Monday, May 05, 2008

Is Public anything ever good?

I have been wondering this for a while. Can making everything fair and accesible to everyone in the country - really just as bad as making things inaccesible to some people. Maybe privitazation is a good thing.

I am thinking in particular about our public education system and the push to publicize our health care system.

Fifty years ago - children went to school,they learned reading, math, science and history. There was art music and PE - there was also recess - twice a day. If you didn't learn what you were supposed to learn or failed the grade - you were held back - you dealt with it. There was no worry that being held back or being labeled slow was "detremental to your self esteem"

Today - thereis still reading and math but only as it relates to the TAKS or what ever test they kids are required to take - students are drilled on TAKS concepts until they can regurgetate them. In some schools there is no recess. In others there is silent lucnh - I mean really kids cannot play outside and must remain silent at lunch? This is good how.

In my middle son's schoolthe words "boys and girls" and "students" are not permited - they are all "friends" Boys and girls might be labeling to some one who is gender confused - I mean really how the hell can a fourth grader be gender "confused"? I mean what kind of crap is this? Mental differences aside children are boys or girls. and they are all students.

Local community colleges report that today's college student is ill prepared for college because they cannot think out side the box and lack the critical thinking skills required to get a college education. I am not surprised - The TAKS test is a multiple choice memorization feat. All you have to do is color in the bubble that relates to the correct fact. You don't have to be ableto relate theat fact to another fact.

Our education system has become a fill in the blank multiple choice world. Anything that doesn't relate is unimportant.

No comments: