Obama...first african american...would you vote for him?????

[skyeblu79 0]

We had a saying at the university where I did my undergraduate work: "The students who can't make it in the other fields get business degrees, and the students who can't make it in business get education degrees." It sounds mean, but it was a fairly accurate description for a lot of the people majoring in education there. The classes required for the education degrees had reputations for being incredibly easy (learning how to make smiley-faces on a computer, etc.). That, combined with having free summers and a limited work-week, was a major attraction for a lot of people. To be honest, it's no wonder our education system is crap.

I guess it depends on what school you go to. I majored in History with a minor in education and then went back to complete licensure. It had nothing to do with it being easier. A lot of the people in my classes, like me had already graduated and later decided they wanted to teach.

It was nothing easy about our education program. We had to take tests (Praxis 1&2) just to get in the department. It took a lot of time and dedication. You had to spend a lot of time in the schools before student teaching and of course during.

I know all people don't go in teaching for the right reason. I don't think most people go in for a paycheck or b/c they think it's an easy major. And the same people that people griping on teachers got where they are b/c of some teacher/teachers.

[anonemouse 1]

I assist in a biology class for education majors as part of my teaching assistantship duties for grad school. Some of the students are going to be wonderful teachers. Others, well, let's just say that they aren't the brightest crayons in the box. Some are very motivated, and others are incredibly lazy and whiny individuals. I'm hoping that those are the ones that will get drummed out by the system.

[green 6]

In the province where I live, teachers are unionized. They are well-paid and they have a terrific indexed pension plan. This means that there is competition to get into the education programmes at universities. The Bachelor of Education is a one year post-graduate programme up here.

The people who are poorly paid are the ones who go into the pre-school end of things. This requires a two-year college diploma and these folks are not unionized. Pre-schools up here are all private, you see.

[Devana 0]

Why? They are already being funded by the tuition that the parents usually have to pay. Most local private schools I've seen have been better funded than the local public schools. If they get funds from the public school funds, then their private funds should also be redistributed to other schools. And they should have to live up to the same standards and restrictions that public schools have to, if they want those public funds.

In my province in Canada each school district has a "price per pupil operating cost" or PPOC. The private and independent schools get a portion of the PPOC for each student depending on what their own operating costs are. If an independent school's own PPOC is equal to or lower than the school district's they get 50%. For example in our district, the PPOC is around $6000. The school my son is in spends just under that amount per student so we get $3000 per student from the government. If this was a more upmarket private school with lots of specialty teachers that would drive the cost up to over $6000 per pupil that school would receive only 20% or $2000 and therefore have to collect a lot more tuition from parents. Our school is very careful to stay under the provincial PPOC because we know the parent body would not be able to handle the increased tuition otherwise.

Most of the independent schools in the province have no church affiliation (my son's school doesn't), however, it's my understanding that the church schools receive money from the churches and therefore can pass on a lower tuition for the families.

My son's school is a Waldorf school and the teachers salaries are roughly half of what they are in the public school system.

Every once in awhile there is a groundswell of public outcry about independent schools receiving government funding and calls for it to stop, however, the government usually issues figures at that time to show that they actually save money by having some students educated privately. They could not afford to have all those students in the public system.

Everyone has to pay taxes for education and all schools have to meet government standards.

[green 6]

In my province in Canada each school district has a "price per pupil operating cost" or PPOC. The private and independent schools get a portion of the PPOC for each student depending on what their own operating costs are. If an independent school's own PPOC is equal to or lower than the school district's they get 50%. For example in our district, the PPOC is around $6000. The school my son is in spends just under that amount per student so we get $3000 per student from the government. If this was a more upmarket private school with lots of specialty teachers that would drive the cost up to over $6000 per pupil that school would receive only 20% or $2000 and therefore have to collect a lot more tuition from parents. Our school is very careful to stay under the provincial PPOC because we know the parent body would not be able to handle the increased tuition otherwise.

Most of the independent schools in the province have no church affiliation (my son's school doesn't), however, it's my understanding that the church schools receive money from the churches and therefore can pass on a lower tuition for the families.

My son's school is a Waldorf school and the teachers salaries are roughly half of what they are in the public school system.

Every once in awhile there is a groundswell of public outcry about independent schools receiving government funding and calls for it to stop, however, the government usually issues figures at that time to show that they actually save money by having some students educated privately. They could not afford to have all those students in the public system.

Everyone has to pay taxes for education and all schools have to meet government standards.

Thanks for posting this, Devana. I found it very interesting.

I was sent to a private school by my parents when I was young up here in Canada. In fact my parents paid a big bunch of bucks because I was a boarder. And then I grew up and chose not to have kids of my own.

Although my parents and I have paid much more into the school system than we will ever personally harvest I still believe that a country's investment into the intellectual development of the next generation is best thing that the tax paying citizens can do. As to how this might be sorted out with respect to the demands of a private school over a state school, I am very, very confused.

[rtgirl77 0]

My answer to the Obama question is a resounding, "NO WAY". I won't vote for Hillary either. Not because she's a woman and he's an african American. Condi would get my vote and she is both African American and female. But, her views are much more in line with mine. And I'm sorry but I think an Obama presidency would be an absolute disaster.

[1ting2lose 0]

I wouldn't vote for either Obama or Clinton, I believe I heard somewhere that Rudy Guiliani (sp) said he was running for president. I think I would vote for him. I think he did a fantastic job with 9/11 so I think he would be great as president, if I heard correctly he definitly has my vote!

[BJean 16]

rtgirl77: Just curious. What do you think that Obama would do to cause disaster if he were president?

[Tired_Old_Man 1]

I wouldn't vote for either Obama or Clinton, I believe I heard somewhere that Rudy Guiliani (sp) said he was running for president. I think I would vote for him. I think he did a fantastic job with 9/11 so I think he would be great as president, if I heard correctly he definitly has my vote!

What did Giuliani do on 911 that anyone else would not have done?

Giuliani is pro-gun control

Giuliani is pro-choice

Giuliani is pro-gay marriage

Giuliani became famous as a prosecutor winning convictions in high profile organized crime trials. Most of his convictions, however were overturned on appeal.

Giuliani is is not a very stable family man as proven by one annulment (after 14 years), one divorce and three marriages including, when he was caught dating a woman, he announced on a TV press conference that he was separating from his wife (which was news to her). Nice way to treat a woman, huh?

[DerickM 1]

Gut reaction on who I would vote for today until events and/or more information come out.

Guilani is my first choice

Chuck Hagel is my second choice

Obama is my third choice

I dislike Romeny becuase of his being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormon), I could not bring myself to vote for him.

Well, that'll help balance out the vote of people who won't go for Giuliani because he's Catholic. :rolleyes

[Carlene 12]

He was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Yeah....he was - by the Landmark Legal Foundation, an ultra-conservative group of Republicans with financial ties to oil and big business.

[Carlene 12]

Green: When I worked for the Attorney General in Richmond, VA, I was shocked to learn that there were laws around the Commonwealth that said that for legal purposes, anyone with one drop of Negro blood was to be considered a Negro.

Until 1967, when it was struck down by a federal court ruling, there were miscegenation laws all across the south. Texas used the "one-eighth" rule to determine a person's race. If you had one great-grandparent who was black, then you were black, and could not marry a white person.

It was a Virginia couple whose trial for violating the state's law against interracial marriage that made its way to the Supreme Court and eventually made it possible for people of any race to marry. Now we just need to work on achieving the same rights for gay and lesbian couples.

[Carlene 12]

Giuliani is is not a very stable family man as proven by one annulment (after 14 years), one divorce and three marriages including, when he was caught dating a woman, he announced on a TV press conference that he was separating from his wife (which was news to her). Nice way to treat a woman, huh?

Anyone who has issues with Bill Clinton's morals had best not climb on Rudy's bandwagon. He is no model of propriety himself.

[BJean 16]

Amen to the Guliani issue. When 9/11 happened, it came on the tails of a period of time when New Yorkers couldn't wait to get rid of him. Then when he did all of the politicking around 9/11, people decided he was a great and wonderful guy. Yes he supported the Firemen and Policemen very well, but he also took advantage of the situation just as Bush did, and many of the same people who abhorr Clinton's indiscretion in office need to understand that nothing Bill Clinton did holds a candle to some of the stuff Guliani has pulled in his marriages.

[BJean 16]

What's wrong with a Mormon president? Or a Catholic president?

Hmmm, well now that I think of it Nixon was a Quaker, maybe there is some value in discrimination based on the candidate's religious affiliation? Just kidding. Unfortunately, religious affiliation doesn't necessarily tell you whether an individual actually has high moral standards or just wants you to think he does. Some of the people who rant the loudest about their church and their beliefs are the ones you have to keep an eye on.