[blakesq]

Geoffd,

You say “It takes an enormous investment to educate the next generation out of poverty.”. The local and state government cannot “educate” people out of poverty. That is the same liberal fallacy that says more government can fix society’s problems. Government is the problem not the solution.

[in_newengland]

Originally Posted by blakesq

Geoffd,

You say “It takes an enormous investment to educate the next generation out of poverty.”. The local and state government cannot “educate” people out of poverty. That is the same liberal fallacy that says more government can fix society’s problems. Government is the problem not the solution.

It's true. The government has been throwing money at schools for decades but there is little, if any, evidence of progress. It's not that government is the problem, it's that there are no changes made in policy. If the disruptive kids were removed, by law, from the schools and educated, or at least taught how to behave, in special schools of some type, things would probably improve in the public schools.

Experiments have been done in other parts of the country by sending these impossible, out of control kids to "boot camps" where they learn respect and acceptable behavior. After they can sit and pay attention, learn civilized behavior, then they could actually start to learn school subjects. But by keeping them in the regular public school system, they never learn how to fit in, will never learn appropriate behavior for holding a job, and they drag the other kids down. Yes, the government could establish these "boot camps" within the public school systems rather than simply wasting money by throwing it at the public schools.

[ayoskillz]

Originally Posted by in_newengland

It's true. The government has been throwing money at schools for decades but there is little, if any, evidence of progress. It's not that government is the problem, it's that there are no changes made in policy. If the disruptive kids were removed, by law, from the schools and educated, or at least taught how to behave, in special schools of some type, things would probably improve in the public schools.

Experiments have been done in other parts of the country by sending these impossible, out of control kids to "boot camps" where they learn respect and acceptable behavior. After they can sit and pay attention, learn civilized behavior, then they could actually start to learn school subjects. But by keeping them in the regular public school system, they never learn how to fit in, will never learn appropriate behavior for holding a job, and they drag the other kids down. Yes, the government could establish these "boot camps" within the public school systems rather than simply wasting money by throwing it at the public schools.

Sounds like you are saying they just need to allow paddles back in school so kids can get a good old fashion whooping

[ArmLizzie]

"Median household income" is a term that gets bandied about a lot. This is a math term I think is getting confused. The median is the point at which half the numbers are below, and half the numbers are above. It's possible that NO ONE earns the median because of the nature of its definition. Also not all households have more than one wage earner. A family of 4 with 2 work-eligible adults earning $29k isn't going to find the same quality of life as a single person renting a walk-up studio earning the same amount but both of them are counted as households.

Example of median:

Household 1 = 2 adults, earning $250,000/year combined.
Household 2 = 2 adults, earning $50,000/year combined.
Household 3 = 1 adult earning $40,000
Household 4 = 3 adults, earning $25,000

The median would be $45,000

Household 1 = 3 adults earning $250,000/year combined.
Household 2 = 2 adults earning $50,000/year combined.
Household 3 = 1 adult earning $40,000
Household 4 = 2 adults, earning $25,000 combined.

The median would still be $45,000

As you can see, the household median, as a measurement of how a city's economy is doing, is a meaningless measurement.

[CTartist]

Originally Posted by ArmLizzie

"Median household income" is a term that gets bandied about a lot. This is a math term I think is getting confused. The median is the point at which half the numbers are below, and half the numbers are above. It's possible that NO ONE earns the median because of the nature of its definition. Also not all households have more than one wage earner. A family of 4 with 2 work-eligible adults earning $29k isn't going to find the same quality of life as a single person renting a walk-up studio earning the same amount but both of them are counted as households.

Example of median:

Household 1 = 2 adults, earning $250,000/year combined.
Household 2 = 2 adults, earning $50,000/year combined.
Household 3 = 1 adult earning $40,000
Household 4 = 3 adults, earning $25,000

The median would be $45,000

Household 1 = 3 adults earning $250,000/year combined.
Household 2 = 2 adults earning $50,000/year combined.
Household 3 = 1 adult earning $40,000
Household 4 = 2 adults, earning $25,000 combined.

The median would still be $45,000

As you can see, the household median, as a measurement of how a city's economy is doing, is a meaningless measurement.

If you look right on this site for a particular town/city they have both the Median HH Income and the Per Capita Income. If you take both into account it gives you a pretty good idea of how each town/city is doing.

[ads94]

I remember reading something about this earlier in the year. Can't remember when. Very shocking to see this town in such a position.

Scotland’s first selectman: ‘It’s raise taxes, dissolve the town, or go bankrupt’

If Windham County still have a functioning government and administered the school systems, the people of this town would be far better off than paying crazy high taxes. 81% of the budget for education? Come on. Hartford is in trouble, but I fear that Scotland will only be the first of many smaller, rural, town feeling the effect of Connecticut's poor economy.

[in_newengland]

Originally Posted by ayoskillz

Sounds like you are saying they just need to allow paddles back in school so kids can get a good old fashion whooping

Are you joking? I was a teacher and I witnessed what goes on in the public schools. Teachers get threatened and verbally (sometimes physically) abused on a daily basis. The good kids can't learn because the unruly kids hijack the class. The teacher can report this kids to the principal all they want but nothing is done.

There need to be consequences. They did finally remove one kid from the middle school where I taught (not one of my students) but in another month he was back and at his old tricks. These kids need help and they're not getting it. Teachers are supposed to teach but they can't and they don't have time to be life counselors for these thug-type kids.

A lot of the trouble makers never had any discipline in the home. That's why some places have experimented with a sort of "boot camp" where they learn how to act and there are good role models for them and decent adults for them to talk to about their issues. There has to be some way of dealing with them and making them fit to return to school, to learn, and to develop a work ethic so that some day they can become productive members of society. The one kid that I am alluding to didn't get much help and ended up becoming a drug dealer.

[East of the River]

Originally Posted by ArmLizzie

"Median household income" is a term that gets bandied about a lot. This is a math term I think is getting confused. The median is the point at which half the numbers are below, and half the numbers are above. It's possible that NO ONE earns the median because of the nature of its definition. Also not all households have more than one wage earner. A family of 4 with 2 work-eligible adults earning $29k isn't going to find the same quality of life as a single person renting a walk-up studio earning the same amount but both of them are counted as households.

Example of median:

Household 1 = 2 adults, earning $250,000/year combined.
Household 2 = 2 adults, earning $50,000/year combined.
Household 3 = 1 adult earning $40,000
Household 4 = 3 adults, earning $25,000

The median would be $45,000

Household 1 = 3 adults earning $250,000/year combined.
Household 2 = 2 adults earning $50,000/year combined.
Household 3 = 1 adult earning $40,000
Household 4 = 2 adults, earning $25,000 combined.

The median would still be $45,000

As you can see, the household median, as a measurement of how a city's economy is doing, is a meaningless measurement.

It's not the greatest but it's something. In my opinion it give a better picture then average household income.

[Matrix2791]

Originally Posted by ads94

I remember reading something about this earlier in the year. Can't remember when. Very shocking to see this town in such a position.

Scotland’s first selectman: ‘It’s raise taxes, dissolve the town, or go bankrupt’

If Windham County still have a functioning government and administered the school systems, the people of this town would be far better off than paying crazy high taxes. 81% of the budget for education? Come on. Hartford is in trouble, but I fear that Scotland will only be the first of many smaller, rural, town feeling the effect of Connecticut's poor economy.

The problem is a lot of these towns always relied on state aid, and now that is in jeopardy. I wonder how many more towns are in trouble? Simply taxing your way out is not gonna work every year.

[beerbeer]

The nuns at my grade school didn't use paddles, they hit us with rulers. Out of the 40 kids in my eight grade class, none of us dropped out of high school and about 75% ended up in college