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Shocking and very sad

Discussion in 'General Discussions' started by BOBBO, 2007/04/04.

  1. 2007/04/04
    BOBBO

    BOBBO Geek Member Thread Starter

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    BOBBO,
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  2. 2007/04/04
    TonyT

    TonyT SuperGeek Staff

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    Not so shocking if you spoken w/ a few public school teenagers recently. Unfortunately, that video shows just how ineffective our educational system has become. All of those questions I learned in the 3rd & 4th grades. (except the recent Middle East stuff of course)
     
    TonyT,
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  4. 2007/04/04
    Steve R Jones

    Steve R Jones SuperGeek Staff

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    On one hand - shocking....Then again, if you've ever done a street side interview like that you'd know it isn't all that much fun. Glad they didn't ask me:eek:
     
    Steve R Jones,
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  5. 2007/04/04
    BOBBO

    BOBBO Geek Member Thread Starter

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    The schools are vulnerable to lots of criticism, for sure (I taught in a public high school for 35 years before I retired, and I saw plenty of both the bad and the good), but they're too easy a target to blame for this video. The people in it were grown adults, some in their 50's and 60's, and they obviously don't follow current events or watch enough TV news. They reminded me of the street interviews Jay Leno does occasionally for his show. Two examples:

    QUESTION: "What country was our opponent during the Cold War? "
    ANSWER: "Antarctica? "

    QUESTION: "Who composed Handel's 'Messiah'? "
    ANSWER: "I don't know. I don't read books. "
     
    BOBBO,
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  6. 2007/04/05
    TonyT

    TonyT SuperGeek Staff

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    A lot of those adults are in their 20's, meaning they came through the school system in last 20 years. The actual % of literates graduating hs has been steadily declining for many yeras. Also, realize that what we see in that video is the edited results, there were likely some that knew the answers. I don't blame the edu system, I blame the fact that modern edu is too strongly influenced by psycho-babble coming from educators pushing psychology & psychiatry upon the children. Why can't Johnny read? Not because Johnny has some made-up mental disorder but because Johnny eats a half lb of sugar every day or because his parents can't read too or because he spends 4 hrs/day in front of the tv. And there are some teachers who opt for the easy way out, never roll up their sleeves and handle the tougher students. And some schools have only the goal of state-required-stats aimed at securing funding.
     
    TonyT,
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  7. 2007/04/05
    BOBBO

    BOBBO Geek Member Thread Starter

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    TonyT: I would agree with all of that.

    As for the video, it would be easy to see all that dreadful ignorance and then glibly say, "We're doomed!" You'd think knowing who's buried in Grant's Tomb and when the War of 1812 took place would be a prerequisite for being a functional adult, but maybe being sensible is more important. And even with so many people being so empty-headed, we somehow manage to bumble along and the U.S. still offers freedoms and prosperity that people from all over the world want to come and be a part of. Too many of them, some would say, but that's another topic entirely.
     
    BOBBO,
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  8. 2007/04/05
    TonyT

    TonyT SuperGeek Staff

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    agreed.
    ...and I refreain from posting what I believe should be requirements for obtaining a driver's license in the US!
     
    TonyT,
    #7

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