r.a.d. Observation

Joe wrote:
> N8N > wrote in news:1179318277.638760.278990
> @u30g2000hsc.googlegroups.com:
>
>> On May 15, 7:41 am, Joe > wrote:
>>> Nate Nagel > wrote in news:f27vnb0cm5
>>> @news3.newsguy.com:
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>> Joe wrote:
>>>>> Nate Nagel > wrote in
>>>>> :
>>>>>> Joe wrote:
>>>>>>> "Fred G. Mackey" > wrote in
>>>>>>> news >>>>>>>> CobraJet wrote:
>>>>>>>>> In article >,
>>> Matthew
>>>
>>>>>>> T.
>>>>>>>>> Russotto > wrote:
>>>>>>>>>> In article >,
>>>>>>>>>> CobraJet <The Voices In Your Head> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>> In article <1178830886.128994.319680
>>> @w5g2000hsg.googlegroups.com>,
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>>>> N8N
>>>>>>>>>>> > wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>> I spent 13 years at the top of my class in private school.
> Funny
>>>>>>>>>>> thing, I've never been a geek, dork, OR a nerd.
>>>>>>>>>> That's because it was a kindergarten, and you were the top of
> the
>>>>>>>>>> class only in height.
>>>>>>>>> Jeez, how lame can you get? What's that old dork saying, "So
>>>>> funny
>>>>>>> I
>>>>>>>>> forgot to laugh"?
>>>>>>>> Here's a question for you. Why don't you "man up" and tell us
> what
>>>>>>>> private school you attended?
>>>>>>>> Just because a school is private doesn't mean it's good. There
> are
>>>>>>>> plenty of private schools that are so focused on religion that
>>>>>>> students
>>>>>>>> end up less educated than those in the worst public schools.
>>>>>>>> Being at the "top of the class" in one of those schools is
> nothing
>>> to
>>>>>>>> brag about.
>>>>>>> And public schools are better? You had to have gone to one to
> come
>>>>> up
>>>>>>> with idiotic statements like yours.
>>>>>> Depends on where you are. Where I live now, the public school
> system
>>>>> is
>>>>>> reputed to be quite good.
>>>>>> nate
>>>>> Where might that be?
>>>> Falls Church, VA.
>>>> nate
>>> A quick look at the stats tells why it's good. The entire district
> is
>>> smaller than some private schools. Per pupil expenditure is
>>> substantially above the average. 75% of the student population is
>>> Caucasion. Etc.
>>>
>>> Truly the exception rather than the rule.
>> Which just goes to show you that it's not the difference between
>> public and private; it's small class sizes, the commitment of the tax
>> base (or pool of parents in the case of private schools) to
>> appropriately fund, etc.
>
> Right. My point was that Falls Church is probably a very unique area.
> Certainly not representative of most areas in the U.S.
>
>> I've got to disagree with your last statement though - not that the
>> student body isn't predominantly Caucasian - I haven't been inside a
>> school and don't plan on it, at least not for a few years - but I
>> graduated from an engineering school where the graduating class in my
>> major was maybe only 50% caucasian and the non-caucasian students
>> certainly didn't seem to be at a disadvantage.
>
> I didn't mean to have that factoid stick out - I just wrote it with the
> 'etc.' implying that there were other statistics that should be
> considered.
>
>> I think what you were trying to imply was that Falls Church wasn't an
>> inner-city DC school district, which is true. However, the difference
>> is economic as much if not more so than racial.
>
> The difference is economic and probably political and religious to a
> degree. Just guessing though..

I would say that more than economics it is the result of parents who
care about the quality of their children's education. Falls Church is a
small affluent community but the people who live there are more active
in community affairs than most places, IMO. Tie that to plenty of money
and there is the reason for success. On the whole, Fairfax County, VA
has a very good school system, in general, for the same reasons. Now DC
is the opposite in most cases and throwing money at their problems
hasn't helped much at all. The parents just don't get involved as much
and if that isn't there then no amount of money will fix the problems.

In Northern Virginia each community spends about 50-55% of their annual
budget on schools. Next year Fairfax will spend $2.2 billion on 164,000
students ($13,414/student). If you want to see a community throwing
money at the school system then look at Arlington, Virginia. They spend
well over $18,000 per student. Given all this private schools are where
the best learning occurs around here. A student graduating from a good
private school in this area can start as a sophomore or junior in most
colleges.

Given all this I still think a parent's best bet is a private school.
Not a religious zealot private school but a good moderate one. I have a
nephew that went to private school for 11 years a niece that didn't who
are the same age. The nephew received a MUCH better education in all
respects. Their overall difference in knowledge level was huge by the
time they graduated high school.

>> School-wise, I'd
>> rather live in a neighborhood where my neighbors make more money than
>> I, not less (of course, higher-income neighbors tend to be uptight
>> about other things, like DIY car repair etc. so there are tradeoffs.)
>>
>> nate
>
> Of course. But as a generality, public schools suck simply because most
> of them are run by the government.

Agreed.

On 16 May 2007 05:24:37 -0700, N8N > wrote:

>On May 15, 7:41 am, Joe > wrote:
>> Nate Nagel > wrote in news:f27vnb0cm5
>> @news3.newsguy.com:
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> > Joe wrote:
>> >> Nate Nagel > wrote in
>> :
>>
>> >>>Joe wrote:
>>
>> >>>>"Fred G. Mackey" > wrote in
>> >>>>newstKdnSrqq8NOp9jbnZ2dnUVZ_vrinZ2d@comcast. com:
>>
>> >>>>>CobraJet wrote:
>>
>> >>>>>>In article >,
>> Matthew
>>
>> >>>>T.
>>
>> >>>>>>Russotto > wrote:
>>
>> >>>>>>>In article >,
>> >>>>>>>CobraJet <The Voices In Your Head> wrote:
>>
>> >>>>>>>>In article <1178830886.128994.319680
>>
>> @w5g2000hsg.googlegroups.com>,
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> >>>>N8N
>>
>> > wrote:
>>
>> >>>>>>>>I spent 13 years at the top of my class in private school. Funny
>> >>>>>>>>thing, I've never been a geek, dork, OR a nerd.
>>
>> >>>>>>>That's because it was a kindergarten, and you were the top of the
>> >>>>>>>class only in height.
>>
>> >>>>>> Jeez, how lame can you get? What's that old dork saying, "So
>>
>> >> funny
>>
>> >>>>I
>>
>> >>>>>>forgot to laugh"?
>>
>> >>>>>Here's a question for you. Why don't you "man up" and tell us what
>> >>>>>private school you attended?
>>
>> >>>>>Just because a school is private doesn't mean it's good. There are
>> >>>>>plenty of private schools that are so focused on religion that
>>
>> >>>>students
>>
>> >>>>>end up less educated than those in the worst public schools.
>>
>> >>>>>Being at the "top of the class" in one of those schools is nothing
>> to
>> >>>>>brag about.
>>
>> >>>>And public schools are better? You had to have gone to one to come
>>
>> >> up
>>
>> >>>>with idiotic statements like yours.
>>
>> >>>Depends on where you are. Where I live now, the public school system
>>
>> >> is
>>
>> >>>reputed to be quite good.
>>
>> >>>nate
>>
>> >> Where might that be?
>>
>> > Falls Church, VA.
>>
>> > nate
>>
>> A quick look at the stats tells why it's good. The entire district is
>> smaller than some private schools. Per pupil expenditure is
>> substantially above the average. 75% of the student population is
>> Caucasion. Etc.
>>
>> Truly the exception rather than the rule.
>
>Which just goes to show you that it's not the difference between
>public and private; it's small class sizes, the commitment of the tax
>base (or pool of parents in the case of private schools) to
>appropriately fund, etc.
>
>I've got to disagree with your last statement though - not that the
>student body isn't predominantly Caucasian - I haven't been inside a
>school and don't plan on it, at least not for a few years - but I
>graduated from an engineering school where the graduating class in my
>major was maybe only 50% caucasian and the non-caucasian students
>certainly didn't seem to be at a disadvantage.
>
>I think what you were trying to imply was that Falls Church wasn't an
>inner-city DC school district, which is true. However, the difference
>is economic as much if not more so than racial. School-wise, I'd
>rather live in a neighborhood where my neighbors make more money than
>I, not less (of course, higher-income neighbors tend to be uptight
>about other things, like DIY car repair etc. so there are tradeoffs.)
>
>nate

Small class sizes make a great difference in individual attention for
each student, but economics can make or break. My stepson went to
private schools until he found out what the private schools didn't
offer.... no auto shop, no wood shop, no computer programs, no work
study, etc. He transfered to a public school which had 17 different
computer programs, several auto shop programs, etc. Police, fire and
medical explorer programs, etc.

Private schools seem to be interested in accelerated classes. My kid
had so much home work that he was up late, beginning when he arrived
home and breaking for dinner, doing homework. I swear, the kid never
had a real childhood from the time he was about 7 until he graduated.
There are many great teachers across the nation, and many who started
out as great teachers with the best of intentions. Unfortunately, the
Teachers Union was and I believe is, more concerned with higher pay
and more time off than in the students. Add in text books written by
idiots who say George Washington discovered America, and Alan Alda was
an astronaut....

There are great schools systems and shoddy ones. We need to redirect
priorities. I'd sure love to see kids be able to handle finances ,
balance their checkbook, and boil water when they graduate. Not how
fast they can spend the minimum wages. Much rather they attended a
prom without feeling they have to go by limo. That their parents
better co-sign for a brand new car

We have good kids in this country if only they were influenced better.
As it stands now, if this country ever hits really hard times, there
will be a large number of lost souls who will likely either learn to
prey on others, or will become prey.

In article >, Spike wrote:

> There are great schools systems and shoddy ones. We need to redirect
> priorities. I'd sure love to see kids be able to handle finances ,
> balance their checkbook, and boil water when they graduate. Not how
> fast they can spend the minimum wages. Much rather they attended a
> prom without feeling they have to go by limo. That their parents
> better co-sign for a brand new car

Government schools are often designed to what is best for those in power
to remain in power along with those who put them there. That's all I am
going to say on the matter. Instead I'll just refer to two books, now
available online for free regarding how the school system has been
modified over the last century and a half.

http://www.johntaylorgatto.com/underground/
http://www.deliberatedumbingdown.com/

> We have good kids in this country if only they were influenced better.
> As it stands now, if this country ever hits really hard times, there
> will be a large number of lost souls who will likely either learn to
> prey on others, or will become prey.

We are pretty much there now, except right now it's more financial than
physical. It's almost a constant message of screw over the other guy to
get more money.