The War on Education.

I'm not sure if everyone knows lately but it seems there is alot of hatred online and in conservative circles about teachers 'making too much money' and how supposedly teacher unions are ruining our public schools.

Also lets not forget education is almost always first on the chopping block when it comes to cuts.

I was happy to hear Obama wants to improve the infrastructure of our schools, and then I made the mistake of going online and everyone is apparently very pissed over the fact Obama has the nerve to help our schools.

I dont understand it, Education should be one of our top priorities, and instead everyone treats it like its just optional.

Its almost insulting, maybe I'm bias because my dad was a teacher but...why does Education get so much shit in this country?

edited 8th Sep '11 9:36:02 PM by Thorn14

I honestly have no idea, though I'd guess it has something to do with equating education to being an out of touch, ivory tower intellectual. As for the "educators make too much" thing, I don't get it at all. From everything I've gathered, we don't pay them enough.

Politics and money. Basically the majority of the politicians and those who blindly follow wedging their heads up their asses so deep they fail to see the light.

Who watches the watchmen?

Well the arguments I have heard are "Teacher Unions ruin every thing!" and "Teachers are paid way too much money! (They aren't).

Oh, right, also, education doesn't seem to have many short term benefits, despite its many long term costs, so cutting it helps make politicians with their heads up their asses make it look like they're doing something about the budget.

Also, some religious right-wingers probably see cutting education as preventing the teaching of such things as evolution.

Well, it might be somewhat worth noting that here in Nebraska, I'm pretty sure the teachers aren't unionized.

edited 8th Sep '11 9:44:00 PM by Balmung

It seems to me they don't really care about education at all, they just want to break the unions and cut wages to almost nothing. Unless they're willing to design teacher robots to take their places, that is a really stupid idea.

The hyperbole isn't working here, cut it out. :P

edited 8th Sep '11 9:44:55 PM by lee4hmz

online since 1993 | huge retrocomputing and TV nerd | lee4hmz.info (under construction) | heapershangout.com

I think they don't like that we're getting a "liberal" education...

Please stop advocating violence. Make you're own thread if you want to rant about such things. I just want to know people's feelings about education.

I hear alot of "its up to the states" which is bullcrap. First of all, a standard is needed for our schools. Otherwise its going to be a headache. And second, I'm bias, Michigan took my fucking scholarship away, the PROMISE FUCKING SCHOLARSHIP, from budget cuts.

edited 8th Sep '11 9:45:58 PM by Thorn14

My experience is that teacher's unions more often end up protecting the good teachers rather than the bad teachers. Of course, what makes for a "good teacher" and a "bad teacher" is a subject up for debate. Namely, what an administrator thinks is a good teacher (someone who plays the politics and keeps their head down and do what they are told) is a bad teacher (someone who is interesting and controversial and whatever) is often the opposite of reality. Thusly, why the unions protect the good teachers.

It's counter-intuitive of course, but that's my experience.

Democracy is the process in which we determine the government that we deserve

That's exactly what it is!!!

edited 8th Sep '11 9:47:36 PM by S5

Well from what I hear most people assume all teachers are 'bad' teachers who dont care about education and just want their BIIIG paycheck and hate the kids.

Which is such garbage. People always focus on the small bad eggs.

Wow. That's stupid. And it's going to continue to hurt society if not dealt with.

I think the conservative complaint about "Teachers getting too much money," is more about colleges than mandatory education. Apparently, a huge contributor to the rising costs of tuition is from the pensions for University professors being far too generous—like getting paid full annual wages after they retire. The reason why the university can't lower those pensions is because of the unions.

I don't read much into politics though, so I couldn't tell you anything more specific than that.

They never travel alone.

College and public education should be free IMHO. Just put a heavy-enough tax on everyone toward it, especially the rich, because they can fit the bill.

It's for the greater good, after all.

Besides, most college-level teachers aren't preparing anyone for the real world, anyway. Most of them don't deserve their paycheck.

edited 8th Sep '11 10:01:23 PM by S5

Yeah, everyone knows college is worthless.

College teachers are overpaid, yes, I agree there.

No I do not find college to be a waste of time.

You need higher education, I mean how else does one become a doctor? Or an Engineer?

The problem isn't that colleges are worthless, the problem is that universities overcharge so god damn much.

Thats why I'm a huge supporter of community colleges, something Obama is too.

edited 8th Sep '11 10:04:06 PM by Thorn14

Oi Balmung. Another NE troper here. There are plenty of Teachers unions in NE there is at least one in Omaha. They are far from ruining the school system That would be the local government mucking it up.

Who watches the watchmen?

A lot of people spent their time in school in classes they hated except that one elective. Most people don't really like the core classes. And that's the fault of bad standards and the people in charge demanding that their favorite classes be made mandatory because obviously all the students will enjoy the class.

As for overpaid: I feel that the number of bad teachers out numbers the number of good teachers. Since bad teachers shouldn't be paid at all*

, this tends to drag the average down.

Fight smart, not fair.

Prove to me that there are more bad teachers than good teachers, because I call bullshit.

edited 8th Sep '11 10:23:24 PM by Thorn14

if by bad teachers, you mean teachers frustrated with a system that actively villainizes them., never gives them proper funding, and forces them to teach everyone when its obvious jimmy wants to be an engineer and tom wants to be a drum major yet theyre forced to learn both equally.

otherwose. I call bullshit.

Seriously. No child Left Behind has made many a frustrated teacher, and leaving many to wonder 'whats the point?'

They need to focus on test taking and thats it (Michelle Bachmann actually brings this up, making it the only, only thing I agree with her on...brr...) or else the school loses EVEN MORE FUNDING, which schools have almost ZERO of. And cuts KEEP HAPPENING.

At this point students are going to have to stand because they can't afford chairs.

And those who STILL rough it out get treated like the devil by our media. Its awful. Thank god they stick around because they honestly want to teach.

edited 8th Sep '11 10:36:07 PM by Thorn14

Why does everyone wants to cut education in your country?

Here's why: [1]

This skit was published in 2004 and the reasons exposed in here don't have changed much, in your country just like in many others around the world who suffer from the same problem.

edited 8th Sep '11 10:39:57 PM by Alrune

I just want to hope its not that bad, its possible, but I want to think we can do something about it.