posted August 07, 2003 03:07 PM            

I'm Sorry, soooo Sorrry

But you have to stop that---immediately. I've got my own lyrics zipping along my neurons and I've only got a "one track mind".

School Days

Nothing to do, Nellie Darling,
Oh, there's nothing to do, you say,
Let's take a trip
On the Memory Ship,
And sail back to the good old days.
Sail to the old village schoolhouse,
Anchor outside the school door,
Look in and see,
There's you and there's me,
A couple of kids once more.

School days, school days,
Dear old golden rule days.
'Readin' and 'ritin' and 'rithmetic,
Taught to the tune of a hick'ry stick.
You were my queen in calico,
I was your bashful barefoot beau,
And you wrote on my slate,
'I love you, Joe,'
When we were a couple of kids.

posted August 17, 2003 11:34 AM              

Odd.

posted August 17, 2003 04:55 PM            

That conversation your mother overheard manages to be disgusting and discouraging at the same time. Wonder what makes people think they will be able to maintain a high living standard----let alone their freedom, with a 10th rate educational system? No nation ever climbed to affluence and freedom through ignorance---or managed to retain them either!.

jwhop

posted August 18, 2003 09:16 AM            

@ Star, math teacher.

posted August 18, 2003 09:29 AM            

Black Day in July

Black day in july
Motor city madness has touched the countryside
And through the smoke and cinders
You can hear it far and wide
The doors are quickly bolted
And the children locked inside
Black day in july
Black day in july
And the soul of motor city is bared across the land
As the book of law and order is taken in the hands
Of the sons of the fathers who were carried to this land

Black day in july
Black day in july
In the streets of motor city is a deadly silent sound
And the body of a dead youth lies stretched upon the ground
Upon the filthy pavement
No reason can be found

Black day in july
Black day in july
Motor city madness has touched the countryside
And the people rise in anger
And the streets begin to fill
And there's gunfire from the rooftops
And the blood begins to spill

Black day in july

In the mansion of the governor
There's nothing that is known for sure
The telephone is ringing
And the pendulum is swinging
And they wonder how it happened
And they really know the reason
And it wasn't just the temperature
And it wasn't just the season

Black day in july
Black day in july
Motor city's burning and the flames are running wild
They reflect upon the waters of the river and the lake
And everyone is listening
And everyone's awake

Black day in july
Black day in july
The printing press is turning
And the news is quickly flashed
And you read your morning paper
And you sip your cup of tea
And you wonder just in passing
Is it him or is it me

Black day in july

In the office of the president
The deed is done the troops are sent
There's really not much choice you see
It looks to us like anarchy
And then the tanks go rolling in
To patch things up as best they can
There is no time to hesitate
The speech is made the dues can wait

Black day in july
Black day in july
The streets of motor city now are quiet and serene
But the shapes of gutted buildings
Strike terror to the heart
And you say how did it happen
And you say how did it start
Why can't we all be brothers
Why can't we live in peace
But the hands of the have-nots
Keep falling out of reach

Black day in july
Black day in july
Motor city madness has touched the countryside
And through the smoke and cinders
You can hear it far and wide
The doors are quickly bolted
And the children locked inside

posted August 18, 2003 01:55 PM              

But in my heart of hearts I think public schools are being attacked by big people who don't care about the average person like you and me. Do you get my drift? For instance all of the new textbooks are far worse then the ones from many years before.

If you have kids, look at their math textbooks, you might not be able to understand basic math concepts that are in them. Everything is scattered around and almost nothing is relevant to the learning. Even history books are flawed and they edit many of the real facts.

posted August 18, 2003 03:00 PM            

Do you believe dilution of the educational curriculum contributes to the educational experience of students?

Is it in their best interests to pass them to the next grade level when they cannot complete the work at their present grade level.

Is it fair to students to graduate them from high school when they cannot score 70% on a 10th grade level test? 80%? 90%?

Do you believe acceptance to a university is an indication a student has been educated to at least a 12th grade level? Or, do you believe college entrance tests have been watered down?

Who do you think the "big" people are who are hurting education? Who do you think makes decisions about which textbooks are used in the various public school systems?

Education is not, repeat not free. The cost is approximately $325,000,000,000 per year, the cost born primarily by local property taxes on every piece of real estate in the country. The balance is made up of state taxes and a federal contribution from the general budget of the United States which has increased by about 69% in the Bush Administration.

jwhop

posted August 20, 2003 11:43 AM            

Most college-bound grads likely to muddle through math, science

By Rebecca Jones, Rocky Mountain News
August 20, 2003

The majority of college freshmen starting classes this fall may be in for a rude shock when they take their first college math or science course. Only about 40 percent of college-bound high school graduates appear adequately prepared for college math and only 26 percent are likely to do well in college science, according to nationwide ACT scores released today.----------------
http://insidedenver.com/drmn/education/article/0,1299,DRMN_957_2194730,00.html

posted August 27, 2003 09:25 PM            

I suggest they give their teachers the same test they're giving the high school seniors----embarrassment all around.

Story from the Baltimore Sun

Half of students fail unofficial exit exams at Md. high schools. Scores eventually will count toward graduation; Wide racial, economic gaps
http://www.sunspot.net/news/education/bal-te.md.schools27aug27,0,3189672 .story?coll=bal-home-headlines