Domspeak Forums Discussions Off Topic & Politics Your Wishes for Our School Systems

As some of you may remember, I was very unhappy with DeVos as Secretary of Education in Trump's first term. I'm all for school choice and charter schools. However, it should not be at the exclusion of building up public schools. Charter schools can be very competitive to get into. Desirable schools that are not charters can fill up quickly regarding school choice. Some families to do have the means or, sad to say, put parental interest in transporting children. I believe that inner city schools with shockingly low performance rates should be structured only expect the bare minimum from parents. I will add the local schools have their value. The child is close to home. They will have local school friends to play with after school. All three options have value.

My hope is Trump's new appointee for education puts boots on the ground in the poorest of districts and gets a clear handle on what is going on and how to go about fixing it. I love that Kennedy wants to improve the quality of school lunches. Let's hope this is far more successful than Michelle Obama's miserable and half hearted attempt. In addition to that I'd love to see free universal meals for impoverished districts. I saw an interview that Grune, from the MF days, pointed out with teachers from struggling districts that said some times the problem is that the parents don't take the time to fill out the forms for students that would qualify under guidelines. I say free breakfast and lunch, with no requirements, for poverty areas.

If I could really get carried away with my hopes and day dreams for inner city youth, our government would work with community organizations, such as Project Hood and extend efforts to help impoverished youth beyond the school system. Not only would this be tremendously helpful to disadvantaged children and struggling single mothers but, it would help greatly with the voting base in blue districts.

That is my wish list. I haven't gotten to college yet...although I will say every public high school should have a strong vocational program. In my home town in Central Ohio, children who go to vocational school can graduate high school with associates degree, their cosmology, culinary or have a head start on HVAC, electricianal experience, ect.

What are your thoughts?

You've done quite a bit of thinking about this, my Lady. My daughters are in their mid & late twenties now. Their mother and I had the good fortune of a good public school system. It was the same with my current wife and her three children, the youngest a freshman in college. Things change. I'm glad not to be in the shoes of having to make educational decisions or to be in an extremely liberal area where there are brawls at school board meetings. If someone can get their children through all of that, they have to worry about them getting indoctrinated at college. My step son is a grounded, level headed young man. So, the wife and I are confident our kids will be fine. We are the lucky ones.

This is well put. I am surprised that you didn't mention the trans and gay issues that are being pushed onto children. That issue fractured my kink friends. About half of us were about protection for the young people in our families and the other half were about themselves. When a full grown man who likes to drag queen takes satisfaction in reading books to kids, there is a problem. I identify as bi but might as well fess up as gay. My girlfriend and I have talked about how we would address the issue if we decide to have a child. If my child, especially at the onset of adolescence, came to me and wanted to be trans, I'd tell them to own who they are. Children making such decisions should not be pushed by school districts. If someone is a masculine lesbian, own it. It doesn't mean they have to be a man. Parents should not have these things hidden from them. Sanity in public schools is what I'd like to see.

Vocational school is underrated because they want people entrenched in student loan debt. I took college classes selectively and didn't care about a degree. As a custom home builder, I do just fine. My son skipped college and is making $75. an hour as an electrical engineer. They paid him to go through classes as an apprentice. My receptionist has her degree in literature arts. She makes $15. an hour and is happy to have her job. She's a great lady. I feel bad for her. She bought into the con.

Vocational and formal college are both essential. What too many young people, like your receptionist, don't consider is how the cost of college and their potential career will offset each other. There is a way to do college. It begins with having a well thought out plan. Good for your son, by the way. You'll know more about this than I do but I hear that specializing beyond electrical engineer, like being certified to work on air crafts is lucrative.

It is good to hear you and yours escaped the mess many of our public education systems are in. I'm hoping for the best with everything but, especially, the inner city schools. These kids are growing up with little hope in life and the government officials in charge of protecting them don't seem to care.

Good point. That is an issue too. California is the worst for it. People's children are being taken away if the parents don't "Affirm" their desire to transition. Counselors are not allowed to suggest other options before getting on the path to surgery, which California pays for if it happens before age 18. Scary. I hope it is better for you in Kentucky. From what I see in Ohio and Tennessee, where most of my family is, schools are okay. My daughter put her children in a private school for a few years. The public school turned out to be better so she moved them back. You never know but, I'd take my chances with a red state. All the school system needs to do is educate children, feed them and stay out of politics with the kids. When the parents are involved in the children's lives, they do not need to be nosing in. I applaud your courage to take the leap from big blue city to country rural in the south.

When I worked in the corporate IT world, I saw a lot of people struggling with worthless degrees too. I agree with Whippingboy here. In today's world, a kid has to have a plan going into college.

Well put!