jf261398
07-29-2007, 08:15 PM
This post was in reply to a discussion in the "Culture" Forum...
The urban cycle that I described of poor family life + a broken education system = economic strife and crime can only be broken by looking at the larger picture.
The larger picture is that Lorain is a microcosom of any American urban city. The school systems in these cities are just trying to survive. They can't teach the kids who really want to learn because half of the administration's time is spent dealing with truancy, delinquincy, intimidation, violence, and disruption.
Some of today's most progressive Social thinkers propose:
Making schools competitive. In this concept students are not relegated to attend the schools in the city in which they live. But instead, they can choose any public school they desire. The public schools act more like colleges which select students based on testing and the child's previous record. The students select schools that they prefer based on academic offerings, proximity to home, athletic programs, facilities, and reputation.
This creates a positive learning atmosphere for those who want to learn and have demonstrated that they are not a disruption to others.
For those that are a disruption, or have special learning requirements, they are directed to schools that are devoted to those needs.
This system is impossible to implement with our current school funding mechanisms. I don't think the residents of Avon Lake or Amherst would be too happy with an influx of Lorain students on the tab of their property taxes.
There are a lot of details to work out...but let's start talking about a major change.:o
You can only put so many patches on a flat tire.
The urban cycle that I described of poor family life + a broken education system = economic strife and crime can only be broken by looking at the larger picture.
The larger picture is that Lorain is a microcosom of any American urban city. The school systems in these cities are just trying to survive. They can't teach the kids who really want to learn because half of the administration's time is spent dealing with truancy, delinquincy, intimidation, violence, and disruption.
Some of today's most progressive Social thinkers propose:
Making schools competitive. In this concept students are not relegated to attend the schools in the city in which they live. But instead, they can choose any public school they desire. The public schools act more like colleges which select students based on testing and the child's previous record. The students select schools that they prefer based on academic offerings, proximity to home, athletic programs, facilities, and reputation.
This creates a positive learning atmosphere for those who want to learn and have demonstrated that they are not a disruption to others.
For those that are a disruption, or have special learning requirements, they are directed to schools that are devoted to those needs.
This system is impossible to implement with our current school funding mechanisms. I don't think the residents of Avon Lake or Amherst would be too happy with an influx of Lorain students on the tab of their property taxes.
There are a lot of details to work out...but let's start talking about a major change.:o
You can only put so many patches on a flat tire.