Why have the Democrats done such a poor job with our education system in America?

Question

They have had control of education for well over 16 years now and have had no real improvements. This Bush even let Teddy write the last bill that increased spending on education by billions. So why are our schools doing such a poor job? Specially inner city schools. What should be done to fix this problem? Would vouchers work? Would private profit driven mangement help? If someones pay depended on test scores would this cause teachers to care more about the performance of studests? Would punishing parents for kids actions at school cause some parents to take a more active approach to parenting? Just some thoughts. With education the key to Democracy you would think this would be a problem that needs to be addressed. Without education people just vote for who will give them the most out of others pockets.

That hippie with long hair, We spend way more per kid than other countries that score much better on test. Just like a lib, he calls for more money for a program that doesn't work.

Answer 1

The 'dumbing down' is created by many things.

Family unity is first and foremost and severely lacking. People are becoming more and more dependent upon schools, TV sets and computers to do their babysitting for them.

Since the early 70's, we've lowered the learning standards for kids, and we keep lowering them. In my day, it was an embarrassment to flunk a grade and you were frowned upon. In this day and age, you would be hard-pressed to find anyone who flunks. They're just passed through the ranks and wonder why they can't find 'good paying jobs'. I've met many a high school grad. who can't read and write at an 8th grade level and if they had to count back change from a dollar bill, wouldn't know how to do it without a cash register that does it for them.

Tenure is another problem. Tenure is nothing more than a union that protects those who are incompetent.

Government run ANYTHING, is doomed. Our school system would be far better off if it were privatized using tax payer money and given to bidders who have to meet incentive programs.


Okay.. I'm ready for my thumbs down.. :)

Answer 2

It is not just the Dems who have caused/allowed this problem. The teachers are not the problem in most cases either. The biggest problem is how funds are misused. School boards and both the Democrats and Republicans are the problem. There is a good chance that if schools were turned over to private parties and taken out of government control they would be much better. Look at all programs run by the government and tell me which one runs efficiently (none that I know of). We need to stop educating people who should not be here to start with. Before a student can attend regular classes they should have to be proficient in English, even if our schools taught them 8 hours a day in a class separated from the rest of the students it would be an improvement. My 2 oldest sons spoke Spanish when they came to the US but within 1 year they were able to speak almost perfect English. The voucher laws that have been attempted were set up to help the low income families but where I live the low income areas receive more funding for school than the upper class who pay more of the taxes. Our schools need major work to fix the problems.

Answer 3

I wouldn't blame the Democrats, or the Republicans.

Neither of them really has anything to do with it.

The real answer is the school systems themselves, and the lack of discipline & dedication permitted.

Because teachers are no longer allowed to discipline the students (I'm not talking spankings or physical...I mean in general) and the students know this, there is no respect for the teachers, and the students do not listen or learn.

There have been dozens of cases where a teacher tries to discipline a student by sitting them in a corner, or putting a dunce cap on, or just raising their voice to them...and then the teacher gets sued or accused of abuse because the whiny little brat cries to their parents who only hear their kid's side of the story and go after the teacher and the school.

Now I agree that a few teachers have abused their power over the students in the past, but for every one that does, there are a hundred that don't, and yet everyone gets punished because of it.

This means teachers won't discipline anymore. They don't enforce that students study...and they cater to a growing bureaucracy that is the teacher's union.

Personally, if I was teaching, here's how I would discipline the students. If one student acts up, everyone gets extra homework, or everyone takes a test, etc. Thus, noone is getting "picked" on, and noone wants to upset the rest of the class by being a problem student.

This works in the military, and while the students won't be holding any "blanket parties"...I'm sure they'll find a way to control those who are creating a poor environment.

Answer 4

I almost didn't post, because I don't have an answer, but from reading what everyone else wrote, neither do they. I don't think you should blame the democrats or republicans--contrary to your 16 years statement, both parties have had a chance to do something, both tried and both failed. I can't fault them for trying--they just need to try harder and smarter next time.

No, they shouldn't throw more money into the system as it works now, but they do need to be willing to spend more when they come up with a solution that may work. The two problems with No Child are solveable, but I suspect that NCLB was an excuse to cut funding to force schools to fail, which would justify vouchers and privitization, rather than a real attempt at fixing the system we have. First, we need to make sure that teachers are teaching and not just trying to beat a test. Second, we need to attract better teachers--and that means paying them. I think they could get merit pay past the teachers union if it meant more pay for teachers, but the union probably thinks it will be an excuse to pay teachers less.

Answer 5

They haven't. I have had my own children in public schools in Iowa, Tennessee and now Oklahoma and have absolutely no complaints. The teachers and administrators in all of those states and school systems have been caring and dedicated.

Inner city schools suffer from lack of Federal Funding, from forced busing, and most importantly from lack of parental and community support.

No Child Left Behind is leaving poor performing inner city schools behind. And of course they are the very schools which need the funding.

The number one fallacy is that teachers are somehow to blame for "stupid" kids. Let's be open and honest with each other. We are all of us equipped with different skills. Some kids study all night and still fail a test. Other kids never study and breeze through it. Some of us understand calculus and some like me will never ever get it. It doesn't make us dumb, but we can't all be geniuses either.

And computers....there are simply too many and they are so dominating the classroom, that our children are not being taught to write in cursive.

The folks who invented computers didn't have them.

And you are right, education is the key to Democracy. And that's why we need to keep public school alive and well in this country.

Answer 6

The wording of your question precludes a reasonable, thoughtful, intelligent reply. Education in this country is a serious issue, but by blaming it on Democrats right from the beginning, you've already shown your cards regarding whom you've decided is at fault. When teachers care more about standardized test results than teaching students, then they "teach the test" and not the students and no one learns anything. You're sadly mistaken if you think teachers don't care about students' performance. Look at what happened to the D.C. schools. They had a dramatic turnaround in school test results. Turns out they cheated. Vouchers are not the answers. "Private profit-driven management" is not the answer. It's a complex issue, and playing the blame game helps no one.

Answer 7

Ok so you choose to blame inner city school problems on Democrats? Yeah right. The blame is on kids that don't want to be there, have no respect for anyone and their parents threaten to sue everybody for any kind of discipline administered to their little angels. I have an idea. Let the little hoodlums that don't want to get an education stay away. Let them roam the streets like they want. Would solve violence problems, over crowding problems and bullying problems, drug sales at school etc. The better teachers might want to go to a school where the problem children no longer are.

Answer 8

One - Nowhere is a national Department of Education even legal. It's up to the states, period.

Two - Dems tend to throw money at a problem, even if it shows no signs of improvement.

Three - Until teachers are paid on a scale on the lines of what someone can earn in the business world, you're not going to get top talent.

Four - Within the teacher's unions, there is heavy resistance against any form of standards and accountability being put in place to measure teachers.

Answer 9

The NEA has purposely dumbed down education. The No child left behind debacle came from the UN. All that are really left in public schools are the lower middle and lower classes' , everyone else has their kids in private school or is homeschooling. The public schools are more interested in brain washing than teaching. How much education do you need to work in a service economy?

Answer 10

The main problem is lack of ability to discipline. Discipline a kid, get a lawsuit, but the kid can beat the hell out of the teacher and they get a hand slap. I am not defending the teachers union, but the bottom line lies with a country that doesn't believe in discipline.

Private schools will have you sign a statement allowing them to discipline the kids for certain behaviors. I am surprised the ACLU hasn't fought these contracts yet... or maybe they have.