Where's the Progress?

[Mother Sanity (JackieRodzinski)]

Sure there's information technology...but what's anyone doing with it, really, but chatting? The combustion engine has been around for what? Roughly 100 years? America has just come up with the concept of the 'Windmill'. It's the year 2010! Why are we still relying on oil, foreign, or otherwise? Why is our educational system so far behind the rest of the world? Our inner cities are decimated, all that stands tall are churches and bars. In the Midwest I see anti-abortion signs, Walmarts with huge baby sections...but where is the plan to educate these children? Whats wrong with this picture?

[darroll]

The reason our education system is such a mess is the government runs it.
There is only one fuel for our cars... Gas.

[P.A.]

Having spent most of my life in education, Darroll, I would have to disagree. We were moving along just fine until 1980 or so when the "business people" started telling us what to do and Republicans starting with Reagan began to tell everybody the system was failing. Remember the people who put men on the moon went to public schools. If you repeat anything often enough people will begin to believe it.

[Bob Stepp]

Petroleum is a non-renewable resource that will dry up. So is coal and natural gas...alternative fuels need to be developed, and quickly. The disaster in the Gulf should be a wake up call that other forms of energy need to be developed before we ruin the rest of the planet in our quest for all things petroleum.
As far as the schools are concerned....quit focusing on extra curricular activities so much, pay teachers a living wage......and God help us if Wall Street or bankers were put in charge of the schools.
Two things that shouldn't be tied to profit....schools and health care.

[P.A.]

I my humble opinion there is a large segment of people in this country who do not want to progress. They talk about abortion and values, don't believe in climate change, talk about "real Americans" and the hated liberals but what they mean is let's just pretend we live in 1950.

[d's girl]

PA... just in case we haven't been formally introduced... I'm d's, and it's a genuine pleasure to make your acquaintance. '-)

[Bob Stepp]

Kudos, PA...

[Chez moi]

Indeed, well said, PA.

[Mother Sanity (JackieRodzinski)]

I agree, Darroll. Private enterprise produces progress.

[Mother Sanity (JackieRodzinski)]

Hi Bob! There is so much sun and wind out here that it makes me wonder why these resources are so understudied and underutilized.

[Mother Sanity (JackieRodzinski)]

PA: we are inclined to agree with you; people are not interested in progress. They fear progress. They cling to their old ideas and ideals without so much as exploring the possibility that something else could be better. That's why I think the churches manage to thrive. They cater to the masses and nurture that fear.

[Mother Sanity (JackieRodzinski)]

Again, Bob, I think that if we are going to pay teachers more, they are going to have to be held accountable. I'd like to see internet cameras, focused on the teachers, in the classrooms. Right now all we have are standardized tests, and the schools spend so much time preparing the kids for them, that there is no time to learn anything real. Furthermore, kids have little recourse when they are accused of behaviors by their teachers. The teachers, as well as students need to be held accountable for their behavior.

[darroll]

My wife taught school for 30 ½ years.
They put kids in the classroom that sit in a wheel chair that can’t hold their head up.
The challenged students make noises that disrupt the class. She got a five minute class about giving seizure medication to them or whatever else they need. If one of them passed away it would be her a$$.
This is what our schools has turned into.
Just like the schools throwing out phonics, then panicking when their test scores fell.
It’s now experimental only.