Do Public Schools Turn Out Stupid Students?

[ChristineES]

I was a latch key kid, too, from the time I was 10 years old. My mother had to work, so there was no choice in the matter. My sister was older, but I came home earliest. I like to think I was a well behaved child. I wasn't allowed to have friends over until my parents came home.

 

[tomspug]

I think there should simply be more sex education in general. I barely got any in high school (like a week in health class).

Sex is so incredibly skewed by our culture that children just don't have a lot of real knowledge about it. If they were more aware of the entire physical process, properly taught different methods of birth control, and explained the emotional investment that sex involves, that seems the best way to help kids to make the right decisions. A lot better than a few ambiguous anatomy pictures and "scare the sex out of you" STD videos.

 

[Draka]

I think there should simply be more sex education in general. I barely got any in high school (like a week in health class).

Sex is so incredibly skewed by our culture that children just don't have a lot of real knowledge about it. If they were more aware of the entire physical process, properly taught different methods of birth control, and explained the emotional investment that sex involves, that seems the best way to help kids to make the right decisions. A lot better than a few ambiguous anatomy pictures and "scare the sex out of you" STD videos.

Very true. And the flip side isn't working as well. A simple "don't do it" doesn't cut it either.

I don't recall any 'scare the sex out of you" videos, but they surely could have gone into more detail about certain things. I mean, we got the basics of how pregnancies happened and the whole biologoy thing, but they could have spent more time on different methods of BC instead of just talking about and handing around condoms. They could have done more on STDs as well.

 

[ChristineES]

When I was 4, my mother thought that Mr. Rogers was on PBS so she left me unattended. I saw a baby being born on TV, and my mother had to explain to me how the baby got there. I knew all about sex by the time I started school so I don't think I needed sex education.

My mother never let me watch TV unsupervised ever again.

 

[Reverend Rick]

You can have all the faith in the world in your child, but that doesn't mean that you have faith in everyone else's children. Also, they should always be educated for the "just in cases". Just because you teach them precautions doesn't mean that you are condoning anything. You are just equipping them with knowledge should they ever find themselves in a situation that neither of you planned for.

We are still on the same page, I just believe that what I think is age appropriate and many others differ. I believe that some children are more responsible than others, so every one's mileage may vary. All I am saying is, there is a far greater chance of a situation that neither planned for happening when they start driving. Let's face it, like it or not, that is the beginning of adulthood even though they are not quite adults yet.

As far as other people's kids goes. My children learned at an early age that what the other kids did matters little and we all make choices for ourselves.

 

[Draka]

Yeah, by the time they get around to teaching you most of the stuff you already know quite a bit. However, that's also a problem. Sometimes what you know isn't right. Some parents don't exactly give their children all the ABCs of sex education correctly.

 

[logician]

For some reason, young people(and a lot of older people) can't put together acts and consequences, hence the many preganancies out of wedlock. Even if many are aware of safe BC methods, they do not practice them thinking they are safe from the possible consequences of their own actions.

 

[Draka]

We are still on the same page, I just believe that what I think is age appropriate and many others differ. I believe that some children are more responsible than others, so every one's mileage may vary. All I am saying is, there is a far greater chance of a situation that neither planned for happening when they start driving. Let's face it, like it or not, that is the beginning of adulthood even though they are not quite adults yet.

As far as other people's kids goes. My children learned at an early age that what the other kids did matters little and we all make choices for ourselves.

Rick, I don't know how much you remember about teen life, but I can tell you this much: I had plenty, if not more opportunity, for sex BEFORE I started driving than after. See, it's different with girls. First off, we are usually dating boys at least a year or two older than us...at LEAST. This means they are already driving and have the means to take us places and get us alone. When I started driving I rode with others less, that included guys. I became more self-reliant and didn't fall into any traps with the boys. Not to mention, that when you are in that awkward stage of not quite a child but not quite grown up you find a lot of things to occupy your time. A car is not really required.

Even with all the opportunity I had though, I remained a virgin until I was in the Navy and engaged to be married at the age of 18.

 

[Reverend Rick]

Rick, I don't know how much you remember about teen life, but I can tell you this much: I had plenty, if not more opportunity, for sex BEFORE I started driving than after. See, it's different with girls. First off, we are usually dating boys at least a year or two older than us...at LEAST. This means they are already driving and have the means to take us places and get us alone. When I started driving I rode with others less, that included guys. I became more self-reliant and didn't fall into any traps with the boys. Not to mention, that when you are in that awkward stage of not quite a child but not quite grown up you find a lot of things to occupy your time. A car is not really required.

Even with all the opportunity I had though, I remained a virgin until I was in the Navy and engaged to be married at the age of 18.

Oh I remember quite well.

 

[nutshell]

Public schools don't produce stupid kids. Parents do.

And even then it's not an absolute - there are many factors.

 

[Draka]

Oh I remember quite well.

Come on Rick...admit it...you were a baaad boooy weren't you?

 

[Smoke]

Public schools don't produce stupid kids. Parents do.

And even then it's not an absolute - there are many factors.

My former priest, who is a retired public school teacher, has often told me that it's possible for a child to get a good public school education anywhere in the country, provided that the parents are properly involved. His own four children all excelled in school, not least because their parents made sure they understood that getting an education was their job. Schoolwork and homework took priority over extra-curricular activities, hobbies, or social life. They were also expected to qualify for, and do well in, advanced placement courses.

On the other hand, if parents aren't properly involved their children's education, the children may fail to be educated regardless of where they go to school.

 

[tomspug]

My former priest, who is a retired public school teacher, has often told me that it's possible for a child to get a good public school education anywhere in the country, provided that the parents are properly involved. His own four children all excelled in school, not least because their parents made sure they understood that getting an education was their job. Schoolwork and homework took priority over extra-curricular activities, hobbies, or social life. They were also expected to qualify for, and do well in, advanced placement courses.

On the other hand, if parents aren't properly involved their children's education, the children may fail to be educated regardless of where they go to school.

That's a very good point. So, who raised the bad parents?

 

[Kungfuzed]

Depends on the neighborhood. In Bowie Maryland we lived in the suburbs and I went to Kennelworth Elementary up until the third grade. We were already learning algebra. We moved across the bay near a small hick town and they were still learning their times tables. I lost all motivation because it was all too easy. In the seventh grade my parents put me into a private Christian school for the year. It was mounds and mounds of homework. It was a much better enviornment to be in. It was more conducive to learning. The classes were small and the teachers always had the class under tight control. I'd consider putting my kids through Christian schools, even though I'm not very religious myself.

 

[wednesday]

I recieved a public educatrion although i was advised against it. We competed against private schools in maths and science and both times we slaughtered them. In Australia the problem with private schools is they teach the kids to do well on tests, not to learn the material. Thats why in university, the majority of the drop-outs are private school students because they're used to practising only for tests and not for other skill requirements. I also don't like the idea of mixing religion into my education, i want pure facts, not watered down facts that religious scripture conflicts with.

 

[logician]

I recieved a public educatrion although i was advised against it. We competed against private schools in maths and science and both times we slaughtered them. In Australia the problem with private schools is they teach the kids to do well on tests, not to learn the material. Thats why in university, the majority of the drop-outs are private school students because they're used to practising only for tests and not for other skill requirements. I also don't like the idea of mixing religion into my education, i want pure facts, not watered down facts that religious scripture conflicts with.

And that is one of the problems with private schools, I think they serve as "indoctrination" institutions until the child is an adult, to keep them in the fold, so to speak. Open minds about other religious persausions, and certainly atheism, are not encouraged, therefore you get some very jaded people out of these schools.

 

[Magic Man]

And that is one of the problems with private schools, I think they serve as "indoctrination" institutions until the child is an adult, to keep them in the fold, so to speak. Open minds about other religious persausions, and certainly atheism, are not encouraged, therefore you get some very jaded people out of these schools.

That's not always the case. I went to a Catholic high school, and the senior religion class was actually about world religions, not Catholicism. It included the big ones like Hinduism and Buddhism, among others. The teacher was Christian of course, but had traveled extensively and had studied other religions in depth, and was very passionate about being open-minded. In general, it wasn't a closed-minded school, and this was a perfect example.

 

[logician]

That's not always the case. I went to a Catholic high school, and the senior religion class was actually about world religions, not Catholicism. It included the big ones like Hinduism and Buddhism, among others. The teacher was Christian of course, but had traveled extensively and had studied other religions in depth, and was very passionate about being open-minded. In general, it wasn't a closed-minded school, and this was a perfect example.

What about the religious classes before you were a senior?

 

[doppelganger]

To go back to the OP for a moment . . . this was inspired by someone saying that if someone is ignorant or stupid, that must be because they went to a public school. In other words, public schooling, in Rick's world, is a necessary and sufficient condition for ignorance/stupidity.

There are many ignorant people who went to private schools and who were home-schooled. Including anyone who thinks that public schools can only produce ignorant and stupid students. :rainbow1:

 

[angellous_evangellous]

To go back to the OP for a moment . . . this was inspired by someone saying that if someone is ignorant or stupid, that must be because they went to a public school. In other words, public schooling, in Rick's world, is a necessary and sufficient condition for ignorance/stupidity.

There are many ignorant people who went to private schools and who were home-schooled. Including anyone who thinks that public schools can only produce ignorant and stupid students. :rainbow1:

I disagree with that.