maybe home school is the way
Coming soon to a school near you — thanks in part to Jeb!.
“Okay kids, good news. We will no longer be teaching math in school. Some people think that math is simply too complicated to have been created by science alone. You’re all free to discuss the different points of view about math in school but math shouldn’t be part of the curriculum. Ditto physics, chemistry and home economics.”
“Oh, and we aren’t going to teach spelling anymore either. Some of the so-called ‘words’ are really secret code for gay sex. I mean, come on, ‘alliance?’ ’straight?’ How can you interpret them in any other way. Of course your little social clubs are out too.”
“We will still be teaching English, of course, and possibly Spanish, but we will most definitely not be teaching you English in Spanish. There’s that little thing called the State Constitution. We Floridians monkey around with it a lot but last I checked, English was still the ‘official’ language.”
“Since we have more time, we will be offering more electives like art and music. Wait… Scratch that. Too many religious overtones in the history of music so that’s out. But we can all still paint pictures as long as it’s of bunnies. Just not Easter bunnies. Thanks, kids.”
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December 28th, 2005 at 10:23 am
No. Please no. Not here. We’ve already got a “reputation” out there. Come on Jeb!, leave it alone for a while.
December 28th, 2005 at 10:54 am
Not surprised he won’t comment on it, higher level politicals don’t seem to want to touch this issue if they can avoid it. President Bush mentioned briefly that he favored intelligent design but it is unclear if he is really pursuing any legislation or just mollifying his base. It is a political loser of an issue.
December 28th, 2005 at 12:05 pm
You’re kidding me.
Apparently, he hasn’t had one of his aides read the ruling from Pennsylvania. Perhaps the idea of working through 300+ pages refuting every claim of the arguments surrounding intelligent design is a bit unpalatable. I can see that. But if you don’t think that the side against ID doesn’t view that ruling as a manual to defeating it…well, good luck Gub’ner.
December 28th, 2005 at 1:45 pm
This is an actual quote from Jeb? Or is it Rhonda? LOL
December 28th, 2005 at 3:34 pm
Well the standards he is speaking of are the ones used to develop the standardized testing that the students have to endure. Is that right? If so you can remove evolution from those standards and I do not believe the PA ruling affects that. I read most of the text of the ruling from the circuit court website and I believe it applies only to the teaching of ID as science and the motivations of the ID proponents in that endeavor. The judge found they are inherently religious in nature, lacking any testable hypothesis or argument in support of ID. His argument at no time said kids have to be taught evolution. Anyway it is moot point more than likely, Bush is out of office before the standards are reviewed again anyway right? Again this smacks of appealing to the conservative religious base voters.
December 28th, 2005 at 7:28 pm
And you know, I’m serious too, even though I know you’re being tongue-in-cheek, have you ever *met* a home-schooled person? I’m friends with at least 2 or 3 such folks and one thing that strikes me is how thoughtful and mature they are for their young ages (these friends are 18 to early 20s). In my opinion, it lends credance to the thought that public schools and the wild free culture that goes along with them, really do limit potential. When kids are taken out of that to focus on natural interpersonal development with a few close friends and family, so far as I’ve noticed, they turn out far above average on the EQ and IQ scales.
December 28th, 2005 at 7:55 pm
I agree with you about home schooling. I don’t home school my girlie but I’ve got her in a very tiny alternative school (Montessori). Unfortunately, homeschooling or even private school is not an option for most people. Nor should it have to be. Public schools should provide a good education to all-comers and in my mind, that includes science. Thanks for your comment!
December 28th, 2005 at 10:39 pm
Oh this is a good one.
I get to meet home-schooled kids as well - much more than 2 or 3, David, and my experience is a bit different. They come into public school because their parents are tired, fed up, and have run out of options. Realizing they are in way over their heads, they give us their kids and disappear. These students, with too few exceptions, are behind their peers in every single subject and, most importantly, social skills as well. “Sheltered” doesn’t even begin to cut it.
So you met the exceptions.
December 29th, 2005 at 3:08 am
Well now hold on Kate, I’m talking about examples that went the distance and graduated from the consistent educational framework put to them ;). Maybe there was something already inherently askew about the parents and environments that try home schooling and then abandon it; but these would be different from the ones with parents who have clear vision and some apparent degree of tenacity to see it through. The two folks I know for certain never saw the inside of a public school after a certain age. The cruel reality of common public school is that society there *does* divide and classify and so the only “social skill” to acquire is finding one’s place in a rigid pecking order that can be little changed, and to deal with it if they wind up low. If they’re lucky, they wind up at the top where social skills develop happily because everyone is friendly and supportive, and life is actually pretty fun. Home-schoolers may learn to avoid that trap-of-chance and in turn become much more frank and free as young adults that gradually resume casual interpersonal development in wider circles, on their terms, in college or wherever, after. My friends do not lack for social skills, that’s for sure. Though I will agree, 2 or 3 is definetely not a great sample. I only say I’m impressed by 100 perecent of the sample I DO have (wink!).
Dave
December 29th, 2005 at 8:26 am
Excellent points by both Kate and Dave. When I was growing up in Oregon, “home schooled” meant crazy religious fanaticism and parents that didn’t want their kids corrupted. It had nothing to do with quality of educational environment. But I’ve also met parents lately that home school their kids for better reasons and do a very good job — including getting their kids into clubs and such for social skills. Obviously I have nothing against private schools either. BUT-
I consider public schools to be one of the most important institutions in this country. How we educate our kids, all of them — not just the privileged, affects all of us down the road. Teachers should be paid well and schools should have the resources they need including, most importantly, an actual curriculum!
December 29th, 2005 at 3:23 pm
I’m all for home schooling as long as it provides the right balance of facts and faith. I believe a basic Bible-based curriculum (2 plus 2 equals God, for ex.) short-changes a child in the long run. There’s also something to be said about interacting with other youngsters so yours doesn’t grow up to be the “quiet and kept to himself” type that almost always ends up on the news for Lord knows what.
Here’s an idea: If you and your friends have kids and are concerned with the crap the public schools are being forced to teach (or not), why not pool your resources and home school them as a group? Strength in numbers, my babies!
December 30th, 2005 at 7:09 pm
[…] The Times story regarding Florida’s school standards in general and science standards in particular and how they relate to Bush’s recent “off the cuff” comments. My favorite part is where the teacher had to explain the difference between “proceeding” and “preceeding”. If I’d only known that I could blame my Florida education for how stupid I am! […]