Tonight may husband and I were at my high school son's "back to school night." While we were sitting in his biology class (along with other parents) listening to the teacher as she explained what they would cover during the year she took a big gulp and said "I believe in evolution and I will be teaching evolution!"
She visibly relaxed when every parent said "Good!" and let her know that we have her back.
But what f-ed up times do we live in where this has to not only be an issue, but that a science teacher has to summon the courage to tell the parents of her students that she will be teaching SCIENCE!
and this is in Massachusetts no less
Showing posts with label education. Show all posts
Showing posts with label education. Show all posts
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
No Child's Behind Left
From Bush's "state of the union" speech
"On the importance of strengthening and re-authorizing No Child Left Behind this year:
"Five years ago, we rose above partisan differences to pass the No Child Left Behind Act…And because we acted, students are performing better in reading and math, and minority students are closing the achievement gap."
"Now the task is to build on this success, without watering down standards .... without taking control from local communities ... and without backsliding and calling it reform…And we can make sure our children are prepared for the jobs of the future, and our country is more competitive, by strengthening math and science skills."
Excuse me while I finish retching. . .
Our drop out rate is higher and growing since kids feel that they cannot pass due to high stakes testing. Teacher's are teaching for the test and there is no REAL learning going on, only regurgitation. Control was already taken from local communities.
We have fallen behind in math and sciences because NCLB does NOT encourage learning NOR take the time to teach them and it has NEVER been funded fully or properly. (How much $$ from Bush's war should having gone into education? We are having a science brain drain because we are now perceived in the world, thanks to the anti intellectual and no curiosity president and the “intelligent design” farce that he encouraged we are behind where we were before NCLB.
Teachers cannot apply their craft- they are merely automatons for the state and federal government and bad teachers are still bad teachers and good and great teachers can't be good and great.
Our children are suffering from lack of social time in school, recess given up for NCLB, etc.
Hell if the presnit was serious about our children and their education he'd
1. He would either scrap NCLB or fully fund it
2. He would require music education in all grades and fully fund it
23 He would include of seek for inclusion requiring gym class to be a five day a week mandatory class, to help combat our epidemic of childhood obesity. And he would make sure it is fully funded.
"On the importance of strengthening and re-authorizing No Child Left Behind this year:
"Five years ago, we rose above partisan differences to pass the No Child Left Behind Act…And because we acted, students are performing better in reading and math, and minority students are closing the achievement gap."
"Now the task is to build on this success, without watering down standards .... without taking control from local communities ... and without backsliding and calling it reform…And we can make sure our children are prepared for the jobs of the future, and our country is more competitive, by strengthening math and science skills."
Excuse me while I finish retching. . .
Our drop out rate is higher and growing since kids feel that they cannot pass due to high stakes testing. Teacher's are teaching for the test and there is no REAL learning going on, only regurgitation. Control was already taken from local communities.
We have fallen behind in math and sciences because NCLB does NOT encourage learning NOR take the time to teach them and it has NEVER been funded fully or properly. (How much $$ from Bush's war should having gone into education? We are having a science brain drain because we are now perceived in the world, thanks to the anti intellectual and no curiosity president and the “intelligent design” farce that he encouraged we are behind where we were before NCLB.
Teachers cannot apply their craft- they are merely automatons for the state and federal government and bad teachers are still bad teachers and good and great teachers can't be good and great.
Our children are suffering from lack of social time in school, recess given up for NCLB, etc.
Hell if the presnit was serious about our children and their education he'd
1. He would either scrap NCLB or fully fund it
2. He would require music education in all grades and fully fund it
23 He would include of seek for inclusion requiring gym class to be a five day a week mandatory class, to help combat our epidemic of childhood obesity. And he would make sure it is fully funded.
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
Mitt following ever more surely in Republican ways
January 6m 2007 many newspapers around the Commonwealth reported that incoming Massachusetts Govenor, Deval Patrick, warned that the state has a 1 billion dollar shortfall caused by the ". . . patches and plugs and games and gimmicks that were played by the previous administration." The previous administration being that of now presidential cadidate Mitt Romany.
In his defense Romney spokesman, Eric P. Fehrnstrom, said that the out going administration left Patrick with a blueprint for a balanced budget for the 2008 fiscal year. The the short fall for 2007 only appears because "Patrick restored $383 million in cuts Romney made in November to balance this fiscal year's budget."
Patrick explained his decision to restore the money saying that "many state agencies and people made spending plans based on the $383 million after it was approved by the Legislature in July; some agencies had already spent the money before it was slashed by Romney at the very end of his administration."
Fehrnstrom, also said that "the challenge with the budget is overspending by Democrats in the Legislature."
Right, tell that to the teachers in the Commonwealth's colleges and universities who have done with out raises for the last few years. Tell that to the state colleges and univeristies, who are the jewell in the Commonweatlth's crown, doing without. It is an industry that was once known for it's quality, standards. It was "the" place to go if someone wanted the best education by a state higher education system.
This is another fine example of Mitt following in Republican ways, and their distain for public education, look at how those rankings have dropped under the "fine" leadership of Mitt Romney.
Mitt Romney, Bush III?
http://www.masslive.com/living/republican/index.ssf?/base/living-1/1168333639226020.xml&coll=1&thispage=1
http://www3.whdh.com/news/articles/local/BO39099/
http://www.eagletribune.com/local/local_story_362064525?keyword=topstory
In his defense Romney spokesman, Eric P. Fehrnstrom, said that the out going administration left Patrick with a blueprint for a balanced budget for the 2008 fiscal year. The the short fall for 2007 only appears because "Patrick restored $383 million in cuts Romney made in November to balance this fiscal year's budget."
Patrick explained his decision to restore the money saying that "many state agencies and people made spending plans based on the $383 million after it was approved by the Legislature in July; some agencies had already spent the money before it was slashed by Romney at the very end of his administration."
Fehrnstrom, also said that "the challenge with the budget is overspending by Democrats in the Legislature."
Right, tell that to the teachers in the Commonwealth's colleges and universities who have done with out raises for the last few years. Tell that to the state colleges and univeristies, who are the jewell in the Commonweatlth's crown, doing without. It is an industry that was once known for it's quality, standards. It was "the" place to go if someone wanted the best education by a state higher education system.
This is another fine example of Mitt following in Republican ways, and their distain for public education, look at how those rankings have dropped under the "fine" leadership of Mitt Romney.
Mitt Romney, Bush III?
http://www.masslive.com/living/republican/index.ssf?/base/living-1/1168333639226020.xml&coll=1&thispage=1
http://www3.whdh.com/news/articles/local/BO39099/
http://www.eagletribune.com/local/local_story_362064525?keyword=topstory
Friday, November 11, 2005
So what did the Bible Belt do to tick off God?
Last Tuesday the people of Dover, PA decided to replace all it's school board members there that were trying bring ID (intelligent design) to it's classroom.
Yesterday on the 700 Club, Rev. Pat Robertson said this about that:
With the exception of the occasional flood, errant tornado and bitter cold, very few disasters (by contrast) happen in the North East, or even the North or West. Most (hurricanes and tornadoes) seem to happen in the South, where luck would have it Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell, Franklin Graham et. al. are.
So if rejection of the Christian God in public school classrooms is going to bring out the wrath of God, or at the very least have God turn his/her back on an area, well then one's got to ask: "What did you all in the Bible Belt South do to tick off God so often and consistently?"
But maybe Rev. Robertson's mouth got him into trouble again because he just confirmed that ID is about a Christian Creator into the public school classroom. I'll let my kids learn about that in our church, thank you.
700 club Video
PFAW
Yesterday on the 700 Club, Rev. Pat Robertson said this about that:
“I’d like to say to the good citizens of Dover. If there is a disaster in your area, don’t turn to God, you just rejected Him from your city. And don’t wonder why He hasn’t helped you when problems begin, if they begin. I’m not saying they will, but if they do, just remember, you just voted God out of your city. And if that’s the case, don’t ask for His help because he might not be there.”Correct me if I'm wrong but don't the most natural disasters (that man does not contribute to, such as not understanding topography when building in a landslide/mudslide area) happen in the Bible Belt?
With the exception of the occasional flood, errant tornado and bitter cold, very few disasters (by contrast) happen in the North East, or even the North or West. Most (hurricanes and tornadoes) seem to happen in the South, where luck would have it Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell, Franklin Graham et. al. are.
So if rejection of the Christian God in public school classrooms is going to bring out the wrath of God, or at the very least have God turn his/her back on an area, well then one's got to ask: "What did you all in the Bible Belt South do to tick off God so often and consistently?"
But maybe Rev. Robertson's mouth got him into trouble again because he just confirmed that ID is about a Christian Creator into the public school classroom. I'll let my kids learn about that in our church, thank you.
700 club Video
PFAW
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