Stupid In America

[Cryptic_Snow]

John Stossel's in depth investigation of the decline of the American educational system. This is Stossel at his best! Stossel is right as usual, competition drives quality and monopoly drives stagnation. I've worked in education and I know what a disaster the system is, nobody is happy working within it either, not teachers, not students, and certainly not parents. This videos is a harsh truth that needs to be seen by everyone. The unions are a disgrace and you're forced to join or you don't get placement.


Link to video.

 

[downtown]

What have you done in education?

I've been a teacher and backend worker in the two most "competitive" (in terms of schooling options) districts in the US, and both are in the bottom 5 for student achievement. Most of the traditional conservative reforms (vouchers, merit pay) have not borne out results in studies either.

Its also worth noting that many of our absolute worst districts and states do not have unions, or have very weak ones. Statewise, the worst US public schools are concentrated in the South, which has the weakest teacher unionization.

 

[Borachio]

Good grief! Education has got to be one of the most difficult things to assess.

 

[suiraclaw]

Looking at the systems used in countries that do have great education systems I have the impression you're blaming the wrong things. Here in Belgium there are next to no private schools (even the childs of the rich and royalty go to public schools) and unions are even stronger, yet our education system gives great results.

 

[Synobun]

Looking at the systems used in countries that do have great education systems I have the impression you're blaming the wrong things. Here in Belgium there are next to no private schools (even the childs of the rich and royalty go to public schools) and unions are even stronger, yet our education system gives great results.

Do schools in Belgium still use specialization schooling? I know they did in the 60s, 70s, maybe even 80s? But I'm not sure if they still do.

 

[Cutlass]

The "best" of Stossel is partisan hackery at it's worst. The man isn't a journalist at all.

 

[Formaldehyde]

While I don't think public school teachers should ever have tenure, blaming unions is absurd. If the unions were really to blame, then the states with few unionized teachers would be the best in terms of academic achievement instead of typically just the opposite.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

What a good name for that video.

 

[GoodSarmatian]

Stossel is right as usual, competition drives quality and monopoly drives stagnation.

In most cases yes, but not necesasrily in education.
First: how do yopu want to compete ? How do you define and measure quality ? You can try standardised tests, but this gives the school an incentive to prioritize rote learning and prepare kids for standardized tests and nothing else.

 

[wabatt]

High school student here, I have to say I'm pretty satisfied WITH the system

 

[madviking]

I'm more worried about this. Now that's appalling.

High school student here, I have to say I'm pretty satisfied the system

I'll assume you go to MWHS.

 

[cav scout]

High school student here, I have to say I'm pretty satisfied the system

I really hope you are just gently trolling us there with the grammar and punctuation errors...

 

[peter grimes]

I'm more worried about this. Now that's appalling.

I have always thought that athletic programs were a net negative force on university campuses. But I'm still shocked by this.

Downtown had linked an article about Finland's inadvertent success in reforming its education system. The strongest factor seemed to be the result of a drive to equalize access.

Poor areas would have just as much money to spend as wealthier areas. 30 years on, they wind up with one of the world's top education systems. Without even trying.

Can you imagine the sea change that would cause here? Remove accreditation from private and religious schools and overnight you'd see wealthy families paying much more attention to how their local school district is funded.

Bake sales become a quaint reminder of an unenlightened time past

 

[CELTICEMPIRE]

The "best" of Stossel is partisan hackery at it's worst. The man isn't a journalist at all.

Exactly, partisanism is only OK if your a Democrat!

 

[cardgame]

wabatt accidentally the whole system

High school student here, education is terrible but he is blaming the wrong things.

 

[Joecoolyo]

High school student here, I have to say I'm pretty satisfied the system

This.

 

[Core Imposter]

It is a cultural problem. You can't educate kids who have no respect for anything and have no concept of self disclipline.

When I was going through the system they simply separated the kids who wanted to learn and displayed some sense of purpose from those who just didn't give a darn. That worked better.

We should go back to that. Kids ought to be issued uniforms based on GPA. Let them wear their shame. Also, when addressing higher rated kids, the muppets should have to say sir.

 

[Synobun]

It is a cultural problem. You can't educate kids who have no respect for anything and have no concept of self disclipline.

When I was going through the system they simply separated the kids who wanted to learn and displayed some sense of purpose from those who just didn't give a darn. That worked better.

We should go back to that. Kids ought to be issued uniforms based on GPA. Let them wear their shame. Also, when addressing higher rated kids, the muppets should have to say sir.

Please be trolling.

 

[downtown]

I am aware of charter schools that actually do something kinda similar to that. I dated a girl that taught at one for a while.

 

[Ajidica]

wabatt accidentally the whole system

High school student here, education is terrible but he is blaming the wrong things.

Well, you do live in Missouri. That can't be helping!