So I am going to switch to a rant about a social problem instead of a religious problem for today’s post. I actually benefit from this social problem and I don’t really want it to change, but I am going to discuss some of the problems with the education system in the United States. This comes from a news report that I saw today.
There are several school districts (many of them around Indianapolis and New Orleans but not exclusively) who are canceling classes for Monday because the Super Bowl is Sunday night. Now don’t get me wrong, if my work told me we didn’t have to come to work on Monday I would be ecstatic. But this really is ridiculous. Because of a sporting event, we are going to cancel school?
Now I know some people are going to say, look it is just one day. But that is the problem. We have too many days as is. Plus we are teaching the students that a football game is more important than an education. Studies have show that the more days students attend school the better retention of information they have from year to year. It is one of the reasons why school systems in other countries far surpass ours. Now I know there are other things that they do that help their schools look better than ours like weeding out the poor performing students at early ages, but the fact that they go to school much more than our students helps them perform better in school. The extra days in school has a huge impact on math and science skills. There are some magnet schools in the US that have taken the same approach that schools in many Asian countries have. These magnet schools have longer school days, some Saturdays, and a summer break that is only about 3 weeks long. The schools are some of the highest ranking schools in their states. By the way, they happen to be schools that are in some of the poorest communities and are made up of almost all minorities. Groups that often perform lower in a regular setting.
I don’t want to give up my summer, and I like all the extra days off during the year, but there comes a time to call a spade a spade and admit that as long as we put time off as a priority in our education system, we will perform lower than we could. There will be those that will succeed no matter how few days they go to school and some who fail no matter how many days the attend school, but at the center we can be certain that taking days off (especially days like the day after the super bowl) will not benefit our children’s education.
If you are still reading, Thanks for letting me rant about something that is beyond the normal posts I put on this blog.
About Me
- David Willy
- I am a husband and a father and I pray that I will continue to look more like Christ to my wife and children each day. I pray that all that I do will be used to give glory to the Father and Christ through the Holy Spirit.
I think getting off the day after the Super Bowl is ridiculous and your rant is very well justified! Having been a teacher myself, I loved my summer too, but I do think the year round schedule is more rewarding... same amount of days, but the breaks are more spread out. I think it is very challenging for students (and teachers!) to come back in August after such a long break and be able to pick right up where they left off. There ends up being so much re-teaching for those first couple months, which doesn't benefit the kids that did retain the last year's info. This goes way off topic of just taking the one day after the big game, but really, what are we teaching our kids??? In the "real world" there is no summer break for 2+ months at a time; even the teachers do workshops and such. I don't think the schedule we give our kids in the school systems prepares them very well for what's in store for them.
ReplyDeleteGreat post... and yes, I read the whole thing! :-)
I heard that New Orleans was going to do that, but I hadn't heard anything about Indy. In fact, if I rmemeber correctly, Indiana government wouldn't support it.
ReplyDeleteEven I agree that the day after the Superbowl shouldn't be a holiday, but I think that this is more about money. The Saints and the city of New Orleans have NEVER come anywhere close to anything like this before. Because of that, I think that school districts are realizing that if they don't cancel school on Monday, then their attendance will be extremely low that day (as will many places of business in the area...especially if the Saints win), thus cutting their state and federal funding for the day. They're getting a jump on the problem and using their bad weather days (which, at this point, they won't need).
This is a post-Katrina New Orleans. So, not only is the city rejoicing in just being in the big game (and you can bet there will be some kinda party on Bourbon St. should they win), but they see it as a sort of redemption after Katrina. That feel good story.
Now, all of that is not to say that I condone taking the day off, because I don't. However, I do realize that school districts aren't thinking (exclusively) with their team...but also with their pockets, which, eventually would hurt the districts and, thus, the students in the long run.
There is going to be a party on Bourbon Street regardless. It is Bourbon Street. Catholic schools in and around Indianapolis have been told by the archdiocese not to have classes. Indianapolis school district is starting late. Other districts were deciding what to do this weekend.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely agree that it is due to funding. But even in that, the state and federal government should step in and give full funding. They should honor a school district that is still going to do their best to teach the students who will show up.
It still teaches the kids that a football game is more important than school. Jr. High and High school students don't sit around and say, well the districts had to realistically consider the economic impact of having classes with so many kids not planning on coming so they gave us a day off. In a JH/HS students mind it is, “Wow we get off for the Super Bowl!” It is why my students who heard the report said, when are the Texans or the Cowboys going to the Super Bowl so we can have the day off after the super bowl. They don't get it.
Consider New Orleans schools closed on Monday. Parents'll be too drunk to take their kids to school.
ReplyDeleteI think students should get used to a year round schedule. In the working world there is no summer break, there is no winter break. Only teachers get that benefit. I was apart of the first year round class in Texas and I loved it. During the summer we took swimming lessons and every few months we would get a week or two off.
ReplyDeleteSome of my youth go to a school called Kipp where they have longer days and go on Saturdays. They seem to really like it and I’m sure they will be better prepared and more likely to go to college.
I will say that I think our education system benefits those who desire better education and who are driven to achieve it. If you want it you can get it, if you don’t they will just pass you and get you out. Not every one graduates college and therefore there are more opportunities for college graduates.
A few comments...(and i'm in a cynical mood)
ReplyDelete1. Getting the day off after the Super Bowl reflects more poorly on the parents than anyone. If you're too drunk to take your kids to school the day after the Super Bowl, then maybe you should rethink the idea of having kids. What exactly do you hope to teach them? Laziness is now a national pastime.
2. School on Saturday is crap. It should never be mentioned again. Never.
3. Year round school is a nice idea and all, but where do we get the funding? This country is already bankrupt due to the Whitehouse buffoons from the past nine years (2009-10 most certainly included). Are we talking about the same 185 day schedule just spread out over more months? Because I don't see how that makes things any better. Are we going to give the kids a week off every 4 weeks? How about we extend the year to 205 days? And we can gather some added revenue by cutting all girls sports (just kidding Mrs. Grace).
4. Call me heartless, but I don't see why we cannot filter a portion of the student population towards "trade schools". Not everyone is cut out for college. This is a fact and cannot be disputed. Why do we continue to funnel these kids through school only to dump them on the sidewalk after 12 years with a piece of paper that basically says "Good Luck"? Give me a room full of 10 year olds and I can tell you within 30 minutes who can and who cannot hack it in college. We are doing a disservice to both the book smart kids and the kids who struggle with school. The smart kids have to twiddle their thumbs all day as the teacher is forced (state mandated) to teach to a ridiculous TAAKS test. Meanwhile, the kids who aren't cut out for school or just don't care are given zero incentive to do anything other than fill up a seat. Don't get me wrong, just because a kid struggles with the TAAKS test does NOT mean they can't cut it in college. The TAAKS test is dumb and the people who created it are idiots. Get rid of it already. Let's give the kids who will never attend college a skill they can use when they graduate at 18. There is no shame in being a plumber, or a welder, or some sort of repairman. Plus, they will have at least four more years of earning potential than their counterparts in college.
By the way, none of this is meant as a dig towards the teachers on this board. My parents are/were both teachers so I know the crap you guys/gals put up with. The system is ineffecient and unfunded. And you don't have to look very hard to see the effects either. You tell me what the Greater Houston Area needs more of...compenent, well-paid teachers or $15 million dollar football stadiums? That's what I thought, and I love football.