What do you think will happen to real estate prices in cook county suburbs? (Chicago: home, best school)

[petlover8]

Originally Posted by destination-unknown

CPS is rated poorly yet the state is rated above average relative to other states including your lovely Arizona.

Look, I never once mentioned or compared Arizona to Illinois. There is no "point to prove". You're in an argument with yourself. American public schools are an educational disaster, regardless of where they happen to be located. That's a fact. And they continue to suck more each passing year. SAT scores are dropping nationwide, and have been for well over a decade. Most "graduating" high school seniors cannot answer general knowledge or geographical questions correctly, or read above an 8th grade level.

"Even worse, according to that same National Geographic survey only 50 percent of all Americans between the ages of 18 and 24 can find the state of New York on a map."

How Stupid Are American High School Students?

The American educational system is rated 36th in a global study. And it's dropping steadily. And all the while we keep spending more money. It's a failed system, and always has been. You don't see it because you don't want to. If you want to continue to argue in favor of this total fiasco, I wish you luck, because you're going to come off even less intelligent than the students who are "graduating" from this nations disastrous public school system. The question you need to ask yourself, is how stupid is stupid enough to please you?

[petlover8]

If this doesn't scare you, AND define stupid in the process, you're beyond help. Remember, this is our nations public school system at work with YOUR tax dollars.

*Only 43 percent of all U.S. high school students knew that the Civil War was fought some time between 1850 and 1900.

*More than a quarter of all U.S. high school students thought that Christopher Columbus made his famous voyage across the Atlantic Ocean after the year 1750.

*Approximately a third of all U.S. high school students did not know that the Bill of Rights guarantees freedom of speech and freedom of religion.

*Only 60 percent of all U.S. students knew that World War I was fought some time between 1900 and 1950.

Even more shocking were the results of a survey of Oklahoma high school students conducted back in 2009. The following is a list of the questions that were asked and the percentage of students that answered correctly….

What is the supreme law of the land? 28 percent

What do we call the first ten amendments to the Constitution? 26 percent

What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress? 27 percent

How many justices are there on the Supreme Court? 10 percent

Who wrote the Declaration of Independence? 14 percent

What ocean is on the east coast of the United States? 61 percent

What are the two major political parties in the United States? 43 percent

We elect a U.S. senator for how many years? 11 percent

Who was the first President of the United States? 23 percent

Who is in charge of the executive branch? 29 percent

[destination-unknown]

Originally Posted by petlover8

Illinois schools are no better. You just think they are because they spend more. They fact is they do and they're not. And that isn't sarcasm, it's FACT.

You didn't comment on the performance of Illinois schools compared to Arizona schools? The lies continue...

[John7777]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

No one living in Phoenix should be lecturing anyone else. That place has HORRIBLE weather for a large chunk of the year, traffic, bad air, and very little charm. Crime is pretty much an equivalent problem. Water supplies are overtaxed, and global warming may make the place completely uninhabitable within the next half century. There is basically nothing that could get me to move to that hell hole.

Actually, the Phoenix area, especially the Scottsdale and Paradise Valley areas, are very nice. More than a few multi-million dollar homes. People aren't paying those prices to live in a "hell hole." And the weather is great.

As for Chicago? From what I read, the entire state of Illinois has financial problems. They can't even pay lottery winners. I'd be expecting higher taxes in the near future. I don't think a state can declare bankruptcy.

[destination-unknown]

Originally Posted by petlover8

Look, I never once mentioned or compared Arizona to Illinois. There is no "point to prove". You're in an argument with yourself. American public schools are an educational disaster, regardless of where they happen to be located. That's a fact. And they continue to suck more each passing year. SAT scores are dropping nationwide, and have been for well over a decade. Most "graduating" high school seniors cannot answer general knowledge or geographical questions correctly, or read above an 8th grade level.

"Even worse, according to that same National Geographic survey only 50 percent of all Americans between the ages of 18 and 24 can find the state of New York on a map."

How Stupid Are American High School Students?

The American educational system is rated 36th in a global study. And it's dropping steadily. And all the while we keep spending more money. It's a failed system, and always has been. You don't see it because you don't want to. If you want to continue to argue in favor of this total fiasco, I wish you luck, because you're going to come off even less intelligent than the students who are "graduating" from this nations disastrous public school system. The question you need to ask yourself, is how stupid is stupid enough to please you?

What's your point? I'm not leaving the United States to move to Finland so all I can do is provide my family with the best possible education given my personal situation. I am more than happy with the public school district I moved into and have no doubt my kids will succeed in it. To call American public schools an "educational disaster" is an exaggeration and inaccurate. There are parents from all over the world that would kill to have their kids enrolled in this "disasterous" system. Is it the best in the world? No. Can it be improved? Yes. Is it a "disaster"? No.

[DougStark]

This whole school argument could be settled if the nation went to a student voucher system.

Make schools compete against each other like businesses have to, get rid of the unions and teacher tenure, and make it easier to expel student troublemakers.

[petlover8]

Originally Posted by DougStark

This whole school argument could be settled if the nation went to a student voucher system. Make schools compete against each other like businesses have to, get rid of the unions and teacher tenure, and make it easier to expel student troublemakers.

I agree. But it never will. Trying to make union loving socialist teachers competitive is an impossible task. Socialists hate competition. Always have, and always will. This regardless of how many examples you give them of failed socialism. They only want more. It's the lazy mans way to riches. And a sure way to bankruptcy. It's not limited to government and schools either. Look at the steel and auto industry in this country. The public school system in this country is run the same. And they will all achieve the same result. It's only the matter of time. Just as soon as they run out of other peoples money. They soon will. Many like Chicago already have.

[petlover8]

Originally Posted by destination-unknown

To call American public schools an "educational disaster" is an exaggeration and inaccurate.

Really? Wake up. It's ranked 36th in the world, all the while spending the most. And it's getting worse every day. What would you call it, a success?

[twodoor2]

CPS definitely brings the entire state average for school quality down.

It's sad, unless you can get into a gifted program in the city.

[destination-unknown]

Originally Posted by DougStark

This whole school argument could be settled if the nation went to a student voucher system.

Make schools compete against each other like businesses have to, get rid of the unions and teacher tenure, and make it easier to expel student troublemakers.

Far too simplistic. If there was a simple answer it's tied more to what the parents/family are doing to support their child's education and less about what the schools are/aren't doing.