Is education not as high a priority in CA as it is in the Northeast (San Diego: income)

[Sassberto]

Originally Posted by Zapparulez

My daughter is in G.A.T.E. and the only thing she has been taught in that program so far is that Global Warming is bad, environmentalism is good, mankind is destroying the Earth, ect ect. It is straight up indoctrination, but that might just be in my daughters school. I bet it is probably just her "teacher" for GATE that is just concerned about pushing her agenda..

Honestly this has nothing to do with education quality and everything to do with your personal ideaology. If you want to control the education your child recieves you should homeschool. Please try to stay on-topic.

[Zapparulez]

Originally Posted by sav858

Nice posts MtnSurfer and Sassberto! agree very much, if I could give you reps I would.... I pretty much agreed with every word you wrote Sass.

CA is a very polarized state and it wasn't always like that. I read somewhere that CA has some of the most gerrymandered congressional districts in the country and some of the least competitive districts b/c of it. So many of our politicians are so damn clueless but see them getting reelected as some "mandate" when they basically win by default b/c democrats and republicans are pretty much guaranteed certain districts and seats.

Two things I think that would help make a huge difference and would help bring back more moderate, middle of the road politicians are:

1) redraw congressional districts so they are fair and competitive. Don't let lawmakers draw districts, have an independent, NON PARTISAN panel do it.

2) end term limits but ONLY IF #1 occurs. Even though most people favor term limits and in our current state system they make sense, but if you redraw districts so they are actually competitive then there is little need for term limits. And there is a ballot measure this Nov to do so, which I am voting for but I expect to fail like all the past ones.

I love my home state very much but it needs some serious fundamental changes or it will continue to go downhill. I'm starting to like this state less and less every year b/c it just keeps doing the same stupid crap that got it to where it is now over and over. I plan on leaving eventually to see if it's is overrated as I think it is, better than I think it is, or worse that I think it is b/c every year I feel it's less and less worth it. My family and friends are the biggest things that would keep me here. I really pray this state takes a new direction soon.....

I am all for breaking the stranglehold over this state. You do realize that the gerrymandering has kept the Democrats in power for 25 years now. I can't remember which proposition, but the people were duped into voting for it and the lines were redrawn to put Democrats into power permanently. Los Angeles and San Francisco/Bay Area now decide the direction of this state and have for the past several decades.

I am a strict constitutionalist, so I am not touting the conservative agenda...it only seems that way because this state is so leftist. We've all been indoctrinated...I broke mine a couple of years ago. Ironically, I have GW Bush to thank for breaking my indoctrination. I voted for Gore in 2000, then turned into a radical neocon after 2001, but by 2005 I realized both parties are a sham. They work together to screw the people far more often than they fight each other to protect the people.

Which is why so many people here probably don't like me, I rub everyone the wrong way.

[sav858]

Originally Posted by Zapparulez

I am all for breaking the stranglehold over this state. You do realize that the gerrymandering has kept the Democrats in power for 25 years now. I can't remember which proposition, but the people were duped into voting for it and the lines were redrawn to put Democrats into power permanently. Los Angeles and San Francisco/Bay Area now decide the direction of this state and have for the past several decades.

I am a strict constitutionalist, so I am not touting the conservative agenda...it only seems that way because this state is so leftist. We've all been indoctrinated...I broke mine a couple of years ago. Ironically, I have GW Bush to thank for breaking my indoctrination. I voted for Gore in 2000, then turned into a radical neocon after 2001, but by 2005 I realized both parties are a sham. They work together to screw the people far more often than they fight each other to protect the people.

Which is why so many people here probably don't like me, I rub everyone the wrong way.

Yes I do realize that and Sassberto said it even better though:
"On the other side there is a group of people with power and a vested interest in the status quo. They need to be held accountable by the people. But the people have failed to do so. Again and again these people are voted in by apathy or ignorance. I fear to say that it is California's disinterested voting populace at fault here."

Even though I vote democrat more than republican I do not like the stranglehold they have in our state govt either. They are too extreme, full of it, and out of touch with reality. I generally will not vote a democrat for governor as long as democrats have a monopoly in the house and senate in CA b/c it's like giving the governor a blank check.

I think you rub people the wrong way b/c you get too emotional and reactionary with your posts. And even though you might not be touting a conservative agenda it definitely comes off that way b/c of how you speak about the left, liberals, democrats, etc.... You may not be "conservative" but you seem opposed to anything lefties, democrats, liberals, etc..support or believe in, which comes off as very conservative and neo-conish despite claiming to dislike both parties/ideologies. Our state Democrats are so stupid they can't see how they have pushed people like you to the right and pushed people like me to be independents and despise both parties.

[Zapparulez]

Originally Posted by sav858

Yes I do realize that and Sassberto said it even better though:
"On the other side there is a group of people with power and a vested interest in the status quo. They need to be held accountable by the people. But the people have failed to do so. Again and again these people are voted in by apathy or ignorance. I fear to say that it is California's disinterested voting populace at fault here."

Even though I vote democrat more than republican I do not like the stranglehold they have in our state govt either. They are too extreme, full of it, and out of touch with reality. I generally will not vote a democrat for governor as long as democrats have a monopoly in the house and senate in CA b/c it's like giving the governor a blank check.

I think you rub people the wrong way b/c you get too emotional and reactionary with your posts. And even though you might not be touting a conservative agenda it definitely comes off that way b/c of how you speak about the left, liberals, democrats, etc.... You may not be "conservative" but you seem opposed to anything lefties, democrats, liberals, etc..support or believe in, which comes off as very conservative and neo-conish despite claiming to dislike both parties/ideologies. Our state Democrats are so stupid they can't see how they have pushed people like you to the right and pushed people like me to be independents and despise both parties.

I too vote Repuglican for governor, but that doesn't do any good when our governor can't even stand up for himself after getting beat down by the big unions out there in one special election. I have not decided yet whether to vote against every incumbent in the next election or vote third party in the next election. I am not sure which would be more significant to me...I am leaning to third party though.

If I lived in a Republican dominated state, then I'd probably be accused of being biased towards them. My hatred towards dems is more pronounced because I have had to live through their tyranny. If I had lived under the tyranny of a republican ruled state then I'd probably come off as a liberal. lol I do despise both parties, but I have been a member of each at different times. I plan on joining the Constitution Party soon...I have to start ignoring the pleas by the media about choosing the "lesser of two evils" and vote with my conscience. I just get emotional because I want more people to vote with their conscience. Even if that means you are totally indoctrinated as a Democrat or a Republican. It doesn't matter, just stop thinking you have to choose between the lesser of two evils.

I am to the right when it comes to moral issues, but I am quite to the left when it comes to economic issues like oversight and regulation of large corporations. If I averaged all my beliefs out, I'd be just a smidge to the right of center. The issues that drive me the most crazy with rage are the Federal Reserve, Presidential Powers, Taxation, Globalism, Immigration, and School Systems. I just can't help myself, so please forgive me.

[Zapparulez]

Originally Posted by Sassberto

Honestly this has nothing to do with education quality and everything to do with your personal ideaology. If you want to control the education your child recieves you should homeschool. Please try to stay on-topic.

I should not have to homeschool to avoid political indoctrination of my child by a school system. They should teach facts, not ideology. That was my point...I am not sure why you removed my post. I wasn't trying to launch a personal attack upon you, but please try not to censor. Message me what you found to be a personal attack so I can understand what I did for future posts and avoid offending your sensibilities.

Though you might see me as a right winger, there is nothing I despise more than censorship. That's the lefty side of my personality I suppose. Although being a private website, it is within the members contract so I am not fighting anything...I am just curious for future reference.

I am quite opinionated.

[MtnSurfer]

Hey if you can't get a little passionate about the education of your children then What Can you get passionate about? And unfortunately much the opposite is problem as previously mentioned - a general apathy by the public at large.

I also vote my conscience and have been a member of both parties. And I am also more conservative now than I was in my idealistic 20s. But old school party lines don't really do much for me any more. Now more than ever I want to see 'real change' which is actually much easier for all the candidates to talk about than to ever attempt to achieve.

Its seems like speeches are so carefully tailored for a target audience that it is almost impossible to know what a candidate will actually do once in office.

But getting back to education it will be more critical than ever to break up this old regime in CA. And it will take a lot of work. And I must admit that in moving back to CA from CO I want to help change things for the better. But we also choose to homeschool our three children for many of the reasons already stated and more. That is simply a personal choice my wife and I have made for our kids. Although I am still very concerned for with where the public education system is going for all CA which is our home state.

[ntytuld1]

Originally Posted by Zapparulez

You are my new best friend. I heard a teacher call into a radio show about a year ago and he said when it's all said and done, he gets $3 per kid per year in his classroom. Three dollars out of 10 grand...that is what happens when political correctness gets out of control and accountability is taken out of government in the name of "not offending anyone". How absurd have we become?!?!

Thank You Zappa. I was born and raised in this state and have always lived here. I have seen California when it had the best schools (#1 out of 50) in the country, the best freeways and roads, the best economy.

Now the politicians have destroyed this state's economy, it's education system, it's infrastructue and worse, the moral of the people who have remained here. All of it caused by political correctness, in other words, pandering for votes to keep their bloated paychecks and extravagant retirements.

The politicians have given all the taxpayer's money away to special interests, employee unions, people who are not citizens of this county in exchange for votes. Why else do you see mostly democratic, incumbant politicians in state government positions.
With all that said, the people of this state are a little at fault too. The people continue to vote for and elect these criminals called politicians because they are so gullible. They believe all the false promise the politians make.

And of course there are the "special" protections provided to many of our government employees especially our public safety officials.

an example: CHP higher level officers were found to be fraudulently filing disability retirements by a government investigation, the results of that investigation quietly released about 7 months ago. The investigation confirmed the fraud taking place on a wide scale within the CHP but said prosecution of the individuals defrauding the system was to impractical.

What the hell does that mean? Next time I go rob a bank, I'll use that as a defense.

The disability fraud issue is rampant throughout every city, county and state level of government of firemen, police, lifegaurds (yes lifegaurds) retirement.

Pensions in this state are now the number one biggest expenditure and our current state budget deficit in composed entirely of only the shortage of the necessary legal funding requirements for CALPERS and CALSTERS. That's just the shortage. Not the entire pension obligations, just the shortage to keep those pension funds at the minimum legally funded level.

[ntytuld1]

Originally Posted by sav858

Yes I do realize that and Sassberto said it even better though:
"On the other side there is a group of people with power and a vested interest in the status quo. They need to be held accountable by the people. But the people have failed to do so. Again and again these people are voted in by apathy or ignorance. I fear to say that it is California's disinterested voting populace at fault here."

Even though I vote democrat more than republican I do not like the stranglehold they have in our state govt either. They are too extreme, full of it, and out of touch with reality. I generally will not vote a democrat for governor as long as democrats have a monopoly in the house and senate in CA b/c it's like giving the governor a blank check.

I think you rub people the wrong way b/c you get too emotional and reactionary with your posts. And even though you might not be touting a conservative agenda it definitely comes off that way b/c of how you speak about the left, liberals, democrats, etc.... You may not be "conservative" but you seem opposed to anything lefties, democrats, liberals, etc..support or believe in, which comes off as very conservative and neo-conish despite claiming to dislike both parties/ideologies. Our state Democrats are so stupid they can't see how they have pushed people like you to the right and pushed people like me to be independents and despise both parties.

I agree with you regarding the people have not held t government officials/politicians accountable. We do not care any more. No one I speak with, when discussing or when attempting to discuss an issue knows anything about it and therefore are more gullible to some misleading soundbite they hear on TV at election time.

I do not believe the government/political situation in this state and quite frankly in this country, can be reversed. We are headed into becoming a France or into some New World Order type existance.

We have no leadership in this country. Lot's of politicians, but no true leaders who have the guts to teach then lead the American people to do what needs to be done. I do not see any potential leaders coming up through the political ranks. Only self-serving poll reading politicians as usual.

[ntytuld1]

Originally Posted by Zapparulez

We need to stop defending their wasteful spending. Don't you know that they already cancelled many after school programs because of previous budget cuts? This comes back to what I was talking about, these bastards would rather punish our kids than take accountability for their filed programs. I went to school in California, I graduated. I also taught myself almost everything I now know. I have plenty of horror stories of the California school system.

It's been screwed for a long time and it is also largely a propganda machine. I kept one of my history books from my rural "white" school and I also have a history book from the same grade from a cousin who graduated in the Bay Area. Frightening. There is stuff going on in our school system that shouldn't be allowed. Either teach us all from the same text books or admit to blatant brainwashing. I guess I am bitter...it happens when you discover the truth.

FYI, what school did you go too? I've never even seen a kiln for pottery and the shut down the art and music rooms at my daughters school during the last budget crisis thing. No sports either...of course this is K-4th grades, so I guess sports isn't for little kids. As for electricity, government contracts always purchase in bulk. They pay less per kilowatt than any of us. $10,000 still doesn't add up to $3 per kid when it's all said and done.

My priorities lie with COMMON SENSE! Our schools have degraded 100 fold ever since the state took everything over. Government screws things up more than they fix things, just look at FEMA.

If ownership of our school districts were returned to the localities, I guarantee they would improve almost overnight. The state could offer subsidies to school districts in low income areas with economic incentives based on performance. In this way, parents would have more control of their child's education. The state can set standards, but should have no control over the entire system. This way, equality could be achieved through subsidies, but standards would also be improved because of local control over districts. It would also stop the brainwashing...I had to stop the "global warming" bull crap being fed to my kid. There are several theories and nothing has been proven yet. Global cooling theories put scientists on guard | Environment | Reuters

I am just tired of the lies and excuses given to me by the government and media each and every day. Enough already. Control needs to be given back to the People. Government has done nothing but increase its power over the people...it's gotta stop. Our school system in California is a prime example of that...

I couldn't have said it better.

[NJ Chutzpah]

then are most UCLA, USC, Stanford, CAL Berkeley, Caltech students from out of state?

Is the public school system good enough to feed these great institutions?