shadowcrane91 said:I don't know... I went to religion class for years and I never heard teachers talking about any of this stuff you're bringing up.... Maybe things have changed since then....
And honestly, if someone's actually bothered by being listed as Catholic, they can just uncheck the box. No need for all this drama and throwing stones.
We're clearly talking about two different things here.
shadowcrane91 said:Catholicism doesn't support gay marriage... And God created male and female.....
But it also teaches you not to hate anyone.....
And that the Catholic faith promotes the sanctity of marriage....
So what's the damn problem???
If you don't believe in it, you don't have to spit on it either.....
Every religion has its own guidelines and doctrines....
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I haven't heard of anyone from that 84% trying to get themselves removed from the census just because someone else checked the wrong box...
Was it you????
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It's just like how most people claim to be Americans but can't even grasp the basics of their own language; should we really start writing like that uneducated majority? Or shouldn't we...
Regarding my point, it's about the fact that they aren't being taught about faith, empathy, compassion, or not taking God's name in vain. And it's about not praying for bad things to happen.
Torture isn't just reserved for atheists; it’s happening to other believers too.
There's also this one really interesting thing that happened—when the idea of starting a petition to replace religious education with something else came up, I actually got an email from this self-righteous "believer" who was basically the modern-day version of a Pharisee.
And thirdly, yesterday I saw firsthand exactly what this religious curriculum is teaching kids. To quote them: "God, please... don't let him show up at the park, please let him get sick, he's disgusting." And I'm not even talking about some little bully here; it's just pure, unadulterated spite.
Lastly—the way these religious instructors are hired and employed completely clashes with basic civil rights and the fundamental norms of a secular society.
shadowcrane91 said:My kids are definitely taking religion classes since they're an option. I want them learning about the faith I'm raising them in from someone who actually knows the theology better than I do... Plus, I’m a believer—not just a "paper Catholic" like half the people out there—and since I’m raising my kids in this faith, it’s a no-brainer that they take the class...
I get the feeling we’re the only nation that seems "ashamed" of its faith and wants to hush it up or rip it out by the roots...
In almost every other religion, faith holds a massive place in life and education, yet in Christianity, it’s treated like it's some kind of nuisance...
We are a Catholic country, and minorities should adapt to us, not the other way around...
But here's the kicker—even the big-time Catholics in this country seem bothered by Catholic symbols...
Look, if you aren't Catholic, I get why it might bug you... but seriously, you're living in this country, just deal with it... What I don't get is why it bothers CATHOLICS too... Real Catholics probably don't care... it's mostly those people who just love bragging about being Catholic or Christian on paper...
That’s your opinion, and nobody in this world should stop you from having it—much like how people say an opinion is as much a part of you as a limb.
The other issue is the social responsibility believers have toward the rest of society and protecting minorities (in this case, the kids in the hallways). From a civic standpoint, it's the right thing to do, and from a religious standpoint, it aligns perfectly with the teachings of the Society of Jesus.
Just sharing for info—it doesn't hurt to know what's going on.
I’ve already reached out to the GOOD initiative and Gong to see what they think, so I'm just waiting to hear back. My plan is to get everyone I know involved and really shake things up; I'm counting about twenty people right now who are ready to move. Most of us have been out there at the anti-government protests before when they were happening.
We're coming. Are you bringing your kids? K was with me once, but I was being super careful. We didn't even do the whole route that time because his dad picked him up near Radicev.
Lawrence Torres56 said:Honestly? I think you might be getting your hopes up for nothing, especially since even a fraction of the people on his own task force didn't back him up.😁
Look, I have zero interest in diving headfirst into this whole mess of Democrats versus Republicans—it’s clearly just political theater at this point—but trying to claim politics isn't involved in something that was politically charged from second one is just plain ridiculous, don't you think?
🙂And if this guy actually gave a damn about fixing our education system like he claims to, wouldn't he actually listen to some outside perspectives? Especially when a bunch of them are standing right there? Instead, he's just pulling this "my way or the highway" routine... what kind of leadership is that?
Since blackmailing each other has basically become standard operating procedure in American politics, I guess this is just what we should expect.
I managed to get hold of some contacts, and I'll post everything here for anyone who wants to get involved.
I’m guessing nobody is going to lift a finger by next week. In the meantime, I'm busy sending out emails.
hiddendriver34 said:I’m just gonna repost my own status from Facebook here:
THIS GOES OUT TO every single parent out there. To everyone currently navigating the American school system, or those getting ready to. It goes out to anyone who feels our education system is stuck in a loop of mindless rote memorization—forcing kids to swallow useless facts they'll never use, while failing to teach them how to actually function in the real world. I mean, we’re seeing graduates who have spent years in classrooms yet can't even draft a basic job application. It goes out to all the teachers who, despite doing exactly what their curriculum demands, find themselves totally stumped when a student asks: "How is this actually going to help me in life?" It goes out to everyone who sees the recent educational reforms—flaws and all—as one of the few genuine wins for American society in recent years. And finally, it goes out to anyone who believes that politics and ideology have absolutely no business meddling in our schools.
hiddendriver34, I'll shoot you a DM later.
The text totally vanished on me!!! I need to log back into my old Facebook account today; that's where all my contacts are. I really need to touch base with a few people who will probably want to weigh in on this too.
hiddendriver34 said:So, I've been scrolling through the news, and apparently, there’s this ten-minute press conference scheduled for noon today.
It looks like LeBron James and the rest of the squad are heading out.
And judging by how everything is playing out, it seems like some Shakespearean reliable type is going to be taking over the reins. 😢
There are quite a few of us here who aren't exactly thrilled about this (personally, even though people are cheering, I think we should probably slow down the reforms just a bit to get them right—despite all the praise for how much has been achieved in such a short window, especially given the standards used in our schools). Look, we all have Facebook; I can reach out to certain advocacy groups, and we could honestly organize a protest if we wanted to.
Consider these warnings a final heads-up. If you two keep trading insults like this, you’re both heading straight for a ban. I’m also telling everyone else here to dial it back—lower the temperature and get back to having actual discussions. Flamewars won't be tolerated around here; they will be dealt with strictly.
urbantinker8 said:I suppose I wonder, though, what exactly is wrong or inherently bad about an appeal like that? If, just once, people finally decide not to stand by us, I guess everything might just fall apart completely.
But then again, maybe it already has.☕
I stood up for the teachers when they were striking on their own time, mostly because of how bad their working conditions were.
Look, I’m standing up for you now—I even kept my kid home from school.
It actually ties right back into that whole conversation about school reform, because these are the exact same questions spinning around my head whenever I start thinking about restructuring the curriculum...
But, getting back to the main point: the reality is that schools have always been this way, even back when we were kids. We used to start at six, and now there's this push to delay enrollment for kids born in March (and if they keep moving the needle bit by bit, February will be next on the list). It’s kind of like how they used to push for early enrollment for anyone born between April and July—I actually had a woman, a friend's mom who started school early back in the 80s, tell me just recently, "Oh, she wasn't even early," since her daughter was born only a month and a half after the cutoff.
So, is it that schools have fundamentally changed and become way more intense? That’s the big question mark for me. I hear conflicting things all the time, so I’m really just waiting to see how this all plays out 🤣 😁
Daisy, look, you're a historian. The zeitgeist has shifted. People's mindsets, the way we work, the timing of everything—it's all moved. School has changed too (some parts for the better, some for the worse, and frankly, some vital pieces haven't changed at all, which isn't great).
Everything is different.
Back in the day, teachers didn't have a hard time because they could just tell the parents, and they knew the kid would get a lecture (or a beating) at home. They basically acted as the bridge between the parents and the discipline. Nowadays, you see people longing for the "good old days" when a teacher would just send a note home and the kid would be terrified to even sit in their seat the next morning.
But nothing has changed regarding the fact that they're stuck with these rigid 45-minute blocks and five-minute breaks. And kids are spending ten hours a day in after-school programs. When were you ever stuck in an after-school program for ten hours?
It feels like watching someone try to build a skyscraper out of playing cards, where every tiny gust of wind threatens to bring the whole ambitious structure crashing down. kaže: I've been wondering lately what exactly qualifies someone to earn those kinds of accolades or recognition. $1.75 It makes me wonder about the actual pay scales for school security guards and those who look after kids in our buildings—is the compensation truly fair given the weight of that responsibility? I don't mean this to be an insult, but rather just a logical conclusion drawn from what was actually said.
That’s exactly it. Only a fool would take offense at that, and let's be honest, there are plenty of those running around among us. Some people might try to get poetic about it and call them Don Quixote, but I prefer a more grounded perspective: we’re essentially just glorified babysitters. We spend our time tailoring reviews to suit whatever order comes in, because if we didn't play along, we'd find ourselves facing nothing but trouble.
Quincy:
If you aren't willing to stand up and fight for your own profession, then nobody else is going to step in to do it for you. Honestly, I feel like the first real step toward making a change is walking away from the union you’re currently in, because right now, they act more like an extension of the status quo than anything else, essentially just reinforcing the very system that keeps us stuck.
Honestly, why should I feel the need to fight for some noble calling? At the end of the day, I’m working for a paycheck, not to chase after some lofty set of ideals. Feel free to judge me all you want.
It’s a simple matter of value and necessity; if a parent truly finds themselves in need of their child, they will make the effort to invest in them, because when you don't pay attention to someone, it's clear they aren't actually a priority in your life. It works the same way with society at large—when a community decides that education is a fundamental requirement for its future, they will fund those schools and pay the costs, and in return, they reap the benefits of a well-educated citizenry.
Come on then, let’s hear them—go ahead and share your stories about getting laid off. 😁 It feels like you could search every corner of this country from New York to LA and still never stumble upon a single decent mathematician, physicist, linguist, or computer scientist. Honestly, we really need to start bringing some real talent to the table.
Hold on a second, it feels like you're actually asking us to step in and do all the heavy lifting for you. 😁
It feels like nobody actually wants to work in education anymore, unless they simply don't have any other viable career paths available to them. You end up left with those who stay in the field only because they’ve reached an age where pivoting to a different industry in this economy just isn't a realistic option.
I honestly feel like restoring the dignity of this profession matters far more to parents and students than it does to me personally.
I honestly don't understand why we're still going in circles on this thread about people just trying to minimize the headaches and friction in their daily work lives. Why should anyone go through the stress of constant conflict? They do it for the sake of social good, or some grand educational mission, or lofty principles and dignity—all that high-minded stuff that sounds great in theory but doesn't actually put food on the table or pay the mortgage. Personally, I'm not about to ride into battle for Truth and Justice if the cost is my own mental health and sanity. At the end of the day, I care less about the next generation than most of you seem to, and I'm perfectly fine with that. Feel free to keep bickering all you want. 🕺
I have the ability, the drive, and the actual know-how to get my job done right. If I'm not given that opportunity—if you make it difficult for me or create unnecessary friction that leads to nothing but burnout and constant stress—then I’ll simply find a way to work around those obstacles just to stay sane. That’s really all there is to it.
I agree with everything you're saying, except for one thing: it feels like that "dignity" was stripped away from us—specifically us—just look around at how people are living and getting fired.
Besides, you know exactly what goes on in the school system. I felt the same way back when I saw them in college, and I feel the same way now listening to my own generation talk trash about these kids and their parents, threatening them with bad grades because they think they'll get screwed over later for everything they wrote during finals (yeah, they "wrote," as if studying from a summary wasn't hard enough for them).
I’m honestly sitting here waiting for this "expert" opinion to drop, though I’ve got a bad feeling about it. Everyone who tried to sell me on this approach completely let me down.
The way these professionals basically tear their own credibility down—treating kids like they're just an afterthought and parents like they’re some kind of annoying intruders—is honestly chilling.
That sounds like something a parent would say if they actually stood up for a teacher during a school board meeting when things get heated. Personally, I can't stand either side.
There’s zero real conversation happening because the whole profession has been stuck in this pathetic, outdated mindset for decades now.
Of course, when you see how badly kids tank their standardized tests, you can't blame the teachers. It’s the parents who sit there in those classrooms with them instead of actually teaching them anything.
Actually, let's be real—it's on the parents because they're raising generations of idiots...
Daisy, I definitely wasn't implying that our school system or schools in general are the absolute worst on the planet—I wouldn't say that about the German or English systems either, despite all their flaws and shortcomings.
What I see as the real issue is how people try to address potential improvements using nothing but Band-Aid solutions.
It’s like, "Sure, let's introduce this one thing, maybe we'll fix something, but whatever you do, don't touch the foundation."
From my perspective, here is what's actually missing if we want to build the kind of school environment both you and I dream about:
1. The physical space itself; there just isn't enough room. 2. The size and overall layout of the classrooms. 3. A lack of funding to make real changes (actually, it's not even a lack of funds, it's more like a total lack of interest from the governing bodies to ever invest properly in the education system). 4. Inadequate training for current teachers, and honestly, for future ones too. 5. Outdated teaching methods that are still stubbornly stuck in the classroom (with lecture-style teaching remaining the bedrock). 6. A general lack of interest within the profession to work differently, combined with the fact that they've basically been administratively hamstrung by the system itself. 7. The way our labor market is set up, plus the reality that we don't have the resources to pay for childcare over holidays for five-year-olds. 8. The textbook publishing lobbies, which are a cancer on education. 9. The fact that, as a nation, we are often uneducated, poorly educated, or just uninterested in anyone's progress except our own—we tend to view everyone else's success with suspicion (I admit, that's a bit of a cliché). 10. Corruption among the administrative leadership in the education system and their general incompetence when it comes to managing people and resources, fostering a positive workspace, making parents and kids feel welcome, encouraging self-actualization, or avoiding forcing every child into the exact same mold...
And last, but not least, the absolute martyr complex held by an entire profession that has spent a century portraying itself as the most downtrodden segment of our population, all while staying silent about obvious failures in staff selection and training.
So, I'm really not surprised when people advocate for delaying school entry, especially since children globally are starting earlier because they mature faster with all the technology and content available to them today.
To pull all of this off without institutionalizing children at such a young age, we would also need laws that encourage mothers and fathers to stay home with their kids or work reduced hours. We need to foster a freelance-friendly environment. To me, what kids need most in those early years is a core foundation provided by family. No matter how good a school system is, it can never replace that, because that's where all successes and failures begin. But around here, thinking like that is dismissed as being either old-fashioned or purely utopian.
Daisy, I don't have anything against those systems personally. I’ve got my own gripes, sure, but honestly? Our school system is dealing with so many massive issues right now that we really need to fix those first before even talking about decisions like this. It almost feels wrong to even bring it up so casually when there's so much more pressing stuff on the table.
Over in Italy, kids start school at five (they actually just lowered the starting age from six down to five and a half recently), and in England, it’s also five years old. It’s not some "mandatory daycare" situation; they are going to school just like every other kid.
Basically, everywhere else, the starting line keeps moving earlier because kids today just pick things up so much faster—they read, write, and are generally way ahead of where previous generations were, so their interests mature sooner too. It feels like we're the only ones still sticking to that 7+ rule.
Some of my buddies moved over to England, and their little girl started primary school when she was only five. She’s got her own school uniform and everything, and they all say she’s officially in school. 🤷
Yeah, within their school system, that's completely standard.
But here? We need a massive overhaul first.
A five-and-a-half-year-old definitely doesn't have the attention span to sit there like a soldier for hours on end. They can barely organize themselves at 6 or 7. Name one parent who’s going to drop off a 5.5-year-old and then leave a 7.5-year-old home alone for hours just because there’s no after-school care. People are giving me grief right now because my kid stays home for two hours or walks home from school by himself, and he'll be 8 soon enough!
rowdypanther12 said:I don't know, I just can't imagine anyone asking for a delay for a seven-year-old for those kinds of reasons. Honestly, I don't think there's any way you'd hold a kid back from school unless they were facing some really serious issues. But then again, kids change so much in just a couple of months.
I feel like we’re falling into the trap of generalizing again. You meet one parent, maybe two at most, who decides to take their kids on a trip or head to the coast because they're dealing with some health issue, and suddenly everyone assumes they're all the same. It feels like the real problem is our inability to accept that people live differently than we do—that they can be perfectly happy doing things our way isn't the only way. Instead, we try to shove everything into the same box and just let "experts" make all the decisions for us.
Look, I believe in expertise. I respect professionals in any field. But when it comes to my own family, those experts should be collaborating with me, not dictating terms to me. Unless they're bringing up something that is genuinely beyond my understanding—and even then, they should be educating me, because that is literally what they are paid to do: explain things clearly.