FreeRepublic.com "A Conservative News Forum"
[ Last | Latest Posts | Latest Articles | Self Search | Add Bookmark | Post | Abuse | Help! ]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

ZERO TOLERANCE FOR GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS

Culture/Society Editorial Keywords: HIPPIES NOW TEACHERS=COMMUNIST/SOCIALIST/FASCIST IDEOLOGY, FLUNKED 8TH GRADE TEST, HFB PAPER #801
Source: Fiedor Report On the News #235
Published: July 7, 2001 Author: Doug Fiedor
Posted on 07/16/2001 19:14:09 PDT by forest

ZERO TOLERANCE FOR GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS

I still remember their shouts of "Down With the Establishment." Sure, that was many years ago and most of their drug soaked minds didn't have much idea why they were saying that, anyway. Apparently, though, some of the more avid pinkos in the "flower children" set really meant it.

Today, we address part of that group as either journalists or teachers. We pounded on journalists enough for a while, so let's move over to the group who have never yet even had a job. Today, we address some of those in that group as "professor."

Follow the teaching establishment's own statistics. When the hippy movement graduated college and stuck around the campuses to become teachers, something very important happened: The scholastic ability of our children began a steady decline and the kids started being indoctrinated with communist/socialist/fascist ideology.

I have a test I like to give to the nay-sayers in the education community. The test was graded by my eighth grade home-room teacher. I received an 83 on it back in 1954.

About four years ago I had a conversation with a few education students at a local college watering hole that was just a nice walk from my home. The conversation began because some of them wanted to read a paper I wrote titled "State of the Union." As I remember, their far-left professor was so incensed about my providing that paper that she even hinted that I should be arrested. The fact that everything was documented apparently did not matter.

Along the way, the discussion turned to the decline of standards in education. I had proof, I said. And, as sometimes happens, we made a few bets: Ten of them, including two teacher/professors, would take the test. None would match the score I received as a mediocre student in junior high.

The highest score was a 74, by a girl who was home schooled and then working on her master's degree. The liberal professor got 46%, which was about typical for the rest of the group. Three weeks later, I gave that test to another group, many from the law school. Same dismal results.

Back in 1954, it was mandatory that every child pass that test before being promoted to high school. Today, college students cannot pass it.

What happened?

Right. "Down with the establishment!" The far left took over the "education" of our children. Indoctrination is more like it.

A while back, the Heritage Foundation published a Backgrounder paper (#801) by Jeanne Allen titled "A Businessman's Guide to the Education Reform Debate."(1) Part of the paper describes the results of a National Assessment of Education Progress survey of students. Most interesting to me was what the 17 year olds did not know -- and the misinformation taught them.

For instance, 47 percent believe that Karl Marx's rule "from each according to his ability, to each according to his need" is from the U.S. Constitution. Now, how in the world would they ever learn something like that? Apparently, American kids are not only taught that homosexuality is an acceptable lifestyle and that society has zero tolerance for everything the socialists do not like, but they are also being taught communism.

The report shows that almost 60 percent of high school seniors were unable to understand and summarize relatively complicated reading material. Almost 94 percent of high school seniors were unable to solve multi-step math problems or use basic algebra. Over 50 percent of high school seniors were unable to understand specific government structures and functions -- 43 percent did not know that presidential candidates are nominated by party conventions.

That was the 17 year olds. Over one-quarter of all 13 year-olds were unable to add, subtract, multiply, and divide using whole numbers or solve one-step math problems. And, 68 percent could not place the Civil War in the correct half-century -- 26 percent believed it occurred before 1800.

This means that neither the 13 year olds or the 17 year olds in government schools would have any chance whatsoever of passing the test we all had to pass before attending high school.

Most parents are starting to realize there is a major problem with government schools. In a recent Lou Harris poll sponsored by the Ford Foundation and Washington Mutual, nearly three-quarters of respondents agreed "the unions are a roadblock to removing incompetent teachers."

Fewer than 20% of the 2,501 adults polled thought teachers in their communities were highly qualified -- and more than one-third thought teachers nationally are only minimally competent or unqualified -- 89% support removing unskilled teachers. They found that the vast majority of people polled cited improving teacher quality as the key to reform.

Now that both the problem and the cause are defined, what do we do about it?

-----------------------------

1. http://zeus.townhall.com/heritage/library/archives/backgrounder

   

 END

 

Copyright © 2001 by Doug Fiedor, all rights reserved
This text may be copied and distributed freely
but only in its entirety, and with no changes.
Doug prefers you obtain a copy directly from him to email to your friends.
It's free.
That way you will get the correct format.
Posting on the Internet requires formatting that changes Doug's preferred email format.
 
The author, Doug Fiedor, requests that readers send comments to him directly at
dfiedor@home.com    
Previous Editions at:
http://www.uhuh.com/reports/headsup/list-hu.htm
 

Follow the teaching establishment's own statistics. When the hippy movement graduated college and stuck around the campuses to become teachers, something very important happened: The scholastic ability of our children began a steady decline and the kids started being indoctrinated with communist/socialist/fascist ideology.

Unions are a roadblock.

Parents want better teachers.

1 Posted on 07/16/2001 19:14:09 PDT by forest
[ Reply | Private Reply | Top | Last ]


To: forest

bump

2 Posted on 07/16/2001 19:31:40 PDT by far rightist
[ Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | Top | Last ]


To: far rightist

The public schools will not be fixed, they are beyond redemption. Parents will continue to send their children to be indoctrinated in the commie socialistic ideology. America is done.

3 Posted on 07/16/2001 21:18:16 PDT by Cowgirl
[ Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | Top | Last ]


To: Cowgirl

Look on the bright side. Home schooling was outlawed in nearly all states in 1978. Less than 20,000 kids were home schooled. Today home schooling is legal in every state and there are over 1.5 million home schoolers. The movement is growing at 15% or so a year. Two articles on Catholic schools not being able to meet the demand for slots in the last few days (Florida and Rhode Island). Once we get 20% of kids out of government schools, the system will imploded upon itself. Every parent will know someone who sends their kids to private school or who home schools. That is when tens of millions of sheeple will wake up and not stand for their kid receving an inferior education.

4 Posted on 07/16/2001 21:27:43 PDT by LarryLied
[ Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | Top | Last ]


To: forest

I posted this on another thread a couple of weeks ago, but I think it's appropriate here, also.

I teach at a college, and was giving an introduction to college to some middle school students. I asked three questions. I actually had about ten lined up, but it was so dismal that I gave up after three. The first question was, "Who was the first person to walk on the moon?" Six of the twenty students got the last name, but one thought it was Lance Armstrong. Second question, "Who was the President after Lincoln?" One student guessed Washington, nobody else even guessed. Third question, "Who is the Vice-President?" One student knew.

Govrnment schools are pathetic.

5 Posted on 07/16/2001 21:39:31 PDT by Richard Kimball
[ Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | Top | Last ]


To: LarryLied

That is when tens of millions of sheeple will wake up and not stand for their kid receving an inferior education.

I hope and pray that you're correct, but I've reached the conclusion that they'll never wake up. As long as they have their TV, their abortions and their government subsidy for their particular concern, they're happy.

6 Posted on 07/16/2001 21:44:20 PDT by Richard Kimball
[ Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | Top | Last ]


To: Richard Kimball

You're kidding...yet another reason to end gubment' education indoctrination/miseducation.

7 Posted on 07/16/2001 21:44:36 PDT by Cleburne
[ Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | Top | Last ]


To: forest

I haven't read the article yet. I'll do that tomorrow. But God, how I love the headline! Even if the balance is trash, that makes it all worthwhile.

8 Posted on 07/16/2001 21:46:18 PDT by Torie
[ Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | Top | Last ]


To: Richard Kimball

And let's not forget that the future parents are these poor dumb-downed kids that we lament. If their parents will do nothing, what's to make us believe that a generation even further down will do anything?

9 Posted on 07/16/2001 21:46:34 PDT by Cleburne
[ Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | Top | Last ]


To: Richard Kimball

Read an account by a neocon who was in the City College group back in the 1940's. CPUSA members or fellow travellers . There were only several hundred of them. They were stunned when one of their group wrote a book and it was reviewed in main stream publications. They were more amzed when their ideals set the trend for the next 50 years.

We have far more like minded individuals than they did. We can win.

10 Posted on 07/16/2001 23:27:51 PDT by LarryLied
[ Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | Top | Last ]


To: forest

"Unions are a roadblock."

See Reply # 67 in the message thread NEA To Vote on Pro-Homosexual Agenda [Free Republic].

"And in acordance with Bush's Executive Order 13201, EVERY NEA member is due a refund for that part of the NEA revenues used for anything but collective bargaining, legal representation, or administration... things like political donations..." (From Reply # 39 in the message thread Home-Schooling Under Siege [Free Republic]).

Many teachers are not aware of this information. Please make them aware - email this information to every teacher (and parent) you know. Or print out the information and hand out copies to teachers at your local PTA/PTO meetings. As more teachers request refunds, the NEA will begin to weaken financially. Please post this information to other message boards and forums.

Home schoolers also need to join forces and speak out against the NEA. What does the NEA say about home schooling? See Reply # 37 in the message thread Home-Schooling Under Siege [Free Republic]

"Teacher Unions and Parent Involvement"

Association of American Educators
26012 Marguerite Parkway, #H333
Mission Viejo, Calif. 92692
(800) 704-7799; fax: (949) 595-7970
Website: www.aaeteachers.org

11 Posted on 07/17/2001 06:27:18 PDT by EdReform
[ Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | Top | Last ]


To: Richard Kimball

I knew all those answers and went to a public school....of course, I knew them from extra circular reading...to be fair, I've seen some good public schools. But I've also seen some real bad ones...

12 Posted on 07/17/2001 10:27:44 PDT by Nate505
[ Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | Top | Last ]


To: Nate505

To add to that, I knew all those answers while I was in middle school (10 years ago)...

13 Posted on 07/17/2001 10:28:46 PDT by Nate505
[ Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | Top | Last ]


To: Richard Kimball

Thanks for the post and my apologies. With vacation and all I got a bit behind. The main point is to get Doug's word out there for all to read.

How was the response on the other thread?

14 Posted on 07/18/2001 19:31:26 PDT by forest
[ Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | Top | Last ]


To: LarryLied

Glad to hear the optomism. We need that. Thanks.

15 Posted on 07/18/2001 19:38:05 PDT by forest
[ Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | Top | Last ]


To: EdReform

Good reply. I sent it on down line.

16 Posted on 07/18/2001 19:38:45 PDT by forest
[ Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | Top | Last ]


To: forest

Pretty much the reaction on this one. Several people going "wow, that's bad." I don't have time, but I'd like to do a comprehensive 100 question test, mixing questions like, "Can you name four senators?" and "Which amendment protects free speech?" with questions like "For which team did Micheal Jordan play?" and "Who played Dr. Dolittle in the most recent film version?"

If you gave it to people from ages 12 to 50, I think you'd find out a lot about what's important to people. I think you'd also find out that most adults don't know who their senators or representatives are.

I still remember an interview back during the Reagan-Mondale election. They had the campaign managers for each on. They were talking about brownie points made during the debates. The interviewer said, "But what about substantive issues? All you guys are talking about is who got off the best one-liner." One of them looked at her and said "Fifty percent of the American people don't know who the Vice-President is."

17 Posted on 07/18/2001 19:48:04 PDT by Richard Kimball
[ Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | Top | Last ]


To: forest

Its a slow process. So slow it is easy not to see the progress. But check out how far we've advanced since this:

95th Congress

1977-1979
Jimmy Carter

Senate--
Republicans: 38
Democrats: 61
Independents: 1

House--
Republicans: 143
Democrats: 292

Imagine that. Democrats had more of a margin in the house than Republicans had seats...brrrr

18 Posted on 07/18/2001 19:55:50 PDT by LarryLied
[ Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | Top | Last ]


To: Richard Kimball

The schools aren't doing it. I am a retired teacher that has been substituting in a major high school in this nation. I regrettably must state that the average teacher is a Fascist. If I were to call them that to their face, they would throw me out. I guess they are unaware of their double personalities. But their actions and views define them. It's not a good situation.

19 Posted on 07/21/2001 23:20:04 PDT by forest
[ Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | Top | Last ]


To: LarryLied

That should tell somebody something. Hitler's 4th Reich, maybe.

20 Posted on 07/21/2001 23:21:13 PDT by forest
[ Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | Top | Last ]


To: forest

Part of it is not having to think.

At the end of May At a school function. The PTA was selling books for there fund raiser. One of my kids wanted to get one of the books. And the price marked on it was $4.95 I went up to the table were one of the Seniors was helping collect the money. I laid down the book with a $5.00 bill. As she reached for here calculator ( no tax ) to make change. I said “ You don’t need a calculator for this. Do you ”. She said “ Yes “ After hitting two buttons she pause for a moment, the light go on over her head when she released why I said that, made that “ how can I be so stupid “ sound and gives me my Nickel.

21 Posted on 07/22/2001 00:00:52 PDT by quietolong
[ Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | Top | Last ]


To: quietolong

Carry that on to our Founding Documents. They have no incentive to think about what is happening to our country.

22 Posted on 07/22/2001 11:03:42 PDT by forest
[ Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | Top | Last ]


To: forest

OR why they were made the way they are and how they came about.

23 Posted on 07/24/2001 10:53:40 PDT by quietolong
[ Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | Top | Last ]


To: Richard Kimball

My high school paper quizzed a random sampling of graduating seniors with very benign questions such as "what 2 countries border the USA" and "What 2 oceans border the USA" and "Who fought in WW2". So many people couldn't answer these questions we wrote up an article for the last publication. The teacher refused to run it.

24 Posted on 07/24/2001 11:01:34 PDT by monkeyshine
[ Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | Top | Last ]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

[ Top | Latest Posts | Latest Articles | Self Search | Add Bookmark | Post | Abuse | Help! ]

FreeRepublic , LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
Forum Version 2.0a Copyright © 1999 Free Republic, LLC