy, evolution is still the closest to accurate theory on life. And what creates the truly smart children is the ability and passion to debate such issues. Religious fanatics shouldn't be suing teachers just because they say that Evolution is a valid theory. As long as they don't say that God doesn't exist or shit like that.
137 days ago | Tagged As: Private/state/local schools
"despite it's controversy, evolution is still the closest to accurate theory on life." Beside the point for this debate, but you know this how?
137 days ago | Tagged As: National K-12 school system
i know this because the people who study the origin of life say so. Evolution
137 days ago | Tagged As: Private/state/local schools
Just what makes you think these people are right? I have a bachelor’s degree in biology. Darwinism (and much of the geology that supposedly supports it) cannot be tested by experimentation so in this regard Darwinism is a faith system (believing in something you cannot prove) rather than science. Furthermore, everything biologists know about the origin of life and genetics tells us that abiogenesis and the Darwinian origin of higher taxa are both impossible.
136 days ago | Tagged As: National K-12 school system
From Wikipedia's Evolution FAQ: Q: But isn't evolution unproven? A: Proof has two meanings: in logic and mathematics, it refers to a proposition that has been shown to be 100% certain and logically necessary; in other uses, it simply refers to a proposition that is well-supported (much like the colloquial meaning of fact). In the first sense, evolutionary theory is not proven. However, this is because nothing in the natural sciences can be proven in the first sense: empirical claims such as those in science cannot ever be absolutely certain, because they always depend on unproven assumptions about the world around us. To call evolution "unproven" in this sense is technically correct, but meaningless, because propositions like "the Earth revolves around the Sun" and even "the Earth exists" are equally unproven. Proof is only possible for a priori propositions like "1 + 1 = 2" or "all bachelors are unmarried men", which do not depend on any experience or evidence. In the second sense, on the other hand, evolutionary theory is indeed "proven". This is because evolution is extremely well-supported by the evidence, has made testable confirmed predictions, etc. For more information, see Evidence of evolution. Q: How could life arise by chance? A: If by "arise", one means "develop from non-organic matter through abiogenesis", then this is a question that is not answered by evolutionary theory. Evolution only deals with the development of pre-existing life, not with how that life first came to be. The fact that life evolves is not dependent upon the origin of life anymore than the fact that objects gravitate towards other objects is dependent upon the Big Bang. On the other hand, if by "arise" one means "evolve into the organisms alive today", then the simple answer is: it didn't. Evolution does not occur "by chance". Rather, evolution occurs through natural selection, which is a non-random process. Although mutation is random, natural selection favors mutations that have specific properties - the selection is therefore not random. Natural selection occurs because organisms with favored characteristics survive and reproduce more than ones without favored characteristics, and if these characteristics are heritable they will mechanically increase in frequency over generations. Although some evolutionary phenomena, such as genetic drift, are indeed random, these processes do not produce adaptations in organisms. If the substance of this objection is that evolution seems implausible, that it's hard to imagine how life could develop by natural processes, then this is an invalid argument from ignorance. Something does not need to be intuitive or easy to grasp in order to be true.
I have a bachelor’s degree in biology Hahaha...usually I'll let people make ridiculous claims on the internet but I know that if you don't understand the scientific evidence behind evolution then either a) you don't have a bachelors degree in biology or b) the school you received you degree from has very low standards for it's students. There have been numerous observed instances of speciazation. This means that we have seen evolution occurring. So in that sense, yes it has been proven. In addition, the genetic evidence completely supports the idea of evolution. I'm not sure where your getting your facts from, but clearly it's a bad source. In addition, you are using the Darwinism. That isn't a correct term sense the theory of evolution has developed a lot sense Darwin first proposed it. Darwin for example didn't know how beneficial mutations were passed down hereditary. With the discovery of DNA our knowledge of how evolution works increased. In addition there are other mechanisms (such as horizontal gene transfer) that Darwin was unaware of. As far as evolution being faith based...I would like to call bullshit again. They're called fossils, and are readily available to prove that life has been increasing in complexity over about the past 4 billion years. Please, watch this video on transitional fossils if you won't take my word for it, and please...stop encourage scientific illiteracy.
136 days ago | Tagged As: Private/state/local schools
That all sounds pretty good to me. Except for not teaching evolution, that's just offensively anti-science.
137 days ago | Tagged As: National K-12 school system
I cannot agree more. There is absolutely no reason that in one side of the country students learn one curriculum, and on the other side another, let alone different standards and curriculum for students across town from one another. A national school system would help ensure that each student is given the same opportunity and that poorer schools can be given money needed to educate the students to the same level as schools in rich areas. All schools should educate students to the same levels and there should be no way for a student to do less work, try less, and take easier classes while still receiving a diploma that carries as much weight as a hard-working, intelligent student.
137 days ago | Tagged As: National K-12 school system
“There is absolutely no reason that in one side of the country students learn one curriculum, and on the other side another, let alone different standards and curriculum for students across town from one another.” You’re telling me. Once when I worked for a tutoring service I had students for 8th grade math who went to different public schools and used different textbooks. And then I had 3 8th grade math students from the exact same public school who were using the same textbook but because they had different teachers they were not covering the same material since the teachers were allowed teach whatever they wanted to teach. “A national school system would help ensure that each student is given the same opportunity and that poorer schools can be given money needed to educate the students to the same level as schools in rich areas.” I have seen too much money wasted in public schools (and private ones as well) to believe that money spent is a good indicator of quality. Raising and standardizing teacher qualifications will do more than simply spending money will. By private industry standards public school teachers in Florida make very good money (starting salary for a new teacher with no classroom experience here is at least $30,000 a year). But at the same time I don’t see how we can expect anyone to want to work in some public schools for what teachers get paid. No amount of money is worth putting your life on the line on a daily basis outside of war and this is precisely what we expect some public school teachers to do. “All schools should educate students to the same levels and there should be no way for a student to do less work, try less, and take easier classes while still receiving a diploma that carries as much weight as a hard-working, intelligent student.” Ever since I got out of college I have wanted to establish a non-profit K-12 school that would have a 45-week school year and a reformed curriculum that would let students graduate with the equivalent of an associate’s degree. But I seriously doubt that there would be a market for such a school because most parents do not care.
137 days ago | Tagged As: National K-12 school system
"I have seen too much money wasted in public schools (and private ones as well) to believe that money spent is a good indicator of quality." Of course money doesn't ensure quality, but it sure helps. At the very least, it can provide schools up-to-date and accurate textbooks and the materials and access to resources that can improve the education system. "Ever since I got out of college I have wanted to establish a non-profit K-12 school that would have a 45-week school year and a reformed curriculum that would let students graduate with the equivalent of an associate’s degree. But I seriously doubt that there would be a market for such a school because most parents do not care." I don't think this is true, if the price was reasonable and the difference was made obvious, I think there would be a large market for this kind of school.
137 days ago | Tagged As: National K-12 school system
“Of course money doesn't ensure quality, but it sure helps. At the very least, it can provide schools up-to-date and accurate textbooks and the materials and access to resources that can improve the education system.” Actually, nationalizing the public schools system so that every school uses the exact same textbooks and curriculum materials should reduce the cost since schools could buy in bulk. It kills me when a private for-profit company like (@$#@^%&^$%&%(&)&$^%$#@%#&%$^#@) Wal-Mart can buy things like toilet paper in bulk for practically nothing, but the government, which should have greater purchasing power than a hundred Wal-Marts, cannot buy anything without paying through the nose. “I don't think this is true, if the price was reasonable and the difference was made obvious, I think there would be a large market for this kind of school.” We have a local private school here that has a boarding school component and I heard several years ago that tuition and room and board at this school was $30,000 a year. Florida offers two scholarships for private schools- one is for schools that teach the public school curriculum and which must administer the state’s standardized exams; the other is for brats that any school can take with no strings. Needless to say of the 100+ private schools in my part of Florida only a half-dozen or so take the scholarship that comes with the standardized testing- but they all take the scholarship that comes with no strings. If your child has failed a year in public school and has been diagnosed with any kind of learning disability (i.e., he’s a brat), you can send him to any private school in town with the state paying the full cost of tuition. A school taking these students can make money hands-over-fists while graduating the next generation of burger-flippers. Most parents here that would want their child in a good college prep school could not afford or would not pay to send their child to a private school (we have 2 nationally recognized public college prep magnet schools). And my experience on the net tells me that few parents would accept the 45 week school year that my curriculum would require.
136 days ago | Tagged As: National K-12 school system
I'm sure it would help the prices go down, and I know what you mean when you talk of the government paying through the nose for everything. It bothers me, too. >:( As for your last paragraph, that's ridiculous! Obviously the school system in Florida (And I'm sure it's safe to say in most of the country, if not all) is very broken. I' thinking they should do away with the whole system and build another one from ground up. As for longer school years, I support it. There are masy ways to lengthen the school year that I can imagine, four days on, three days off for the whole year, longer days and preserve summer break, etc. That way, we could learn so much more in a year and go so much deeper into our subjects. Anyway, good luck with your system. :)
136 days ago | Tagged As: National K-12 school system
My school year would have five 9-week academic terms with a 1-3 week break between terms. School would go 5 days a week, but I wouldn’t try to cover as many subjects as public schools now try to cover. There would be no science or social studies in grade school in order to concentrate on reading, mathematics and language arts. Middle and high school would only have 4 courses per year. Some courses would have a weekly 3 hour lab period and when a course does not have a lab period students would have an activity or study period. The amount of homework would likely be reduced because of the lab/activity period. The K-12 curriculum would only take 12 calendar years instead of the traditional 13 but because of the longer school year it would be like having 15 traditional school years. And academically it would be the equivalent of a 2 year college degree since students would be prepared to take at least 8 advanced placement exams.
136 days ago | Tagged As: National K-12 school system
I don't really see too much of a problem with a national school system that regulates curriculum and the like, but I still think there should be local school systems simply out of practicality. There are just too many schools in America to all be in the same system centered in one place, unless there are other secondary school systems throughout the nation. "The national curriculum should not include any material pertaining to the origin of life or the history of life, i.e., evolution and creationism/intelligent design should not be addressed." I believe these subjects should be taught together. If you think about it, most children, like myself, go to some sort of catechism or Sunday school, which would only teach creation. I think every child should be taught both and make up his or her own mind on the matter. Finally, I find your remark about how "private schools do not work and cannot serve as an alternative to public schools" very offensive. I just graduated from a private school and I must say it's a better education than what I would've gotten at my public school, which is overcrowded and full of vanity and materialism. My public school gives students very short classes and too much free time throughout the day. My schedule, for the most part, was 40 minute classes, with 8 classes a day and double period labs. We only get one lunch period, until senior year when we no longer take gym and health (but my school was so big on sports and clubs and stuff that gym was a joke any way. I skipped every day junior year.) So even though we got out a month earlier than public school, we technically got more time for each class than the public school students. Not to mention, since our school is a college prep school, we didn't waste time with electives and such, but had math, science (bio, chem, and physics), English, world language, history, and religion (lots of philosophy, morality, and history of Church. Not so much Church teachings.)
136 days ago | Tagged As: Private/state/local schools
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Public education is a jobs program not an education program. Recommended reading "Dumbing us down" by John Taylor Gatto
137 days ago | Tagged As: Private/state/local schools
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