Educational System: Issues and Solutions in America

1. Stupid In America? YOUR reactions…

2. From 4th grade to high school:What goes wrong? What changes? • Kids become less interested. • More fun activities earlier on. • You have a lot more distractions – a lot more going on in your life as you get older: jobs, sports, responsibilties. • Class size increases. • Studies get harder. • More parental involvement in elementary school.

3. Teachers & Tenure Good idea: tenure gives teachers more confidence to speak up esp. if they have more experience/ enhanced insight/ different ideas than say younger and or lesser experienced administrators More stability Attracts to profession “perk” • Bad idea – teachers after getting tenure, slack off because they figure they can’t get fired. • Don’t care as much about students. • They should NOT be accessible 24/7. • Must be able to fire in extreme cases – sex with students

4. Money: How much is enough? • Money doesn’t solve everything. • More tax dollars better for students: supplies, programs, sports, better teachers (better salaries = better pool of applicants from which to choose) • If each student gets a certain amount of money spent on them, why do we not get a say on what that money should be used for? • Money hasn’t helped the school systems at all. Paying students get them to try harder?

5. Money • Should students get paid for attendance? For performance? • Should students do the work of custodians for save money? • Money is for the administrators! How important are administrators? • Should be enough for a good environment? What is good? Safe?

6. More about money… • We have enough money – should be spent more efficiently. - Okay, how? • Money doesn’t solve anything – more money = more problems.

7. School Choice: Should your zip code determine your school? • NO. Just because you live in a certain zip code doesn’t mean you have to go there. – ex. Bordentown zip code kids go to NBC. • NO because its not the kids’ fault on where they live. • They may not be comfortable at the school. • NO, because a smart person should be in a well-developed school and not an under level one.

8. No, because if you are born into a bad area you should have the opportunity to better your education. • No, every school should be like private schools, some more competitive/ more expensive then. - vouchers!!!!!! • No, money should follow students to school of choice and bad schools should be put our of business.

9. Drop-outs • Dropping out should be illegal. Everyone should be in some type of educational program. • More choices for alternative schools. • Process should be more difficult. • Should be made to take alternate schooling after dropping out. • It’s your choice to drop out. They’re affecting themselves & that’s their choice. • Should have a legit reason to drop out. What’s legit? • A high school diploma should be required by law.

10. Random Drug Testing: students • YES! Because drugs impact one’s learning ability. • Students would throw fits. • Would cause rebellion. • Good! Puts emphasis on good behavior. • Not good because kids are going to do whatever they want and that’s NOT going to affect them. • NOT good – it’s not the teachers/staff’s business on what students choose to do especially if its not affecting class.

11. Random Drug Testing: Staff • It is their choice to work at a school and its up to them to be responsible and professional in their workplace. • Should be allowed because they are responsible for the students. • Yes, they should be equal and should NOT feel like they can get away with doing drugs. • Yes, because responsible for students well being and safety.