Seth

Those of us with even the most tenuous grip on reality know that America's Democrat run education system is failing our young people miserably, despite that sector's ever-increasing demands for funding, a veritable tax money vacuum whose results seem to diminish the more our politicians smother it with cash.

It's no mystery, therefore, why most "liberals" who support this educational status quo send their own children to private school.

It's getting so there's little to choose between a high school diploma and a GED.

Of pressing concern, also, is the fact that these Democrats who control the public education system go hell-bent-for-leather when it comes to avoiding the teaching of Civics and American History. Try talking either with most young people today, and you'll more than likely be rewarded with a blank look.

While I have no empirical evidence to support any actual connection between the two, I would be remiss if I didn't remark upon not-long-ago tearing down and/or destruction of scores of American historic monuments by members of the same political party under the guise of combatting "r****m."

If I didn't know better -- ahem! -- I'd opine that there might be some connection between that and the dumbing down of American youth on our history, culture and heritage.

I'd certainly express a theory that members of today's Democratic Party were on some sort of mission to erase American History.

Which brings is to this highly relevant piece in the Daily Signal.

https://www.dailysignal.com/2019/02/19/most-americans-cant-pass-a-basic-citizenship-test-heres-why-we-should-be-worried/

Is America being gradually erased by one of our two main political parties?

Sure seems like it.

working class stiff Loc: N. Carolina

Allow me to opine a little as well....
Blaming one side for the deficiencies in our educational system is a non starter, an easy out. You shut down debate with one easy answer- it's the Democrats fault. Beyond that, blaming only one side does nothing to address the issues raised ...the something we should all be concerned about. It actually hinders your ability to address your concerns because you are excluding and blaming half the folks whose help you are going to need to fix the issues of concern.

If we should all be concerned---and we should---I have no motivation to talk to you. I already know the answer. I am the problem, in your mind, as I am a Democrat. For you it's a zero-sum game, a binary code, an on off switch. Either/or.

Like most of life, education policy when looked at closely is complicated. The successes are the result of Democrats and Republicans. Same is true of the failures.

https://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/opinion/2014/05/28/really-runs-schools/9563247/

As long as you see the issues as either/or instead of 'and' you will hinder your own attempt to fix the issues you are supposedly concerned about. More to the point, I question whether the reforming the educational system is actually your concern. I suspect it was just another random political drive by shooting . Good luck getting anything to change.

Seth

Then answer me this: given that charter schools have proven to be a successful path to college readiness, why is it the Democrats, not the Republicans, who oppose them?

"No child left unindoctrinated," perhaps?

working class stiff Loc: N. Carolina

The reason Democrats oppose charter schools is because charters take public money away from public schools. Republicans have given up on fixing public education and Democrats have not. All education is indoctrination, so your question is moot.

Seth

Since these public schools aren't producing at any cost, and it's also common knowledge that the teachers' unions are major campaign contributors to the Democrats, it's extremely difficult to imagine that anyone truly interested in seeing our youth being well educated would oppose anything that works.

But back to the American History and Civics.

If there were actually any decisive influence on school curriculum by Republicans, those two subjects would be well represented in schools.

They are not, however.

woodguru

I'm not sure why this is a democrat run education system, the GOP has controlled things for about 18 years now

Seth

In addition to neglecting teaching students about their American Heritage as they once did, they no longer teach them to think for themselves, and for some reason most of their product is politically to the left.

A Republican/Conservative would not countenance running a public education system that sees nothing wrong with usurping parental responsibilities.

vernon

That's easy jimmy carter created the Dep of education. Everything has gone down hill we have lost subjects like American history,Civics,and they made a mess of math.

Seth

Which is why we see more Indian and Chinese names attached to major medical, engineering and technological breakthroughs than American names.

Shows how prescient Bill Gates is.

About 15 years ago, during a speech to the American Association of Governor's, he told them they needed to rethink their respective education systems or he wouldn't have a job for their kids. When it didn't seem to register, he invested a ton of money in Bangalore, because Indian youth gets a good education.

Hell, I've met young people from that part of the world and even sub-Saharan Africa who know a lot more about our history and the workings of our government than our own young people, well beyond what they needed to know to pass their citizenship exams.

working class stiff Loc: N. Carolina

Yes, it is easy to blame a Democratic President from 40 years ago. Anything is better than taking responsibility. There has been plenty of time when Republicans were in power and could have put forth fixes since then.

Their big idea? Privatize education. As if we don't have enough private schools to separate the elites from us grunts.

Seth

That's a funny thing to say considering that the politicians you likely v**e for, the people who purchase them and for whom they perform are mostly those same elites (whose children attend exclusive private schools, BTW) who bash "the rich" while themselves living in the lap of luxury.

Do you honestly believe those people could care less if your children receive a decent education? Do you honestly believe they could care less if you have a job? That they could care less if you or a loved one is gutted on a dark street by some MS-13 thugs?

Sorry, but if you have to be sacrificed on the altar of "collateral damage" as a bi-product of their petty partisan politics, so be it.

If you're too short sighted to think things through and realize what lies at the end of the road these people are trying to lead us down, you'll have to excuse those of us who DO see and want no part of it for refusing to allow ourselves to join you in the ranks of the Useful I***ts®.

working class stiff Loc: N. Carolina

I don't see the same issue you do. Rich liberals have the same right to send their kids to private school as any one else who can afford to do so. As long as public education is funded adequately. It's Republicans who v**e to put public money into private education, not the Democrats.

If the second paragraph is an indication of a superior education, I'm glad I missed it. I guessing you meant 'care if' , not 'could care less if', but then I probably don't have the educational chops you do.

I have no clue why you would think I have been sacrificed, or a victim of collateral damage, by anyone much less the people I v**e for. That's a cartoon running behind your eyelids when they are closed.

As for who is a useful i***t....sorry, I did not v**e for Trump so I'm safe.

Seth

If Trump is somehow prevented from completing his agenda, you might well have the opportunity to learn, much to your chagrin, exactly what I'm talking about.

working class stiff Loc: N. Carolina

Really? Does Trump have an education agenda? I haven't heard one. Seems to me his agenda at this point is to stay out of jail.

Since I'm an optimist, and have faith in the American people, I'm not worried about the future of this nation. Doubt I'll be chagrined.

Seth

Trump has brought out a few policies he hasn't discussed long beforehand. When you have enemies who live and breathe to sabotage your every agenda, you very quietly get your ducks in a row first rather than give them a heads-up, then spring it.

Trump is a whole lot smarter than the career politicians trying to defeat his presidency, he learned his sk**ls in the real world with his own money, not the taxpayers', on the line.