Clipmarks | Eaglewings's 'education' clips

Prevailing ignorance

Fri, 02 May 2008 23:54:54 GMT

clipped by: willhelm
clipper's remarks: "Few could tell the interviewers when the Civil War was fought. "

reading is in trouble today. Americans, particularly young Americans, limit themselves to information -- "data," in the cliche -- collected on a computer screen and in tiny letters on a cell phone. This holds serious risks. Digital information replaces knowledge, opinion is confused with fact, and wisdom is lost in a whirlwind of words, words, words -- many misused, others without substance.

Veritas goes unverified when the source is Wikipedia, the encyclopedia on the Internet that employs no fact-checkers. Keeping their students from plagiarizing from the Internet, complain university professors, is like trying to prevent a stampede with a wooden fence.

In one study of what 17-year-olds know of history and literature, the surveyors found mostly ignorance.

an education scholar who conducted the interviews, found that fewer than half could identify Job in the Old Testament or Oedipus in the plays by Sophocles.

Many had never heard of the novel "1984" or knew the meaning of "Orwellian."

Against Law to Homeschool

Thu, 06 Mar 2008 23:06:21 GMT

clipped by: Eaglewings
clipper's remarks: Well once again the government of the people by the people and for the people seems to be giving it to the people. I do not know how the public education system got so out of control in this country but I think it is about time we the people started to take back control of the things that matter in our society, starting with the education of our children.

Clip Source: www.christianpost.com

Tens of thousands of parents could be subject to criminal sanctions after a California appeals court ruled parents do not have a constitutional right to homeschool their children.

Parents must have teaching credentials to educate their kids at home.

Advocates for homeschooling families vowed to appeal the decision to the state Supreme Court.

Tags: public, school, schools, education, homeschooling, rights, government

Christians are to blame for failings in public schools

Wed, 07 Nov 2007 01:53:48 GMT

clipped by: Eaglewings
clipper's remarks: Could it be that mindless, idiotic writers of these editorial comments are the real devils? They mouth empty words and pontificate on matters they know absolutely nothing about in a vane attempt to appear informed and enlightened. Even a fool is considered wise if he keeps his mouth shut but once he starts to orate he removes all doubt about it.

Clip Source: www.christianpost.com

We are, as far as urban public education is concerned, essentially at rock bottom. We are now at a point where we are essentially churning out ignorant teens who are becoming ignorant adults and society as a whole will pay dearly, very soon, and if you think the hordes of easily terrified, mindless fundamentalist evangelical Christian lemmings have been bad for the soul of this country, just wait.

Is he saying "easily terrified, mindless fundamentalist evangelical Christian lemmings" are responsible for the decline of public education? Or is he saying we all know this current ETMFECL horde is pretty bad for the nation, but this coming group of airheads is going to be even more dumb, more easily snookered, and consequently, really, really bad?

If anything, teens with a religious orientation pull against the trends outlined by Mr. Morford. Religious teens are more likely to be involved in their communities and schools, less likely to abuse drugs, and less likely to bully peers.

Tags: public school, education, fundamentalism, christianity, christian

Supreme Court Rules Race not a criteria for Public School Assignment

Sat, 30 Jun 2007 17:27:32 GMT

clipped by: Eaglewings
clipper's remarks: Sounds like common sense has returned to the judicial system.

Clip Source: www.faithstreams.com

Public school districts may not use race as the deciding factor in assigning students to schools.

While the race of a student can be one of many characteristics taken into consideration to achieve diversity in the student body, it may not become the predominant criterion that determines which students are admitted to the most popular schools in a district.

In a major 5-to-4 decision announced Thursday, the US Supreme Court struck down race-based public school enrollment plans in Seattle and Louisville, Ky., that were designed to maintain racially integrated student populations. The majority justices said the plans were unconstitutional because they relied too heavily on race in violation of the mandate that all Americans be treated equally regardless of skin color or ethnicity.

"What do racial classifications do in these cases, if not determine admissions to a public school on a racial basis?" Roberts asks.

Tags: education, supreme court, racism, diversity