Chicago public schools

[Jocassee]

http://eagnews.org/prom-slogan-highlights-cps-failures/

"This Is Are Story"

Four out of 10 CPS freshmenjavascript:void(0); do not graduate.

If they do graduate, 91 percent have to take remediation courses in college because they do not know how to do basic math and school work. Just 26 percent of CPS high school students are college-ready, according to the ACT subject matter tests.

My Fiance has spent a lot of time this year in what South Carolina calls Title 1 schools, which are in poor demographic areas and receive special funding. While obviously there are *always* problem teachers, based on what I have learned I believe teachers (and the difficulty in firing them) are being unfairly blamed for the collapse of the education system. I believe the blame lies squarely on the parents individually, and the collapse of the nuclear family culturally.

The problem goes far, far beyond kids not doing their homework. These kids are not being fed, bathed, or put to bed. Their prescription medication is sold on the street. In many cases they are the subjsect of emotional or physical abuse. These children are the product not of "poverty" or low income, but a culturally, and in many cases morally, bankrupt permanent underclass. This is not a racial problem--in the South at least this extends across whites, blacks, and hispanics.

In this environment, no matter how good the teacher is, the students are not going to learn all that they should and many are going to fail catastrophically.

[grampster]

True dat, and not just in Chicago.

[Jamisjockey]

While the graduation rate makes me go  , the "college ready" rate makes me go  .  I hate this "everyone goes to college" culture.  It has devalued college, and made a lot of dumb people think that college and a six figure job is for them.
Meanwhile, we've got a shortage of skilled blue collar workers in this country.
http://fuelfix.com/blog/2014/04/29/blue-collar-jobs-need-better-image-to-fill-energy-labor-shortage-industry-leaders-say/

[HankB]

. . . While obviously there are *always* problem teachers, based on what I have learned I believe teachers (and the difficulty in firing them) are being unfairly blamed for the collapse of the education system.

I graduated from a Chicago public high school. One of the problems back then was getting good teachers to go to ghetto schools. In those days it was very typical for new teachers to be assigned to the worst schools - union seniority gave older teachers more latitude in their assignments. And many promising new teachers either quit teaching or moved to a suburban school district after being robbed, assaulted, or having their car vandalized by "disadvantaged youts" . . . and getting NO support whatsoever from the CPS. 

. . .  I hate this "everyone goes to college" culture.  It has devalued college, and made a lot of dumb people think that college and a six figure job is for them . . .

And they find out that their six-figure college loan is going to be REAL hard to pay off when they see what jobs are available with their degree in womyn's studies or ethnic relations.

[Tallpine]

Everyone needs a high school education; that's why everyone should go to college 

[Jocassee]

Everyone needs a high school education; that's why everyone should go to college 

Unfortunately, painfully true.

[roo_ster]

Part is the teachers and their iron rice bowl union jobs.  "Striking Chicago Public School Teacher" is a multiple redundancy.

Part is the parents who suck gov't teat and can thus afford to spawn a brood of low-investment feral youths setting a fine example of couch-sitting and work-avoidance.  

Part is the feral youths.  They are not culturally inclined to learn anything and are not, on average, able to perform at the upper levels in high school.

[KD5NRH]

Part is the teachers and their iron rice bowl union jobs.  "Striking Chicago Public School Teacher" is a multiple redundancy.

Part is the parents who suck gov't teat and can thus afford to spawn a brood of low-investment feral youths setting a fine example of couch-sitting and work-avoidance.  

Part is the feral youths.  They are not culturally inclined to learn anything and are not, on average, able to perform at the upper levels in high school.

And a large part is the reluctance to flunk a student at any level.  If more of them had to repeat 2nd grade a couple times, they might figure the value getting their ducks in a row and applying themselves.

[roo_ster]

And a large part is the reluctance to flunk a student at any level.  If more of them had to repeat 2nd grade a couple times, they might figure the value getting their ducks in a row and applying themselves.

Big problem with that is that now you have a stupid and bigger feral youth in amongst all the smaller age-appropriate kiddos.  Maybe if administration encouraged "fight clubs" where the majority age-appropriate kids banded together and beat the living *expletive deleted*it out of the over-sized feral sack on a weekly basis I could see that working.

Truly, we need a 3-track public school system:
1. Advanced, college prep or otherwise.  End up with advanced college-ready, 12th grade education.
2. Average/Middle for most kids.  End up with decent 12th grade education, likely salted with an internship(s).
3. Slow for those unable or unwilling to learn at the average pace. If these sort manage to squeeze out 8th grade equivalency in reading comprehension and math, call it a win.

[brimic]

True dat, and not just in Chicago.

Milwaukee is Chicago's younger retarded brother.

[Kingcreek]

Multi-layered problem.

My daughter has a masters Ed and is nationally certified, currently teaching high school English and AP on the west coast. She WANTED to teach in a CPS ghetto district and did for 3 years for the experience. She has some interesting insight into the problems of Chicago urban public schools. She will tell us it is total fail from one end to the other. Admin, teaching staff (many but not all), the lack of traditional family structure and support, and the students themselves WHO SEE NO REASON TO LEARN.

Generational poverty and liberal policies compound fail upon fail.
 

[KD5NRH]

Big problem with that is that now you have a stupid and bigger feral youth in amongst all the smaller age-appropriate kiddos.

Nah; once they're two years behind, move them to the "alternative" schools.  Work to increase the stigma attached to those, too, so they won't want to end up there.

[Jocassee]

And a large part is the reluctance to flunk a student at any level.  If more of them had to repeat 2nd grade a couple times, they might figure the value getting their ducks in a row and applying themselves.

I wish this was true, but in the type of schools I've described it is not the case. 2nd graders--probably anywhere, but definitely in the poorest areas--don't possess the necessary forward thinking abilities. Some of them are naturally hard workers, and others are driven by parents which helps with natural ability. But if a child has, or is about to flunk, 2nd grade that represents a critical failure in parenting, not the child (possibly the teacher). My fiances was in fact able to rescue a third grader from his second repeat. The parental situation in that home was catastrophic. The kid was bright, but completely unmotivated and did not believe he was capable of doing the work.

[KD5NRH]

I wish this was true, but in the type of schools I've described it is not the case. 2nd graders--probably anywhere, but definitely in the poorest areas--don't possess the necessary forward thinking abilities.

By the time they're 15 and still in second grade, they should figure it out, or we should be working on legalization of abortion from the 40th-70th trimester.

[Scout26]

Study, after study, after study, after study all show the same thing.   Parental involvement is the #1 driver of student success.  Whatever are #2-10 are way, way, way behind.

And this country has created a class that does not value education, by constantly telling them that they are not smart enough to get ahead, you need a a set-aside, some special programs, and then, even if you don't want those, we'll give you a check each month, and a place to live and card to buy whatever food you want and a free cellphone.   Learning?!?!  That's for suckers, just go get your check and hang out on the block.  Work?  Job?!?!  Now why would I want to do that?!?!  I can hang for free and live with my baby's momma, until she kicks me out and I'll go get a new baby momma.

Until we value work, cut off "aid" and discourage those on the dole to stop popping out kids ('cause you get more money), it won't end well.

Education has to be shown that is the ONLY way to get ahead.   2 Years of Public Aid/Housing/Food Stamps and it ends.  Lifetime limit.  And no freaking Obamaphones.

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

You don't even need an extraordinary level of parental involvement. Don't have to be a tiger parent. Just a reasonable amount of gaf makes a big difference. I knew a kid whose mom did his homework for him so he graduated high school. A third grader who read poorly because he was without glasses . For 2 years. Mom couldn't afford to get him new ones, but got his hair braided so he looked fresh. The teacher sent a note home telling mom her priorities were screwed up. Mom came to school to stomp a hole in teacher. Teacher is a hair shy of 6 foot and she's a pro boxer. Mom reconsidered. So did the baby daddy dujour.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[onions!]

So lets take the children away from the "parents",put them in a State run institution that provides education,food,and a consistent,safe roof over their heads.Insulate them from the outside(parents and current music trends) and make two year mandatory government service after graduation a requirement.

Are there any real options?

[Tallpine]

So lets take the children away from the "parents",put them in a State run institution that provides education,food,and a consistent,safe roof over their heads.Insulate them from the outside(parents and current music trends) and make two year mandatory government service after graduation a requirement.

I think we already do that.  It's called "prison"   

Parental involvement is the #1 driver of student success.

I was self motivated, which was its own set of problems.  I was a quasi-adult by about 2nd grade 

[AJ Dual]

I was self motivated, which was its own set of problems.  I was a quasi-adult by about 2nd grade 

I bet the shaving and five o'clock shadow freaked the other kids out.

[onions!]

I bet the shaving and five o'clock shadow freaked the other kids out.

That reminds me of the Bugs Bunny cartoon with the gangster dressed like a baby and smoking a cigar.
Good stuff!

[HankB]

I was self motivated, which was its own set of problems.  I was a quasi-adult by about 2nd grade   

I was pretty young when a teacher told my mother I had an "adult attitude" about too many things - and it wasn't a compliment, since although I was getting very good grades, she found I didn't "motivate" the way other little kids did. (I think she was upset because I had the audacity to ask her about the meaning of "extra credit" when I was already getting an "A" . . . )

That reminds me of the Bugs Bunny cartoon with the gangster dressed like a baby and smoking a cigar. Good stuff!

I was thinking of Jethro Bodine and his 6th grade education . . .

[lee n. field]

I was pretty young when a teacher told my mother I had an "adult attitude" about too many things - and it wasn't a compliment, since although I was getting very good grades, she found I didn't "motivate" the way other little kids did.

Me neither.

I never felt the urgency to "work to my potential".   Why?

[KD5NRH]

So lets take the children away from the "parents",put them in a State run institution that provides education,food,and a consistent,safe roof over their heads.Insulate them from the outside(parents and current music trends) and make two year mandatory government service after graduation a requirement.

Except for the service requirement, that's pretty much what happens when good parents get CPS called on them.  Maybe we could start doing it to the ones that are actually crappy parents.

[Tallpine]

I bet the shaving and five o'clock shadow freaked the other kids out.

Ha-ha-ha-ha 

Actually, being the only child of a single mom, I started considering myself the "man of the house" from about eight years old 

So I approached school as work, and good grades as pay.  Weird 

[KD5NRH]

I never felt the urgency to "work to my potential".   Why?

You were surrounded by idiots, for whom the curriculum was dumbed down to barely challenge the lowest common denominator.

That, or you were too busy licking the windows, and the teacher was just being nice.