Good Job Texas!

[Aquawind]

I like the exam concept to move on even at an early age..

350 million is alot of money but for a good cause..

http://www.cnn.com/2006/EDUCATION/03/24 ... index.html


Paul

[ROCK]

Sad but true....

[Lindaloo]

I cringed when I read that they blame some of this on them being uprooted from their homes due to Katrina. When in fact, WAY WAY before Katrina, the school system was poor. The teachers could careless about those childrens education! Rock on Texas and help those children. They should be thankful Katrina blew in, now those kids will have a good chance at getting the proper education they so greatly needed and deserved!

[MGC]

I could have not said it better Linda. The kids of New Orleans deserve a better life and it all starts with a decent education. Sadly, these children didn't receive one.....MGC

[CajunMama]

You can't just blame it all on the school system. A good education begins at home with parents/family who help the young student.

[Aquawind]

You can't just blame it all on the school system. A good education begins at home with parents/family who help the young student.

Absolutely! Well Said!

Paul

[gtalum]

You can't just blame it all on the school system. A good education begins at home with parents/family who help the young student.

In fact, I would say that good parenting is MORE important than good schools. A child can learn even in the very worst schools if she has parents who are interested in and take an active role in her education.

[Lindaloo]

You can't just blame it all on the school system. A good education begins at home with parents/family who help the young student.

You are right to a certain extent. BUT the school system is what it is. If the parent lacks an education how in the world do you expect them to HELP their children? Sorry, but not everything can be seen through rose colored glasses. In this case, the school system has failed these children. This has been a KNOWN fact for quite a long time in New Orleans. It took Katrina to wake someone up.

[Aquawind]

Of course it is a combination of factors..no doubt parents can and usually do play a huge part in the education role and certainly the system was lacking in New Orleans. We all would like to think things will be better for not only the current students but also that L.A. can rebuild and improve for the future students.

Paul

[Lindaloo]

Well said, Paul!

[CajunMama]

Rose colored glasses???? So you believe that it is up to the school system itself to be able to educate these kids? One teacher to 30 kids? Nah, I don't think so. You could have excellent teachers and i don't think it would have made any difference.

[Lindaloo]

Rose colored glasses???? So you believe that it is up to the school system itself to be able to educate these kids? One teacher to 30 kids? Nah, I don't think so. You could have excellent teachers and i don't think it would have made any difference.

That is not even the point though. New Orleans school system has been in trouble for quite some time. You are from Louisiana, my gosh you did not know this? We are not talking about Lafayette, we are talking about New Orleans.

Since 2002, there have been 24 indictments against school employees. $71 million in federal money was unaccounted for, and there were other problems. Academically, New Orleans was one of the worst public school systems in the country. 70 percent of the eighth graders were not proficient in math, 74 percent in English. Under pressure from the state because of the academic performance and in danger of going bankrupt, the school board acted. It hired a company that specializes in turning around failing organizations. They arrived in New Orleans in July.

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/educatio ... 11-01.html

[CajunMama]

I know where I'm from Linda and just because you and I see things differently doesn't mean I'm wrong.

[george_r_1961]

You can't just blame it all on the school system. A good education begins at home with parents/family who help the young student.

Exactly. Learning takes discipline and THAT is provided at home by the PARENTS.

[Lindaloo]

I know where I'm from Linda and just because you and I see things differently doesn't mean I'm wrong.

Doesn't make me wrong either. I just know what I read and was replying to the topic at hand.

Now I believe in the discipline at home. That always makes for a great education.

[sunny]

I could get off on a whole tangent here. But I won't. What I will say is that I have seen children who did not have the best home life - and discipline, use their education as a way to get out of a bad situation and make a better life for themselves.

Bottom line is the education in Orleans Parish Public Schools has been lacking for a long time now. I believe they were under academic warning in 2004. The state wanted to take over the system, and there were in fact a couple of schools that were taken over. Then Katrina. I'm not sure where things stand now, but this horrible situation may in fact be a catalyst for turning the education system around for the better. One can hope.

[ROCK]

Rose colored glasses???? So you believe that it is up to the school system itself to be able to educate these kids? One teacher to 30 kids? Nah, I don't think so. You could have excellent teachers and i don't think it would have made any difference.

I agree. I know first hand as my wife is a teacher. It starts at home. The school system does play a BIG part though.

[Pearl River]

Unfortunately most parents look at the school system as one giant babysitter. Teachers can only do the best they can. It doesn't matter how much you pay a teacher, if a child does not want to learn you can't force them to. The public school system in New Orleans was extremely corrupt. People who have been dead for years still getting paid and when they try to clean the system up, "R" word is used.

[GalvestonDuck]

Rose colored glasses???? So you believe that it is up to the school system itself to be able to educate these kids? One teacher to 30 kids? Nah, I don't think so. You could have excellent teachers and i don't think it would have made any difference.

I agree. I know first hand as my wife is a teacher. It starts at home. The school system does play a BIG part though.

And what do we do if it ends at home?

I can't speak for knowing much about Louisiana (particularly NOLA, in this case) and their education system. But I saw how bad it was in Kentucky, especially in the eastern Kentucky Appalachian region. Many parents there don't have any high school education (ANY -- nothing passed the 8th grade). And then they drag their children out of school at that point as well, so they can stay home and help raise the family.

Lack of a good education leads to other problems down the road, particulary health problems like we saw in the ER. Since illiteracy is a problem, even if they can read on a grade-school level, they lack the ability to comprehend medical information about diseases, nutritution, diabetes, and smoking. That's just a drop in the bucket. There are social, economic, and environmental issues also.

I know schools can't do it all and parents can't do it all. But I think it would be helpful if schools could help inspire students who may not be getting the necessary push from home.

Chances are Kentucky isn't alone in that battle. Like Sunny said, it's a battle that's been going on there for a while also.

[KatDaddy]

Well being a new parent I must make a statement on this thread. Yes it does start at home and school is not a babysitter as as I am concerned e I will be pro-active in my daughters education. Its extremely import to me and for her which will be a very high focus. Both my parents had high school education and did well but its not the 50s.
I have done very well as my wife with only Jr College Associate degrees....we are the lucky ones. My daughter will have a BA or MA if I can help it. I will instill the importance of education through her life and take the time to help her with homework............something I did not have. Teachers now days have a very hard job. I respect them highly and will tell my daughters future teachers in the upcoming years.
Teachers are here to help them learn.....values should be learned at home by the parents.................simply put, parents are teachers as well.