Kristin, that's what I meant - I was taught this stuff, as a matter of course, and as it happens, so was Jo. We asked her questions all the time, and this stuff was still basic.

But what I don't remember, from my school days or Joanna's, is this emphasis on "standardised test! All that matters! Must pass that! Top priority! Force the teachers to make that the numero uno priority!" That seems to be me to be recent. Isn't it?

In that case, they're making a value judgement on the text.

Yep - but very few working parents, in my own acquaintance, sit down and discuss the Bill of Rights with their adolescent children. Real world constraints in a two-income family says, no. So if the kids are making statements like the one quoted above, and they aren't getting it from their parents and they aren't getting it from their teachers, where are they getting it from?

My money's on it being the same place kids that age get most of their stuff: their peers. Blind leading the blind.

I'm sorry Kristin. I didn't mean to offend. While I think there are some bad teachers. I hardly think they're the problem (In this instance. What they can do to an individual student is a whole nother ball of wax). When school boards decide that intelligent design ought to be taught alongside evolution, and textbooks ignore or only briefly touch on the recent past--I do see a trend away from (or perhaps it was never there) questioning and defending ideas.

I went to great public schools. I had great teachers. I believe in public schools and, even in a city with notoriously bad eggs in their public school basket, would take the necessary steps to send my kids to one of the good ones. This is for lots of reasons, the primary one being that good public education is one of the foundations of a healthy democracy.

I was speaking from foil-hat land when I said, "Almost makes you think those shitty public schools aren't happening by accident" because those crypto-fascist neo-cons scare the fuck out of me. And there is nothing I would put past them.

As I said, I'm sorry if I overreacted. I'm not offended or mad at anyone. I'm just exhausted.

Imagine what the responses would have been had they known that you can find porn on the internet.

They know. My nine (then eight) year old, who thought Gwen Stefani was "nudie" appearing on TV in a belly shirt and mini-skirt was told by a friend (who is a notorious liar) that there were naked people online at weare18.com.

Of course the notorious liar wasn't lying that time. *sigh*

I don't think you overreacted at all. It's one thing to argue about education; it's quite another to be on the front lines with these kids and the bureaucracy. I don't have kids, and probably won't. Though the problems facing the educational system affect me, I'm not really involved with it. I don't think it's a bad thing to get perspective from someone who is.

Which is to say (((((Kristin)))))).

Yeesh. Much ~ma headed in your family's direction, askye.

askye, gentle healing ~ma and firm cluesticking as needed.

({{Kristin}})

~ma and cluesticks for askye's folks.

You people never should have let me get an LJ. I'm getting even less work done now.

Thanks. When I talked to Dad next I'm going to sit down and tell him that while we can't dictate what my great aunt and uncle's kids to do, this effecting my grandmother (dad's mom) because they rely on her so heavily. My grandmother is in her 80s and while she's very capable, she's also extremely hard of hearing, and not all that strong. Plus it's an emotional toil.

Grandma's frustrated because her sister isn't going to make waves, she won't say anything bad against her husband -- even though he left her on the floor. Not just that when his sons called he refused to call 911 saying he knew best. His mental facilities are going and his sons -- living elsewhere -- don't see it the way my grandmother does.

It's frustrating.