We have reached an all time high in the US!

This problem isn't just a recent problem,it's been building for quite
awhile.A fair sized portion of our society has no idea how or just doesn't care,to raise and be
responsible for their children...How do you reverse this???
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Get involved at a grass-roots level...show me a school that is turning away competent volunteers.

The really scarry thing is, when we are old and feeble and can't take care of ourselves...we will need to rely on these kids to take care of us!
 
You would be incorrect to assume that I said it was the answer. I did not say that. I have met plenty of people that should not home school. Not everyone has the ability. I have met plenty of people that should not have kids in the first place.
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Good reply Ron. I truely believe the biggest problem with public school isn't the teachers, isn't the administration, isn't the students, isn't the budget...but is lack of parental involvement.
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Can't agree with you on this one Chuck. The schools and the administrators and the teachers are a part of the problem. They aren't the only problem but they are a part of it. Couple of examples.

1. MN is trying to change the "Last in First out" tenure laws. The teachers and the union are fighting this hand over fist. Claiming that the State will start firing more tenured teachers fist to hire newer, lowered paid teachers. Yeah right, like there aren't laws on the books to prevent that right now and I believe there are all uinder the age discrimination category. Like firing younger teachers fist isn't age discrimination.

2. The"biggest" issue for the schools right now in MN, according to all the press this has been receiving, is bullying. They want to eliminate it completely and totally. Not only are they stopping it from occurring in the classroom, they are even going to extend this to out of school activities such as Facebook, texting, sporting events and so on. Schools have to hire an anti bullying specialist etc.... Can't wait to see what constitutes bullying verses teasing.

I'm not ripping on the schools but their attempts to control every aspect of a person life is out of control and uneeded. Our kids have been extremely fortunate to have teachers and administrators who truly care.

Mark W
 
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I don't know if this is common but my wife used to volunteer at the elementry school down the road.
She loves to read and helped kids who were having problems reading. She had great success and went to the school
a couple afternoons a week. One day the principal approached her and told her that she could no longer work with the
students directly. They were getting flack from the teachers union because she was not liscensed, or a member of the
union. He said she could sort papers and do other work FOR THE TEACHERS but could not work with the students.
She came home upset and never went back.
Parental involvement is the key but teachers unions share a big part of the problem. John
I've paid union dues for 38 years and never voted for anyone they endorce with my dues!!
 
Not sure if it ever aired in the US but when I lived in New Zealand there was a TV series on called Jamie's School Dinners, where the chef Jamie Oliver went to different schools in England and examined their lunch programs. Pretty much the same situation as here, but the thing that really stuck with me was when he visited classrooms and held up different vegetables, and only a handfull of kids could identify basic vegetables like peppers and eggplant. He did the same thing in Italy and every kid could name every vegetable he showed them. It was actually a law in Italy that school food had to be local, fresh and organic. Jamie did the exact same show in Huntington ,WV. The kids didn't know the vegetables. So no difference here.
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I will be 46 this year. I've been teaching for 5 years now and worked in a factory for many years prior to teaching. I went into teaching because I thought that I could make a difference. I work at a high school of about 1500 kids, of which 55% (+) are on free and reduced lunch. I would be happy for them to have the lunch that was packed for that kid.

That being said, please keep in mind the mission of our lunch crew. They feed 1500 kids a day (very few bring a lunch) and have to do it on a tight budget. I went to the kitchen to ask them to save cans for me for a project and was shocked at how hard they were working. Mind you, I didn't ever have the impression that their job was easy, but they are working their tails off.

I have found that many folks don't understand the hurdles in education because they send their kids to school with all the tools that they need to succeed (well fed, supplies and parent support).

The bottom line is this - I can't teach a kid anything if he/she has lived on one meal a day for the last two or three weeks. Their brains just don't work well without food. If I had it my way, every kid would come to school with a full belly, but the reality is that many don't. I really don't care if a Republican or a Democrat feeds them, I just need them fed.

Doug
 
I had not been following the thread to closely and decided to check it out tonight. I have heard accounts like the one about your wife before. I can tell you that at my school that would not be the case. My wife and I along with all parents were asked to come in and work with the kids and teachers during the reading block. My wife and I went in for six or eight weeks and were in the resource room. We worked with the kids that needed extra help in reading along with the teacher. It was a great experience I should do it again this year. I should say it also sometimes heartbreaking to volunteer you see first hand how hard the teachers try and how poorly some parents have helped to prepare their kids for school. Those kids have zero supports at home they are all but positive to fail in life.

I can tell you that it would not happen at my school and I hope its not happening at many other. Parents need to be involved and when they are its a win for the kid, teachers and school. Tomorrow I will be reading my favorite Dr. Seuss book to the kindergarten, 1st, second and then 4th grade classes in the morning. The book is in my signature. Last few weeks I meet my daughters class mid day on Tuesdays and helped take them out snowshoeing. Lots of them had never done it before.

Who knows what my wife had me sighed up for next week!
 
Steve,
Nothing like a little Government in your life huh? Things such as this make hit the roof! Looking forward to casting my vote in the next election.

Zane
 
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