Teachers Give Proposed College Prep Curriculum an "F"

Parents Forum
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<p><a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/education/la-me-prep29may29,1,6636494.story?page=1&coll=la-news-learning%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.latimes.com/news/education/la-me-prep29may29,1,6636494.story?page=1&coll=la-news-learning&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

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The Board of Education is expected to vote in June on the proposal, which would require all students to take the 15 high school courses needed for acceptance into the University of California or California State University systems. Students would be required to take four years of English, three years of math, two years of history, science and foreign language, and a year of visual and performing arts and advanced electives.

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<p>Personally, I agree. Not all students are intending to go into higher education. However, something has to be done about the continual disintegration of the state of education as a whole. </p>

<p>I was talking to one of the counselors at my school just the other day, he's disenfranchised with the whole education system and told me that he would strongly discourage his children not to go into education. The system, as it stands, is incredibly excessive and unproductive. So, then, what can we do?</p>

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<p>This seems to me to closely parallel what Bill Gates said in a truly inspiring speech I happened to hear. I cannot put into words how greatly I respect what he is doing philanthropically re secondary education in this country (regardless of what one might think of the role of Microsoft in our world).</p>

<p>Bill Gates at National Education Summit on High Schools
[quote]
America’s high schools are obsolete. </p>

<p>By obsolete, I don’t just mean that our high schools are broken, flawed, and under-funded ... By obsolete, I mean that our high schools – even when they’re working exactly as designed – cannot teach our kids what they need to know today... Our high schools were designed fifty years ago to meet the needs of another age. Until we design them to meet the needs of the 21st century, we will keep limiting – even ruining – the lives of millions of Americans every year. </p>

<p>Today, only one-third of our students graduate from high school ready for college, work, and citizenship. The other two-thirds, most of them low-income and minority students, are tracked into courses that won’t ever get them ready for college or prepare them for a family-wage job... </p>

<p>In district after district, wealthy white kids are taught Algebra II while low-income minority kids are taught to balance a check book! The first group goes on to college and careers; the second group will struggle to make a living wage.... Thanks to dedicated teachers and principals around the country, the best-educated kids in the United States are the best-educated kids in the world. We should be proud of that. But only a fraction of our kids are getting the best education. </p>

<p>Once we realize that we are keeping low-income and minority kids out of rigorous courses, there can be only two arguments for keeping it that way – either we think they can’t learn, or we think they’re not worth teaching. The first argument is factually wrong; the second is morally wrong. </p>

<p>For the sake of our young people and everyone who will depend on them – we must stop rationing education in America..... </p>

<p>In the international competition to have the biggest and best supply of knowledge workers, America is falling behind. </p>

<p>That is the heart of the economic argument for better high schools. It essentially says: “We’d better do something about these kids not getting an education, because it’s hurting us.” But there’s also a moral argument for better high schools, and it says: “We’d better do something about these kids not getting an education, because it’s hurting them.” </p>

<p>Today, most jobs that allow you to support a family require some postsecondary education. This could mean a four-year college, a community college, or technical school. Unfortunately, only half of all students who enter high school ever enroll in a postsecondary institution. </p>

<p>That means that half of all students starting high school today are unlikely to get a job that allows them to support a family.

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<a href="http://www.gatesfoundation.org/MediaCenter/Speeches/BillgSpeeches/BGSpeechNGA-050226.htm%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.gatesfoundation.org/MediaCenter/Speeches/BillgSpeeches/BGSpeechNGA-050226.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Mr. Gates is, of course, putting his money where his mouth is. Let's hope it will have the desired effect.</p>

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<p>"So, then, what can we do?"</p>

<p>Stop making excuses for why schools are failing their students and do not give up until all what is rotten in the current system has been eliminated. </p>

<p>But mosly do not give up caring about the future. As corny as it sounds, as long as we care about others, there will be hope.</p>

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<p>here's my favorite article about what is wrong with US schools. "Why Nerds are Unpopular"
<a href="http://www.paulgraham.com/nerds.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.paulgraham.com/nerds.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

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<p>Thank you for the article, texas. I was a nerd and never understood why until now. I helplessly watched my darling D go through this as one of only 7 new 7th graders in her school, a year younger and a helluva lot smarter than all of them. She internalized a few lessons from that experience. First, never trust teachers or advisors. They don't protect you because they refuse to acknowledge that such cruelty exists. Second, if you don't want to be attacked by sharks OR queen bees, never show you're bleeding. She still doesn't to anyone at school and she's a junior.</p>

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<p>Xiggi, thumbs up. There is nothing corny about caring. That is what great leadership is all about.</p>

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<p>Texas- wow thats so true. I can remember thinking to myself in the 7th grade that if I had to choose between being popular and being intelligent, I would choose being intelligent because its just more important. I was never sure why, I just thought that. Once I got to high school it didnt matter to me in the least.</p>

<p>My little sister is the polar opposite. Sigh.</p>

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<p>I completely agree with everything in that article</p>

<p>I regard HS and middle school as a sort of alcatraz.</p>

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<p>I'm not sure what it is about my school, but nerds are perfectly cool. We're a standard public highschool, but there's absolutely no pressure to dumb down- and the most bullying I've ever encountered is the bullying to join math team. It's very different from the atmosphere of the school my brothers and sister went to, to say the least.</p>

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<p>
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the most bullying I've ever encountered is the bullying to join math team

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<p>those math team bullies! They just want to get you in their clutches and brainwash you into their cult! ;)</p>

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<p>My two S's have attended public schools for highly capable kids since grade 1. I am a big advocate. It was not until nearly middle school age that they realized there was a difference between their school and other schools. They got to be athletes, elected to school counsels, be popular etc., with little or no distinction based on smartness, all the kids were smart, it was just a given. There was no bullying, teasing, or discounting. When they got to more mixed middle and high school environments, they easily fit in because they did not consider themselves, nor carry themselves (as described in the article) as nerds. I have seen this repeated time and again for others as well as my own kids. One can be smart without being considered a nerd, if the environment will support it.</p>