[quote]Cortes wrote:
All the Catholic schools I am aware of teach evolution. Correctly, too, so far as I know.
Can’t speak for some of the other ones, but to focus on evolution alone when kids are getting their heads filled with so much crap and oftentimes downright political indoctrination is shortsighted, to say the least. [/quote]
That is a challenge that I would take as long as we controlled for SES and parental involvement. I suspect that there would be no difference between public and private schooling after accounting for these variables.
[quote]Cortes wrote:
All the Catholic schools I am aware of teach evolution. Correctly, too, so far as I know.
Can’t speak for some of the other ones, but to focus on evolution alone when kids are getting their heads filled with so much crap and oftentimes downright political indoctrination is shortsighted, to say the least. [/quote]
Cortes,
Comparisons between the two are a bit unfair, if you take into account the parental commitment to education it makes for an even more dramatic separation. For example, I could send my kids to public school where my district has roughly 35 kids in a class, a class that contains kids with learning disabilities, behavior issues etc. or I could send my kids to a Catholic School (and I do) with no serious special education services and no behavior issues (at least not more than 3 major incidents) and has a 20:1 ratio. If you then add in the fact that I am paying $10,000 per year for catholic school, it is easy to see that my interests are best served by my kids doing well (I am paying for it after all, in addition to my school taxes).
I don’t think public education is a failure, quite the contrary considering the hand they have been dealt, and subsequently if the voucher system succeeds I bet we will see more of a evening out between the two systems (public v private), simply because the inherent advantages of private education will begin to disappear (small class sizes, parental investment, low special needs population).
[quote]BrianHanson wrote:
I don’t think public education is a failure…[/quote]
Says the guy who sends his kids to a private school. You remind me of all the democratic politicians who suck up to the teacher’s unions to get elected but send their kids to a private school. As long as you can afford a private school for your children you can continue to schill for public schools. This pretty much follows your character with other things as well. You’re a Catholic who has no problem with a woman who wants to kill her unborn child, and two homosexuals getting married. Next you’ll be telling us that you want stricter gun laws but keep a 357 magnum by your bedside…You are damn near the perfect liberal, consistently hypocritical.
I DARE anyone to compare private Catholic school performance results with those of public schools in the same area in any region they choose in the US. [/quote]
Exactly. In my neck of the woods, math and science scores soar at the private schools around here, nearly all of which have a religious affiliation.
More generally, I have to agree that an enormous part of the failure of public education is the lack of investment by parents, and I pity a lot of teachers who have to deal with hordes of kids of are simply being handed over to them as if the teachers were babysitters.
And combining the apathy of parents with the teachers’ unions and the idea that the problem is always, always, always lack of funding (it’s not), public education needs challenges to its model, even imperfect ones.
Please share with us what you mean when you say “political indoctrination” and give examples.
[/quote]
And this one is a jaw-dropper.
You want to talk about “religious schools?” They are already religious. Tell me I’m seeing things here. Please. I would love to be wrong about this. [/quote]
You are ridiculous. I send my kids to Catholic school, they will also be going to a LaSallian high school (that has an entrance exam and chooses catholic school kids first), not because I don’t like the public schools but because our local LaSallian school sent 11 of 125 graduating seniors to Ivy League schools last year and 100% of its’ grads went on to four year colleges with names like Stanford, Duke and Northwestern, I am planning on making sure my kids have the best start they can in their lives, if that is being a hypocrite then I am confused because I thought it was called being a good parent. Feel free to suck it ZEB : ) .
[quote]Cortes wrote:
All the Catholic schools I am aware of teach evolution. Correctly, too, so far as I know.
Can’t speak for some of the other ones, but to focus on evolution alone when kids are getting their heads filled with so much crap and oftentimes downright political indoctrination is shortsighted, to say the least. [/quote]
I focus on evolution because it is one of the main points of contention amongst religious and non-religious with respect to school curriculum.
I thought we were discussing religious schools? Sorry but evolution (aka the foundation of modern biology) deserves the attention I gave it.[/quote]
Indoctrination is just one part of the problem. A big part among other big parts. I am deeply, deeply involved in education, and I have tons of ties and first hand accounts of both public and private schools. In addition to working with and at both public and private schools here, I work with public and private schools overseas and in America, and have family (my brother for one) and close friends who work for ISDs in America. I am not just talking out of my ass here.
More issues:
Teaching to the test.
Lowered standards to make sure all students “succeed.”
Inability to administer any real punishment in the classroom the results in disruptive, disrespectful kids who destroy the atmosphere and ability to learn for the kids who actually want to.
General focus upon crap that really is not all that important at the expense of more appropriate material.
But yeah, I’m sure I’m totally wrong and like, teh evolution, and stuff.
Not at all, but you’re own statements must sound so ridiculous to you that you probably want them back by now.
First of all you are claiming that you are just being a good parent, and I agree with you. You are making the best choice for your children, fine. That is not the problem. The problem is you (like other liberals) cow tow to the teachers unions who are directly responsible for you having to take your kids out of public school and put them in private school so that they can have a better chance of getting into a good high school and eventually a good college. And that makes you (and other liberals who do this) hypocrites.
You see B r i a n, other couples who do not make your lofty income of 180-k per year cannot afford to ditch the public school system so their kids can have a better education. They are stuck with the results of over crowded classes and crappy teachers who cannot be fired because of the teachers union. They must send their kids to public schools unlike you and the other hypocritical lefties.
Wouldn’t it be nice if someone making 60-k per year could also make the best choice for their children’s education? But you see B r i a n because of hypocritical liberals like yourself who are in power those parents are doomed to sending thier kids to the type of school that you and your wife would have nothing to do with. Because those liberals continue to vote down a voucher system that would help couples do what you are now doing.
The above may be outliers, but when considered with the other problems I’ve stated, there are plenty of problems at public schools, and concerned parents often have little to no options outside of sending their kids, under the force of law, to such places.
Now, finally, in Louisiana, parents will be afforded this opportunity.
I would be absolutely thrilled to be a parent in LA right now.
[quote]Cortes wrote:
I am not just talking out of my ass here.
But yeah, I’m sure I’m totally wrong and like, teh evolution, and stuff.
[/quote]
I asked you for clarification on what you meant. I’m not sure why you’re getting defensive here.
[/quote]
Well you kinda called him out and demanded examples…which he provided.
I did not notice your response to that.[/quote]
Called him out? lol really?
I asked him for evidence of his assertion. Saying ‘I don’t believe you prove it’ isn’t calling someone out.
Calling him out would be saying something like “YOU’RE A LIAR!”
So if I don’t want to take someone’s word for it, ask for evidence instead, that to you is calling someone out? [/quote]
Did you really lol?
I kinda pictured you doing something of a dismissive snort.
And no, I have several friends who teach in the public school system in Las Vegas…they tell me that the overwhelming majority of minority teachers heavily promote a pro-Obama atmosphere in their classrooms.
According to them, the same teachers were just as virulently anti-Bush.
