Stupid in America: How We Cheat Our Kids

I created a huge supply of info on this. It has videos of Stossel, articles, a preview, and more.
http://forum.soulawakenings.com/index.php?topic=2644.0

The problem is the monopoly Big Brother has on K-12 education dumbing down the system and the monopoly the National Education Association (and their union monkeys) have on brainwashing the students.

John Stossel was excellent. He called it like it is. We can use more reporters like him.

I wanted to change careers 6 years ago. I have a master’s degree from University of Southern California. My goal was to teach middle or high school.

Guess what. El Paso County, CO decided my degree was too old as the time it was over 10 years. That excluded me from obtaining a teaching certificate through the local university, UCCS, in Colorado Springs.

The only way I was ever going to teach, apparently anywhere in Colorado, was to start from scratch and obtain a new degree along with certification to teach, a minimum of 4 years additional education.

I was considered unqualified to teach. Is it not strange that I could have and still can teach at the local community college or several universities and colleges but am unqualified to teach high school?

Go figure. Public schools are not in the business of educating students. They are in the business of protecting the beauraracy, employee benefits and job security by minimizing new entrants in the job market.

This was a great show. I should be required viewing for all legislators that have anything to do with education.

It is sad, but I think you are right Julian, that public schools and the unions and administrators that run them are not in the business of educating students, but rather protecting their jobs, benefits, and power/control. If they truly were more interested in the kids education rather than their job/control they wouldn’t care where a child received there education be it public, private, or home, but rather that they actually received an education. What is worse is that many don’t even seem to care if the students get any education at all as long as they attend the public school and they receive all the benefits that entails such as job security, benefits, unsubstantiated pay raises, control/power, etc.

Personally I believe education reform may be our most important reform we need to make but will be very challenging with the large bureaucracy in place.

RE: shelf life of college courses/degrees

I started college at the University of Colorado at Boulder 27 years ago but dropped out about midway through; I returned part-time a decade later but dropped out last year due to lack of funds (they charge part-time students up to twice as much per credit hour as full-time students).

Depending on the department, CU told me they can require me to retake a class after eight years if they think I don’t have a reasonable mastery of the material, especially if it is a prerequisite for another class in my degree program.

I’ve noticed I’ve forgotten much of what I learned, but seem to remember more than most people. “Use it or lose it.”

Most places are only concerned with what you’ve done lately. If a degree is not required, they consider recent work experience. Degrees are considered lifetime, although possibly a minimum qualification.

The public school monopoly is like a closed shop, though, and can establish its own requirements.

What can we as Americans do to change the way the system works? Many people are simply complacent and go with the program and expect things to change on their own. I want to know what I can do as a parent to make changes happen and not be complacent with this issue.