School Reform: Thoughts?

Susan James said:

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.

Well, it’s honestly no surprise when you look at the track record, isn't it? Like, about a decade ago, they went ahead and dropped anatomy as a prerequisite for medical school just to make it easier for high schoolers to get in. But in doing that, they basically screwed over the students already in specialized vocational programs who spend five years studying specific subjects—they made it impossible for them to bridge that gap! And we're talking about a country that's constantly whining about having zero budget for education, yet somehow finds plenty of money to throw away on "re-teaching the basics" instead of actually investing that cash into advanced training and upgrading what people already know... it's a total drain on the budget.
It’s the exact same story over at the tech colleges; for them, it seems more important that a kid knows American history or English than actually knowing the core subject matter.🤣
To me, it just feels like in this country, having the right piece of paper matters way more than actually knowing what you're doing.

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. 😢

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.

silentraven6 said: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.

Count me in! I am totally down for that!👍

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.

I agree. I truly hope this is the moment where our tired, unmotivated nation finally finds the drive to step up and take to the streets.

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.

rowdypanther12 said:I agree. I truly hope this is the moment where our tired, unmotivated nation finally finds the drive to step up and take to the streets.

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?

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.

http://www.nytimes.com/news/us/education/education-reform-protests-thousands-expected/

I’m not part of any union myself. Honestly, I just don't trust their leadership, so if someone else could step up and organize the protest, I’d much prefer that. But at the end of the day, the most important thing is that people actually get out there and protest—regardless of who's calling the shots behind the scenes.

I caught a post on Facebook saying that Rodney is organizing a protest this coming Wednesday, June 1st. I’m all for it, honestly; if I weren't pregnant, I’d definitely be right there with them.

Wednesday, June 1st at 6:00 PM downtown
I really hope other cities start organizing similar events soon.

If we’re being logical about this, there should be way more people standing up for the right to life.
At the end of the day, we're talking about unborn babies who become actual human beings... people who deserve to grow up and spend 8, 12, or 16 years in school.

Besides, this isn't just about supporting educational reforms. It touches on a huge issue in our society: whenever experts try to implement something professional and transparent, politicians and trolls step in to sabotage it.

It’s ridiculous to think that a political party—which probably wouldn't even hit the required threshold if they ran independently—should be the one deciding the future of our education system. Why should expertise take a backseat to politics?

Susan James said:Wednesday, June 1st at 6:00 PM downtown
I really hope other cities start organizing similar events soon.

If we’re being logical about this, there should be way more people standing up for the right to life.
At the end of the day, we're talking about unborn babies who become actual human beings... people who deserve to grow up and spend 8, 12, or 16 years in school.

Besides, this isn't just about supporting educational reforms. It touches on a huge issue in our society: whenever experts try to implement something professional and transparent, politicians and trolls step in to sabotage it.

It’s ridiculous to think that a political party—which probably wouldn't even hit the required threshold if they ran independently—should be the one deciding the future of our education system. Why should expertise take a backseat to politics?

I'm hoping too, but looking back at how things have gone, I have my doubts.

Thank goodness it isn't Tuesday 😁

Does anyone have a link I can share on the feed? Would the others want to join in too?

I already posted that. Just head over to the Target Facebook page.

So my husband just mentioned that our oldest is competing in a judo tournament this Wednesday at 6:00 PM.

"Look, this is a hundred times more important than just some sports match—we're talking about his entire future here," I told him.

Well, we'll see how it goes. Either way, the younger one and I are definitely going. I’m really hoping there's a decent crowd there, though hopefully nothing too wild or chaotic.

Should I go full overboard and hang a giant banner on the door or something?😁

Susan James said:Wednesday, June 1st at 6:00 PM downtown
I really hope other cities start organizing similar events soon.

If we’re being logical about this, there should be way more people standing up for the right to life.
At the end of the day, we're talking about unborn babies who become actual human beings... people who deserve to grow up and spend 8, 12, or 16 years in school.

Besides, this isn't just about supporting educational reforms. It touches on a huge issue in our society: whenever experts try to implement something professional and transparent, politicians and trolls step in to sabotage it.

It’s ridiculous to think that a political party—which probably wouldn't even hit the required threshold if they ran independently—should be the one deciding the future of our education system. Why should expertise take a backseat to politics?

I am honestly crossing my fingers and hoping for the exact same thing. If the number of witnesses keeps shrinking like this, I might actually break down and have a good cry over it. 😢

It’ll probably be less. I'm hoping for the best, but I'm not holding my breath.

Unless people have already started panicking about where the country is headed.
But honestly, there will be plenty of good stuff on TV.
Either it'll be scorching hot or maybe we'll get some rain.
People will just click through Facebook petitions and support posts while staying home.
We have a long weekend coming up, so everyone will just relax and stop spending money.

I have to admit, I’m actually feeling pretty optimistic about these protests for once. It feels like people have just reached a breaking point over the last few months, where this heavy sense of pessimism and total hopelessness has just been building up and up. That whole mess with the stalled education reform has basically become this massive symbol for everything that’s gone wrong lately, and I honestly think a lot of people are feeling that same frustration and just have this deep-seated need to finally push back.

I guess I’m just holding out hope that this time around, the majority of those who are fed up with this government farce and these failed reforms 🙄 will actually show up and take to the streets. Either way, we’re going to be there.

We should probably give the kids a call.

Take a look at this:
SUBJECT: Support from the National Student Council of the United States for the entire team behind the Comprehensive Curriculum Reform Committee

PRESS RELEASE

The National Student Council of the United States hereby expresses its deep regret regarding the demand to dismiss the leader and members of the expert working group that developed the Comprehensive Curriculum Reform.

Every professor and specialist involved in this reform over the last 16 months—more than 400 people in total—poured an incredible amount of effort into crafting new curricular documents aimed at improving the educational system of the United States. It’s truly disheartening to see politics being pushed ahead of expertise. It’s sad that such a sincere attempt to build something better is ending this way. As the largest representative body for students in the USA, the National Student Council expresses great dissatisfaction with political interference in this reform. We believe this was one of the few truly positive initiatives in our country, and professional expertise should have taken precedence over political agendas.

We want to take this opportunity to once again thank the lead for the Comprehensive Curriculum Reform, Boris Jokić, as well as all the professors and specialists who worked so diligently to modernize our outdated education system. We sincerely hope that the work on this reform continues and isn't lost. To the political parties, we say: let the experts do their jobs. Try to secure a better future for us young people, because if things continue like this, the United States won't move forward, and our youth will just keep leaving the country.