Education, education, education

[CuteOldGuy]

I went to government school before there was a Department of Education. In 4th grade, 1964, my class had a test. One of the questions was "How many states are there in the US?" I answered "50". My answer was counted wrong, because the book said there were "48." Tell me about quality government education. I learned much of what I know on my own, in spite of my instruction. Not to say I didn't have some excellent teachers, but they were not the norm, and there are even fewer now that I've seen my kids go through government schools. But the good ones shine like beacons, and my kids wanted to work and learn, and were drawn to them.

The system itself promotes mediocrity and conformity. You can still break through that, but it shouldn't have to be struggle. The struggle should be to remain mediocre and conform, and excellence and independent thought should be the norm. It's not. The schools don't like those who excel, because it makes others feel bad. My daughter was in Special Ed for excellent students and got to take classes off campus in grade school. High performing students from several schools met for advanced classes. That was nice, but we had to drive her there. The Special Ed students, the mentally disabled, got rides to their programs. The system actually made it harder for the students who wanted to excel. It's insane.

[essence]

All my kids have gone to provate schools, my last one has a few years left.

The fees are about $45k pa (boarding).

That's why I'm on this forum and not the sugar daddy forum having a nice time.

[Jackie S]

Wait untill you have to foot the bill to send a couple of your kids, (including a Son in Law), all the way through College.

[WTF]

Originally Posted by essence

That's why I'm on this forum and not the sugar daddy forum having a nice time.

The rest of us are putting those SB's thru college!

[Whirlaway]

@Essence: I would be interested to know what her history lesson covered regarding WWII ...........I can only imagine her indoctrination on "climate change".

[JD Barleycorn]

In the 1960s, when America was number one in education, science and math was emphasized because of the space program. Today they learn climate change (but not the science that refutes it), self esteem (but not competition that promotes it), neo-liberal philosophies (without the history to show that they fail), and the promotion of the democratic party (without talking about their involvment in slavery, the suppression of civil rights, and that they were wrong in Vietnam).

[Guest123018-4]

I put my kids through college, did not take out a loan to do it.
I started saving for their higher education when they were born but believe me it was not enough.
How did i do it? I worked my ass off to make enough money.
I did not send my kids to private school or to a private college but I was involved with my kids education all along the way and made sure they learned what was needed to be learned and tempered the socialist agenda as much as possible without hurting their ability be have and develop opinions of their own.
When I was in high school a teacher called me a name, I think it was a cynic. This was after my response that the only reason the administration cared if we were in school or not was so they would get their state funding.

[essence]

Originally Posted by Jackie S

Wait untill you have to foot the bill to send a couple of your kids, (including a Son in Law), all the way through College.

I've been paying private school fees for about 25 years. From when the child was 7 to about 18. It peaked with 3 children at private boarding schools (total about $75k pa). Then supporting through college. Then my SB's education.

So when people in US complain about paying for college, I laugh. I wish I had their problems.

This is on top of a UK income tax rate of, say, 40% plus purchase tax (20%) plus national insurance tax (? 10%) plus housing tax plus road tax plus....

Oh dear, I sound like a republican/conservative.

But it's all OK, when my SB's graduate they will look after me in every possible way and my kids will pay for my retirement.

Plus i enjoy my work.

[essence]

Originally Posted by Whirlaway

@Essence: I would be interested to know what her history lesson covered regarding WWII ...........I can only imagine her indoctrination on "climate change".

I don;t know - she is a bit dipsy, to be honest, what she knows and what she was taught are two different things.

On climate change, I understand people's scepticism, but also I know people whose job is long term climate modelling.

I am also very heavily involved in risk analysis.

So my take on climate change is simple - if there is a chance (even 1%) that there is global warming caused by our actions, and if globa warming caused disasterous effects, then we shoudl modify our actions.

You don;t need to believe 100% (or even 50% or 25%) in global warming to take it very seriously.

It's all about risk analysis, and the finance world doesn't seem to do that very well.

Don;t want to derail education discussion - but maybe it is related, you can;t understand climate change issues without understanding maths, probabilities and risk analysis.

We all know examples of how uneducated people misuse probabilities. Actually, even very highly educated people misuse probabilities.

Let me tell you a little story, which demonstrates difference between education and facts.

A woman is in court, accused of murder of her two baby children. He defence is that they both died of sudden death syndrome. The 'expert' witness, a medical doctor, pronounces that the chance of two children in the same family dieing of this cause is minute. Is the doctor right?

In this case, she was found guilty, but on appeal the case was dismissed.

But how do you educate a jury to argue with the 'facts'.

[in simpe terms, the facts presented were that the chance of a single baby was 1/n, so the chance of the woman having two deaths by sudden death syndrome was 1/(n*n). Complete misapplication of the rules of probability].

How do you train people to think, rather than learn facts?

[WTF]

Originally Posted by The2Dogs

I did not send my kids to private school or to a private college but I was involved with my kids education all along the way and made sure they learned what was needed to be learned and tempered the socialist agenda as much as possible without hurting their ability be have and develop opinions of their own.
.

In other words...lil lo Me, with no kids helped put your kids through school and college with my taxes helping in their education.

Sounds like socialism to me.

[Whirlaway]

+1...we agree WTF (how about that !).

Originally Posted by WTF

In other words...lil lo Me, with no kids helped put your kids through school and college with my taxes helping in their education.

Sounds like socialism to me.

[Jackie S]

Originally Posted by essence

I've been paying private school fees for about 25 years. From when the child was 7 to about 18. It peaked with 3 children at private boarding schools (total about $75k pa). Then supporting through college. Then my SB's education.

So when people in US complain about paying for college, I laugh. I wish I had their problems.

This is on top of a UK income tax rate of, say, 40% plus purchase tax (20%) plus national insurance tax (? 10%) plus housing tax plus road tax plus....

Oh dear, I sound like a republican/conservative.

But it's all OK, when my SB's graduate they will look after me in every possible way and my kids will pay for my retirement.

Plus i enjoy my work.

eccense, I sure hope you are being facetious on that part about Kids and SB's.

[essence]

Originally Posted by Jackie S

eccense, I sure hope you are being facetious on that part about Kids and SB's.

I can always dream!

But what if my SB's want to start a family with me?

[Jackie S]

Then you will have a whole new generation of ungrateful kids to support

[Guest123018-4]

I am all for finding a different way of funding school.

Last I heard from the left is that it is either you fund schools or they don't get an education and will turn to a life of crime and steal all of your shit. If they dont steal your shit they will rob you and jack your car and maybe even kill you or all of the above.
At least that was the reasoning I heard from the left.

Oh yeah the other story was they wont have an education and wont get a job and will have to live off of government assistance which is lots more expensive than paying a little tax for school.
At least that is what I heard from the left.