What's wrong with the education system in America?

Question

I received this answer yesterday in regard to Einstein, "... I'm sure he was a fine Christian ..."

Answer 1

It appears that in science education they don't teach the meaning of the word "theory" as it is used in science.

Answer 2

There isn't enough money, not to pay for equipment or to encourage teachers to stay( they can use their degree to get a retail management position that starts out making $20,000 more than they make as a teacher and they will have a 40 hour week instead of an 80 hour week)....the parents want special treatment for their children even if it disrupts the education of their child's classmates...and they will come disrupt the class to get that favoritism for their child. Teachers cannot discipline the children without fearing a lawsuit, therefore there is no way to control the class or educate them.....special education was mainstreamed into the classroom...so now everyone get a special education because the teacher can only teach to the least intelligent student in the class so the teacher has to bypass everyone else to spend at least 2-3 hours a DAY teaching to that kid.

You can no longer fail stupid children you have to pass them...it's the law. So they learn they don't have to learn to get through school. Thanks George.

Is that enough?

Answer 3

The educational system is only as good as the teachers and the funding they receive. There are many good teachers out there but they can't actually teach when they have to deal with class sizes that are too large and disruptive and don't have the funding to get them the proper text books and educational aids they need. There is no reason in a country this size that educationally we should be behind a good deal of the world, but they'd rather put the money to national defense and to loans to other nations than to help its own people within its borders.

Give education the funding it needs and then get back to the basics.

Answer 4

Most teachers are alarmed at what they have to do to be able to teach. Don't blame them. Blame the larger community in which education takes place. Blame the system. Educational systems merely reflect what those in power, those who fund it wish it to reflect. We use an outdated industrialized model of education that teaches conformity instead of zealous search for truth and knowledge, and the results of such education follow suit.

"It is time to admit that public education operates like a planned economy. It's a bureaucratic system where everybody's role is spelled out in advance, and there are few incentives for innovation and productivity. It's not a surprise when a school system doesn't improve. It more resembles a Communist economy than our own market economy." -- Albert Shanker- (1928-1997) former president of the American Federation of Teachers

"Can we truly expect those who aim to exploit us to be trusted to educate us?" -- Eric Schaub Individualist, writer, activist, speaker Source: The Common Man

Answer 5

I don't recall getting much on Einstein's religious beliefs in school, but just a cursory reading would lead you to believe he's a non-religious jewish pantheist (at most). He didn't believe in a personal god and took a heap of abuse for it.

People would be able to draw this out without much effort. So, I really can't explain the answer you got.

On reflection though, educations main intent isn't to convey knowledge it's to indoctrinate citizens--so maybe therein lies the problem.

Answer 6

Bush's No Child Left Behind is one of the main problems. The man is clueless. A child with an IQ 0f 60 is supposed to make the same amount of progress in 10 months as a child with an IQ of 140.

It is hard to teach for all of the testing that we are required to do: Pre-Tests and Post-Tests for every chapter in every book and for every unit in every book.

I am NOT "Clueless." I do the best that I can. I teach them what they need to know. When I get into my classroom, I do as I please. I do not follow ANYONE "like sheep."
Anyone who complains is welcome to come and see how well they do with it when parents don't care, some kids don't care, etc.


I am tired of being told that it is all my fault. I cannot bore a hole in anyone's head and pour the knowledge in.
There are a few students who put forth NO effort. I can't do it all for them.

I've taught for 26 years and have never seen anything like this.

Bush cares more about the test results than he does with children learning.



I love my students. It breaks my heart what this has come to. I do my very best.

No one above 3rd grade gets a recess. It "takes away from instructional time."

What a crock!

Kids need to be kids.

***see blueink's response***
Parents complain if we make a child stay in during a break to do homework he/she did not do the night before. If a child is disrespectful and we say ANYTHING, the parent will complain.

Answer 7

Well, think of the people you knew in high school who said they were going to major in "education," "journalism," or "communications." The talented ones are far outnumbered by the ones who were in the lower end of the class ranks.

Furthermore, the trendy idea these days is that you don't have to know a subject to teach it, you only have to know "how to teach." (No doubt, so the powers that be can feed all these clueless modern teachers whatever curriculum they like, and the teachers know no better than to follow it like sheep. But, try asking them a question outside the curriculum...)

Answer 8

When you have a system set up where you have huge high schools, so that you can have good football teams is it any wonder why the public education system in the country is messed up?

and to others, it is not about funding, it is about focus.

Answer 9

Just about everything. It all starts with poor funding. Poor funding means poorly paid teachers. Poorly paid teachers means we don't have the best people in education. Mediocre teachers leads to mediocre curriculum. Mediocre curriculum leads to a poorly educated society. A poorly educated society doesn't hold education in high regards. Low regards for education means low funding. Thus, the circle is complete.

Answer 10

In a system where one person can become highly offended by the facts being taught because it goes against their uneducated opinion and sue to get them stricken from the school, you know there are problems.

So yeah... lots of things.