oldthom - Education

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There is political bias in academia. You bet! Teacher's unions make it so; tenure makes it so; competition makes it so; funding makes it so ...

All-day kindergarten should not be mandatory. Studies show the average child is not emotionally, physically or mentally prepared for that kind of duration. Numerous studies say the ability to learn may increase but has no bearing on reading, writing, language or the arts. It is more important to focu

There should be a foreign language requirement in public schools. At the very least to be able to communicate with our neighbors: English, French and Spanish.

Public schools should not require students to wear uniforms. They should have standards that limit extremes, but not uniforms.

Reading should be taught through the whole language approach. As a teacher at one time in my life I can say from my perspective the only lasting achievements were produced from the classic whole language approach. Phonetic learning was valid for a small number of students, so it should not be abandoned, but the basi

Schools should not practice social promotion. All I can do is echo the findings of the NASP: "Both grade retention and social promotion fail to improve learning or facilitate positive achievement and adjustment outcomes. Neither repeating a grade nor merely moving on to the next grade provides stude

Universal preschool should not be free in America. It should not have to exist at all! Making it free would encourage people to abandon their children altogether.

School districts should not give parents a choice of schools. This is misleading and is question about vouchers and using money earmarked for public schools to be used for private schools, no matter their use and function. It should be allowed within the public school system. We have that now where we live and works

Standardized tests are not an effective tool for measuring student learning. Standardization across all social levels and environments in our country? no such thing. We are a country of multi-________ (fill in the blank). No one test could ever possibly account for all our diversity.

The public school systems in America would not be improved if they were federalized. It is too large of a task with a state by state infrastructure already in place. One more layer of government is not going to help it would only detract and siphon more funds away from already cash-strapped catastrophe.

I rate America's education system "Unsatisfactory." Declining and moving into the middle ages with every new school year - yay thank you Bushaney!!! (actually started with cute, lovable Bonzo, err, wait, no the Ronnie show)

The No Child Left Behind Act should not be reauthorized. Only because I know the many provisions and adjustments as outlined FEA would never be implemented.

Schools should not punish students for not reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. I say drop the whole sorry thing and forget about it. Drop "under God", for we are not and maybe never have been, and put the thing on a gold plaque and hang it somewhere in the Smithsonian.

It is not acceptable for courses on the Bible to be taught in public schools. Take the Bible out of the public classroom. It does not belong there, period! It belongs at home, in the public library, in the church or a bookshop. The Bible as book, taught as a part of philosophy or history, yeah, but it itself taught, no! I don't wan

American schools should offer bilingual classes for native Spanish-speakers. I'll go one step further. I think we should require a second language be taught from the moment you enter school to the day you graduate from a four-year university! We are a multi-lingual society and yet we isolate ourselves from the world with one langu

States should not be forced to fund the federally mandated No Child Left Behind Act. A federal program is a federal program, period. But many problems have been uncovered as it applies to various states and areas within those states across our nation. Whether by design or accident it has been shown (FEA's joint statement released earlier

The federal government should increase higher education subsidies for low-income students. "Lower-income" is the key here, not "federal government" or "student". Fairness and opportunity start with a level playing ground and continues with success without end.

Race should be a factor in the university admission process. Are you kidding?! As long as racism is alive and well in this country (and this election proved it still is!) then by all means until we get it right! ... which may be never

The government should not issue vouchers for private school tuition. Private school is a choice one can make. I will not allow the government to spend my taxes on a school that is not part of the government sanctioned school program. You want your kids to go to a private school, fine, but do it with your own money.

Private schools should not receive public funding. Public does not equal private; private does not equal public. They are distinct for reason and we have the choice of either. One involves something you pay for with your taxes as a right and guarantee for all people whether you use it or not, and the othe

Prayer should not be permitted in public schools. I am a firm believer in the separation of church and state. Prayer no more belongs in school than does taxing the church.

Teachers should receive performance-based merit pay. In combination with incentives, like access to further training at the governments cost or loan, better benefits and a wage applicable for the area in which they are teaching.

The No Child Left Behind Act has not been effective. With a resounding: NOT! It should be scrapped completely. It was just a smokescreen used by Bushaney (Bush/Chaney) to further siphon funds out of education and into the hands of their corporate friends to fund the un-just wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Abstinence-only sex education should not be taught in schools. and Yes. It take a combination of efforts and guidance, it cannot be, as it has proven to be a disaster when only one approach is taken. Schools are not the place where morality and ethics are taught, but rather practiced and accepted. It starts in the ho

UNKNOWN: Are arts programs an essential part of education?

UNKNOWN: Should a school have the right to require that a student take Ritalin or similar drugs?

UNKNOWN: Which is the most effective method of education?

UNKNOWN: When should schools begin teaching sex education?

UNKNOWN: Should education have a higher priority in the federal budget than military spending?

UNKNOWN: Should the government offer cash incentives for better student performance?

UNKNOWN: Should public schools make contraceptives available to students?

UNKNOWN: Should high school students be required to pass an exit exam in order to earn a diploma?

UNKNOWN: Is the classroom an appropriate venue for teachers to express their political opinions?

UNKNOWN: Should race be a factor when assigning students to public schools?

UNKNOWN: Should the U.S. military be allowed to recruit in public high schools?

UNKNOWN: Should public schools be required to offer home economics?

UNKNOWN: Should the federal government guarantee sufficient financial aid for every college student?

UNKNOWN: What role should college entry exams play in admissions decisions?

UNKNOWN: Do parents have an obligation to pay for their children's college?

UNKNOWN: Is higher education a privilege or a right?