patrick.net

I would have liked our public education system if it wasn't so corrupt. Doesn't seem like I'm getting the moneys worth out of it.

Politicians and unions always rob us there blind, while constantly pretending it's for the children. That system needs to be rebuilt from the ground up.

FortWayne says

That system needs to be rebuilt from the ground up.

The kibitz and kvetch team has SOOO many valuable contributions....

FortWayne says

Politicians and unions always rob us there blind, while constantly pretending it's for the children. That system needs to be rebuilt from the ground up.

Blind assertion from someone who's head is up his ass. FW listens to too much propaganda from those who claim that paying teachers less is the key to improving education.

Right.

Hey, everyone goes to school. There must be some serious money to be made in that "business "(??), right ? I know, let's get schools in to private hands, and lets put a lot of propaganda out there implying that public education has gotten worse in the last 50 years.

We need someone to blame for the hopelessness that many in the underclass feel about their prospects for upward mobility.

Robber Baron Elite Scum says

They only difference is that the state or community professor are much less likely to inflate your grades than Harvard, they cost less money in tuition & they have less of a "brand name".

Some fools think that the hardest schools to get in to (think SAT scores, AP exam scores and yes, those inflated grades), would have the most able students. And that just as in lower grades, the level of students (ie the academic competition) is one of the biggest determinants of the quality of an education.

Robber Baron Elite Scum says

Learn what fascism is.

Maybe you should learn what it means. Because only under fascist regime could your fantasies be realized.

As for the rest of your sad attempt at humor. It's not working for me. As for your last insane comment:

Robber Baron Elite Scum says

I can't wait to see the expression on your face when all public schools shut down or your pension is wiped because the tax payers refuse to finance your retirement.

Public schools aren't going to be shut down. And as for pensions, I don't know. They might have to increase what I pay in to the fund, and the state could increase its contributions a little too. But the money in the fund was taken out of teachers pay checks (as shown on each stub). It's like social security, except they actually have a lock box for this one, not just IOUs from the government). The state can't raid that fund. Look into it. That would be like the state raiding some random mutual fund or your trading accounts (if you really were an elite robber barron).

The pension fund is not owned or run by the state. Why I am responding to your pathetic attempt at humor, I don't know. PRobably because it was getting FW and other RW dimbulbs all excited.

Out in the real world, Robber Baron Elite Scum, is what we refer to as a "fucktard."

He needs to listen to:

Huntington Moneyworth III, Esq says

This is my playground nancy-boy. Go find some other wretches to crap on.

marcus says

Out in the real world, Robber Baron Elite Scum, is what we refer to as a "fucktard."

lol. I can't believe you take "Robber Baron Elite Scum" seriously. He's obviously a caricature created by someone who's trying to portray the plutocracy in a negative light. Just like Huntingdon Moneyworth III, Esq.

I can't believe you think I'm taking him seriously.
marcus says

As for the rest of your sad attempt at humor. It's not working for me.

He's not doing anything like what Moneyworth does. He's expressing pretty close to the actual views of many RW idiots, regardless of whether they are his views or not.

Bump...

Vicente says

It's too bad I can't specify a "dislike" for an original post, only to comments.

You have an opinion, but frankly it's wrong. Show me a successful country that lacks a public school system.

United States of America.

Just face the music already, our education system sucks. And it needs to be a lot better. Our immigration and education policies revolve around corporate interests, aka bringing scientists and engineers from overseas, instead of educating our own.

It's been that way for many years. Add some idiocy from the unions and government bureaucrats and that's how we got here.

Maybe we can "starve the beast" by eliminating property taxes?

Yes, the education of our kids has little to do with families and everything to do with the schools and teachers.

Here's the fix:

Step One: End all unions, and fire the teachers. It's an easy job that only requires a few hours of work a day and shouldn't pay more than $12/hr.

Step two: Privatize it. There's plenty of fat in education, for administrators to skim off of it and it should be opened up to profiteers. Just like health care, education only makes sense as a private enterprise. Without competition and the profit motive, how can education possibly be delivered effectively ?

PRoblem solved. It's a no brainer.

The least important pieces are the parents and the teachers. Once we take away half decent pay for teachers, we should see everything fall in to place.

Robber Baron Elite Scum says

Show me a successful country/civilization practicing socialism and communism.

Sweden. Its a nice place, you should visit sometime.

dublin hillz says

Maybe we can "starve the beast" by eliminating property taxes?

Prop 13.

Robber Baron Elite Scum says

Public schools are a fraud. They purposely inflate grades, allow students to cheat & do all kinds of funny accounting of grades to make the sheeple think the school is great because of the grades. The schools in the wealthy areas allow anyone to take AP classes regardless of whether they can do the work or not.

What about that "Gentleman's degree" from Harvard you have adorning your wall at home?

Harvard, isn't that a private school?

http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2005/03/the-truth-about-harvard/303726/

Robert Barron Elite Scum - the IL Duce of the 21st century!

For those of you who don't speak Italian I think in English that translates roughly as "The Douche".

;)

marcus says

Yes, the education of our kids has little to do with families and everything to do with the schools and teachers.

Here's the fix:

Step One: End all unions, and fire the teachers. It's an easy job that only requires a few hours of work a day and shouldn't pay more than $12/hr.

Step two: Privatize it. There's plenty of fat in education, for administrators to skim off of it and it should be opened up to profiteers. Just like health care, education only makes sense as a private enterprise. Without competition and the profit motive, how can education possibly be delivered effectively ?

PRoblem solved. It's a no brainer.

The least important pieces are the parents and the teachers. Once we take away half decent pay for teachers, we should see everything fall in to place.

We should not allow others to educate our kids. That reeks of elitism. Who the hell appointed them the know it alls? Bunch of mara salvatruchas in disquise who depend upon extortion via property taxes. The only true difference is physical violence!

marcus says

our kids

dublin hillz says

our kids

All this talk of "our kids" is beginning to sound socialist. If "our kids" are the problem, surely they can be privatized and turned over to a corporation? Maybe their future earnings can be securitized to pay for it? That would teach them to take responsibility for their lives, instead of joining Romney's 47%. Oops - too late, the Bush/Obama deficits have already spent the future earnings of "our kids" so those creative corporations will need to find some other way to monetize them. At least "our kids" will all have ObamneyCare, so they'll all live forever.

Robber Baron Elite Scum says

Want to be a doctor? They should work in the field as interns, apprentices and residents after they pass a state exam proving that they are knowledgeable and competent.

Medical school is essential to teaching how to prescribe PhRMA's most profitable products, and to indenturing each generation of doctors with enough debt to make sure they will have to work for corporate "people" instead of actual people. The Rockefeller family kindly donated to medical schools to teach drug prescription while also investing in drug companies, to bring you this wonderful system. Then Governor Rockefeller maximized the drug war with mandatory sentencing to lock you into it, literally.

Robber Baron Elite Scum says

If I became President...Health insurance will become illegal and Doctors/Hospitals will have to give a price for their services directly to patients. Of course, their salaries will fall with this new policy.

...which is why it won't happen and (sorry to be the bearer of bad news) you won't become President.

As a teacher, I can shed some light on this subject for you guys. Regardless of how public schools are funded, there's no conspiracy to educate your kids one way or another.

Administrators are given mandates from the state. They ignore them. They only care about jumping the ladder to cash out on a big pension. Teachers are given their marching orders from administration. They ignore them because most of them can't be fired or their administrators aren't watching over their shoulder at all, because once again, the administrators are too busy working on the resume for a promotion.

At the end of the day, by and large, each and every teacher teaches a subject how he or she chooses. And there are just as many right wing nutjobs in the business as left wing loons. And, if you think teachers make a high salary, by all means, enter the field yourself. You're almost certain to live a slightly below average middle class lifestyle.

theoakman says

And, if you think teachers make a high salary, by all means, enter the field yourself. You're almost certain to live a slightly below average middle class lifestyle.

I'm not baiting here, but asking a serious question - how many days a year do you work? How about hours/day spent doing job related activities?

Similarly, I'm still hoping for an explanation of these two apparently contradictory statements:

theoakman says

I bailed on all my Australian investments....

theoakman says

I'm still holding. Biggest winner....

These were in Investing in Australian $ or the Australian market.

curious2 says

Similarly, I'm still hoping for an explanation of these two apparently contradictory statements:

theoakman says

I bailed on all my Australian investments....

theoakman says

I'm still holding. Biggest winner....

These were in Investing in Australian $ or the Australian market.

lol, funny...you are referencing two different investments.

My Austrialian investments weren't in precious metals mining, they were in base metals mining. They got crushed and I took over a 50% loss on everything I bought. One stock, Minara, I lost it all after commissions. Same with the coal industry there.

My precious metals mining investments were in Canada and South Africa, circa end of 2008 and they skyrocketed. Pure home run. I finally cashed out on them too. Took approximately 500% gain on them all in the end as well. I now hold physical gold, silver, cash, and a bunch of dividend stocks like Coke, JJ & Verizon. I accomplished my goal, I got a house and I can pay off my mortgage tomorrow if I want. Smooth sailing from here on out.

New Renter says

theoakman says

And, if you think teachers make a high salary, by all means, enter the field yourself. You're almost certain to live a slightly below average middle class lifestyle.

I'm not baiting here, but asking a serious question - how many days a year do you work? How about hours/day spent doing job related activities?

I'm not lying when I say this, but I worked 365 straight days, 15 hours a day for 3 years straight. I taught Chemistry, Physics, and AP Physics, three different preps. You teach at school, and you spend all day at home developing new lessons or grading tests/reports. I also write approximately 45 letters of recommendation a year. That's the life of young teacher.

Now that I'm in my 4th year, and do not have a new prep, I'd say I work 6 days a week. Sunday is for grading and I don't have to do much lesson prep. Probably 2 hours of work a day at home on weekdays.

The characterization that exists for teachers in general is hardly one to believe. If anyone believes they can coast through this job, by all means have at it. The people who try to tally up hours worked for the profession have no idea what the profession entails. You are on your feet the entire time. Those "periods off" involve kids coming in for extra help, or you setting up for class, or gathering materials to move to a different room. That so called 40 minute lunch period I has never allowed me to spend more than 5 minutes eating lunch. If you are dedicated to the job, you kill yourself in and out of school.

It's the few lazy teachers out there at each school who do nothing and sit on their tenure who ruin it for everyone else.

The Professor says

theoakman says

Smooth sailing from here on out.

Good luck on that !

Bon Voyage!

No problem...goal was to have a home paid in full by age 40. I did it a year and half outa grad school, 10 years ahead of schedule. Thank you Ben Bernanke.

theoakman says

New Renter says

theoakman says

And, if you think teachers make a high salary, by all means, enter the field yourself. You're almost certain to live a slightly below average middle class lifestyle.

I'm not baiting here, but asking a serious question - how many days a year do you work? How about hours/day spent doing job related activities?

I'm not lying when I say this, but I worked 365 straight days, 15 hours a day for 3 years straight. I taught Chemistry, Physics, and AP Physics, three different preps. You teach at school, and you spend all day at home developing new lessons or grading tests/reports. I also write approximately 45 letters of recommendation a year. That's the life of young teacher.
Now that I'm in my 4th year, and do not have a new prep, I'd say I work 6 days a week. Sunday is for grading and I don't have to do much lesson prep. Probably 2 hours of work a day at home on weekdays.

The characterization that exists for teachers in general is hardly one to believe. If anyone believes they can coast through this job, by all means have at it. The people who try to tally up hours worked for the profession have no idea what the profession entails. You are on your feet the entire time. Those "periods off" involve kids coming in for extra help, or you setting up for class, or gathering materials to move to a different room. That so called 40 minute lunch period I has never allowed me to spend more than 5 minutes eating lunch. If you are dedicated to the job, you kill yourself in and out of school.

It's the few lazy teachers out there at each school who do nothing and sit on their tenure who ruin it for everyone else.

That's pretty much in line with what I have heard from the public school teachers I have worked with. The job has its rewards but they are pretty much all non-monetary.

Still if you have a house bought and paid for you are doing pretty well.

Robber Baron Elite Scum says

Want to be a doctor? They should work in the field as interns, apprentices and residents after they pass a state exam proving that they are knowledgeable and competent.

Medical school is useless and a waste of time. US doctors spend 7-10 years in school yet are extremely incompetent fucking idiots.

Want to be a lawyer? Work as a apprentice in a law office and than take the bar exam.

The teacher appears when the student is ready. The teacher never appears by force.

To have truly competent doctor, lawyers, engineers, police men, mechanics, plumbers, carpenters, writers etc...

I want to become a porn star. Where's my teacher?

Oh, I shouldn't have asked that...

Robber Baron Elite Scum says

Want to be a lawyer? Work as a apprentice in a law office and than take the bar exam.

BTW, this is what Alexander Hamilton did, to pass his bar.

Today, he'd have to first, get his BA from Columbia College and then, another 3 years at the Law school, to even start the process.

Otherwise, he'd be a lowly paralegal for life.

New Renter says

That's pretty much in line with what I have heard from the public school teachers I have worked with. The job has its rewards but they are pretty much all non-monetary.

Still if you have a house bought and paid for you are doing pretty well.

House is bought and paid for purely from speculation in the market. When I was 28, I went all in on Silver and mining stocks right after the 2008 crash. Haven't paid off the house, but I could if I wanted to at this point. I'm content to hold the debt while I get some good dividend returns and await currency depreciation to wipe out that debt.

Huntington Moneyworth III, Esq says

This is my playground nancy-boy. Go find some other wretches to crap on.

I spend a few weeks in Greece shopping for slaves and some asshole comes in with Frankston-esque ideas.

Man, it's been four years since Moneyworth posted. Time sure flies. So many people have left this site. Unfortunately, not the ones that should.

Wow, piggy is really upset. Maybe I shouldn't have fucked his daughter so hard.