California 47th in the nation in education (Oakland, Alameda: home, neighborhood)

[Ultrarunner]

Originally Posted by jaynetarzana

I hear what you are saying, but I wonder how California will fair now that schools have suffered serious budget cuts. I know of schools in California without money to pay a janitor. Also, there isn't enough money to pay someone to mow the grass or even watch children on the playground at some schools. These are very basic things that one would think would not be a problem, but these are schools in districts that are being told that next year they have to trim even more from the budget. How? Where? Should the kids go without electricity or running water in the schools? I mean where does it end?

Must be different where you are...

Yes, these are very basic things and they haven't changed since when I went to school to present... local public schools never paid anyone to watch the kids on the playground... it was all PTA volunteers.

What has changed is volunteers must be finger printed and screened prior for any school position... my sister-in-law volunteers several days every week and has since her first child attended Kindergarten.

The PTA takes care of the grounds at another school my nephew attends... it was a battle, tooth and nail with the district because the district maintained only union district employee's were not permitted to do landscaping... one of the parents owns a landscape company and he, along with some of the Dad's have planted, trimmed and water... things changed quickly once the local parents started spreading the word the district was standing in the way of a usable ball field.

Part of the problem in tunnel vision... money for this and money for that... how about getting out of the way so more pro-active parents and local residents can lend a hand.

I would like a link about any Public School in CA where the water and/or electricity was turned off for lack of money... it would make Headlines across the State.

[Ceece]

Originally Posted by jaynetarzana

I'd love to hear from people who have children in California schools right now. What is your experience?

It all depends on where you live. That is true of ALL STATES. Where I live the schools are good, gold medal winning even. So obviously I have no complaints. In some places they are not so good, mostly because the community feeding the schools do not value education. That is not the fault of the school.

[Cyanna]

Originally Posted by Highnlite

Now, you may say, "harrummph, public school teachers are overpaid anyway" But if you did that, you would be admitting you don't know what the heck you are talking about.

Good point!


Yet how many actually complain that pro athletes, models, rock stars, and actors are over paid? We, as a society, are will to be gross amounts of money to watch all of the above. When it comes to paying the people who are responsible for educating our children for the future we gripe that they get paid too much! Having children taught by good, dedicated teachers is PRICELESS! If we want better education we'd better be willing to cough up the costs for it. My children are grown and out of school, and my grandchildren aren't in California, but I am more than happy to pay my share towards the proper education of other people's children.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by jaynetarzana

How does everyone feel about this? Why does the state with the largest economy in this country have one of the worst records when it comes to educating the future generations?

And study can be slanted to show what the researcher wants it to show. The 47th ranked state today might be the 10th in a few months. There are so many variables. I love to read these polls, but put almost no faith in them.

It is still this simple:1-kids will do as well as their parents encourage them to do. If most cases the kids who from homes where education is stressed will achieve, those who don't come from that background are going to have challenges. 3-the influentual an area is, the better the schools, that goes without saying. Even states like Ca have some areas that are very poor. I am simplifying this, but still pointing out, don't put too much into any of these reports.

Nita

[KC6ZLV]

Originally Posted by Ultrarunner

local public schools never paid anyone to watch the kids on the playground... it was all PTA volunteers.

Public schools used to hire teacher assistants. They were often used to watch the playgrounds. The teachers themselves were also given "yard" duty. That was standard across the country.

That stopped sometime in the 80s when school administrator salaries starting going through the roof in some areas, and school staff was getting stabbed while watching playgrounds in other areas.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by Ultrarunner

Must be different where you are...

Yes, these are very basic things and they haven't changed since when I went to school to present... local public schools never paid anyone to watch the kids on the playground... it was all PTA volunteers.

What has changed is volunteers must be finger printed and screened prior for any school position... my sister-in-law volunteers several days every week and has since her first child attended Kindergarten.

The PTA takes care of the grounds at another school my nephew attends... it was a battle, tooth and nail with the district because the district maintained only union district employee's were not permitted to do landscaping... one of the parents owns a landscape company and he, along with some of the Dad's have planted, trimmed and water... things changed quickly once the local parents started spreading the word the district was standing in the way of a usable ball field.

Part of the problem in tunnel vision... money for this and money for that... how about getting out of the way so more pro-active parents and local residents can lend a hand.

I would like a link about any Public School in CA where the water and/or electricity was turned off for lack of money... it would make Headlines across the State.

When we were in school (200 years ago) teachers found a way to educate us with classes probably averaging 30 to 32 students. Then came the 60s and it became apparent (which I agree) that is too many kids for a 1st or 2nd grade teacher. What did the district do about it? They got parents to volunteer to be teacher aids during the morning hours when the most emphasis was put on reading and math. Worked then, as well as, like you mentioned, lunch time volunteers and teachers taking turns.

Not all things in the past are better than today, but these things did work and saved a lot of money. Shortly after I stopped volunteering to aid, I had a friend in the Ontario school district that became a paid aid. She made an unbelievable amount of money plus was elegible for a retirement. Go figure.

Nita

[Ultrarunner]

Originally Posted by KC6ZLV

Public schools used to hire teacher assistants. They were often used to watch the playgrounds. The teachers themselves were also given "yard" duty. That was standard across the country.

That stopped sometime in the 80s when school administrator salaries starting going through the roof in some areas, and school staff was getting stabbed while watching playgrounds in other areas.

I can only speak to the schools I attended, family attends and where my Brother's fiancee' teaches second grade. All schools are in the San Francisco East Bay.

Brother's fiancee' teaches in Antioch and raves about the amount of parental support available just for the asking...

My sister-in-law is starting her 4th year as a volunteer Teacher's Aid in the Castro Valley School District... she has never been paid and "Works" 6 hours two days each week.

So far... no stabbings of students or staff...

My father was PTA president at two different schools and also taught High School. Volunteers were the backbone of making the schools into something special... Dad became very disenfranchised with the Teacher's Union... he said, it's now about money and no longer about the students.

[jaynetarzana]

Originally Posted by Ultrarunner

Must be different where you are...

Yes, these are very basic things and they haven't changed since when I went to school to present... local public schools never paid anyone to watch the kids on the playground... it was all PTA volunteers.

What has changed is volunteers must be finger printed and screened prior for any school position... my sister-in-law volunteers several days every week and has since her first child attended Kindergarten.

The PTA takes care of the grounds at another school my nephew attends... it was a battle, tooth and nail with the district because the district maintained only union district employee's were not permitted to do landscaping... one of the parents owns a landscape company and he, along with some of the Dad's have planted, trimmed and water... things changed quickly once the local parents started spreading the word the district was standing in the way of a usable ball field.

Part of the problem in tunnel vision... money for this and money for that... how about getting out of the way so more pro-active parents and local residents can lend a hand.

I would like a link about any Public School in CA where the water and/or electricity was turned off for lack of money... it would make Headlines across the State.

It was Mar Vista elementary school in Aptos (Santa Cruz county). But I heard the same was true for the entire Pajaro Valley school district.

[Ultrarunner]

Originally Posted by Cyanna

Good point!


Yet how many actually complain that pro athletes, models, rock stars, and actors are over paid? We, as a society, are will to be gross amounts of money to watch all of the above. When it comes to paying the people who are responsible for educating our children for the future we gripe that they get paid too much! Having children taught by good, dedicated teachers is PRICELESS! If we want better education we'd better be willing to cough up the costs for it. My children are grown and out of school, and my grandchildren aren't in California, but I am more than happy to pay my share towards the proper education of other people's children.

I never complain pro athletes, models, rock stars, and actors are over paid because I don't pay them...

I do pay a lot in local taxes and expect to have a voice in where my tax money goes.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by Ultrarunner

I never complain pro athletes, models, rock stars, and actors are over paid because I don't pay them...

Do you think that even in the slightest way, your spending (buying) habits have not been influenced by corporate marketing techniques which take advantage of these celebrities' fame?

In 1992 (I forgot the exact year) Michael Jordan made more money advertising for Nike than all the people combined who manufactured the shoes.