From: oispeggy@ubvmsd.cc.buffalo.edu (Peggy Brown)
Newsgroups: alt.magick
Subject: Re: Education
Date: 21 Aug 92 19:46:00 GMT
Organization: University at Buffalo
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41

In article <199208210943.AA19574@intercon.com>, amanda@INTERCON.COM (Amanda Walker) writes...
>In article <1992Aug21.060636.3933@u.washington.edu>, 
>rjb@milton.u.washington.edu (LeGrand Cinq-Mars) writes:
>> It should be.  Unfortunately, however, it often isn't.  It's less a 
>> stupidity tax than a remedial education surcharge.
> 
>I am of two minds about this.  On the one hand, I must admit that the public 
>education system in this country is in a deplorable state (I have seen this 
>"up close and personal", having a burned-out high school language teacher for 
>a father).

IMO the education system in this country has never been great, 
only in prior decades it was more acceptable not to finish or do 
well.  Its only noticeable now because of delinquency and the 
fact that in our high-tech society people can't make it without a 
good education.  In fact, our society can't make it either.

>On the other hand, I cannot place all the blame on the educational system, 
>since it does not shoulder all of the responsibility.  Literacy is something 
>that parents and communities also have responsibility for.  

Don't forget the students too.  Everyone seems to always forget 
about them.  They're responsible too.

>Willful ignorance--lack of desire to learn, or an active desire *not* to 
>learn (which I have encountered all too many times)--is one of the few things 
>I have no patience for.  In this respect, in fact, I'll go so far as to say 
>that I am an elitist.  There is no excuse for not learning (and, on the flip 
>side, not teaching) at least basic spoken and written language skills.  And 
>in "basic" I include the fundamentals of composition, rhetoric and debate, 
>logic, delivery, and so on--the very things that are *supposed* to be in 
>every high school English curriculum, much less a college education.  If I 
>were a parent and my children were not getting this kind of training in 
>school, I'd teach them myself (admittedly while complaining to the school 
>board :)).

Very lovely and commendable sentiments.  But you'll never change 
human nature.  Without an exceptional amount of motivation, many
students would not be capable of learning as much as you suggest 
they should.  I wonder how other countries get such high ratings 
in education?  Are all students smart and highly motivated, or do 
they funnel everyone less than average to a less demanding curriculum 
that is not included in their stats?

IMO, if your curriculum was adopted, the drop-out rate would soar 
and many people of average intelligence would have trouble, those 
of slightly lower than average intelligence would be tortured.  I 
don't think it would be fair.  Of course, those with high intelligence, 
which includes everyone who reads alt.magick I'm sure, :) would 
probably enjoy it (no more daydreaming in the back of the room).

A little tolerance is in order.  No offense but you 
remind me of people who naturally wake-up early every morning 
and then make out like its an incredible virtue.  Our society 
already tends to measure people's worth too much in terms of 
iq and academic achievements.  There are many people with 
good hearts who will never be on top of the heap.  Don't forget 
about them.

What is this doing in alt.magick, anyway?

- Peggy -
Newsgroups: alt.magick