Anonymous wrote:
The federal government has overreached and is now being called on the carpet for doing so. We now have a Republican Congress because that is the will of the people. Do you wonder why?
Okay, let me give you an example of a local economy. My family is from Minnesota. My relatives work in the food industry. This is not just 20 guys. My brother-in-law is a maintenance mechanic for machines in a plant that employs 1500 people. That means he fixes the machines that are specialized to the cereal business. He has been complaining nonstop about finding help because they are not training kids in vocational programs in high schools. They can't find people to do this work (and it is high paying and has good benefits). Now, I would say that this is a local job (since the farms and food production are concentrated in this area). I don't think people who do his work need a college degree (he doesn't have one---he has trained in Germany on machines and had other training though). He has been doing this work for over 40 years (he started at Carnation Company and has been in two other plants and is now with Post). These are jobs that are just as important to the economy as any that college educated people are doing.
The local jobs are being automated, 200 miners replaced by 20 - guys who WILL need the college degrees. You aren't providing any opportunity for the other 180 with your "education based on the local economy."
Okay, let me give you an example of a local economy. My family is from Minnesota. My relatives work in the food industry. This is not just 20 guys. My brother-in-law is a maintenance mechanic for machines in a plant that employs 1500 people. That means he fixes the machines that are specialized to the cereal business. He has been complaining nonstop about finding help because they are not training kids in vocational programs in high schools. They can't find people to do this work (and it is high paying and has good benefits). Now, I would say that this is a local job (since the farms and food production are concentrated in this area). I don't think people who do his work need a college degree (he doesn't have one---he has trained in Germany on machines and had other training though). He has been doing this work for over 40 years (he started at Carnation Company and has been in two other plants and is now with Post). These are jobs that are just as important to the economy as any that college educated people are doing.
Anonymous wrote:Oh, I see - so if the local economy is nothing but coal mining, kids won't really need anything beyond 5th grade math and language skills.
You obviously do not know much about mining. It's not using picks and axes and shovels anymore. Like manufacturing, high tech has come to mining. There are college degrees in mining and the related geology and engineering fields.
That said, there is nothing wrong with vocational education (and it usually means more than 5th grade). I'm sure you are jesting.
Answer me this: How would one state or locality's education priorities legitimately be so tremendously different than another's?
Anonymous wrote:
Oh, I see - so if the local economy is nothing but coal mining, kids won't really need anything beyond 5th grade math and language skills.
So let's just screw them out of any higher potential or better opportunities, shall we?
No one said that. There are lots of factors that impact. Here's a little one that's not affected by these laws: do you really need driver's ed in NYC?
Oh, I see - so if the local economy is nothing but coal mining, kids won't really need anything beyond 5th grade math and language skills.
So let's just screw them out of any higher potential or better opportunities, shall we?
Oh, I see - so if the local economy is nothing but coal mining, kids won't really need anything beyond 5th grade math and language skills.
Oh, I see - so if the local economy is nothing but coal mining, kids won't really need anything beyond 5th grade math and language skills.
So let's just screw them out of any higher potential or better opportunities, shall we?
Anonymous wrote:The types of jobs that kids are likely to get.
Anonymous wrote:
Answer me this: How would one state or locality's education priorities legitimately be so tremendously different than another's?
The local industries could affect the priorities.
Answer me this: How would one state or locality's education priorities legitimately be so tremendously different than another's?
Anonymous wrote:
This link shows the timeline on the NCLB waivers and how they have been approved (or not). It gives some insight into the tension between the state DOE's and the federal DOE. It's very interesting to note how Texas really doesn't care what the feds tell them and apparently Washington state is not all too concerned with federal mandates either.
http://www.edweek.org/ew/section/multimedia/nclb-w...ine-and-glossary-of-terms.html
What a messed up agency. And people want to give them more power. Eliminate Dept of Education now and repeal NCLB. Go back to state run education. This is a mess.