Yes, you are correct. And, he's also never stepped foot inside a public school. Instead, he was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. Maybe he should keep it shut on matters he knows nothing about.

Anonymous wrote:I'm sure he has neither knowledge nor interest in public schools or education policy. He just read a generic Republican political speech written by a generic Republican speech writer. The attack on public schools and the comparison to Soviet department stores made it sound like it was written 30 years ago.

Anonymous wrote:Who here thinks that DC has good public schools?

I do. Not all are good, but my kids are at good public schools in DC.

But who here thinks that schools in other countries are good because parents have "choice" in those countries? don't those countries have even less choice than in DC-- that you HAVE to go to public school and there are no charters, no private schools?

The tracking kids early on into1) college prep or 2) apprenticeship seems like the best way to go to gin up your country's scores. Maybe best for all involved to accept that college isn't for everyone, too.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I didn't watch his speech but American public schools ARE awful....

I read a study several years back regarding out system compared to Europe. The BIGGEST difference cited was that other countries pay for pre-K, healthcare and provide food. Kids go to school ready to learn. You can't get shit out of republicans.

My child's school provide breakfast and lunch and companies provide food for weekend backpacks given to children who are food insecure. These same children were in Headstart and receive Medicaid. Not sure what I am missing here.

Bingo. There are all kinds of safety nets in place for those who need them. But, for some reason, it hasn’t made a big difference in the quality of education.
I think Donald Trump, Jr. is onto something.

Not only haven't all the safety nets made a difference in the quality of the education, all the social welfare programs put forth by President Johnson's haven't made a dent in poverty.

Perhaps the Republicsn insistence on dismantling the safety net and community redevelopment programs, which started under Reagan and continued with the acquiescence of Bill Clinton, has had an effect.

Yeah, yeah....blame the Republicans. (It's always someone else's fault.)

First, the rise in the poverty rate in the early 1980s was due to a deep recession, with unemployment above 11%. It followed the high double-digit inflation years of Jimmy Carter.

Second, you're not really defending the Community Reinvestment Act, are you? Tha liberal hogwash that "everyone deserves to buy a house" led to the crisis with the subprime loans - you know, lend money to low-income people to buy houses they can't afford - which in turn crashed the entire economy.

Link about how Comm Reinvestment Act led to housing crisis: http://www.businessinsider.com/the-cra-debate-a-users-guide-2009-6

Just as I suspected: the 1977 Community Reinvestment Act was a major cause of the financial crisis, along with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Anonymous wrote:He's right, sadly. I tend to think that funding isn't the problem. When you compare the amount paid per pupil, DCPS is among the highest, but low performing.

This canard has been debunked time and time again. Go away.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:He's correct. Ask Black America how schools work for them.

It's not the schools that are the problem. It's the total lack of parental help/involvement in academics. The black kids with parents who are involved in their education do well. Those who depend entirely on the schools don't. No school, including predominantly white ones, will do well if there aren't parents encouraging reading, stressing the importance of doing academic work outside of school, and helping where necessary. The help could include finding free tutoring for areas in which the parent is unable to help. People can bash public schools all they want, but lack of parental involvement is the real issue.

This is correct. I tutor at a poor performing school and the children talk about their aunties, grannies, and papas with whom they live. Very few actually live with a mother much less a father. Often the grandparents and various aunts and uncles are taking care of multiple children and are doing their best to keep everyone clean, fed and to school. They are older, work and do not have the extra time or energy to devote to children who in most cases were dumped on them. I have no credentials in teaching reading but for the last 10 years have taught many third graders to read by simply sitting with them and working out the words with them. It takes so little, but makes a big difference in how the children do in others classes.

Alexandria City Schools pay a high per pupil cost and many people have suggested that the children be sent to the many private schools which charge similar fees. I wish we could take at least 100 children out of the public schools and put them in a private school with teachers who care and see what happens.

He's right, sadly. I tend to think that funding isn't the problem. When you compare the amount paid per pupil, DCPS is among the highest, but low performing.

I really hate it when these born-with-a-silver-spoon in their mouths people who have never set foot in a public school other than for a publicity stunt make comments about our public schools. I agree with a PP.. this guy is just parroting someone else, and really, has no first hand knowledge of any of this.

If these guys care so much about public schools why do they keep cutting funding? Do they know that a child who goes to a great PreK program and gets support has less likelihood of ending up in prison later on? It costs less to fund PreK than to house a person in prison.

FWIW, I'm a former Republican.