Obama goes back to school

[Kuya]

So, about that healthcare.

[Rhinox]

NyuckNyuckNyuckNyuckNyuck

[wipers]

I hate to admit it but some people are just stupid. No amount of education can help some people. Doesn't matter how good the teachers are or how the information is presented. IQ scores don't lie.

[Caiyuo]

Posted this on FFXIAH as a similar topic popped up, but it seems applicable here as well:

To speak further to Katar's point in the last few posts regarding socialism and Fox News, you'd think the people who continually buy into whatever random claim is the new trend against the President would start to get a little mad that whoever they're bed led by doesn't mind lying to them and making them look like fools in the public eye.

When the President has to face angry parents because he wants to tell them to stay in school (on-topic?!) you must admit there's more to this than simply having strong beliefs about politics. lol There are already multiple districts in the country that have declined to air his speech which is frankly sad and pathetic. The baseless hate is very thinly veiled at this point. I'm not implying racism, but whatever it is based upon, it's immaturity at best and flat-out hate at worst.

These people aren't magically acting in unison, they're following whatever they're being told by show hosts and their totally awesome, grassrewtz emails that encourage "taking America back." lol The far right are just being incredibly sore losers and making the entire right wing look like a side-show, so if conservatives have some friggin sense they'd start condemning the morons that are making them look like trash. Their public image can't handle much more. lol

More than I intended to write, and I'm sorry for pulling things off-track, but I felt it was an important point to make.

[wipers]

Anyone extreme always stands out. Doesn't matter if you are on the left or the right. Most people don't take their politics that far. I like to think that people use common sense and analyze things before they make up their minds.

[Marootsoobutsu]

Look... I dislike Clinton and Obama as much as damn-near everyone. But, unlike either Bush, both made their way largely on them taking advantage of educational opportunities. Bush I did, as well, but Clinton and Obama, especially, are much closer to self-made men. And, while I'd rather people thought of Obama as the President, instead of the first black President, the fact that he *is* a minority, and that education and perseverance *did* play such a huge role in his success is something that has a much better chance to hit home. You can't sit back and say it's only for whitey any more, and that's a huge step.


From the corrections I've read, I'm glad the controversy came up, though, because as much as I approve of Obama's speech (at least from what he's said it will be about)-- and even if he goes into political ideas, good; he's the President, that's expected-- I did *NOT* approve of the suggested topics for discussion, because they were all hugely partisan or cult-of-personality. The changed questions I've read so far removed the bias, and made the questions about the topic, not Obama. That, it seems to me, is a good thing. The (thinking) right got what they wanted; Obama still gets to do something worthwhile, the DoE is putting out a (frankly better) discussion point to help things along; everyone's a winner.

Are there nut jobs upset that Obama's speaking, just because it fits the "President Obama is [insert action here] [insert time of action here]" formula and object on that basis? Sure. Don't pretend there weren't just as many people on the left doing that for every Republican president, too. That seems a moot point. I think a fair objection came up here, it was protested, and corrected to something the left and the right can pretty much agree is sound.

[Beckwin]

The lesson plan material is extremely neutral and deals mostly with (such partisan) things like setting goals for yourself and working hard in school.

any outrage over this is faux and pretty much ridiculous (and likely racist).

anyhow I think I'm gonna use some of the material for my more advanced ESL students; good listening comprehension and can deal with some sequencing mechanics for writing and whatnot.

[kareface]

I think a fair objection came up here, it was protested, and corrected to something the left and the right can pretty much agree is sound.

What was the basis for the 'fair' objection? I'm having trouble seeing one, help me out here. Also, is English your second language? (not intended as an insult, just really hard to understand what you type)

[Skjie]

Definitely back to glassing America and starting again in 50 years.

[Kerberoz]

http://memegenerator.net/Instances/8...E-FOR-THAT.jpg

[Marootsoobutsu]

The fair objection was parents concerned with the department of education seeming to suggest praising Obama and what he's doing, rather than suggesting lesson plans that would challenge students to research things themselves, discuss differing opinions, etc... Do I think the right would have been protesting if Bush and Co. had done this? No, probably not; I'm sure that the left would have, though, and they would be right to do so.

Education is supposed to teach you how to think and reason, not tell you "this is what you must think." So, yes, I think the initial objection is fair, and most of the conservatives I know have dropped the issue since learning about the changes. Because what they were objecting to isn't an issue any more (though I'm sure the attempt will be brought up).

[Stumblingdrunk]

The fair objection was parents concerned with the department of education seeming to suggest praising Obama and what he's doing,

Education is supposed to teach you how to think and reason, not tell you "this is what you must think."

There was nothing suggesting the children praise obama or what he's doing. Congrats on thinking for yourself and regurgitating the same unfounded accusations you were told to though.

[thestalkmore]

People who talk like this have never had the immense pleasure of disagreeing with their teacher as a kid.

Good luck doing that no matter what their political leaning.

I got suspended for suggesting that democracy is not the penultimate political system.

In the 4th grade.

hm

[kareface]

The fair objection was parents concerned with the department of education seeming to suggest praising Obama and what he's doing

Where did come from? Who suggested that Obama should be praised?

[Caiyuo]

On a side note, can parents not control their kids if they actually thought the President was trying to indoctrinate them? lol Oh gaawsh, he made a speech, we're fucked, may as well leave them at the grand canyon so as not to allow these little socialist zombies to grow and destroy mah freedoms.

Totally reminds me of that episode of Always Sunny.

[Olo401]

On a side note, can parents not control their kids if they actually thought the President was trying to indoctrinate them? lol Oh gaawsh, he made a speech, we're fucked, may as well leave them at the grand canyon so as not to allow these little socialist zombies to grow and destroy mah freedoms.

Totally reminds me of that episode of Always Sunny.

If you will, imagine the conversation I had with my mom when I came home from school after hearing Reagan's little diatribe about tax cuts.

[ZarakiKujata]

Considering the Democrat's incredibly weak position on education (aka "just give the teacher unions more money!") and history of using young children for political benefit (staged question with the little girl who asks why people are being "mean" with their signs that don't support obama... that turns out to be the daughter of a big obama supporter), you can't claim people are being "crazy".

If democrats have shown they haven't cared about education in the past and that they have also shown that they are willing to use little kids as pawns in their political game, who says they aren't going to do it again?

You clearly have no idea WHAT you are talking about lol. Arne Duncan, Obama's Secretary of Education is by no means a friend of the teachers unions precisely because he didn't just give them cash monies in Chicago. And sorry but EVERYBODY in politics has staged questions/antics regardless of their position.

How do Republicans care more than democrats about education? When our schools are so underfunded(due in some part to overpriced healthcare and the military industrial complex which are both the fault of both parties) and history is constantly being whitewashed (i.e. what Olo brought up w/ Reagan/Nixon) you can't just blame shit on the Democrats. Both parties are equally fucktarded on education but I'd rather throw my support behind the party that does more than just expect high standards without providing money to solve the problem. Look at what Arne Duncan wants to do with his stimulus money in the Dept of Education vs No Child Left Behind.

Also just throwing this out there, so called socialist systems in Europe sure seem to educate their kids a lot better than we do.

[Dareus]

Just because he is the President, or he is famous, doesn't mean his words will have a lasting effect on anyone or they are right. I say idolizing because it seems because he is of the famous or governmental stature that we should listen to him.

So Obama telling kids "stay in school!" won't have a lasting effect, but his subversive plot to teach them about health care will and voting for him will? /boggle

[Ksandra]

Calling NCLB a "Republican" program is largely inaccurate. Though, let's look at it realistically. Before, teachers weren't teaching students anything. Today, they at least teach the test.

A true education reform package would be destroying the Department of Education with the biggest explosives one could find, implementing nationwide voucher programs, cutting funding for K-12 schools, and providing more funding for need and merit-based aid via grants and loans for undergraduate students.

Before you start talking about whether or not kids across America should be listening to Obama September 8th, at least admit Democrats don't know the first thing about education reform. They know quite a lot, however, about teacher unions.

That's one reason of many why I don't think Obama has anything productive to say.

It's really hard to tell, considering the massive pile of fail you post all the time. But I think this just might be the dumbest one you've said so far.

Unless you live in a cave (which I'm starting to think you do with one black n' white tv that only shows fox news), you should have heard the term "Dumbing down of America". Which is EXACTLY what NCLB is doing.

NCLB has made it so that if a student does poorly in your class NO MATTER what, it is the teacher's fault. Doesn't matter if that student is LD (which are being forced to be included into the regular ed classes), doesn't matter if the student never shows up to the class, doesn't matter if the student is high everytime he/she comes into class, doesn't matter if the kid is just very very slow. It's now always always always the teacher's fault.

And now teachers can get fired if a certain amount of their students fail the class, because of NCLB.


So, what happens? Teachers are making their lesson plans easier and easier and easier, to make sure ALL kids pass. Fuck the smart ones that won't have a fucking clue when they reach college because of this, we have to make sure the idiot that goes partying every weekend gets a C so we don't get fired. Instead of pushing students to learn, teachers are going as slow as the slowest student to make sure everyone passes, even if they learned very little.


And no "state tests" are not hard they are lower leveled tiered, so "teaching to the test" is a terrible terrible way to challenge students, and help the bright ones learn.


My advice to Leif, actually do some fucking research outside of Fox News before you open your mouth and let all your green puss come out. You might actually not sound so ignorant.

[Talka]

Also just throwing this out there, so called socialist systems in Europe sure seem to educate their kids a lot better than we do.

Exactly! I think they're doing it right!

Europeans can say whatever they want on television, even show nudity, and nobody throws a fit.

Europeans just protest when they want shit done, and it happens (ex. when the French don't like a law, they make sure the world knows it, and the law doesn't get passed).

Europeans are ahead of us in education. They take harder classes at younger ages, and they seem to be ok with that. Why can't we?

Europeans are not incredibly poor, despite paying a large amount of their salaries to taxes.

I'm seeing a trend here.