Theos-Talk Archives (April 1996 Message tl01005)

Alex,
I am passing this on from Karl.

Nick.

> Date: Wednesday, April 24, 1996 3:30PM
> From: Karl A Bryan
> Subject: Re: FW: Thank you

          I would like to add the following:
                I feel that we should not be supporting the athletics
          industry by the heavy promoting and special treatment that
          sports gets in school.  The academics get cut before the
          football and basketball are cut.  We do need an outlet for
          stored up physical energy, but the outlet does not need to
          be in school.  And as far as sports teaching team work and
          cooperation, bull crap.  The team mentality is an us against
          them with a strong emphasis on dehumanizing the opponent
          (just listen to some of the cheers that the sanctioned
          cheerleader squads shout).  The player with the most points
          is the school hero, eventhough the rest of the team set the
          stage for the making of points.  And pity the team players
          who sit on the bench, they are recipients of derisive
          remarks.  So, where is the team building and cooperation
          being taught?  I feel that they are best taught in the
          classroom when you have assignments that require a
          collaborative effort to accomplish.  But the pro sports
          would not have the screening (weeding out) of potential
          players if it were not from highschool and college
          athletics.  Plus, the alumni are more inclined to donate
          money to their alma-mater if the school has a winning team.

          Our countries focus on sports is an escape from focusing on
          the real problems of society.

          karl

> Subject: FW: Thank you
> Author:  nlporreco@bpa.gov at Internet
> Date:    4/23/96 7:13 PM


> From: theos-l
> Subject: Re: Thank you
> Date: Tuesday, April 23, 1996 1:32AM

At 05:20 PM 4/22/96 -0400, you wrote:
>>>>>cut<<<<<<
>With good reason at least here in the U.S.

The Religious Right objects to public education but for anything BUT the
reasons which cause you and I to object to it. I have students in several
countries and believe me education is in a parlous state in more places than

the USA. But the point is, the Religious Right objects to our system as
being not fit for THEIR agenda, and they could acre less about a proper
education. All they're interested in is rigid discipline and
pseudo-morality.
>
>The performance of our public education, especially
>considering the amount of money spent, is dismal compared to other
countries.
>The complete inability for parents to get involved in their childs
education
>is another factor with more and more control moving to state and federal
>levels.

Money per capita, when compared with actual as opposed to statistical
results is, in fact, dismal in the USA where we spend infinitely more money
to get equally poor results. Parents however, are far more likely to be
unwilling to be involved in their children's educational progress than they
are unable to be so. Most of what's wrong both in education and in life
itself here in the USA as it relates to children and their upbringing is
almost total parental refusal to take responsibility for their children and
to be responsible parents.
>
>Obviously, I'm a big supporter of alternative education including vouchers,

>tax credits for education expenses, etc. Here in Minnesota, gambling is tax

>deductable but education isn't!

I would be willing to support a "voucher system" providing it was not
possible to spend the vouchers at religious schools. Now as to "gambling is
deductible" am I right in assuming you mean "gambling losses"? Well, of
course, they should not be deductible. But educational costs are certainly
appropriate deductions, even to religious institutions. I just don't want
tax money to go to support some religious agenda.
>
>Even members of our local school board have told me that they wouldn't
>put their own kids into the public school...not to mention the number
>of student sucides lately here. I remember talking to the kindegarden
>teacher at the public school when considering to put my son there who
>told me that my son is too advanced and would only be entertained
>for a year since they teach to the lowest common demoninator.

I have two adopted sons, both of them extremely bright and talented kids (or

rather they were Kids some years ago)They both had problems in high school
because they were far brighter than their peers. One of them went on to
Berkeley and got a degree in Slavic Languages, the other is currently in
Yale, but he's really going to end up an artist-craftsperson. I myself went
to public schools a very long time ago and frankly no public school system
is geared for the bright child.
>
>Granted, there is a fringe of radical right that would cut out
>education that does not agree with their views and I certainly don't
>support that. However, I can understand the views of concerned
>parents who are opposed to some of the stuff taught to their
>kids.
>
>
>   -Mike Grenier
>   mike@planet8.eag.unisysgsg.com
>
The problem, I think, is to radically improve education and to prevent the
Radical Religious Right from coopting the situation for their own purposes.
The kids aren't really the problem. Irresponsible parents are, and basically

incompetent "time server" teachers are! That's what requires fixing. When
parents become more responsible, and teachers become more competent, the
kids will be well served. But there's one other question. Considering that
our teachers in the USA are vastly underpaid considering the value of their
product, and to go along with that they are the objects of almost totally
disrespect by American society, what can we expect?

alexis dolgorukii