Care to comment on "Bad Education?"  Let Us Know!

Still working on it, but here are my comments on education from the 2008 Presidential Survey that I took the time to fill out.

Education IS in the vital interest of the general welfare - but FEDERAL involvement should be limited to setting standards, and regulating access and implementation of those standards, NOT doling out dollars.

Schools are paid for by property taxes. The current system of State and FEDERAL funding HAS NOT improved the quality of schools or education but has only made things more complicated and expensive (administratively). It has also created and supported a powerful teacher's lobby to muck up all manner of things - not the least of which is the quality of education.

As to educational standards - the first standard should be regarding the quality of TEACHERS. Teachers should be required to pass minimum standards (High School Levels) in ALL educational disciplines before being granted a license to educate our children. After all, how can one expect a teacher to educate children when they, themselves, cannot even pass the general standards they are attempting to teach?

In their announced educational field, they should be required to test out at Associate level (Preschool and Elementary School) or Bachelor level (High School) at a minimum. Masters degree and Doctoral degree would not be required, but would garner higher wages.

- the next standard would require testing for advancement of students from Elementary school to High School, and to receive a High School Diploma. This testing WOULD NOT be done by the schools or the states, but by the Federal Government. Students would report to a government testing facility and would take the test in monitored cubicles, one subject at a time. The student could take as long as they need to complete each subject - no time limit - and the entire test would not have to be taken at once. If they only wanted to test out on one subject per week, that would be fine, but NO ADVANCEMENT or DIPLOMA would be granted until the entire test is taken and passed.

The test could also be taken at any time by the student - they would not have to wait if they are an accelerated student. Testing between grades would not be required by Federal standards, but not prohibited either.

- The final standard would be in relation to merit pay for Teachers. Better teachers should be paid more. All teachers should be required to maintain a minimum level of education and performance, but those who excel should be recognized and rewarded for their efforts and achievements.

As to regulations:
The above standards would be the first regulation imposed and monitored.

All STATE SPONSORED (Public) schools would be required to standardize. Failure to meet these standards would require MANDATORY expenditures to bring them up to speed. The State WOULD NOT be allowed to close a school, rather than bring it up to code. If the State had been operating that school in a substandard way up to that point, they will be required to operate it according to the regulations. (And the State officials responsible for previous conditions should have their performances audited, possibly resulting in legal charges being brought.)

Home schools and private schools would be exempt from the following regulations, but would receive NO State funds and students must still adhere to advancement standards. Private and Home schools would be exempt from corporate taxes, provided they meet (or exceed) these minimum standards:

1.) Schools must have adequate lighting, heating, cooling, and maintenance.
2.) School Uniforms required - Teachers and Administrators, included. Supplied to those who can demonstrate a need for assistance. No uniform, no admittance to the building. Uniforms reduce (if not eliminate) many 'economic' prejudices, and has a tendency to bring everyone closer together. It may stifle (to some degree) personal expression and taste - but the focus of school attendance is EDUCATION, not style.  It will also help to identify persons who are not authorized to be on the school grounds.
3.) Main entrances MANNED by trained security personnel, secondary exits (locked from the outside, no handle, alarmed pushbar on inside) video monitored by dedicated personnel. All elementary and secondary campuses CLOSED, with outdoor areas fenced. High School campuses also closed, but advanced grades/students may be permitted monitored passes for work or outside studies. GATED and MANNED entry into school grounds. No unauthorized vehicles.
4.) Adequate assigned adult hall and assembly area monitors wherever students gather when not in classes - physically capable of handling emergencies and breaking up altercations. Video monitoring of all other areas.
5.) No electrical devices (cell phones, blackberries, I-pods, radios, walkmans, laptops, etc.) in classrooms EXCEPT a calculator which cannot be used for anything other than a calculator.
6.) Curriculum based upon federal standards and distributed via Internet, free of charge to ALL schools (including home and private schools) No mandatory sex education requirement, but optionally available. Mandatory "Comparative Religion" and "Comparative Culture" courses.
7.) Maximum ratio of students: teacher = 20:1. Larger classrooms will require 1 TA per 10 additional students.
8.) School breakfast and lunch provided for ALL students at cost. No sugar dominant or any corn syrup products. No soda or candy machines. No fast food. Low income children may be given free breakfast and/or lunch upon demonstrated need.
9.) Mandatory physical education classes for all students to include self defense and safety regimens. Students with verifiable MEDICAL conditions may substitute therapeutic PE. Students with developmental problems (weight, social, psychological) may take separate PE designed to build the skills necessary to "fit in" until their confidence level/ability improves. Students WILL have the option, on their own recognizance, of opting out of separate PE and joining the regular classes at any time, but ALL STUDENTS must attend SOME form of PE.
10.) Cities/Districts will maintain at least ONE special needs school for developmentally disabled public students, and at least ONE "detention" school for behavioral disabled students. ALL suspensions and expulsions will defer students to the "detention" school for the duration of their suspension or expulsion - no throw-away kids. These "detention" schools will be segregated by sex and maintain an 8:1 student-teacher ratio, and include etiquette and emotional management courses, and problem specific counseling instead of PE or free periods. The key to detention schools will be to eliminating distractions and focusing on the individual students' ability to overcome their academic difficulties. All kids have the ability to learn.
11.) Students must maintain a minimum "C" grade point average in all classes to be eligible to participate in extracurricular school activities. No waivers. A return to the "A, B, C, D, I and F" grading system (based on percentage of scoring, without 'curves') is essential.
12.) Mandatory minimum 10 year sentence, without parole, for sexual abuse of a child or intentional physical abuse of a child resulting in injury, to include lifetime revocation of teaching license. Physical abuse of a child will not include injury inflicted while attempting to subdue a student in the process of assault, battery, intimidation or physical destruction of property.

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