Detroit Files for Bankruptcy

[Dixie Cup]

When you have disfunctional families; a high teen pregnancy rate, no responsible adult to mentor youth, high crime rates and everyone wonders why the drop out rate is so high in schools? Seriously?

Whether the schools were funded properly or not, it seems to me that this is only part of the problem. It is far more complex than it being the fault of unions, Free Trade or anything else. It's a societal problem that no one seems to want to address because its not "politically correct". It drives me crazy!! Chicago has the same issues - and what do you find in the news? Trayvon Martin, that's who.

There are serious issues that need to be addressed and until people "get over themselves" (the Al Sharptin's et al of the world), maybe over time some of the problems could actually be addressed. Get over the "racist" crap and deal with reality. Good Grief!!

JMHO

 

[JLM]

When you have disfunctional families; a high teen pregnancy rate, no responsible adult to mentor youth, high crime rates and everyone wonders why the drop out rate is so high in schools? Seriously?

Whether the schools were funded properly or not, it seems to me that this is only part of the problem. It is far more complex than it being the fault of unions, Free Trade or anything else. It's a societal problem that no one seems to want to address because its not "politically correct". It drives me crazy!! Chicago has the same issues - and what do you find in the news? Trayvon Martin, that's who.

There are serious issues that need to be addressed and until people "get over themselves" (the Al Sharptin's et al of the world), maybe over time some of the problems could actually be addressed. Get over the "racist" crap and deal with reality. Good Grief!!

JMHO

Well written post!

 

[Tecumsehsbones]

When you have disfunctional families; a high teen pregnancy rate, no responsible adult to mentor youth, high crime rates and everyone wonders why the drop out rate is so high in schools? Seriously?

Whether the schools were funded properly or not, it seems to me that this is only part of the problem. It is far more complex than it being the fault of unions, Free Trade or anything else. It's a societal problem that no one seems to want to address because its not "politically correct". It drives me crazy!! Chicago has the same issues - and what do you find in the news? Trayvon Martin, that's who.

There are serious issues that need to be addressed and until people "get over themselves" (the Al Sharptin's et al of the world), maybe over time some of the problems could actually be addressed. Get over the "racist" crap and deal with reality. Good Grief!!

JMHO

Sounds like you're saying it's all the black folks' fault.

 

[Machjo]

Yeah, let's throw more money at the teachers' unions, that always helps.

So because we don't like teachers' unions, let's let the population grow up illiterate? Great plan for economic development, yup!

How about we explore work arounds then? School vouchers come to mind. There may be other ideas too, but the idea of letting the populaiton grow up illiterate because we don't like teachers' unions? Seriously?

 

[taxslave]

So because we don't like teachers' unions, let's let the population grow up illiterate? Great plan for economic development, yup!

How about we explore work arounds then? School vouchers come to mind. There may be other ideas too, but the idea of letting the populaiton grow up illiterate because we don't like teachers' unions? Seriously?

I'm not sure that is what wally is implying. It would be interesting to compare how much money per student is spent in Detroit as compared to other cities of comparable size.
In Canada our system is somewhat different for funding but we spend huge amounts of money on education but also have rather dismal results. I think Detroit is just the tip of the iceberg.

 

[Sal]

Uneducated, yes. Lazy? That's debatable. Let's consider the catch-22: you need an education (or certainly at least be functionally illiterate, which according to the article is a problem among many) to secure work, and work to secure an education. And let's not blame illiteracy exclusively on laziness either. Should the parents be illiterate themselves and the teachers either incompetent or overworked or both, the likelyhood of high illiteracy rates increases expoentially. After all, why are illiteracy rates higher in Detroit than elsewhere? Detroiters are just naturally lazy? Genetic? Something in the air?

I'm not disputing that laziness may be to blame in some cases, but usually even laziness itself is often a symptom of another problem.

Clearly Detroit's education system must have been underfunded for years, resulting in having no choice but to higher incompetent teachers or overwork their teachers, or both.

At one point or another, people need a heart and start giving.

Also, you need money to move out of town. If you have no money for even a bus ticket, and none for lodging in a hostel once away, then what? Under such circumstances, it's scary.

dispair due to being trapped in poverty can be labelled as laziness and frequently is,

if one can label another as a lazy good for nothing, welfare sucking scum, one does not have to do the "Christian thing", it's a release clause because it makes them less than human...ya know, similar to slaves who weren't human, no need to worry about how ya treat them

 

[JLM]

So because we don't like teachers' unions, let's let the population grow up illiterate? Great plan for economic development, yup!

How about we explore work arounds then? School vouchers come to mind. There may be other ideas too, but the idea of letting the populaiton grow up illiterate because we don't like teachers' unions? Seriously?

Back in the day we learned the 3 Rs (better than the kids do today) without any teachers' unions!

 

[captain morgan]

I'm not sure that is what wally is implying. It would be interesting to compare how much money per student is spent in Detroit as compared to other cities of comparable size.
In Canada our system is somewhat different for funding but we spend huge amounts of money on education but also have rather dismal results. I think Detroit is just the tip of the iceberg.

No one seems to recognize that it is essential that teh students also buy into the program.

....... You can lead a horse to water.......

 

[JLM]

No one seems to recognize that it is essential that teh students also buy into the program.

....... You can lead a horse to water.......

Contrary to back in the day when students did as they were told until such time as they could pay the piper!

 

[taxslave]

No one seems to recognize that it is essential that teh students also buy into the program.

....... You can lead a horse to water.......

I realize that . But lots of what the educators are pushing is not relevant to either students that presumably will at some point want to enter the workforce nor industry that requires new entrants to have some basic skills like showing up for work on time with appropriate gear. Basic reading and comprehension skills would also be an asset.
Memorizing poems that are several hundred years old is of no benefit to anyone.

 

[captain morgan]

Contrary to back in the day when students did as they were told until such time as they could pay the piper!

And that generation grew-up to be the 'doers' in society. Not too bad for many that were farm kids that didn't live in the lap of luxury

 

[taxslave]

You can't even be a successful criminal without a basic education.

 

[JLM]

I realize that . But lots of what the educators are pushing is not relevant to either students that presumably will at some point want to enter the workforce nor industry that requires new entrants to have some basic skills like showing up for work on time with appropriate gear. Basic reading and comprehension skills would also be an asset.
Memorizing poems that are several hundred years old is of no benefit to anyone.

You mean like "The Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner" written by S.T. Coleridge while spaced out on laudanum. -

 

[captain morgan]

You can't even be a successful criminal without a basic education.

The individual student is 1/2 of this equation.

I agree that there is a lot of useless things being taught in schools, but the fact that without a student that understands the value of an education and is prepared to work at it, it doesn't really matter what is being taught.

 

[JLM]

You can't even be a successful criminal without a basic education.

Oooooooooh, now I understand why criminals are stupid! -

 

[taxslave]

oooooooooh, now i understand why criminals are stupid! -

only the ones that get caught.

 

[Tonington]

There are millions of jobs available in America, millions, and close to a trillion dollars in student debt. The whole education system including the attitudes of parents and students needs a kick in the @ss, and Canada is not so very different. There are open jobs at manufacturing facilities that pay livable wages that are open because students transitioning into the wrokplace don't have the math skills to ensure that the equipment is properly callibrated...that is insane.

 

[taxslave]

There are millions of jobs available in America, millions, and close to a trillion dollars in student debt. The whole education system including the attitudes of parents and students needs a kick in the @ss, and Canada is not so very different. There are open jobs at manufacturing facilities that pay livable wages that are open because students transitioning into the wrokplace don't have the math skills to ensure that the equipment is properly callibrated...that is insane.

Worse they don't have the literacy skills to read the dam manual.

 

[Sal]

I realize that . But lots of what the educators are pushing is not relevant to either students that presumably will at some point want to enter the workforce nor industry that requires new entrants to have some basic skills like showing up for work on time with appropriate gear. Basic reading and comprehension skills would also be an asset.
Memorizing poems that are several hundred years old is of no benefit to anyone.

you are right and it's not just the educational system within the classroom either...there is also a generational parental attitude of privilege very different to what we grew up with: my kid is right, my kid is the best, my kid is being bullied (because your kid is a little s hit to the others), I can interrupt the classroom at my desire, I can pull my kid out of school for weeks at a time for vacation, for hair appointments, and a million other societal changes that impact the system...all this hampers classroom learning.

Everyone is equal now, high needs kids are integrated into the classroom, whether they scream, yell, become violent, cause the school to go into lock-down numerous times throughout the week...

it is not how it used to be and this is not the fault of the union or teachers... speak to society and how we have raised our kids...that is how we have landed here...gawd forbid a middle class kid should feel for a lack of anything

There are millions of jobs available in America, millions, and close to a trillion dollars in student debt. The whole education system including the attitudes of parents and students needs a kick in the @ss, and Canada is not so very different. There are open jobs at manufacturing facilities that pay livable wages that are open because students transitioning into the wrokplace don't have the math skills to ensure that the equipment is properly callibrated...that is insane.

exactly

 

[taxslave]

you are right and it's not just the educational system within the classroom either...there is also a generational parental attitude of priviledge very different to what we grew up with: my kid is right, my kid is the best, my kid is being bullied (because you kid is a little s hit to the others),I can interrupt the classroom at my desire, I can pull my kid out of school for weeks at a time for vacation, for hair appointments, and a million other societal changes that impact the system...all this hampers classroom learning.

Everyone is equal now, high needs kids are integrated into the classroom, whether they scream, yell, become violent, cause the school to go into lock-down numerous times throughout the week...

it is not how it used to be and this is not the fault of the union or teachers... speak to society and how we have raised our kids...that is how we have landed here...gawd forbid a middle class kid should feel for a lack of anything

Which is why those that can afford it send their kids to private schools.