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Education in the USA

movin' on

Well-known member
Wow. I usually agree with what you say, Soapweed. Usually but not always. However, you absolutely nailed it this time. There is WAY too much emphasis placed on sports in high school. I mean way too much. When I went to High School in Moundridge, KS we were right in the middle of an absolute domination in basketball. I think they won 60 or 70 some games in a row. Won the state title for five years in a row or something like that. That was the boys team. When they were just starting to wind down, the girls team took over for a few years! The resulting pandamonium was astonishing. School would be cancelled on game days in the finals, pep rallys would last for hours, and education got put on the back burner in a big way. I'm not against team support, but then, as now, education should probably be the cheif concern in schools. That's just my opinion and I could be wrong, though.
 

IL Rancher

Well-known member
Growing up in a suburban area vs this rural area the emphasis on sports, especially football out here, is way bigger out here.. Than again, in inner city Chicago it seems like the whole school revolves around the basketball program at some schools (Including giant murals of a guy who was a great basketball player but scored something like a 5 on his ACT and couldn't get eligable for NCAA basketball)..

I understand it is important, and in our town something like 40% of the boys in school are on the team or JV team so it is going to be an important day when football rolls around.. I just couldn't believe some of the stories from parents that I was hearing...
 

TSR

Well-known member
Red Robin said:
TSR said:
Public education for the most part has been a great success.
You can't be serious? By what measure?
By the thousands of successful public school graduates that you don't hear about, thats not too hard for you to understand is it? The media and critics of public education are only going to pick out the exceptions that make headkines and sell newspapers. Just in my own rural area I know quite a few doctors and lawyers who have graduated from public schools. I gaurantee the successes far outweigh the failures. Even though teachers are burdened every day with performing tasks that parents should be taking care of, but alas, some like to have children they just don't want the responsibility of raising them.
 

TSR

Well-known member
Soapweed said:
Red Robin said:
TSR said:
Public education for the most part has been a great success.
You can't be serious? By what measure?

I speak only for Nebraska, but I think public education has been generally successful. There are many outstanding public school teachers in this area, and the students are dedicated enough to make the most of their educational opportunities.

My personal thoughts are that there is too much emphasis on sports and not enough on the "three Rs" but that is because it is the will of most of the people involved. I never wanted to serve on a school board, because my opinion would not be popular. :wink:

I agree Soapweed with respect to the sports. We just hired a new superintendent this year, one that is academically oriented, and he said he had one person call him in regard to academics and about 25 had called complaining about sports. Its a reflection of our society, I think theres a place for sports but it comes after academics, but evidently most of society doesn't feel that way. I watch some college sports but I have weaned myself from most professional sports, especially the NBA.
 

Red Robin

Well-known member
TSR said:
Red Robin said:
TSR said:
Public education for the most part has been a great success.
You can't be serious? By what measure?
By the thousands of successful public school graduates that you don't hear about, thats not too hard for you to understand is it?
I never said individuals couldn't go ahead and achieve now did I? Show me the data where public school is excelling compared to a different school choice or even some bright spots compared to 50 or 100 years ago, actually I'll make it easy , just show me some positives compared to 20 years ago. I am sure there are some but I am unaware of them and it'd do me good to know we're gaining somewhere. BTW education is the goal, not graduation.
 

passin thru

Well-known member
Let me weigh in a little here.

Many teachers, not all but many do not want input into a childs education. They act as if you are trying to run the show. Another thing is when my kids were in knowledge bowl and they had matches. These were during the day where attendance was hard for many and they were held where spectating was near impossible. They did have their gifted and talented programs at night. When the kids were inducted into Hational Honor Society it was a ceremony as if it were an afterthought.

Now coaches as a rule are always calling for help of some sort. I have yet to have a teacher call for help. So you can see why people are more involved in sports A coach I know that had some kids struggling academically went to the library with the kids and helped them before sports practice.
 

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