Is the "failed school system" really a failed parent system...?

Question

It seems that passing the buck is now the norm for Americans...

let's not look at what is going on at home, or family, such as disengaged parents, single parents, parents who believe their kids do no wrong, parents who don't teach their kids the meaning of respect and some social skills, etc.

Yes, America, look in the mirror and recognize throwing $$$ at the problem can't solve a basic principal of ANY SYSTEM: garbage in-garbage out.

Answer 1

And to top it off, we pay big bucks to administrators that do not help the kids learn. In Illinois, we have k-8 districts and 9-12 districts so we have 2 sets of very expensive administrators for building and grounds, transportation, and etc.

We could do just fine on a county wide system and ONE set of these administrators.

Answer 2

Oh, I think there's enough blame to go around.

1) Education System. First, it's no longer about educating. It's about socialization. I know several people who homeschool who are not religious freaks, but people who are concerned about what's not being taught. According to all of them, the average school curriculum can be taught by 10:30 in the morning. The rest of the day is filled wth assemblies, homeroom, lunch, PE, and Lord knows what other timewasters.

In essence, it's grotesquely expensive per child, and rigid beyond all human belief.

Finally, why are schools organized along the lines of an 18th Century textile mill? Instead of just force marching kids through 12 years of school at the same rate, why not allow kids to move faster through the system as they master subject matter? That way, smart kids are not bored out of their skulls, while even the most unmotivated kids see an escape hatch.

2) The Parents. Turn off the television on school days. Throw out the XBox and the Game Boy. And make sure that the first thing they do when they get home from school is their homework. Homework first, playtime after should be every parent's mantra. Then back it up.

After all, the worst thing a parent can do is cripple their children by making their lives easy.

Answer 3

I really appreciated Ourboro telling us his experiences. We need to see things from the child's perspective. Yet we have our adult perspective, too...and, unfortunately, teachers and such cannot reach into the homes and make good changes, and visa versa, without a lot of hard work on everyone's part. I can, indeed, see a 7 year old assaulting someone, and it does need to addressed. I would have to see the bigger picture there...maybe the child is really violent and this is what they felt they had to do, given the system they worked in. Or, they way overreacted and do not have the skills yet to deal with a violent child. I have experienced, many times, public school teachers and staff who were not knowledgeable enough to deal with certain situations to the detriment of the child. I have also seen incredible, wonderful, giving, loving teachers and staff...with all kids, regular ed and special ed. The balance is far greater towards the people who truly care and are trying so so hard to educate children. The very nature of "at risk" children means that a lot could go wrong. If we could make it work for every child, everywhere, we would. But I do think a lot of very good people are trying. And that a lot of people know things are far from perfect. It is awesome that we are discussing it here, right now. It can only be for the good.

Answer 4

I firmly believe that anything the government touches turns to sh*t. Government control and the teachers union have been instrumental in the decline of the public school system, in my opinion. We have a public that for some reason believes that throwing a ton of money at a problem will fix it. In other countries they dont spend nearly as much as we do per student on education, and they get far better results. Even when looking at spending levels and comparing the different states you'll see the ones spending the most are not getting the best results. But when budgets are cut, and different ideas proposed, its the teachers unions that cry foul. They are not willing to step back and examine the situation, and would rather cry for more money instead.

Blaming the parents? I am sure in some cases parents are to blame, but I wouldnt say they are the major factor. In asian countries where kids do very well, how involved are their parents? Probably not more that american parents are. I seen absolutely no evidence of more parental involvement when I lived in S. Korea and Japan. What I did see was more interest by the students themselves. They, on the average, appeared to have more self-motivation, and a greater desire to learn. American students want to get good grades, but dont want to do what it takes to earn them.

The key to learning is not how much money is spent or the amount parental involvment.. The key is student motivation and study ethic.

You can lead a horse to water but you cant make him swim. You can buy a kid books and send him to school, but you cant make him learn. He must do that on his own.

PS. If i were still in school and a teacher was putting condoms on cucumbers instead of teaching me tradition courses, I would lose interest too.

Answer 5

Well, truly we can start by thanking women liberation (not meaning harm by that statement)
That took the mothers out of the house and replaced them with daycare centers so they could help support te family!
So now mom and dad work all the time, but they still desire a family,but the daycare and the school is there support, but the kids know their parents will stand up for them, because they love them

The school system, its like any other industry not all of the employees will like teaching and some that do try to get along with the every changing school system
but what they need to do is serration, so the race problem could be taken out of the picture, then separate them my their family income class, then kid would be going to schools of there peers, it would help take all the trouble makers and lock them up in a school and at the end of the day they would be glad to return home
Now I guess you have a great SYSTEM right

Answer 6

Retired sub teacher I quit cause I did not kill any students yet! The parents are just as bad as the kids . If their little angel gets in trouble it's your fault! These days you have a baby go back to work in 4 weeks put "the kid" in day care the next time you pay any attention is in juvenile court where it is everyone Else's fault sorry single moms you should not have sex with jerks who will desert you and the kid! Answers 3-10 are very good you left one thing out most parents are not home when the kids get there. Every teacher I know has their children in private schools and teachers get out when the children do so we are home.

Answer 7

Yes, I do blame parents. Parents think school is a babysitting service. Most parents don't care what the teachers tell them about their children they don't want to hear it. When the child acts up at school the parents go up to the schools and threaten the teachers and curse at them and threaten to sue. Kids rape and beat up teachers. Teacher's get blamed for everything. A teacher is their to educate your child once that kid leaves the school it is up to the parent to re-enforce that at home. Teacher's now a days are suppose to be Teacher, mother, father, social worker, preacher, nurse etc.....Many teachers are quitting and going into other professions because so many kids are out of control with, out of control parents. They don't get paid enough for the B.S. Yeah, parents are not teaching their children about respect at all or social skills. Granted their are kids who are just troubled and even the parents can't do anything with them, they have always been around ,but not in this magnitude as they are now. I do think it's unfair to blame teachers when kids flunk because like I said a teacher can only be there for 6 or 7 hours a day and once that kid leaves the school it's up to the parents to guide them and yeah, stop blaming everybody for your kid being bad. Yes, all kids do wrong, there is no perfect child, wake up.....

Answer 8

Was wondering when someone else would notice. :) This has been going on for years. The probelm has been ignored and will CONTINUE to be ignored. Parents today do not discipline or teach their children anything on the home front. They rely on the school to make everything of them. Sorry. I don't believe in Slick WIllys motto "It takes a community." It takes 2 parents. Education starts at HOME.

Answer 9

Absolutely.
The worst brats are from families who A-don't believe in spanking or B-don't spend any time with thier kiids.
When my children were young we were out someplace and they were both being horrible. I was dragging them out to take them home when someone said "why are you leaving so early, your children are such wonderful darlings!" and they meant it too. It was wierd being mad at my kids for behaving so badly but feeling sorry for someone who's kids best was not as good as MY kids worst!
Remember; the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

Answer 10

9 times out of ten yes!! if my child was failing then i need to help him help himself. no back up at home no backbone in the real world and they will spend the rest of their lives fighting for meaningless jobs and a spot in the unemployment line.its sad that parents think the culprit is our school systems when they know full well they need to step up!! its sad to say but maybe we could budget in some common sense classes for some parents.