Interesting arguments. what I am thinking right now is: how many poor white american people are there, and more importantly can they be used or to put it otherwise manipulated by some politician with an extremist agenda (far right most likely)? If so why doesn't the government do something about it? This could be like a time bomb, ready to explode.
Sorry for that small derail Welsh, but for the last month or so the main subject of the social psychology class was, and still is, manipulation of both individuals and masses. Plus elections are coming up and the politicians are polishing their campaign speeches and promises.
But let's go back to the school issue. From what I have heard (alike Sander I might end up standing corrected) the standard in American schools are low, like close to rock bottom. And that is definitely wrong, in so many ways.
America considers itself to be a "superpower" just because it has a bunch of nuclear missiles which it can't use without being itself affected, if not by the retaliations from other countries, at least by the long term effects of the blasts. Ok, so America is a "superpower". That implies at least a healthy economy and some sound leadership. The healthy economy would imply that funding would not be a problem. From what you guys said I can only deduce that funding in certain domains of activity, like education, is a problem. On the other hand in domains, like the military, that does not seem to be a problem, hell if America can afford two consecutive wars then it has more than enough funds. So I am wondering why aren't there enough money for education? Now you are going to say that defending itself from the enemies of democracy is very important. Ok, it is important, but it is also important for a country, perhaps one of the most important things a government should ensure, to raise and educate it's children in the best way possible. And in that domain money should never be a problem! We are talking about the future of a civilization, it's ability to survive, and that survival is ensured by the kids, the seeds that we sow. Wich brings me to the matter of sound leadership, wich seems to be missing completely. Getting yourself in a war with a country is one thing, but ending up fighting its population, whose moral values and standards you fail to grasp, is plum crazy! To get back on topic I would like to say that I think that the American educational system is seriously screwed. I could easily ramble about this but I'll try to keep it brief.
The educational system in my country is equally fucked up, if not worse, but then again I live in a corrupt country where money and influence grant you impunity so that is if not justifiable, at least predictable. The thing that I don't understand about America is why a broad and substantial education is not a a major goal. Knowledge is a very important thing, it is one of the few things that can't be taken from you. (Except for the case in wich you get bumped on the head too many times and you end up having the intelligence of a salad). What I am getting at is this: why doesn't the government strive to educate the people, to make the true citizens, that should have the right to vote because they can make a decision based on sound facts, and because they can tell right from wrong and have a mind of their own instead of acting like a herd of sheep. But then again if you have a population made up of true citizens, instead of tax payers who are useful as long as they work their asses off, it would mean that you would have to have actual managing skills and make decisions that are good for the country, respect the people and so forth. A flock of sheep is easily controlled and manipulated.
Final question: Is the government ignorant enough to overlook the importance of education, ar are they encouraging this phenomenon so that they can benefit?
Discuss
As for the educational system in my country:
grades 1-4 , what we call general school, wich means reading, writing(first grade), romanian, math, romanian history, literature, geography, some notions of biology and the natural sciences, at a general level, also the first foreign language.
grades 5-8 romanian, a second foreign language, in addition to the first, algebra, geometry, history, geography, biology, anatomy, zoology, chemistry, physics, music, drawing, and social education.
grades 1-8 are mandatory, after finishing eighth grade you must take an exam that certifies that you have accumulated sufficient knowledge in the past 8 years of your life. Then if you wish to go on you can take another exam in order to get into high school.
9-12 high school: this is where things get more interesting. When you take the exam you also make a choice, are you going to be a humanist, or are you going to study more exact sciences (math, physics, chemistry, programming). The fact that you chose one profile does not mean that you won't study the other stiff, just that the emphasis will be on the ones you chose. So the education, at least in theory is still broad, although you begin to focus on a smaller number of subjects. This prepares you for going to an university, but mind you, at the end of the twelfth grade you have to take another major exam, and one of the mandatory subjects is one from the group opposite to the one you specialized in. Example: if you chose to study exact sciences you will have to take an exam that will gauge your knowledge regarding a humanist subject.
If one does not have the capacity, or the will to go to high school he can go to a trade school.
So this is it. Any questions?
The thing is teachers are poorly payed, and the schools are usually poorly equipped, and in many cases, even in the big cities, hygiene and heating are major problems. But as I said before this is kind of normal, considering how the whole country is being run. That is not an excuse. But those are the hard facts. It's getting late and the text is beginning to look fuzzy, so I'm going to turn in. Catch you later.
