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Dropout Nation

A wealthy nation just like a wealthy family can maintain a high standard of living even while making a plethora of serious errors in judgment. Someday, however, these serious errors and just the normal course of events will turn the wealth of both into hard times. The degree of error, coupled with the degree of wealth, will determine just how long the fun-and-foolishness can last.

In the recent copy of “Time the special report is “Dropout Nation, where “30% of America’s high school students will leave without graduating. This is a story about the sorry state of education in America and that these facts have remained hidden from the public by our leaders; responding, no doubt, to the desire of the population to remain narcotized in la-la-land.

Every nation, I guess, gets the type of leadership it deserves; the only question is how long America can withstand the foolishness of its citizens.

A rich nation just like a rich family can make many mistakes that never affect their standard of living until someday the mistakes finally take a toll so great as to swamp their wealth and the standard of living goes.

Our understanding is the ‘high-place’ from which we view a domain of reality. Most of our understandings are a result of social osmosis (effortless often unconscious assimilation) in our young years. Occasionally we add to or modify these inherited understandings by concentrated intellectual activity in our adult years.

I think we need to lay off the self-induced narcotics and make a concentrated effort to modify or add to our inherited understandings before our national wealth can no longer protect us.

I am speaking about the United States here but I suspect this applies equally in most other nations. What do you think?

We've dropped self-responsibility from our list of values. When there is no negative consequence, everything's okay. Someone else will take care of it. And if something goes wrong, sue the manufacturer.

I think the emphasis on change belongs in the family unit first-they are the ones who encourage the children to stay in school, modify their behaviors during their youth to study and do their homework. I do not think the blame should be put upon the educational system and the administration. Where are the parents, who don't care if their kid drops out? They are the ones sending the message.

And Time does have some good articles, but also take into consideration it's slant-it is very slanted. Last year's issue before school started was about middle school-well, every teacher in my school picked up that one. We found the article about 50% factual, and the rest was not. They need to do alot more researching before they write. As any good scholar would do. but then, they are journalists, and have a different set of priorities to get it out in print.

Chonsi says that Time magazine is slanted.

Slanted in what respect?

Most periodicals and magazines have a political slant to it, coberst. There are not unbiased. So, when comments about the administration and educational system are made, you can tell when they go a little too far out of the realm of unbiased reporting.

That is so with the majority of major news magazines and newspapers. You always know which one to pick, according to your slant. That does not mean I do not every so often pick up a Time magazine-I really don't buy those magazines at all on a regular basis-the same as which news station you watch.

But I have here at home the articles from last year, and I remember the slant on it then. It was a good article, to tell what went on in middle school. But then it went off on tangents and took the proverbial slam on adminsitration and educational system. Let's be frank, the drop out rate's #1 influence comes from the home life.

chonsigirl wrote: Let's be frank, the drop out rate's #1 influence comes from the home life.
Because parents don't take responsibility to teach responsibility to their children. They think it's the school's responsiblitity to teach everything.





Of course I'm generalizing.

Yes, that is what has happened to our society. Parents do not take their duties seriously, and teachers are the surrogate pater familias.

I will pick up Time today Coberst, and read the article to give you a good response later.

Chonsi says--"Let's be frank, the drop out rate's #1 influence comes from the home life."

I agree but I also wonder how we break the chain. Today's children become tomorrow's home life. If we want to break the chain it seems that we must educate the children better and we must convince the parents that they must improve also.

I think that our society could do much better. I do not blame the teachers or the education administration. Like all of the problems in a liberal democracy the problems are the citizens. As Pogo said " we have met the enemy and he is us".

coberst wrote: Like all of the problems in a liberal democracy


are you talking about the united states? if so, we are a federal republic, not a liberal democracy.

scratch that last. we're both right. federal republic is more a structural definition, liberal democracy is more a functional definition.

Accountable wrote: Because parents don't take responsibility to teach responsibility to their children. They think it's the school's responsiblitity to teach everything.





Of course I'm generalizing.


You may be generalizing, but you totally correct.

I think the statistics regarding high school drop-outs in relation to actual intelligence couldnt be more deceiving. I myself have dropped out of high school, not because it was too hard, but because it was overwhelmingly boring and inconvenient to my own preferences. I certainly dont think of myself as "stupid", and upon such criticism I merely turn a blind eye, for I am rather comfortable with my own intellect.

Want strangers (such as employers) to be comfortable with your intellect? Get documentation.



Being a dropout is not evidence of strong intellect.

Accountable wrote: Want strangers (such as employers) to be comfortable with your intellect? Get documentation.



Being a dropout is not evidence of strong intellect.


Thats all great, and I would love to get a degree..

problem is I dont know what it is I would like to do for the rest of my life...

Im open for suggestions.

K.Snyder wrote: Thats all great, and I would love to get a degree..



problem is I dont know what it is I would like to do for the rest of my life...



Im open for suggestions.
My suggestion (write this down):



Stop trying to decide what you would like to do for the rest of your life.



How does one eat an elephant? One bite at a time.



Just decide what you like to do, and find someone that will pay you to do it.

Accountable wrote:



Just decide what you like to do, and find someone that will pay you to do it.


:yh_think

You have inspired me...

Porno it is....

K.Snyder wrote: :yh_think



You have inspired me...



Porno it is....It's a living.

Accountable wrote: It's a living.


Yes it is...

Im afraid I couldnt bear to live with myself morally though....

besides I hold such relations sacred to my heart, how else would it be enjoyed?(meant to be rhetorical)

Porn without the cameras...

now theres something to think about.

Accountable wrote: My suggestion (write this down):



Stop trying to decide what you would like to do for the rest of your life.



How does one eat an elephant? One bite at a time.



Just decide what you like to do, and find someone that will pay you to do it.


Excellent advise! I second that bit of advice.