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There are so many problems to address; wide-ranging, comprehensive welfare reform is needed if we truly want to 'salvage our children' as you put it. Our education system, in particular, must be dramatically improved... the US currently ranks 24 out of the top 25 developed countries in terms of primary and secondary education! Part of the problem is the way we fund schools... since it's primarily through local property and sales taxes, schools in wealthy areas are funded far better than schools in poor areas meaning that children who are already lacking in relative opportunity due to poverty (and the associated increased likelihood of coming from a 'broken home') are further constrained in their life opportunities by a relatively inadequate education. As such, I think we need to federalize the funding of public schools so that all schools are funded equally according to the number of students they have.
Additionally, major increases in school funding generally are needed. More incentives need to be provided to encourage college students to major in education and become teachers: debt-forgiveness, bigger teacher salaries, etc. would be beneficial in this regard.
All students should also be guaranteed the right to attend a 4-year public university free of charge, as long as a certain GPA can be maintained. More generous funding opportunities should also be provided for poorer students wanting to attend private universities and for graduate students. Better funding for public universities is needed, too.
The reliance on standardized tests needs to be relaxed, greater emphasis needs to be placed on critical thinking, writing, math, science, etc. We need smaller class sizes, access to better technologies in the classroom...
The school year needs to be extended; divide the school year into trimesters with a two week break between each or something similar. Provide more extracurricular activities, better remediation programs, better programs for addressing 'problem' children. Don't allow students to drop out until they are 18.
But, of course, education isn't enough. Equal educational opportunity, massive increases in education funding, free college.... all this will go a long way, but some children will continue to suffer as a result of poverty and broken homes. As such, better welfare programs targeting children, particularly those in low-income households, are needed. Provide guaranteed childcare for working parents, increase paid parental (as opposed to maternal-only) leave for newborn children (as many European countries do). Have better, refundable tax credits for children. Free healthcare for children, too...
More generally, fighting poverty is critical. Poverty is cyclical; children growing up in poverty are likely to remain poor as they have far fewer life opportunities and have to work much harder than wealthier children in order to 'make it.'
I'm not being dramatic when I say we need to round those little pikers up and put them in some kind of INSTITUTION. Whether you want to call it an orphanage, or being a "ward of the state" or a Kibbutz or Boot Camp or reform school, or "JUVIE" or whatever. Put them somewhere that they can't HURT other people. Teach them to do something and give them some "tough love" guidance.
It's gonna be a mess in another 20 years, I tell you.
20yrsinBranson
Good point.
My idea is to develop some k-12 government funded boarding schools similar to what some wealthy people send their kids to.
Have it similar to a military school with very strict discipline and demerits and things like that.
All year school with breaks for holidays and such.
And they get taught everything from academics to manners/
This would be an option for responsible parents as well as a mandatory thing for parents who have proven to be irresponsible in their child rearing.
That would give the kids a good chance with being productive citizens.
I think they have some similar porgrams in certain places already for juvenile offenders.
You do know that 99.99% of revolutionaries had their roots in more or less privileged middle and upper middle classes? I don't mean moronic American definition of middle class. Working and lumpen classes are born to be obedient slaves, unfortunately. Why Russian Revolution became possible? Simple, the number of middle class oriented people greatly outweighed the number of legal outlets for their rat racing dreams&ambitions. Ring the bell ? Educated & critical thinking middle class failures started dreaming about a better world honoring their potential and ambitions. 80% is way too high of a number for the existing social & wealth pyramid to absorb without collapsing. Be careful what you wish for.
Wow, can you supply some links to this startling 99.99%?
I'm interested in reading about this because I think it's bunk.
Please cite your source or is this simply an opinion?
Quote:
Originally Posted by RememberMee
I find American kids & parents extremely well behaved. I do suspect that a lot of evil things going on behind the home walls and there are lots of skeletons in the closets but outside looks great. If some people are annoyed by occasional view of misbehaving kids, I think it's they not kids need a check up, no insults intended.
American kids are notable the world over for their loud bad behavior.
I can almost guarantee that some kid screaming or running around a room is American.
I've travelled to over 30 countries and know a little of what I speak.
Good question! When I was young, I noticed that we kids were “everybody’s†responsibility. In other words, other adults, outside immediate family were supporting development of a child.
While kids were in the school, the teachers took responsibility of watching over kids behavior, health, socializing etc. They gave us ideas about morals, principles, discipline, ethics and value systems. They answered questions, guided us;
gave advice, emotional support and encouragement. We used to talk with them and had no problem asking questions not related with learning material. Some teachers or other adults were considered as mentors - somebody we could confide and seek guidance. We watched and learned things from everybody. Also everyone was treating other kids like his or her own.
Everyone had a role in keeping children safe - whether they are a teacher, health worker, youth worker, sport coach, neighbor or stranger on the street.
Kids also learned that bad behavior had a consequences. A resonable non-violent punishment could be expected from other adults. A stranger on the street could make a comment when a kid was leaving litter behind. A teacher could “punish†a unruly kids with extra homework, or special project.
I would say – everyone had contributed in making kids to become decent, responsible adults.
The responsibility of rearing kids were not solely left to parents.
Today, many kids do not have anybody who would give them any kind of positive guideance. Their own parents do not know or practice morals, ethics, values or discipline. Teachers at school are told to not interfere with methods of child rearing used by their parents. Everybody is afraid to say or do anything.
But many parents are unable to teach their children health, hygiene, and eating habits through instruction and by example. They are unfit to make decisions about their child's education. They do not teach responsibilities or consequences of wrongdoing. They are not consistent and fair with discipline, cannot communicate and offer explanations to their children, and they do neglect their kids needs which leads to problems with them as they mature.
OP question about: “What can be done, and who can do it, in order to try to salvage these kids and keep them from just perpetuating the same cycle generation after generation?â€is a tough one. The situation is way out of control. It would need a radicale measures to reinstall at least some sort of rules and guidelines. The whole concept of rearing children should be reevaluated and new values established.
Interesting perspective.
Do you feel that some of the change is due to the change in American society as well?
- People no longer live in the same house for generations.
- They no longer know their neighbors.
- With the advent of television and air-con, people no longer spend time outside seeing and greeting neighbors and building relationships.
- The failed 70s experiment of bussing further changed the complexity of neighborhoods, your friends were no longer who you lived near.
- Parents become very possessive of their kids: Don't you give me any advice about my kids, etc. Parents tend to think that their kids are so very special. They don't understand that their kids are special only to them, not others.
The problems are more complex than that, I know, but these are some issues that I tend to think about, especially when I travel.
Wow, can you supply some links to this startling 99.99%?
I'm interested in reading about this because I think it's bunk.
Please cite your source or is this simply an opinion?
American kids are notable the world over for their loud bad behavior.
I can almost guarantee that some kid screaming or running around a room is American.
I've travelled to over 30 countries and know a little of what I speak.
83.7% of all statistics are made up on the spot. That number rises to 96% if the one doing it is a liberal.
I agree. We salvage our children by supporting (not $) the institution of FAMILY. There is no other solution. Sad to say but if parents do not care enough to do it, it simply will not get done.
Everyone defines "family" differently. Perhaps your definition won't meet my requirements or desires.
It gets very sticky when someone wants to force their belief system on others.
Sorry, Jturd, there is no easy way out. No way to escape your responsibilities, no way to make somebody else responsible for what you are unltimately responsible for.
The answer, the ONLY answer, you commie PIG, is personal responsibility. Your kids, are your problem, not mine or anybody elses.
Now man-up, find some stones, some backbone, lick the pig-spittle off of your lips and be a MAN, not the COMMIE PIG you have been so far in your pathetic, oink-filled life.
Consider youself bacon.
MahaAhiOno
What is your problem?
How rude and uncalled for.
Either you have suggestions/comments or not.
The insults are immature and show how poorly you were raised yourself.
Shame on you.
Hahaha, care to respond to the request for the statistic mentioned?
Unless I'm mistaken, this is the claim you're requesting proof of? "You do know that 99.99% of revolutionaries had their roots in more or less privileged middle and upper middle classes..."
I hate to break it to you sister, but considering who it was that made that claim, there will be no evidence to back it up. Upon first glance, it sounds good and impressive. But when you think about it for a minute, you begin to realize that it's bunk.
Inthe end everyone is responsible for their own conduct in life and nothing anyone can do will change if they take the wrong path most like to call it.People rarely change and when they do it is themselves who cahnge it. All we can do is set a example and give a litle opportunity toi change as children are most inflruenced by their aprents and peers.We ceertainyl can get over this making them think they are specail which does nothing but promote their thinking the rules don't apply to them.90% will learn form their mistakes in time if its not too late by then.
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? Educated & critical thinking middle class failures started dreaming about a better world honoring their potential and ambitions. 80% is way too high of a number for the existing social & wealth pyramid to absorb without collapsing. Be careful what you wish for.
