Why America's education sucks

[kochman]

Several months ago - long after her tenure in charge of DC's public schools ended back in 2010, which was my actual point - people started taking a closer look at the test scores and found an absolutely ridiculously high number of "right" answers on standardized tests were second choices, with a "wrong" answer previously erased, raising serious questions about cheating. When confronted, Rhee refused to give any sort of statement about it.

Lock her up, throw away the key... no evidence could be more solid than that!

 

[downtown]

How so?

Test scores during her tenure are under Federal Investigation due to irregular erasure marks. She actually tried to stonewall a USA Today investigation about it, before leaving the district in a political firestorm. DC Schools, by the way, still suck.

1. Overly strong teacher's unions which view any change as a challenge.

2. Politicians who kow tow to the teacher's unions.

.

You mentioned this last time, but how does this explain the continued poor performance of Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas and Georgia, despite virtually no teacher unionization? Statewide, New Jersey, Maryland and Massachusetts are the highest scoring states, and are heavily unionized.

 

[kochman]

Test scores during her tenure are under Federal Investigation due to irregular erasure marks.



You mentioned this last time, but how does this explain the continued poor performance of Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas and Georgia, despite virtually no teacher unionization? Statewide, New Jersey, Maryland and Massachusetts are the highest scoring states, and are heavily unionized.

You answered this earlier yourself...
Compare average incomes of those states.

 

[downtown]

You answered this earlier yourself...
Compare average incomes of those states.

Exactly, which is why I think blaming unionization is silly. It isn't even in the top 5 more important variables.There are successful union shops and crappy union schools. There are successful schools without unions, and there are some piss poor outfits without them.

 

[kochman]

I agree with that... teachers need unions, I believe... however, some teacher unionization has gone overboard... I'm sure we can all agree with that (hahahaha).

 

[classical_hero]

Because they are taught what to think, not how to think.

 

[Hygro]

The pledge is such a weird thing. I'm surprised it's so popular in America, given its extremely fascist undertones and America's general hate for anything even remotely fascist.

Hah hah I wish this was true. As Ajidica said, we like our fascism how we like our politicians.

 

[CELTICEMPIRE]

I live in a good district for Kentuckian standards. But I used to live in the UK and I don't remember the British system being that good. Anyway, USA #1 needs serious help with its education.

 

[Zelig]

Hah hah I wish this was true. As Ajidica said, we like our fascism how we like our politicians.

In the closet?

 

[Hygro]

that too.

 

[CommonKnowledge]

But I used to live in the UK and I don't remember the British system being that good.

I haven't got anything to compare it with but the British system is basically everyone passes provided you can spell your name right - even if you don't it's the effort that counts. It's gotten to the point where anything below a C (whilst still a pass) is regarded as a fail by employers or other institutions. Degree wise anything below a 2.1 and you may as well have not bothered going to university at all.

 

[SerriaFox]

The average teacher is in the 40% of their class. (when compared to all majors)
Compared to the pay of other professionals who were in the 40%, they on average receive 150% of the private pay. So yeah I would say teachers are over paid.

However since the teaching profession cannot attract top graduates the profession might be under paid. But since the union rules make it nearly impossible to get rid of non-performers we would have to pay the 40% teachers like they were the creme de la creme to actually attract the top performs. And that is something we cannot afford.

source: recent news article, don't feel like looking it up right now

 

[Cutlass]

You know most teachers aren't union, right?

 

[Takhisis]

Unlike the rugby.

 

[Darkwind]

The main problem is not too difficult to see:

American education (before university) is too EASY.

You can argue how inhuman East Asian educations are, but the test results doesn't lie. If you can even get a C in East Asian school, you will be top of your class in a US school already.

"no child left behind" doesn't mean "every one graduate without much effort"

 

[SerriaFox]

Maybe it time for the evil bell curve?
You know the one, where the lowest 10% fail, and only 10% are allowed As

 

[kochman]

The main problem is not too difficult to see:

American education (before university) is too EASY.

You can argue how inhuman East Asian educations are, but the test results doesn't lie. If you can even get a C in East Asian school, you will be top of your class in a US school already.

"no child left behind" doesn't mean "every one graduate without much effort"

You can keep your test results... the east asian method encourages a complete and total absence of childhood that I think is terrible, personally.

Finland doesn't force their kids to be slaves, and they do fine.

Despite our bad grades, we still keep inventing stuff here in America... (then the asians make it smaller and better).

 

[NedimNapoleon]

US schools are too easy compared to Asian or even European, I've felt that on my own skin.

 

[kochman]

US schools are too easy compared to Asian or even European, I've felt that on my own skin.

Which American Schools have you gone to?
Why do you think they represent "US Schools" in general?

 

[NedimNapoleon]

Connecticut, Torrington and I assume Ct has a bit better standard than other poorer states.