The untold story of America: our education sucks

[mongers]

When I was in high school there was an obese woman who tried to teach evolution, and all the students complained. She got a stern talking to from the principal, and that was that.

So the smaller pack animals brought down a large but isolated creature.   

[Malthus]

Sure there is;  federalize it.

Not sure that makes sense either.  In the Canadian context it wouldnt work.  Provinces are better suited for running the education system and to reflect the needs of their province.

That becomes a problem when the "unique needs of the state" include pandering to an electorate that believes the earth was created 6000 years ago, any you want to teach their kids science. 

[Habbaku]

When I was in high school there was an obese woman who tried to teach evolution, and all the students complained. She got a stern talking to from the principal, and that was that.

So the smaller pack animals brought down a large but isolated creature.   

[crazy canuck]

Sure there is;  federalize it.

Not sure that makes sense either.  In the Canadian context it wouldnt work.  Provinces are better suited for running the education system and to reflect the needs of their province.

That becomes a problem when the "unique needs of the state" include pandering to an electorate that believes the earth was created 6000 years ago, any you want to teach their kids science. 

I would rather have the ability to deal with such idiots on the local level - easier to get rid of.  Of course in the US where there are dense concentrations of such people I suppose the best thing to do is to move to a State where there are fewer such idiots.

A Federally run system sounds fine when someone who is not Stockwell Day or his American equivalent is running things but what happens if they are - where do you go then?

[chipwich]

It's a budget thing. Teaching Science well requires supplies - a lot of expensive supplies the further up you go. It also requires, well, requirements. High school students are only required to have two years of Science, though they're required to have three years of math, four years of social studies, and four years of Engligh/Lit. On top of that, as has been alluded to, there are very few standardized tests for Science, so there isn't the same kind of concentration on it.

Want better Science scores? Fix the above.

How about not electing the local church ladies' auxiliary club to the fucking school board first?

How about not letting savages from Mississippi decide how schools in good states are run?

[Richard Hakluyt]

Hey! Mississippi got a C!

[Valmy]

Hey! Mississippi got a C!

Another oddity is whenever US education is discussed South Carolina is always way at the top.  Who knew?

[Razgovory]

Sure there is;  federalize it.

Not sure that makes sense either.  In the Canadian context it wouldnt work.  Provinces are better suited for running the education system and to reflect the needs of their province.

That becomes a problem when the "unique needs of the state" include pandering to an electorate that believes the earth was created 6000 years ago, any you want to teach their kids science. 

I never understood the local control of schools thing.  I mean, 2+2 = 4 is true in Missouri and California and Mississippi.

[crazy canuck]

Sure there is;  federalize it.

Not sure that makes sense either.  In the Canadian context it wouldnt work.  Provinces are better suited for running the education system and to reflect the needs of their province.

That becomes a problem when the "unique needs of the state" include pandering to an electorate that believes the earth was created 6000 years ago, any you want to teach their kids science. 

I never understood the local control of schools thing.  I mean, 2+2 = 4 is true in Missouri and California and Mississippi.

And if that is all that is taught then yes, it would be a good idea.

[Razgovory]

Okay, then what fact is true in Missouri that is not true in California.

[crazy canuck]

Okay, then what fact is true in Missouri that is not true in California.

For starters one might wish to have different emphasis on the history geography which is taught in different regions.  That is certainly true here.  While there is a national history which is taught I am pretty sure that kids in Sydney Nova Scotia didnt spend as much time on the exploits of Simon Fraser as I did in elementary school as an example.

[Razgovory]

That's not really an answer to my question, and certainly the Department of Education can say that schools should devote time to local history.

[Eddie Teach]

People in New York and California evolved, people in Kansas and Tennessee didn't.

[crazy canuck]

That's not really an answer to my question, and certainly the Department of Education can say that schools should devote time to local history.

If a federal department of education is going to devolve responsibility for local curiculum to local bodies then what is the point of having a federal department of education?

[jimmy olsen]

http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/budding-scientist/2012/02/01/u-s-state-science-standards-are-mediocre-to-awful/

I'm surprised RI is so low, I thought our science curriculum was quite thorough, but that was more than a decade ago now, and it was a middle class town, so maybe it's changed or it wasn't reflective of all schools at the time.