US public schools.

[Reds]

the fact that US public schools are some of the worst in the world if proof there is no equial oppernunity hear.

[Organic Revolution]

ok... i dont get your post though

[Hachi-Go]

Bad, Yes. I have to roll my eyes throughout 20th century history, and speaking to my friends on what they know is terrifying? Worst in the world? Now thats hyperbolic rhetoric. Its not much but we're still leagues ahead of nations like Iran, North Korea and the PRC.

[Organic Revolution]

PRC?? (http://www.prc.gov/)

[Reds]

I think he meant peoples repulic of china.

North K maby but are schools are still on the sam level as Zimbabway.

[praxis1966]

Eh, it's like anything else, man. You get out of it what you put into it. Of course, there is alot of erroneous information spread in social science classes, but I challenge you to point out any colonial power where that isn't the case. On the other hand, there are plenty of upper level science and mathematics courses to be had in public schools if you're willing to kill yourself with homework in order to get into them.

[Reds]

Originally posted by [email protected] 26 2005, 01:03 AM
Eh, it's like anything else, man. You get out of it what you put into it.
Only in privet schools.

[timbaly]

Public schools in the United States are a mixed bag. You can not make over generalized statements about them. The quality of schools varies by region of the country. It also varies by whether or not the school is in the inner city, suburbs or rural area. Even within major cities schools vary greatly. Many cities have specialized schools for the more dedicated students and academically qualified. There are high level courses available in many public schools but not all, an as praxis1966 said if you take them they are usually challenging and always have time consuming work.

[praxis1966]

Originally posted by Reds+Aug 25 2005, 08:35 PM--> (Reds @ Aug 25 2005, 08:35 PM)
[email protected] 26 2005, 01:03 AM
Eh, it's like anything else, man. You get out of it what you put into it.
Only in privet schools. [/b]
I suppose then you've never been to my home town. Around here, because the private schools have a history of hiring uncertified teachers (ie hiring people with PR/advertising degrees to teach math), private school graduates are required to take GED tests in order to get diplomas. A couple of them have been around for decades and still can't manage to change their hiring practices in order to win state accreditation.

Not only that, but there are no secular private schools, not one. All of these, even Panama City Christian which is non-denominational, require some study of religious manuals (I say manuals instead of Bibles since we do have a Muslim school here).

At any rate, the local charter school (a fancy way of saying that the state is paying a corporation to run a school) is equally as bad. The student teacher ratio is something like five to seven students higher at every grade level than any other grade level in the district, and its students score in the neighborhood of 30% lower on state mandated standardized tests than the other schools in the district.

Furthermore, all of the public schools in this district offer a great variety of advanced classes, and none of the private schools do. We have a school which is a participant in the International Baccalaureate program, which means that graduates of this program can transfer their college level coursework anywhere in the world. This includes places like Oxford University and the University of Vienna, to name a couple. Also, I was personally enrolled in various Advanced Placement classes at my own high school where the curriculum is layed out by professors at Princeton University. Yet another high school here has it's own culinary academy.

Finally, I'm quite certain that this town is at least somewhat indicative of other school districts across the country. Where there's smoke there's fire as the saying goes. Yet, for some reason, people like you seem stuck with the preconcieved notion that private schools in the the U$ are somehow intrinsically better than their public counterparts. Since you appear to be afflicted with this disease as well, maybe you could explain it to me.

[Decolonize The Left]

I am a product of private schooling and the international bilingual baccalaureate. Where I grew up, San Francisco, the private schools were leagues ahead of the public schools in all areas except, sometimes, sports. This isn't a generalization. You get a much better education if you go to private schools in California. Of course this cost my parents and grandparents all their savings, and now they have an anarchist on their hands. :D

But seriously, the public school system in California is a joke. And we have secular schools and religious schools, charter schools, everything.
Now if we are talking about "higher education" the playing field changes, as public schools offer large varieties of courses at a relatively low cost. Private schools will most likely provide a more well-rounded education (a liberal arts education if you will), but you can certainly get a degree at any public university.

It really depends on the state, but overall, the US public school system is pretty pathetic for the world power we are today. Future generations will suffer from this, but perhaps this is the idea: make public schools so bad privatization looks good.

-- August