Being from NY but very interested in the quality of public education our children receive (or not), I favor many of the educational reforms which seem to be taking shape at varying speed in many of our 'states'. I would like to get a better feeling for the attitude of the 'taxpaying' public' here in Florida insofar as their satisfaction (or not) with the quality of education deliverables kids now receive.

Are our 'educators' doing a good job? Are our kids getting a good education? Could we do better and if so, How? Who? and Why? Is the current method of funding public education in this state fair and effective? If change should be considered; what would you recommend and why?

Come to Wisconsin where the newest Scottie proposal is no one needs a license to teach grades 6 through 12! It's a great idea! Why would anyone need to know about adolescent behavior or psychology or pedagogy? Teaching in Wisconsin is not what it used to be... and students suffer!

There are so many aspects to the question posed by the OP one wonders where best to start.

Its clear our education system is faltering badly . I also believe it is clear that there are many people/organizations responsible for this demise to a varying degree.

We would of course have to start with the family and their attitude toward education and educators. Most living in The villages were taught respect for teachers and taught that life was not fair and to creative in finding ways to get along. Also education was a very serious matter then s a means of determining how and how well you would spend the rest of your life. This was all possible because of traditional middle class values .

The teaching profession was once looked up with reverence it no longer is and they the teachers are responsible for that shift in attitude. The scandals that abound sexual abuse, cheating by teachers such in Georgia and the across the board decline in the quality of teachers are some but not all of the causes.

The cultural clashes of the 1960-70-80-90-2000+ have moved the educational agenda from teaching children to be responsible citizens to faddish cultural breeding with a strong anti-American bent. The cultural clashes continue and fringe liberals are actually trying to re-write history, that's what communist nations do.

Young people have no idea how our government/ political system operates because cultural diversity courses are more important then a civic course

The major factor that has interfered with the educational process has been public unions because for one they protect incompetent teachers and in fact have defended teachers found to be sexually abusing kids.

Another source of the problem is secularism because its focus is on making government god

Personal Best Regards:

I attended Catholic School as a kid and, bruised knuckles from the nuns notwithstanding, it put me on a path to success. I received a quality education.

My concern today is, given the secular liberal "religion" that is dominant on college campuses, education is being replaced with indoctrination. Increasingly, it tends towards the genuinely idiotic if not clinically insane.

Here's one example

California professors instructed not to say


Thus, two major policy changes are among what's needed to fix this problem.

1. Eliminate tenure nationwide ... make a teaching career dependent upon competence not longevity. The original intent was to protect academic freedom but that no longer applies given the rampant liberal orthodoxy which smothers universities today. Any deviation is punished harshly.

2. Mandate ideological diversity. Today, 90% plus of the faculty are leftists ... lets' redefine diversity laws to mandate an approximation to what the ideological makeup of the country is such that its' reflected in the faculty. I think that would put education back on the correct path. There would be a lot of caterwauling but that would subside after a full transition. It would also kill political correctness thankfully. (that alone makes it worthwhile)

Originally Posted by Guest

I attended Catholic School as a kid and, bruised knuckles from the nuns notwithstanding, it put me on a path to success. I received a quality education.

My concern today is, given the secular liberal "religion" that is dominant on college campuses, education is being replaced with indoctrination. Increasingly, it tends towards the genuinely idiotic if not clinically insane.

Here's one example

California professors instructed not to say


Thus, two major policy changes are among what's needed to fix this problem.

1. Eliminate tenure nationwide ... make a teaching career dependent upon competence not longevity. The original intent was to protect academic freedom but that no longer applies given the rampant liberal orthodoxy which smothers universities today. Any deviation is punished harshly.

2. Mandate ideological diversity. Today, 90% plus of the faculty are leftists ... lets' redefine diversity laws to mandate an approximation to what the ideological makeup of the country is such that its' reflected in the faculty. I think that would put education back on the correct path. There would be a lot of caterwauling but that would subside after a full transition. It would also kill political correctness thankfully. (that alone makes it worthwhile)

Every bit of what you say is true and accurate but first you have to boot out the unions. Secondly not only eliminate tenure but demand that college professors teach. Far too many leave teaching to interns while they do research for grants etc.

Catholic schools have been very successful not only with middle class students but also have done well elevating those coming from poor neighborhoods

Personal Best Regards:

Originally Posted by Guest

I attended Catholic School as a kid and, bruised knuckles from the nuns notwithstanding, it put me on a path to success. I received a quality education.

My concern today is, given the secular liberal "religion" that is dominant on college campuses, education is being replaced with indoctrination. Increasingly, it tends towards the genuinely idiotic if not clinically insane.

Here's one example

California professors instructed not to say


Thus, two major policy changes are among what's needed to fix this problem.

1. Eliminate tenure nationwide ... make a teaching career dependent upon competence not longevity. The original intent was to protect academic freedom but that no longer applies given the rampant liberal orthodoxy which smothers universities today. Any deviation is punished harshly.

2. Mandate ideological diversity. Today, 90% plus of the faculty are leftists ... lets' redefine diversity laws to mandate an approximation to what the ideological makeup of the country is such that its' reflected in the faculty. I think that would put education back on the correct path. There would be a lot of caterwauling but that would subside after a full transition. It would also kill political correctness thankfully. (that alone makes it worthwhile)

Now, just remember ehat the doctor in the white coat told you to do. Take two of the green pills and one white pill. You will soon feel as though everyone is not against you.

Originally Posted by Guest

Now, just remember ehat the doctor in the white coat told you to do. Take two of the green pills and one white pill. You will soon feel as though everyone is not against you.

Here's an example of genuine compassion for low-income inner city students, vs the usual liberal hot air.

Awesome: Inner-City All Boys School Sends Every Graduate to College - Christine Rousselle

Instead of the bigotry of low expectations routinely exhibited by liberals for black people, and instead of making excuses, the Jesuits actually put these young kids on a disciplined path to success, vs a life on drugs, poverty and violence.