So will Teachers strike ?

[Cold/Bore]

"War on teachers"? Teachers have been complicit in the making of little leftist since John Dewey.

I wish we had this much influence. Most of the time I try to get my kids to do anything, or think a certain way, all I get is rebellious attitudes. Maybe you’re thinking of professors at the university level.

[Cold/Bore]

I find this data interesting:



Also:



https://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2016...-but-not-yours

[TomMcC]

I wish we had this much influence. Most of the time I try to get my kids to do anything, or think a certain way, all I get is rebellious attitudes. Maybe you’re thinking of professors at the university level.

So for instance, sex education at even kindergarten, hasn't had anything to do with the rise of promiscuity, teen pregnancies, sexting, things of that nature? Teaching kids about evolution hasn't had an effect on their outlook? They've just been brushing that off?

[chuckman]

Public education, like so many ideas from the good idea fairy known as the government, has experienced mission creep and loss of span of control. Is it local? Is it state? Is it federal? Does it need it's own cabinet-level department? Why is it funded via so many avenues (including the pernicious state lotteries, which often deflect funds to other projects)? Why is administration so top heavy? Why does it have to have such powerful lobbies and unions? If it really is about 'the child,' why do they throw lawyers at the government every time vouchers are suggested, at the detriment of a child in a failing school system?

Public education has become a money pit, and if it was private, it's a bad investment. It has become the tail wagging the dog, unions enabled to protect bad actors.

I get that there are good teachers (as in teachers who teach well, as well as teachers who are good people). It's not their fault the system is what it is.

[Cold/Bore]

So for instance, sex education at even kindergarten, hasn't had anything to do with the rise of promiscuity, teen pregnancies, sexting, things of that nature? Teaching kids about evolution hasn't had an effect on their outlook? They've just been brushing that off?

I would say no. I don’t have any data on this, but I would venture that these are secular reactions in response to a growing, preexisting problem. Sex education came after the rise of promiscuity and the increase of STDs, namely the AIDS crisis.

In the case of evolution, I can name one case, Jeffery Dahmer, who actually said, “If a person doesn’t think there is a God to be accountable to, then—then what's the point of trying to modify your behaviour to keep it within acceptable ranges?,” Dahmer told Stone Phillips during a Dateline NBC conversation. "That's how I thought anyway. I always believed the theory of evolution as truth, that we all just came from the slime. When we, when we died, you know, that was it, there is nothing.”

But this is a small sample.

On the other hand, who really has the power? Politicians? No. Teachers? No. Parents? No. According to Andrew Fletcher:

“Let me make the songs of a nation, and I care not who makes its laws.”

It’s the radio, TV, internet. It’s pop culture.

We don't need no education
We don't need no thought control
No dark sarcasm in the classroom
Teachers leave them kids alone
Hey, teachers, leave them kids alone
All in all it's just another brick in the wall
All in all you're just another brick in the wall

Pink Floyd was probably far more influential in our nation’s distrust of its educational system.

Think of the other song lyrics kids are listening to these days. How about the Black Eyed Peas?

They say I'm really sexy
The boys they wanna sex me
They always standin' next to me
Always dancin' next to me
Tryin' a feel my hump hump
Lookin' at my lump lump

(And this is pretty tame)

[TomMcC]

I would say no. I don’t have any data on this, but I would venture that these are secular reactions in response to a growing, preexisting problem. Sex education came after the rise of promiscuity and the increase of STDs, namely the AIDS crisis.

In the case of evolution, I can name one case, Jeffery Dahmer, who actually said, “If a person doesn’t think there is a God to be accountable to, then—then what's the point of trying to modify your behaviour to keep it within acceptable ranges?,” Dahmer told Stone Phillips during a Dateline NBC conversation. "That's how I thought anyway. I always believed the theory of evolution as truth, that we all just came from the slime. When we, when we died, you know, that was it, there is nothing.”

But this is a small sample.

On the other hand, who really has the power? Politicians? No. Teachers? No. Parents? No. According to Andrew Fletcher:

“Let me make the songs of a nation, and I care not who makes its laws.”

It’s the radio, TV, internet. It’s pop culture.

We don't need no education
We don't need no thought control
No dark sarcasm in the classroom
Teachers leave them kids alone
Hey, teachers, leave them kids alone
All in all it's just another brick in the wall
All in all you're just another brick in the wall

Pink Floyd was probably far more influential in our nation’s distrust of its educational system.

Think of the other song lyrics kids are listening to these days. How about the Black Eyed Peas?

They say I'm really sexy
The boys they wanna sex me
They always standin' next to me
Always dancin' next to me
Tryin' a feel my hump hump
Lookin' at my lump lump

(And this is pretty tame)

If the schools and teachers really have no effect, then why do you do it?

So the institution of sex ed had no real agenda other than "we'll just help the little boys and girls stay healthy"? I think chuckman is much closer to the truth.

[Cold/Bore]

If the schools and teachers really have no effect, then why do you do it?

So the institution of sex ed had no real agenda other than "we'll just help the little boys and girls stay healthy"? I think chuckman is much closer to the truth.

Effect on what? I never said I nor my colleagues were bad at teaching our respective content areas. I am quite successful at teaching kids Spanish, which I enjoy immensely.

I’m not a health teacher nor am I necessarily contracted to instill moral values in my students. My own philosophy is that my job is to teach students how to think, not what to think.

However, I do want what I believe is best for my kids, so when Amare asked me if you can get an STD from having oral sex, I am quite frank, open and honest with him and the class and I don’t shy away from answering such topics. I’m hoping this kid made good choices in light of getting the straight truth. Last time I saw the girl he was “dating” at the time, she was pregnant (but not by him).

[TomMcC]

Effect on what? I never said I nor my colleagues were bad at teaching our respective content areas. I am quite successful at teaching kids Spanish, which I enjoy immensely.

I’m not a health teacher nor am I necessarily contracted to instill moral values in my students. My own philosophy is that my job is to teach students how to think, not what to think.

However, I do want what I believe is best for my kids, so when Amare asked me if you can get an STD from having oral sex, I am quite frank, open and honest with him and the class and I don’t shy away from answering such topics. I’m hoping this kid made good choices in light of getting the straight truth. Last time I saw the girl he was “dating” at the time, she was pregnant (but not by him).

I'm a little confused now. So, teachers are effective at teaching 2+2=4, but aren't really effective at teaching anything related to morality? So things like the truth that homosexually, or sex outside of marriage are really ok or that climate change and molecules to man evolution are just some of the ineffective subjects that are taught? So, zero tolerance policies that punish a 6 yr old boy for making a finger gun are ineffective. Or teaching 5,6, and 7 year olds about anything at all about sex are really not about what is moral or not?

[Cold/Bore]

I'm a little confused now. So, teachers are effective at teaching 2+2=4, but aren't really effective at teaching anything related to morality? So things like the truth that homosexually, or sex outside of marriage are really ok or that climate change and molecules to man evolution are just some of the ineffective subjects that are taught? So, zero tolerance policies that punish a 6 yr old boy for making a finger gun are ineffective. Or teaching 5,6, and 7 year olds about anything at all about sex are really not about what is moral or not?

I think it’s far more complicated than the way you are caricaturing it. Tom, you and I agree on most things theologically, but I can’t just walk into my classroom and start preaching the gospel (at least overtly).

We’re talking public schools. The public is coming in. The American public is no longer a homogeneous Protestant-ish, English speaking society with largely American patriotic values. I have no say in who I teach. You have to come to terms with this regardless of whether you like it or not.

Yes, my profession is filled with extremely frustrating things like 6 YO boys getting punished for finger guns. It gets worse, man, but I don’t feel like writing it all down. I would say that most teachers are appalled by such ridiculousness, but nobody wants to listen to the teachers. It’s a top down system. It sucks. But by in large it’s not the teachers’ fault. We make do with what we’re given. Those that can’t hack it, leave.

[TomMcC]

When it comes to culture being an important influencer of children...I agree. So then I will ask are schools immune to culture? Do teachers bring to class their attitudes and views about life and culture to the class room? If