• Date Started: Jan 18, 2005
• Entries: 1,773
• Comments: 9,635
• Total Visits: 7,760,086

Long Day - Conversation at Work

19 Responses to “Long Day - Conversation at Work”

1. LuckyRobin Says:
   May 2nd, 2017 at 03:33 am 1493692425
   1493692425
   They don't teach anything in history classes, except revised, rewritten nonsense and they do not cover the Holocaust. They don't even teach American History at the local high schools and Civics is about 2 weeks of not really learning anything about the government. Civics is more like Poly-Sci and current events, not how our government works and the Constitution. Why do you think I home school? Not to mention the state of the math and science is ridiculous. And the bent in English is away from studying the classics and doing more modern literature. Add all that to the fact that none of the teachers can control their classes.

2. LivingAlmostLarge Says:
   May 2nd, 2017 at 03:40 am 1493692838
   1493692838
   Ouch. I think there apparently people who think holocaust was made up by the media. how do you deal with that?

3. Butterscotch Says:
   May 2nd, 2017 at 04:48 am 1493696893
   1493696893
   I went to public school, not that long ago, and WW1 and 2 were covered extensively. Additionally, I have many teachers in my family and can tell you that they do cover American History and the Constitution. To argue that those core elements are overlooked or hidden for some reason sounds like paranoia based in some politically motivated lunacy. But what can you expect from someone who loses their mind over soup?
   
   Buses and buses of high school kids visit the Holocaust Muesuem every week. The only current displays of dismissal of the Holocaust that I can think of have come from our current administration and our sh*t for brains president.

4. LuckyRobin Says:
   May 2nd, 2017 at 06:47 am 1493704055
   1493704055
   Butterscotch--I do not appreciate your rudeness, your name-calling, your impugning my character, or your swearing. You are the one who brought politics into the discussion when they are not relevant, so I think that is your issue, not mine. I am talking about the schools here where I live. If you were in high school "not that long ago" then you don't have much in the way of life experience yet and you have never dealt with a bad school system as a parent. While you are entitled to your opinion, it is clear by how you voice it that you've still got a lot of growing up to do.
   
   They do not offer American History at our local high school or any of the other high schools in my city. That's not paranoia, that's a fact. They offer Global History which is a two year course and European History, and a 1/4 credit class on Civics. That is it. They don't even teach state history, which used to be a requirement for graduation. American History is taught in 8th grade and the book skimmed over most topics and went into no detail on the Holocaust or slavery. My daughter graduated from that high school two years ago, I know very well what goes on there and what they do and do not teach, I struggled through the garbage with my daughter, which is why I am homeschooling my son. That is not lunacy, it's good parenting.
   

5. creditcardfree Says:
   May 2nd, 2017 at 12:13 pm 1493723600
   1493723600
   That is surprising that people wouldn't know that about the Holocaust. But I have to admit I know I took American History in school, but I sure don't remember all of it. My daughter took AP US History last semester, and I relearned a lot as she went along. History lost is knowledge lost. People don't think it has relevance but it does.

6. FrugalTexan75 Says:
   May 2nd, 2017 at 01:16 pm 1493727399
   1493727399
   It's been 24+ years since I was in high school. I went to a parochial school. We had American history, World History, and a full year of a class called Problems of American Democracy. In college I took both World and American History again (even spent 5 weeks in Washington D.C. where one day a week we visited different historic sites.) I also come from a family where education was very important, and we did a lot of traveling around the US - both from moving all over, but also just for exploring the US.
   
   This is my experience.
   
   Others may have a much more limited or different experience and educational background.
   
   As much as I HATE Common Core, I do believe it does have *some* value in that of making sure all students in the US get at least the same basic education. As LR's experience in her school district shows, not everyone is going to get the same instruction.
   
   Butterscotch, your response may be appropriate in some forums of the Internet, but here in the SA blogs we have managed to be respectful of each other and disagree without directly attacking others. We also don't tend to use language that degrades. There have been a few times through my 12+ years here where someone has thought that they could treat others disrespectfully - they are no longer here, because that type of abusive language/treatment was NOT appreciated. This is the first time I've seen such comments from you, and it does dissapoints me greatly.
   
   I welcome more comments from you, as long as they are made in a respectful manner. Whether or not you agree with my viewpoint or experience.

7. CB in the City Says:
   May 2nd, 2017 at 05:52 pm 1493743946
   1493743946
   Well, in Butterscotch's defense, it WAS a provoking comment from LR. I know many fine teachers who would be very much offended by such generalizations. Let's all keep a civil tone, okay? That's what makes this community so great.

8. Butterscotch Says:
   May 2nd, 2017 at 09:31 pm 1493757099
   1493757099
   Sorry to have disappointed you, Frugal! I do enjoy your blog so I'll try to not be so candid going forward. Hating on public education/teachers is a bit of a hot button issue for me.

9. FrugalTexan75 Says:
   May 3rd, 2017 at 12:51 am 1493769111
   1493769111
   CB - Yes, LR's comment definitely could be provoking.
   
   Butterscotch - I'm not saying to not be candid or truthful, it's all in how you express it. One way can make people want to listen and/or consider what you're saying, another way makes people stop listening and just react - usually negatively. Attacking someone personally, calling names, etc., that isn't likely to change someone's mind. Asking questions to try to figure out where that other person is coming from, and stating your beliefs (and how they came to be) is a great way to start a deeper discussion.
   
   I taught for nearly 15 years - one in a public school. I knew *many* teachers who put their heart and soul into teaching. I knew a few who only did it for the paycheck... I also knew teachers whose hands were tied by administration / paperwork, etc. I'm guessing in LR's district there are many good, caring teachers who have to work within the system - a system which may be broken badly. Unfortunately, the kids suffer for it, as do the good, caring teachers.
   
   It's not bad teachers that are the problem (as an uncle of mine love to debate - he thinks unions are the devil), but too many people with no real educational experience trying to tell well educated, experienced teachers what works .. and that they MUST conform .... I ran into that my last year of classroom teaching. Hence why I no longer teach - my heart went out of it.

10. LuckyRobin Says:
    May 3rd, 2017 at 01:55 am 1493772923
    1493772923
    CB--But it was not intended to be a provoking comment, just an irritated with the system one. I respect good teachers and good schools. I have many good teachers in my family and they complain about the bad ones and the bad schools all the time. It's the bad ones I have problems with and unfortunately that is what I have dealt with since we moved to this community. There are good schools out there, but there are quite a few across this country that are not. Everyone who has not had to deal with bad ones should count themselves lucky. Some kids don't learn because of the system, they learn despite the system. When the system works, great things happen. When it doesn't you end up with people who don't know about the Holocaust.

11. LuckyRobin Says:
    May 3rd, 2017 at 02:02 am 1493773359
    1493773359
    Laura--It was not my intent to provoke anyone, but I did feel I needed to stand up for myself when being called a paranoid lunatic who has lost her mind. My intent was to say that I just believe that yes, it is possible that people don't know about the Holocaust, because they aren't being taught it. They aren't being taught a lot of things in some places. It frustrates me immensely and I'm sure that came through. I am the daughter of a school teacher. I have many family members who are teachers and many friends. Any that are still teaching have moved their homes outside our district so their own kids won't have to go there, even if they themselves teach there, which really speaks for itself.

12. FrugalTexan75 Says:
    May 3rd, 2017 at 02:08 am 1493773710
    1493773710
    LR - The comment that both CB (I think) and I were referring to was your first one. Your statements could be taken as generalizations, rather than specific to your district. You definitely have the right to stand up for yourself.

13. LuckyRobin Says:
    May 3rd, 2017 at 02:33 am 1493775237
    1493775237
    Laura--Yeah, I think it was the first one she was talking about, too. I could have worded it better, but I am less than thrilled with the state of our schools in general, so it bled through. I didn't put in the sarcastic snark that first came to mind before I posted it, though, so pretty much thought I was at least being civil about it. I think most schools likely are better than our specific ones, though I hear from a lot of other parents in my groups who live all over the U.S. and Canada that they aren't.

14. FrugalTexan75 Says:
    May 3rd, 2017 at 02:41 am 1493775693
    1493775693
    LR - I think there are some really good schools - ones that have admin who get it, boards that are hands off, and top notch teachers. But in general, the system is truly broken. We're still using the model from the 1700s - a model meant to train worker bees, not thinking for themselves citizens... How to fix it? Well, I've seen some interesting articles about Finland's school system ...

15. FrugalTexan75 Says:
    May 3rd, 2017 at 02:44 am 1493775846
    1493775846
    To be clear - I'm not talking about most teachers in the system. Most are hard working and dedicated.

16. Petunia 100 Says:
    May 3rd, 2017 at 03:48 am 1493779727
    1493779727
    Frugal Texan, I think you should interview for the job and accept it if it is offered. You aren't happy in your current job. That comes through in your posts A LOT. You deserve to do work you find more stimulating and rewarding.

17. Frugal Texan Says:
    May 3rd, 2017 at 03:57 am 1493780232
    1493780232
    Thanks Petunia,
    It's kind of hard for me to judge if it's my job making me unhappy, or if it's just that I'm unhappy... it's much better than a few months ago, but still not great.

18. My English Castle Says:
    May 7th, 2017 at 03:49 am 1494125364
    1494125364
    Can I say something nice about pubic schools? My DD's school is excellent--the science classes are amazing, and her English class is to me (it is my field after all), a very good balance of classics (Shakespeare, Mary Shelley) and modern literature. Her French teacher is fabulous--from France. Her history class is looking at the industrial revolution right now. Her teachers do an amazing job. I know we are lucky to live in such an excellent school district, but I'm a fervent believer in John Dewey and American public education.. I'd love to have FT as a public school librarian.

19. FrugalTexan75 Says:
    May 7th, 2017 at 04:59 am 1494129584
    1494129584
    Thanks MEC. I needed that today. I'd love to work at a school with parents like you - who actually get it, and are supportive.

Leave a Reply