This is actually a couple of years old but still good to watch if you have not seen it. It’s 40 minutes long. It’s probably subject to a take down.
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Does John Stossel still work at ABC?
#2 bobbo
Too right.
Parents send their drug addicted, irresponsible, X-Box/TV raised kids to school and expect teachers to do miracles.
This is the typical “raising my kid is not my problem” attitude in this country.
Contrast that to Asian kids who generally do very well in that same school.
BS. Lots of anecdotal crap that isn’t substantiated other than Stossal being angry about it.
In any case, even if it was all 110% true, it leaves out the FACT that the PARENTS are to blame for their kids’ lack of education. If the kids can’t read at 18, it’s the PARENTS’ fault, not the schools. The PARENTS have ultimate authority on what the kids learn in their household. If the kids are not learning at school, the PARENTS should take on their responsibility and MAKE the kids learn.
This shows the parental cop-out that has happened over the past 30+ years — the “oh I’m too busy to deal with kids” mentality that insists someone else do something.
I’d whack that mother with the 18 year old “non-reader” over the head for not being a parent — and then whack the kid on the head for not taking control of his own life and coasting.
Instead, we’re supposed to feel all upset and angry at the government for allowing parents to absolve themselves of their responsibilities. Like the bullcrap with people whining about not being able to send their kids to “good” schools.
Huh. So, you can’t get together with other parents in your block and help teach your kids on the side to make up for a “bad” school? or go to the city and school with your neighbors and demand something change with concrete examples?
Self-victimization just makes me want to throw up. Stupid is right, but not in the schools.
Well, Dallas, you have half a point. Contrast the kids who do well in a mediocre school with the ones who flounder, yes. But rather than concluding from that comparison that there is no such thing as a good or a bad teacher, no such thing as a good or a bad school, and therefore deciding to be ok with spending a fortune for an embarrassingly bad result in this country, we should also contrast the >schools< who do well with the ones who flounder.
The fact that parents are major players is of course undeniable. Put that fact aside, it's not being argued by anyone serious. It's part of the background of this conversation, not (as you seem to think) a conversation ender.
Let's concentrate on what we can change- let's get incentives in place, let's reward excellent teachers with pay increases and fire terrible teachers. Let's make it possible for teachers to accomplish something for themselves in some way other than merely marking time in the classroom.
I have no doubt there are both good and bad teachers, students, and schools in the United States. However, this piece of “journalism” was more sensational than analytical.
I just don’t want the spurious point about parents to be the end of the conversation.
my mistake… awkward, given the subject… I meant ‘specious’, not ‘spurious’.
[Specious, spurious… it’s all the same. – ed.]
This related video shows the result.
@Dallas
I agree parents need to also be involved in a child’s education. I remember my parents being heavily involved. However, during a large chunk of my elementry school years I had *ZERO* interst in school.
Popcorn, movie time, stars on the bulletin board, etc.. None of it appealed to me (nor to this day does it appeal to me). I suspect part of it has to do with my dyslexia, but I can’t blame all of it on it.
However, since I wasn’t failing out (due to my mom’s help) the school saw no reason to take any interest in me. In fact, the school suggested to my parents that I may just be a stupid kid that will never amount to much.
Granted, I also have to point out that I have extended family members that are teachers. In one case, I feel sorry for their kids since the adults lack proper grammar and spelling(their vs there, than vs then, etc). So not everything falls on the parents.
Having real teacher standards and ability to have a reasonable process for hiring and firing would go a long ways in our schools.
– Ben
c’mon, jagermeister…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONCrE4IoSsY&feature=related
Do you know why the Athenians killed Socrates?
Best quote from a teacher “you prove I’m a bad teacher and if you can’t prove it, don’t try it.”
hm… trying again…
I may be the “most” schooled person on this blog. If not, tied. If not, close to it. Doesn’t matter to what I have to say, just pleasuring myself mouthing the words as I type.
I also did extremely well in school. Always got at least a C+ in all my subjects including citizenship and personal hygiene. C+ is “above average” for those of you who couldn’t cut the grade.
It all sprang from my loving and caring parents. They didn’t give a shit what I did with school as long as they didn’t have to go there for a conference.
My Daddy sat me down one day and said I had to learn IN SPITE OF SCHOOL AND THE TEACHERS, not because of the schools and teachers.
No help. No support from ANYWHERE!!!! Had to teach myself everything I learned.
Continues to this very day. Told my dumbass kiddies the same thing and they are all C+ as well.
#16–bob==you gotta teach yourself:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=ONCrE4IoSsY&
Personally I believe it’s a combination of Parenting and Teachers. Parents is key but having a caring teacher also helps. Parents who don’t discipline their kids shouldn’t place their bet on their kid succeeding at anything. If the kid did it’s definitely not something they did and/or because the kid came back from a dire experience.
“What is the sound of one hand slapping the forehead of a DU editor?”
Hah… I could help but laugh out loud t’ll my sides hurt at the School Super Intendant who said we need to “stay the course.”
That’s not just America, it’s worldwide.
There is little hope for a generation that has never been taught the value of simply sitting up straight and respecting the underpaid fellow human being that is teaching them things they will need to know when they’re older.
Instead, they’re constantly told to maintain a cocky attitude and value nothing but their own ideas because everything basically amounts to free speech.
It all begins with sitting up straight. But that alone is asking too much nowadays.
The stupid part, was that about Alf? Prayer meeting tonight and didn’t have time to watch Stone Phillips and wouldn’t you know it, I just accidentally dropped my fucking rosary in the toilet.
Oh yeah, John Stossel. I thought he died of AIDS??
#7 I would agree with you except for the fact that your solutions again direct the burden only on teachers – because “that’s what we can change”.
I say your solution is equally half baked. How about a program where parents are required to attend after school along side their stupid kid when grades fail?
I bet that X Box goes back on eBay in a hurry.
#13. Your point is valid and I agree but would add that the MAJOR problem is kids are being raised by the TV and parental apathy.
Let’s bring that issue to the forefront instead of feeding the parents what they want to hear – “it’s the teacher’s fault”.
We live in a culture of ‘not my problem’ even when we are talking about their own kids. Glad I don;t deal with that problem but I sure as hell have to pay a lofty tax sum to teach these stupid kids.
Yea this video is old. I’ve been knowing this. When foreign countries know more about the US than an American kid does, you know we’re f*cked.
#22, nah. Just America, but don’t worry, the rest of the world is doing its best to catch up with your 20 year head start. You’ll have some friends with the same IQ soon.
Look up “John Taylor Gatto”, interesting.
# 5 Jim you are correct to point out an obvious fact, there has been a “parental cop-out that has happened over the past 30+ years”. There are allot of societal things in the home that have changed since the 50’s.
That being said, allot of societal things have changed outside of the home and at school.
1.) Latch key kids
-Kids grow up more autonomous (less parental personal involvement) and less directed then in past
2.) Because of fear, how many parents let their kids play outside alone to discover their own games and fun, (pickup football, basketball, baseball or soccer games) the way it was in the 60’s, 70’s …?
3.) How many kids are allowed to have real chemistry kits?
4.) Kids are just fatter
-because they play video games
-because they eat junk food because parents don’t have time to cook.
5.) Kids have so much more cash to spend without having to work for it.
-on cloths and sneakers
-on cell phones
It allays amazes me people can have kids with no planning or intent of investing the time and energy it really requires.
This parental investment was given in years past. Now because both parents have to have a job in order to afford the big house and the junk to keep ahead of the Jones, many parents have abdicated ensuring their kids are being educated to the state.
Is that sign describing John Stossel?
After all, this is the guy who reported his tests for pesticide residue on organic vegetables, was told the tests he reported had never been done, and reiterated the claim in a postscript when the program was rebroadcast some months later.
Oh, and also a climate change denier.
Stupid in America? Yer looking at it.
Just got through taking in a list of things people who do well in school have in common. The top of the list was actually spending a fare amount of time helping others. Spending at least an hour in some sort of religious activity was in the top ten but a lot of it seems to come down to organization; using their time well in a positive environment.
It was clear their parents weren’t leaving it to chance when it came to the kind of person their kids grew up to be and yes the kids did have some free time built in but they weren’t spending much time watching TV or any time running with the rascals either.
Somebody sure as heck knew how to say you will do this and make it stick.
Is that the philandering governor?