15 replies to this topic

[Panpay]

President Brack Obama wants to extend the school year, but is that really a good choice. I wouldn't really like it because it would cut my summer vacation short. How about you?

[Obliv1ousmAn]

hmmm im out of school and I wish hell on the little punks who would ask for help when I was nappin soooo Im neutral in this

[Auzzie Wingman]

Only if it means that a day gets added to the weekend.But I don't live in america, so it doesn't matter.

[The Mothman]

I might be a college student now, but I still oppose such things. Let kids be kids. If they're stuck in class throughout the Summer, they're more likely to go insane. All work and no play makes you a dull boy.

[Ragamuffin]

So no, I'm not really for extending the school year. What I am in favor of is revising the education system to actually teach students how to think, and for the US in general to move away from the respect of ignorance that seems to exist.

Haha, oh man I feel sorry for those in middle/high school today.Not just the "education" they receive, but the overprotective nature of political correctness coupled with raging hormones sand hurt feelings make for way too much unnecessary drama and lawsuits. Let's be honest; most teachers would be lost without their precious answer key, and that needs to be changed. I once (nicely) corrected a teacher for mixing up two units of measure and got suspended for a week because I was "being disruptive". Either start teaching more relevant information (sorry, but why am I required to learn French when I live in a country that doesn't speak it?), or hire more competent teachers. Of course, there's the whole wages issue; a highly-qualified would-be teacher isn't going to live off of a 30k/year salary just because their job is "honorable", that just doesn't cut it anymore.But, like with so many other things, only so many fingers can be pointed in a single direction. Look at all the protective parents and "concerned mothers" who storm in and stir up all sorts of needless, and often baseless controversy. Look at how your average 15 year old has to "wait foreeeeeeeeever" because his computer takes a whole 90 seconds to boot up. The term "instant gratification nation" comes to mind, dunno who coined it, so I'll just pretend that I did. I could see school taking place in a virtual setting, hiring renowned professors to make nationwide lesson plans that could be viewed at any time, place, etc. etc. Not only could that basically synchronize the national school system's lesson plan, but would shut adult singles up about paying taxes for public schools, end cries of bullying, all that jazz. Of course, that would mean that parents would actually have to *gasp* get involved with their kid's life, so it'll never happen.I don't know, I'm just sort of rambling off the top of my head here.

I think, if it means that Americans will be better educated (in relation to international students), it is a good idea. We are falling desperately far behind the Europeans and Southeast Asians in our education system. We will soon lose our economic lead if we do not improve quickly.

Um, the US has already fallen behind economy wise.Also, not for nothing, but I always hear the "dumb yanks" chestnut from Eurofags and arrogant US citizens, but I'm pretty sure that stupidity knows no borders. On that note, "formal" education # intelligence, but that's another issue. It reminds me of Americans who talk about how much of a failure our education system is, then scoff when they find out one doesn't have a college degree. Tell me if you can understand that logic, because I sure can't.