No Child Left Behind...

[Galen]

It does seem that everyone each has their own opinion of this issue.

Last week's local paper stated that Norwich pays $8,250 per child to fund the local school system, and yet this past year the state-wide testing scores dropped 10% - 20% (depending on subject and grade level).

One of our children's teacher last year was terrible, she did not know how to control her classroom at all. Once while speaking with me, she told me that she had been a teacher in a neighboring school system, but had moved here because of the higher salary. Now she could afford to purchase her own home, whereas before she could not.

Our kids (those that are public schooled) spend two weeks at a time doing the 'Connecticut Masters Testing', they do this three times each year. For a total of spending six years each year repeating the same tests, over and over again. All in the hopes of getting higher test scores. So much time spent practicing a test, rather then spent on vocabulary, or spelling, or penmanship, or math.

So long as a child attends school through-out the year, requiring the school to pass that child on to the next grade-level; is something that these teachers dont seem to like.

But then again, being a Homeschooler and fighting the public school system at every step with our foster children; I really dont care what these public-school-teachers say or want.

As I have posted here previously. Working with these kids over the weekends and during the summer, we have done far more educating, than the public system has been able to do, or would ever think of doing.

Once this past school year, an elementary principal started to tell me that she was so proud of how much her school had improved our youngest child. As it happened, a Local School Board member was in her office. I faced her down, and within 3 minutes, she admited that her system had not done anything to educate any child and that my family had to fight her every step of the way. It really ticked me off, that this idiot would dare to take credit when they spend 2 days a week on multi-culturalism, 1 day each week is DARE, 1 day is "Dont make fun of me", and then they spend 6 weeks each year practicing the state testing.

:-)

Public school's have a lot of 'issues'.

My family has been in America going back to 1790 on one side, and back to the Mayflower on the other side. I am the first generation in my family to have been publically schooled and I am the last. I really dont think that this 'experiment' is working well, at all.

[Cindy!]

Yep Galen...but there are still a few of us who DARE to try and make a difference in the public school system.

I totally admire your ability and resources to homeschool....wish I could do the same.

However...so many families do not have that option....which is why public school teachers like me and krys and many others try to make a difference.

As a Mom of four, I can honestly say that I share your view of many many public school administrators and etc... but most parents have no clue of their parental rights. And make NO difference. I have been in the office of those administrators who would take full credit for MY fight to get my kids what they deserve.

I have also been in the office of administrators who worked magic when the parents WOULD NOT participate in their child's education.

This isn't a two sided coin....it is many faceted. As a public school teacher who cares...I ask you, Galen, to not blame the entire system for the acts of those who do not care.

But Galen...please understand...I am so proud of your ability to homeschool and the stand you take for your kids.

I have kids too...I stand and fight for them and am often extremely unpopular with the teachers and administration where my kids are.(BOY could I tell you stories!!!)

See...I KNOW my rights...I enforce them as a parent.

I also am a teacher and enforce my rights there to teach my students. My rebel stance has cost me two jobs so far.

[washingtonweather]

dont worry Cindy--the shortage is job security...

[Galen]

Cindy-

“I totally admire your ability and resources to homeschool....wish I could do the same.”

Thank you, maam.

“As a Mom of four, I can honestly say that I share your view of many public school administrators and etc... but most parents have no clue of their parental rights. And make NO difference. I have been in the office of those administrators who would take full credit for MY fight to get my kids what they deserve.”

It is my humble opinion that ‘most’ parents don’t care. Apathy is rampant and growing in our nation.

“This isn't a two sided coin....it is many faceted. As a public school teacher who cares...I ask you, Galen, to not blame the entire system for the acts of those who do not care.”

I did not mean to be blaming them ALL. I apologize if it sounded like I was.

“I have kids too...I stand and fight for them and am often extremely unpopular with the teachers and administration where my kids are.(BOY could I tell you stories!!!)”

Bonnie wrote in the textbooks of our 6th grade girl (Sam). During the first few weeks, Sam was very embarrassed, but later each time they began a new topic in social studies, the teacher would ask Sam, what her mother had written about this topic.

Sam’s ‘science’ class divides itself into the following topics: soil pollution, air pollution, water pollution, ‘something else I don’t remember’ and can Giaia heal herself?

I asked her ‘science’ teacher about these topics, and she told me that in keeping modern these are the primary divisions of science now days.

“I also am a teacher and enforce my rights there to teach my students. My rebel stance has cost me two jobs so far.”

Keep up the good work.

[krys]

quote:

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Sam’s ‘science’ class divides itself into the following topics: soil pollution, air pollution, water pollution, ‘something else I don’t remember’ and can Giaia heal herself?

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That's the whole curriculum for the year? What a great way to scare the life out of 6th graders...but at least they named the goddess they worship!