Saturday, February 9, 2013

Government "Education" in La La Land


California will no longer require eighth-graders to take algebra — a move that is line with the Common Core standards being adopted by most states, but that may leave students unprepared for college, The Daily Caller reports.

Last month, California formally shifted to the Common Core mathematics standards, which recommend that students delay taking algebra if they aren’t ready for it. Previously, algebra class was a requirement for all eighth-graders in the state.

The Common Core State Standards Initiative, which is sponsored by the National Governor’s Association, is an effort to unify diverse state education curricula. Forty-five other states and the District of Columbia have signed on so far.

Sounds like "core" inflation.

13 comments:

  1. Well, clearly California hasn't thrown enough money at public schools.

    Besides, after you teach all of that global warming nonsense and the history of the government saving us from ourselves (and the capitalists), you really don't have the time or the resources left over to teach the little beasts how to find the value of "x".

    When I was in school, they seemed singularly concerned with "saving trees" by recycling paper. We all got our jollies (and gold stars) by recycling paper, but no one ever wanted to actually use recycled sheets of paper in class (too brown). Of course, it turned out that capitalism (through the development of computers and the internet) has provided the only effective means to reduce the use of trees by pulp and paper companies.

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  2. In a free country, the State wouldn't have any say, and the parents and the child could tackle algebra whenever they wanted to. 8th grade or FIRST grade, depends on the kid.
    It galls me that although I vehemently object to these "standards" even existing, I DO agree with the idea of age flexibility when it comes to course material.

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    1. I'm guessing that in a free market for education the terms first grade and eighth grade would not exist.

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  3. I believe that algebra is an important method of getting the youngins to develop thinking skills, as a means toward strengthening the ability to think logically. Already, entire generations do not think logically, and we have what we have today: clueless morons and sheeple.

    For example, our fascist governor, Deval Patrick imposed a ban on all driving throughout all of Massachusetts (or, should I say, Fascichusetts), on ALL roads, to begin at 4 PM yesterday, with a heavy fine and possible year in jail. However, all public transportation, the streetcar/subway, trains, buses etc. stopped service BEFORE that, at 3:30 PM!

    And, as Wenzel and readers already know, our Rulers institute one policy after another that are entirely illogical and counter-productive.

    And now they want to get rid of algebra.

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  4. This is somewhat interesting to me because I grew up in Beverly Hills and took algebra in 9th grade (81-82 school year). I don't remember algebra even being offered in 8th grade. Although the math teacher I had that year informally taught the basics of it to interested kids after school.

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    1. Wow! The richest government school district in the US can't teach algebra until 9th grade! I went to a private school in a lower middle class neighborhood, and had algebra in 5th grade. My daughter is getting it in 3rd grade now.

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    2. I had algebra in the 7th grade in a working class California city (also 81-82). However, some kids didn't take it until 9th grade. It depended when they were ready. Some districts are using this and the new Common Core standards to eliminate the ability for the kids who are ready earlier to take algebra at the right time. So, they shall sit in math class and rot.

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  5. Give us your money, and we will teach your kids to be more stupid.

    In all seriousness, why are people even still paying so much money for school, when all they have to do is buy a book from the "for dummies" series for about 20 bucks?

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  6. I can't wait for the government to make all of "government education" optional. And it should be optional for the school teachers to get paid. And taxation to pay for govt schools should also be optional, especially for people without kids.


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  7. No problem, dude. Like, I was surfin with these two radical babes and one of em got some algae stuck in her bra, and like, she just got rid of it. Same thing, right? What's the big deal, man?

    I say teach us something useful like reading waves, or what to do if you get caught in an undertow, or like, how to survive a hail of bullets from the LAPD. Whoa!

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  8. The Onion is johnny-on-the-spot with this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssjokgx0pUQ

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  9. "Algebra" definitely sounds Arabic. Terrorists! Terrorists! Terrorists! Brainwashing OUR kids with that Islamic discipline!

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  10. While I like the concept of students taking courses when they are ready for them, I know the system all to well and that takes needed pressure off of teachers. Given the choice to push themselves and students, too many teachers (IMHO) would do neither without required goals. Others would just not be sure what the goal should be if they had to make it themselves. We must have minimum expectations of our students...and our teachers.

    If teachers are allowed to decide when a child is ready for material, parents should be allowed to choose their teachers.

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