Were schools under this much parental scrutiny when we were students?

[Anonymous]

I don't remember my parents getting into such detail when evaluating schools. My parents just wanted to know when we had to have our tables memorized.
I sometimes wonder if all the scrutiny leads to a competitiveness among schools with higher costs (public and private) as the end result. The private schools might react by bring programs in so that e can say, 'we have that too'.

I just whish that some of the criticism were more constructive and about true academics. Instead we hear about quality of sports programs, social issues like FARMS, and the "gifted child". When I hear my homeschool friends talk about what they are doing with their kids, it is all about academics, a very different crowd. BTW, I am not home schooling, just know many who do.
I am not suggesting that schools should not be evaluated, but I just wish that it was more often on an academic level.

[Anonymous]

I agree with you about the homeschoolers focus. I thin kpart of it is that homeschoolers are in fact, teachers -- that's their job as homeschoolers -- to research the best curriculum for their children and then to teach the curriculum. SO of course that is what their focus is, same as if you go to your child's school and talk to their teachers. (ALthough granted most teachers don't get a huge say in what curriculum they teach -- usually they have to stick to the school/district/state curriculum)

And for us parents on the outside, unless we visit the school every day or have a background in teaching, it is very hard for us to have much of an opinion about curricular choices. It is also hard to know what is actually going on academically, except by visiting the school on Open House night and seeing what papers come home.

[Anonymous]

How are issues about gifted children not academic issues?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How are issues about gifted children not academic issues?

b/c everyone is "gifted" these days! IB for everyone, honors for everyone! pushing kids into AP courses!

Really- how can you even define gifted anymore when everyone is going to college? Forget the trades; heaven forbid you should become a "gifted" plumber or hairstylist.

On level courses are now skills level classes; honors are more like on level. AP scores of 3 are the average in many schools, which is OK, but in the big scheme of things, doesn't say much about who's truly gifted.

Basically, gifted means nothing!

[Anonymous]

In my day, you went to the catholic school your parents picked out and the one your siblings went to. Girls went to one school, boys the other. There was not choice because my SAHM would not drive to more than one school just for you and that was the "right" thing to do, God damn it.

[Anonymous]

Basically, gifted means nothing!

Well, it does mean something in a technical sense. It's just that most people don't use it that way and/or feel threatened if their child does not get the label. IMO, having a gifted child, my life as a parent would be a heck of a lot easier, if she were a more typical learner.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intellectual_giftedness

And I agree that the courses are very watered down. And having a gifted child, again, this is a problem for me and makes it VERY hard to get an appropriate education for her in our district.

But to the OP, yes I agree that schools were not always under such scrutiny. But I also think that schools did a lot of really messed up things. I can remember learning NOTHING from grade 3 - 7 and even after that I was never really challenged. Personally, I think that did a lot of damage to me and is something I am working to avoid for my child.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Basically, gifted means nothing!

Well, it does mean something in a technical sense. It's just that most people don't use it that way and/or feel threatened if their child does not get the label. IMO, having a gifted child, my life as a parent would be a heck of a lot easier, if she were a more typical learner.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intellectual_giftedness

And I agree that the courses are very watered down. And having a gifted child, again, this is a problem for me and makes it VERY hard to get an appropriate education for her in our district.

But to the OP, yes I agree that schools were not always under such scrutiny. But I also think that schools did a lot of really messed up things. I can remember learning NOTHING from grade 3 - 7 and even after that I was never really challenged. Personally, I think that did a lot of damage to me and is something I am working to avoid for my child.

And I honestly feel sorry for kids who are truly gifted b/c there are so few opportunities for true enrichment and learning.

[Anonymous]

Academics are very important to us (DH and I never left academia!) but sports are important too. When we were in school there was not a McDonalds in the cafeteria, we had recess, and we had sports. Now the kids have McDs and vending machines with junk, little or no recess, fewer sports and an obesity epidemic. Not smart.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Academics are very important to us (DH and I never left academia!) but sports are important too. When we were in school there was not a McDonalds in the cafeteria, we had recess, and we had sports. Now the kids have McDs and vending machines with junk, little or no recess, fewer sports and an obesity epidemic. Not smart.

What schools have McDs?