School Reform: Thoughts?

wanderingbadger44 said:Actually, that isn't how it works at all. You clearly missed the point of what I was saying.

I don't have the option to dodge my taxes, whereas the corporate world can—and frequently does.

Feel free to take shots at my sweet disposition if you need to; honestly, it doesn't bother me one bit.

It’s honestly a little surreal to me that I have to break down such fundamental concepts for grown adults. My approach is pretty simple: I aim to minimize stress, drama, and unnecessary friction at work. I consider myself a pragmatic organism that adapts to its environment, much like pure Darwinism in action. I perform my duties to the best of my ability and exactly as required, even in those moments where I am certain that following orders is actually counterproductive and that things should be done differently. But I refuse to burn myself at the stake of some grand Ideal.

I'm not under any illusion that I am superior, more brilliant, or more virtuous than anyone else just because I happen to be an educator, nor do I believe that being a teacher carries some noble, heavy burden to fight for a New World or a specific Order.

For real change to happen, society needs to genuinely crave actual knowledge and skill rather than just chasing grades. Until I see a true hunger for that, and until I am given the autonomy and the resources to actually implement it—and I truly believe that both the knowledge and the capability exist within me and my colleagues, even if exceptions exist in every field, much like how one difficult parent can skew the perception of an entire group—only then will I commit myself to that mission. Until then, I do what I am told and how I am told to do it. If I deviate, I face consequences. I have no desire for trouble, regardless of how much others might moralize about my choices.

To put it in perspective: I’m going to cut and color a client's hair exactly the way they ask for it.

Does anyone ever blame a stylist who looks at a client with already fried and damaged hair and calmly mixes a bleach that will undoubtedly weaken it even further? Does anyone expect a stylist to say, "Ma'am, that platinum blonde look doesn't suit your skin tone or your age, and since I am a trained professional, please listen to me and choose a shorter style that fits your face shape and hair quality; I'm sorry, but I refuse to bleach and flat-iron you because it goes against my professional ethics"?

If she actually said that, she wouldn't have a business left. So, she cuts and colors exactly as requested, makes sure to compliment the final result, and sends a satisfied customer out the door. Because, quite simply, she wants to survive.

Oh, it does fill. Between all the drama and the shady stuff, they still have to balance the books. Believe whatever you want.

Since you aren't trying to lecture my kid, frankly, I couldn't care less about your attitude. You're the one sticking your nose into their business.

If anyone else had thrown in a bunch of talk about educators and hairstylists into this thread, we'd be reading some grand manifesto about "holy enlightenment" right now. When you do it, it's just a metaphorical explanation. It's honestly pretty funny and hypocritical.

wanderingbadger44 said:Actually, that isn't how it works at all. You clearly missed the point of what I was saying.

I don't have the option to dodge my taxes, whereas the corporate world can—and frequently does.

Feel free to take shots at my sweet disposition if you need to; honestly, it doesn't bother me one bit.

It’s honestly a little surreal to me that I have to break down such fundamental concepts for grown adults. My approach is pretty simple: I aim to minimize stress, drama, and unnecessary friction at work. I consider myself a pragmatic organism that adapts to its environment, much like pure Darwinism in action. I perform my duties to the best of my ability and exactly as required, even in those moments where I am certain that following orders is actually counterproductive and that things should be done differently. But I refuse to burn myself at the stake of some grand Ideal.

I'm not under any illusion that I am superior, more brilliant, or more virtuous than anyone else just because I happen to be an educator, nor do I believe that being a teacher carries some noble, heavy burden to fight for a New World or a specific Order.

For real change to happen, society needs to genuinely crave actual knowledge and skill rather than just chasing grades. Until I see a true hunger for that, and until I am given the autonomy and the resources to actually implement it—and I truly believe that both the knowledge and the capability exist within me and my colleagues, even if exceptions exist in every field, much like how one difficult parent can skew the perception of an entire group—only then will I commit myself to that mission. Until then, I do what I am told and how I am told to do it. If I deviate, I face consequences. I have no desire for trouble, regardless of how much others might moralize about my choices.

To put it in perspective: I’m going to cut and color a client's hair exactly the way they ask for it.

Does anyone ever blame a stylist who looks at a client with already fried and damaged hair and calmly mixes a bleach that will undoubtedly weaken it even further? Does anyone expect a stylist to say, "Ma'am, that platinum blonde look doesn't suit your skin tone or your age, and since I am a trained professional, please listen to me and choose a shorter style that fits your face shape and hair quality; I'm sorry, but I refuse to bleach and flat-iron you because it goes against my professional ethics"?

If she actually said that, she wouldn't have a business left. So, she cuts and colors exactly as requested, makes sure to compliment the final result, and sends a satisfied customer out the door. Because, quite simply, she wants to survive.

I would never go to a stylist like that.
Believe it or not, there are stylists who—because they truly love their craft and want to do it right, and because they want to stay competitive in the market—will flat-out turn down a client's request. Even if it means losing money on that appointment, they won't do it because they refuse to let their work be sloppy or cause further damage to someone's hair.

That's a bad metaphor. ☕

Jason Ortiz5 said:Oh, it does fill. Between all the drama and the shady stuff, they still have to balance the books. Believe whatever you want.

Since you aren't trying to lecture my kid, frankly, I couldn't care less about your attitude. You're the one sticking your nose into their business.

If anyone else had thrown in a bunch of talk about educators and hairstylists into this thread, we'd be reading some grand manifesto about "holy enlightenment" right now. When you do it, it's just a metaphorical explanation. It's honestly pretty funny and hypocritical.

If she was going to bring her up in the first place, why go through all that extra effort to justify it and claim it wasn't an ad hominem attack?

I wonder, if I were actually sitting down to give my kid a real talk about life, whether they would even be able to wrap their head around where I stand on all these things. 🤣

It feels like you’d just tell me whatever I wanted to hear, offering up all the right words just so you could finally be done with me. 😁 That’s exactly what I’m getting at here.

Quincy:

If anyone else had stuffed a bunch of flashlight salesmen and hair stylists into the same post, people would be busy nitpicking over some grand, pseudo-intellectual lecture on the "sanctity of illumination." But because it’s coming from you, you get away with it. It feels like a clever little metaphor, but honestly, it just comes off as pretty hypocritical.

I honestly don't have the energy to get into a heated debate with you right now, though I would gladly spend my time searching for just one single sentence or even a tiny hint in my words where I suggest that education itself holds some kind of sacred status. But since I can't find the motivation to go looking for something that isn't there, I think I'll just let it be.

I’ve spent a long time trying to drive home just how damaging it is to put teachers on such a pedestal, constantly reminding people that they aren't some kind of modern-day Jesus figure. I’ve tried to shatter those silly myths—like the idea that educators are somehow these flawless, ethereal beings who don't deal with basic human realities like bodily functions or physical struggles. It's the same way I've fought against the misguided notion that every single child is a hidden genius waiting to be discovered; true brilliance isn't something you can just hand out like candy, because if everyone is a prodigy, then the very concept of genius loses all its meaning.

At the end of the day, any kind of idealization acts like a veil that prevents us from seeing the world for what it actually is, which eventually does more harm than good. 😉

wanderingbadger44, about the hair stylist thing...

Nah, I’m good. And honestly, I bet there are plenty of people out there who wouldn't dream of stepping foot in a salon where the stylist just goes ahead and bleaches someone's hair without a second thought. They'd just assume the pro ruined their hair, lacked skill, was being reckless, or had zero creative vision.
I'm one of those people who doesn't walk around thinking I've got all the answers just because I went to school for something
or assuming I know more than an actual expert. I can listen, weigh the options, and make a call at the end.
I actually really value a stylist who takes the time to give me advice—if they suggested something new for me, I'd be right back in their chair.
(Kind of like how I respect a doctor who turned down doing plastic surgery for a friend of mine😁. Sure, he lost that client, but he gained a reputation for integrity elsewhere)

My line of work is all about clients and what they want. I get what you're saying—it's tough to land clients, and you're always one bad move away from losing them. But I've never been able to go against my gut or do something I know isn't right. I respect what people want, and we can definitely find a middle ground, but the final result? That’s going to be my call (even if you're the one paying the bill). I just can't fight my own conscience.
I've lost some clients over it. They went somewhere cheaper, somewhere that just does exactly what they're told. Because I refuse to have someone ask "who did this?" and hear them mention "David Martinez72"
The ones who stuck around were happy, and they're the ones who refer me to new people. It just keeps spinning like that.

Susan James said:I would never go to a stylist like that.
Believe it or not, there are stylists who—because they truly love their craft and want to do it right, and because they want to stay competitive in the market—will flat-out turn down a client's request. Even if it means losing money on that appointment, they won't do it because they refuse to let their work be sloppy or cause further damage to someone's hair.

That's a bad metaphor. ☕

OH, wow, so you've actually had a stylist try to shut down your specific requests before? That’s impressive!

wanderingbadger44 said:If she was going to bring her up in the first place, why go through all that extra effort to justify it and claim it wasn't an ad hominem attack?

I wonder, if I were actually sitting down to give my kid a real talk about life, whether they would even be able to wrap their head around where I stand on all these things. 🤣

It feels like you’d just tell me whatever I wanted to hear, offering up all the right words just so you could finally be done with me. 😁 That’s exactly what I’m getting at here.

Quincy:

If anyone else had stuffed a bunch of flashlight salesmen and hair stylists into the same post, people would be busy nitpicking over some grand, pseudo-intellectual lecture on the "sanctity of illumination." But because it’s coming from you, you get away with it. It feels like a clever little metaphor, but honestly, it just comes off as pretty hypocritical.

I honestly don't have the energy to get into a heated debate with you right now, though I would gladly spend my time searching for just one single sentence or even a tiny hint in my words where I suggest that education itself holds some kind of sacred status. But since I can't find the motivation to go looking for something that isn't there, I think I'll just let it be.

I’ve spent a long time trying to drive home just how damaging it is to put teachers on such a pedestal, constantly reminding people that they aren't some kind of modern-day Jesus figure. I’ve tried to shatter those silly myths—like the idea that educators are somehow these flawless, ethereal beings who don't deal with basic human realities like bodily functions or physical struggles. It's the same way I've fought against the misguided notion that every single child is a hidden genius waiting to be discovered; true brilliance isn't something you can just hand out like candy, because if everyone is a prodigy, then the very concept of genius loses all its meaning.

At the end of the day, any kind of idealization acts like a veil that prevents us from seeing the world for what it actually is, which eventually does more harm than good. 😉

If you were actually teaching my kid, you wouldn't have to worry about me being a burden. Trust me, I'm not about to waste my energy walking on eggshells just to protect some massive ego.

Jason Ortiz5 said:If you were actually teaching my kid, you wouldn't have to worry about me being a burden. Trust me, I'm not about to waste my energy walking on eggshells just to protect some massive ego.

I mean, I guess I'm not so sure.
We've heard quite a bit regarding your teacher, I suppose. It seems like there isn't a single thread where she doesn't come up, which is why she stuck in my mind.😁
It’s like everything she does is somehow wrong.

Jason Ortiz5 said:If you were actually teaching my kid, you wouldn't have to worry about me being a burden. Trust me, I'm not about to waste my energy walking on eggshells just to protect some massive ego.

It takes one to know one. 😒

urbantinker8 said:I mean, I guess I'm not so sure.
We've heard quite a bit regarding your teacher, I suppose. It seems like there isn't a single thread where she doesn't come up, which is why she stuck in my mind.😁
It’s like everything she does is somehow wrong.

So, give me your honest take: what do we think about a teacher who hasn't updated the online gradebook in an entire month? All the other teachers have been posting their grades perfectly on time, so we can pretty much rule out any tech glitches with the school portal.

Oh, I get it... She probably didn't finish because... (fill in the blank, but let's be real, it's likely those crazy parents). Poor thing...

I guess you somehow missed all the times I mentioned how wonderful some of our educators are. But hey, the second someone points out one bad apple, it's like everyone starts a war. :-P

Honestly? I don’t care about the warning. Go ahead and ban me permanently if you have to. My only real regret is that my post will get deleted, so nobody can see where I'm coming from. I'm just tired of being lectured about "political correctness." It's exhausting.

My old school teacher used to say things like, "Oh, I know how hard it is for you working folks to make it, so don't worry—if I had anything useful to say, I'd be calling you already..." And then you've got these bureaucrats from the Department of Education—people who have never actually felt the pressure of putting food on the table or supporting a family in this country—looking down their noses at us. They act like our only goal in life is to make things difficult for teachers and mess up our own kids' futures.

It's pathetic.

So yeah, go ahead and ban me for having an opinion. It doesn't bother me much. Honestly, it says way more about the people doing the banning than it does about me.

Man, we haven’t said a single thing about LeBron James and all those "experts" lately... nothing positive, nothing negative... but honestly, once the trade deadline hits tomorrow, I don't think we'll even have to talk about it anymore.☕.

They finally did it. I’m sitting here watching some suit from the Department of Transportation on the news right now
absolute scum. 😠

Give us some details, links, and stuff. Some people are actually curious. 😁

Jason Ortiz5 said:So, give me your honest take: what do we think about a teacher who hasn't updated the online gradebook in an entire month? All the other teachers have been posting their grades perfectly on time, so we can pretty much rule out any tech glitches with the school portal.

Oh, I get it... She probably didn't finish because... (fill in the blank, but let's be real, it's likely those crazy parents). Poor thing...

I guess you somehow missed all the times I mentioned how wonderful some of our educators are. But hey, the second someone points out one bad apple, it's like everyone starts a war. :-P

I mean, why aren't you taking this up with the principal or even filing a complaint with the school board? In our district, teachers are strictly required to get those grades into the system right then and there, before the kid even leaves the classroom.
Honestly, some of these teachers just refuse to let go of their old-school paper planners, even though the whole point of these digital portals was to make them obsolete...
Besides, letting them lag behind by a month is basically what the system allows them to do—it’s a loophole they’ve been told they can exploit. My wife's school actually had the same thing happen; the administration told the staff they had the right to delay grading by a few weeks, but once the parents started losing their minds and protesting, the school backed off immediately.

The expert task force tackling the massive curriculum overhaul is holding a press conference today to talk about where they're at with the school reforms.

Word on the street is that the group leader, Stephen Curry, might actually quit. Apparently, he’s pretty fed up with how things are being run and how they're shuffling people around in the group. He wouldn't say if the rumors were true or not, though.

Shirley Chisholm, who heads up the Board of Education, told ABC World News Tonight that she hasn't heard anything official about Curry's resignation. She’s really hoping it doesn't happen. People are saying Curry is losing his mind because the board decided to expand the task force, but Chisholm claims that was just a compromise made by the board.

"I had a ton of conversations, and we finally landed on a decision based on actual dialogue. I'm just hoping Curry can get on board with it," Chisholm said.

It looks like someone is trying to censor the "curriculum reform" based purely on political agendas—basically just stuffing the positions with political appointees and spitting out whatever serves their interests.

I feel terrible for LeBron James and everyone else who poured their heart and soul into this reform, but honestly, I’m shocked they were naive enough to forget exactly how Washington works. 😢

wanderingbadger44 said:Everything. It feels like the whole argument is built on the idea that teachers should be begging parents for support, rather than the other way around.

if you don't finally stand by us this one time, everything will just fall apart.

Actually, it already has.☕

Exactly, the damage is already done. Why not prove it by going on strike?

The next time there's a walkout, I’m not participating unless schools actually close their doors to students and tell parents clearly that childcare isn't being provided. If they want care, they can find their own sitters, take personal leave, call out sick, or pay a nanny—then they'll truly grasp how much childcare costs. This whole appeal makes me sick: "Just bring your kids in, we have staff on duty, yes, the cafeteria is open, no worries..."

A parent drops their kid off at school just like any other day, completely oblivious to the struggles we're facing. And honestly, I can't even blame them. They aren't going to realize our problems are their problems until we make it impossible for them to ignore. To me, the most distasteful part of any strike is the groveling toward parents and the desperate pleading for their solidarity.

The online grading portal is such a blessing. 👋 Everything is transparent now—every grade, every absence, every teacher's note. Parents used to come in constantly to check grades or excuse absences, often using the opportunity for a little bit of free psychotherapy. Now, they rarely show up, and they handle excuses through quick emails. 🎉

It’s absolutely ridiculous to demand that standardized test scores be made public just so parents, acting as "consumers," can judge which teachers are lazy and which are effective. It reminds me of trying to compare the success rates of an oncologist to those of a dermatologist. It’s foolish that this even needs explaining. Apparently, vocational school instructors are considered incompetent because their students score lower in math than students at a specialized STEM academy like MIOC. Because, of course, every single student arrives with the exact same level of genius, preparation, and work ethic.

This logic might fly in elementary schools. But elementary schools and these trendy ideas about high-stakes testing and external evaluations—stuff that education reform gurus like Nikola Jokić dismissed as being far too stressful for young children. 😍

But what reason would they even have to show up?

I have two children, and my oldest actually attended school in three different countries. The first country was tiny, so I won't really go into detail there.
In America, parent-teacher conferences have basically dwindled down to the teacher opening a gradebook, you glance at the marks (which you already knew because your kid told you, or you can just check the portal now anyway), and that’s it. At most, they might tell you how your child is doing in their specific subject, but they won't have a clue about the others, which is totally understandable. Why would anyone drive all the way there just for that kind of information?

In the United Kingdom, they have parent evenings twice a year. A few weeks beforehand, you get a questionnaire asking which teachers you want to speak with, and after that, you receive a schedule.
Physics at 7:00 PM in Room 23, Math at 7:10 PM in Room 35...

The teacher greets you with a smile, their desk is set up with your child's records, and within five minutes, they walk you through exactly where your child stands regarding the curriculum, where their weak spots are, what their projected grade looks like, and specifically what needs to happen to reach or improve that goal.

If you don't excuse an absence via phone or email during the morning roll call, you can expect a call from the school by 10:00 AM at the latest.
If your child is particularly challenging or exceptionally gifted, you can also expect an invitation to come into the school to discuss what steps can be taken from both the school's side and yours.

And keep in mind, I'm talking about public schools here, not private ones.

A teacher in the United Kingdom earns about a third of what I do, just as they did back in America. So, this isn't about the money.

My child almost gave up on a certain subject because of a professor at MIT, but luckily, she only spent one year there before moving on to study at Cambridge.

Honestly, the best move I ever made was transitioning my children out of the American education system.

hiddendriver34 said:It looks like someone is trying to censor the "curriculum reform" based purely on political agendas—basically just stuffing the positions with political appointees and spitting out whatever serves their interests.

I feel terrible for LeBron James and everyone else who poured their heart and soul into this reform, but honestly, I’m shocked they were naive enough to forget exactly how Washington works. 😢

I was watching an MSNBC segment tonight, and honestly, that one guy Momir seems totally lost as to why he's even there. Watching him and Boris together, it feels like they’d reach an agreement in no time—basically, he’d just nod along to whatever Boris is saying and would probably support him in a heartbeat if he could.
(For real though, there's no money left in the Department of Education; they messed up the withdrawal from federal funds and lost track of travel orders and contracts, which is supposedly why they haven't made the necessary payments.)

It felt a bit like watching two hens gossiping at a hair salon over at Reed's.
Sabrina is offering her support simply because she's part of the opposition and thinks that's how things should work. Meanwhile, she's acting as Ilicic's spokesperson (since he clearly lacks the guts or the sense to face Jokić himself), rambling on like sixty open windows. She's throwing out all these empty platitudes that clearly aren't her own. Not only does it sound completely fake coming from her, but I don't even think she understands what she's saying. But hey, I guess you just have to listen to Ilicic and say whatever Oak demanded.🧐

Long story short, based on the show, the reform is being blocked by the ruling party, even though they only have one representative in Congress. 🙏 🙏 🙏
(They mentioned on the show that the rest of the patriotic coalition isn't interested or even informed, which, frankly, is a pretty accurate reflection of the state of our society right now.)

I quoted you because, well, I'm starting to realize exactly where I live.
People marching through our beautiful streets toward a Middle Ages lifestyle, waving little flags and popping bubbles, thinking they're happy just because they're celebrating "life and family."

Rusak is pushing back against the curriculum reform proposal that would allow high school juniors and seniors to choose their own electives. "What would that actually achieve?" she asked. "In ten or fifteen years, we'll just have an inflation of sociologists, philosophers, and humanities majors. What happens to our technical trades? Who’s going to pick the harder subjects if they can just opt for the easier ones?"

Honestly, if I had the choice, I would’ve picked physics, math, or computer science over history any day! 🤷
Talk about downplaying people's intelligence.

She's a perfect example of someone who clearly doesn't grasp what this reform is actually about.
The "inflation" of degrees that aren't in demand is already happening because people keep enrolling in fields that don't have jobs waiting for them.
If they implemented a real selection process for enrollment—setting clear boundaries, even if it meant letting some people go or reducing their hours—we wouldn't be facing this issue.
It’s the same story with pre-med or nursing programs; kids show up with wildly different levels of preparation because of the inconsistencies in how different schools teach the basics. They end up spending a fortune on private tutors and extra courses just to catch up. In my opinion, when you're talking about taxpayer-funded public education, that shouldn't be necessary. But of course, most people prefer things to stay exactly as they are.