Teacup Cafe XXXIV

[shesabrandybuck]

Originally Posted by BeardofPants

Yeah... left us with the 2 sucky ones.

*bedgoesupbedgoesdownbedgoesupbedgoesdownbedgoesup bedgoesdownbedgoesupbedgoesdownbedgoesupbedgoesdow nbedgoesupbedgoesdownbedgoesupbedgoesdownbedgoesup bedgoesdownbedgoesupbedgoesdownbedgoesupbedgoesdow nbedgoesupbedgoesdownbedgoesupbedgoesdownbedgoesup bedgoesdownbedgoesupbedgoesdownbedgoesupbedgoesdow nbedgoesupbedgoesdown*


*smacks one of the teacup monsters*

BAH! This is insulting! Ringo and Paul are not sucky! They're great! Even though, John and George are my favorites


----


So anyway, remember how I made that 93% on my trig test?! I just made a 42% on my trig quiz! Yay go me!

[Mari]

42%... isn't that bad? *isn't getting it*

[shesabrandybuck]

Yes, it is reallllly bad, I was being sarcastic. But, other people made that grade too, so whatev I guess.

[Willow Oran]

Yay for irony.

[sisterandcousinandaunt]

School should be free and voluntary.

[shesabrandybuck]

I agree, it should be. askldfhaskjfhaskj. *dreams of college*

[Willow Oran]

As opposed to free and compulsory or expensive and voluntary? Perhaps. Although there is something to be said for the added motivation to do well in class that paying through the nose for it gives.

[Mari]

Too bad about the grade, Link. But you are still doing better than I ever did, if that is any consolation

I like school. Always have.
No, that's not true. I like learning.
I learned when it was free and I'm still learning now that I have to pay for it.

[sisterandcousinandaunt]

Originally Posted by Willow Oran

As opposed to free and compulsory or expensive and voluntary? Perhaps. Although there is something to be said for the added motivation to do well in class that paying through the nose for it gives.

Yeah, most of the people feeling that pressure are not eligible to take the tests.

Originally Posted by Mari

I like school. Always have.
No, that's not true. I like learning.
I learned when it was free and I'm still learning now that I have to pay for it.

One of the nice things about college is that people get some choice in what they study.

[shesabrandybuck]

I know, I cant wait for college.

[Curufin]

I don't know, I agree that school should be compulsory, at least to a certain level. There are too many parents who won't (or can't) teach their kids what they need to learn to be successful in today's society. And the last thing we need is a more ignorant populace than what we have now.

[sisterandcousinandaunt]

Originally Posted by Curufin

I don't know, I agree that school should be compulsory, at least to a certain level. There are too many parents who won't (or can't) teach their kids what they need to learn to be successful in today's society. And the last thing we need is a more ignorant populace than what we have now.

So your theory is that parents will let their kids fail? I mean, more than they do now?

How would you explain people who struggled to learn to read and write even when it was illegal?

[Mari]

Well, not everyone will, but there simply are people who couldn't give a fig about their children and how their futures will look like. And then there are people who care a lot.

[Mari]

Good night everyone! Tomorrow more studying to be done. *sigh*
Ah well, I hope I'll have a nice dream like two nights ago... *happy sigh*

[Willow Oran]

If school was non-compulsory it would be much harder for the children of parents who didn't emphasize education to fight that disadvantage. This way parents can't decide for their children that, say, staying home to take care of younger siblings is more important. They have to allow their children to go to class. Overall, I think it is a good thing.

[sisterandcousinandaunt]

Originally Posted by Mari

Well, not everyone will, but there simply are people who couldn't give a fig about their children and how their futures will look like. And then there are people who care a lot.

How do you propose to tell them apart?

There are a lot of people I think make uninfomed choices...about all kinds of things. I see people drive down the street with small children and no carseats, for example.

I also see school buses drive down the street with small children and no seatbelts. And city buses. And taxis. If you, as a private person, were stopped on the street with no carseat, you'd get a ticket, at least. However, the other vehicles wouldn't.

The same is true of schooling.

Why is it assumed that schools have a kind of guarantee that parents don't?

[sisterandcousinandaunt]

Originally Posted by Willow Oran

If school was non-compulsory it would be much harder for the children of parents who didn't emphasize education to fight that disadvantage. This way parents can't decide for their children that, say, staying home to take care of younger siblings is more important. They have to allow their children to go to class. Overall, I think it is a good thing.

And what about the students who aren't motivated by class content? The ones who spend the whole day in school smoking dope, for example.

[Willow Oran]

It isn't. What is assumed is that schools provide more opportunity than sitting at home with the parents can. It's a matter of breadth of resources, rather than quality. Unless the parents and teachers are working in tandem there is no gurantee at all of quality.

And what about the students who aren't motivated by class content? The ones who spend the whole day in school smoking dope, for example.

That's a different problem. If a student decides to skip class because they aren't motivated then that is an active choice made by the student.

[Curufin]

If school wasn't compulsory, kids wouldn't go. Or let me restate, only the kids who already have been taught by their parents to value education would go. It would cause a greater divide between the upper and working classes, children would be exploited into working, staying home to take care of other children, etc., and the over all level of education in the United States would decrease significantly.

Why shouldn't the parents have the choice? Because quite simply, a good number of parents in this country are in no means qualified to be parents in the first place, or simply don't have the time to make reasoned decisions.

And the education of children is not only a family matter - it affects the economy, politics, and the entire future of our nation. A democracy cannot succeed without an educated populace - it just can't.

[sisterandcousinandaunt]

Originally Posted by Willow Oran

It isn't. What is assumed is that schools provide more opportunity than sitting at home with the parents can. It's a matter of breadth of resources, rather than quality. Unless the parents and teachers are working in tandem there is no gurantee at all of quality.

Isn't that what I said? Parents have to do their bit...and most would rather have their kids taught by professional teachers than do it themselves.

That's a different problem. If a student decides to skip class because they aren't motivated then that is an active choice made by the student.

I think it's the same problem. Forcing kids to be in school is not the same as forcing them to learn anything. Dropout rates prove that, even if nothing else does. SO the problem is "What can the government do to get our population the greatest access to education?"

Don't you think most teachers would rather have a class full of kids who WANT to be there?

Originally Posted by Curufin

If school wasn't compulsory, kids wouldn't go. Or let me restate, only the kids who already have been taught by their parents to value education would go. It would cause a greater divide between the upper and working classes, children would be exploited into working, staying home to take care of other children, etc., and the over all level of education in the United States would decrease significantly.

Pretty classist, don't you think? Upper class kids value education, but working class families don't. Wow.

Got any statistics to back that one up?

Why shouldn't the parents have the choice? Because quite simply, a good number of parents in this country are in no means qualified to be parents in the first place, or simply don't have the time to make reasoned decisions.

Gee, maybe not. What are you planning to do about it?

And the education of children is not only a family matter - it affects the economy, politics, and the entire future of our nation. A democracy cannot succeed without an educated populace - it just can't.

Complete agreement. And I put to you that most places had higher literacy rates before compulsory education was enacted.