[atlantaprog] Re: atlantaprog Digest V1 #132

** Semi-OT rant alert **

Public schools are/can be much more effective when they aren't saddled with 
the expense and targeted cirriculum that comes with these asinine 
standardized tests, which have swept through the American educational 
zeitgeist like a barbarian horde.
I can't speak for Atlanta, but my FL public education was quite effective 
(can't say the same these days for FL schools, for sure).  I believe the 
decline (if it exists) is due to the loss of a modicum of classroom 
flexibility that teachers had then that they lack now.
I totally DO NOT buy into the conservative-created myth that "our public 
school systems are an utter failure!"  Vouchers, etc. are all just pure 
bullshit designed to allow rich people to get out of paying taxes for public 
education.

That said, I'm aware that not everybody fits into the 'school thing' very 
well, whether it be public or private school.  The underlying weakness of 
American education, is that it's largely based on 19th century educational 
theory with some occasional ridiculous modern ideas that are politically 
attractive enough to get school board members to vote for them.  School 
board members who, incidentally, generally know zilch about education.

In any case, this is a long enough post.  I can't go on -- there are so many 
misunderstandings about how school systems work, how they get funded, who 
sets their policies, etc. that I can't possibly get going on it 
all..............
------------------------------

From: UncleEggsy@xxxxxxx
Date: Mon, 27 Oct 2003 19:52:18 EST
Subject: [atlantaprog] Re: WABE

In a message dated 10/27/2003 5:51:18 PM Eastern Standard Time,
robertmacgrogan@xxxxxxxxx writes:
> >ok..sorry...I"ll stop now...but if I could home school I would at this 
>point in life!  I'm
> >beginning to really hate public school for all its worth:(
>
>I know we're getting a bit off topic here, but I have to say this. I think 
>the fact that you are
>beginning to hate public schools is actually the primary goal of the people 
>who have implemented
>these kind of testing programs. They have a fairly creepy, not-so-secret 
>agend of undermining the
>public school system, in my opinion.
>
>

As a graduate of the Atlanta Public School system let me say that I
considered my high school to be a numbing and opressive den of conformity 
and
mediocrity.  I learned in spite of my educational environment, not because 
of it
and I
never felt seriously challenged until I got to college.  If conversations 
I've
had with teenagers in the Atlanta and Dekalb systems are anything  by which
to go, then things have only gotten worse.  I believe in the spirit and
principle of public education, but it is woefully and painfully obvious that 
the
folks running the show have no clue whatsoever.

I absolutely relate to the recent story of the girl who was almost expelled
from her school over a fictional story in her private journal.  When I was 
in
high school I was involved in an incident where I was reading a book during 
a
particularly "Triumph Of The Will" esque pep rally for our so called 
football
team and a teacher told me to stop reading and participate in the pep rally. 
  I
ignored this sage wisdom from my wonderful academic mentor and I ended up in
the principal's office and was almost suspended because the teacher
ludicrously claimed I had used some sort of racial slur.

Marginal prog content:  The only "uniform" I wore in high school was a rock
band t-shirt (Led Zep, Floyd, Beatles or Yes usually), jeans with holes in 
the
knees and a pair of Converse All Stars.  Somehow, despite my lack of khaki
pants and a polo shirt that matched my classmates, I miraculously managed to
graduate from both high school and college.

CH

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