Comments on: A 50 year plan: Education

By: monoblogue » Blog Archive » Congressional candidates on the issues, part 2

Tue, 30 Oct 2007 01:53:30 +0000

[...] In part 2 of this series (part 1 is here) I take a look at candidate stances on education and veterans’ affairs. This will also not be a tremendously long post, but I have some feedback at the end to share as well – feedback that affects the point scale as someone brought up legitimate supplemental information that’s actually going to assist me on subsequent parts. [...]

By: monoblogue » Blog Archive » Who will I support? - part five

monoblogue » Blog Archive » Who will I support? - part five — Sat, 28 Jul 2007 17:38:31 +0000

[...] Just as this series is my attempt to educate voters about the choices they have and the benefits of studying my take on the issues (along with other sources, of course) when it comes to choosing a candidate that’s best for America, some of these same aspirants feel that the federal government needs to have a role in educating the “skulls full of mush” that become the leaders of tomorrow. On that I part ways with these men (and woman) who seek our country’s highest office, an argument I advanced here. [...]

By: monoblogue » Blog Archive » A 50 year plan: Crime and justice system

monoblogue » Blog Archive » A 50 year plan: Crime and justice system — Sun, 13 May 2007 22:20:40 +0000

[...] Further, in many civil cases lawsuits get settled long before they get to the courtroom because a company decides that it’s better just to settle and make the problem go away than risk the prospect of John Edwards “channeling” an unborn child who ended up with cerebral palsy and swaying a jury with emotion rather than the facts behind the case. That doesn’t necessarily go away with “loser pays” but trial lawyers will have to build up their cases better. (Hopefully the juries of tomorrow will be better in critical thinking thanks to my ideas for education reform too.) [...]

By: soccer dad

soccer dad — Sun, 06 May 2007 09:10:42 +0000

Jimmy Carter more accurately spun off HEW into HHS and DoE. But the E in HEW stood for Education.

By: Michael

Michael — Fri, 04 May 2007 02:34:53 +0000

Tulsa Pulper:

If I recall my Ohio history correctly, one part of the Northwest Ordinance set up the system of townships, and as part of that system there was one section that had a set-aside for a schoolhouse near the center of the township – so each township (a 6 mile x 6 mile area) was to have its own schoolhouse. The school district I graduated from was created by merging 5 separate village and township districts in the late 1960’s.

So there’s the aspect I was thinking of when I wrote my statement. However, the main point of saying that was to set up an argument that, while the federal government has always had some interest in education, the role they play now is far greater than what it was supposed to have. As you have certainly noted, the federal government did not get involved until the early 1900’s.

One thing I didn’t mention but probably should have was the Department of Education. As part of my 50 year plan, you’d be correct in guessing that I think it should be abolished posthaste. We as a nation got along without a Department of Education just fine for 200 years, but Jimmy Carter decided to suck up to the NEA and AFT and create the Department. Unfortunately, the Republicans didn’t follow up on their promises to defund and dismantle that department as they should have.

By: Concerned parent

Concerned parent — Thu, 03 May 2007 15:00:29 +0000

I love your posts!! They show a thought process that most media ignores.
That being said,you are dead on regarding the current level of education(or lack thereof) in schools today. My daughter is in what is supposed to be a GATE program in Wicomico schools. I have had soooooo many issues that have not been addressed by the teachers. I have had to go as far as involving the administration on 2 occasions just to get a simple reply regarding important issues. After waiting for 2 weeks my frustration led to this action. Unfortunately, I feel my daughter has sufferred because I dared to question authority. In the real world these people would join the list of the unemployed quickly! I am by no means stating that I feel that all teachers fall into this category. Until this year we have had mostly positive experiences. I feel this particular school is the issue.
The level of education is poor at best and you are so correct in pointing out that critical thinking is not taught. They are programmed to see only what is before them. As of the 6th grade,she has been taught NOTHING in regarding American history!! We are currently investigating private education. Wish me luck!!

By: Tulsa Pulper

Tulsa Pulper — Thu, 03 May 2007 13:41:52 +0000

Your opening remark is nice sounding but that’s simply not the case:

“From the earliest days of our nation, the federal government has taken an interest in education.”
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Public education was not very widespread until well into the 19th century, and most schools and colleges, many of which no longer exist, were privately funded (sometimes “for-profit” or religion-based) institutions until 1850 or later. The “Land Grant Act” was passed in 1862. Westward migration engendered the use of taxes to promote public education — and that can still be seen today in the midwest and far west, where public institutions are a much more significant factor in terms of percentages.

But the initial public funding was almost entirely from local or state tax revenues. In fact, the feds didn’t put their heads into the local school systems until well into the 20th Century.
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PS:

Suggestion: get some education (on the subject you are addressing) prior to pontification! Your opening remark is not the only part of your post that’s wide of the mark. As they say: “a little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing.”

Question: what, if anything, did the “Northwest Ordinance” actually do to “encourage” schools and education??