Next on the Agenda - Education

If he were to think of it keeping his own school aged children in mind, he may be able to do some good. However, he is most likely going to think of it in political terms, or financial terms, and that will not benefit our children. Unfortunately, the more the government interferes with our children's education, the worse it gets! Each child learns things differently, and at different paces, however schools have to follow a government set curriculum. This curriculum either goes too fast for the children who don't learn at a quick pace, or it goes too slow for children who do pick up things quickly. So children are getting left behind either way! My own children are prime examples. My oldest learns a little slower than other children, and doesn't retain the information he has learned. What he learned last year isn't in his head this year, so he's easily lost and confused. However, according to the rules the government set and the schools must follow, he does not qualify for any special help (what our school calls AIS). Basically he'd have to be mentally disabled to qualify for extra help from the school. This is beyond frustrating for my family. However, my younger children are at the opposite end of the scale. They excell at school and pick things up very quickly.. but the school continues to teach the same lesson over and over for the children who aren't picking it up quickly. Now my younger children are not currently allowed to join any advanced classes that would allow them to move on and learn new things. Instead they're forced to stay in the group with the children who aren't picking up on it, and learning the same thing over and over. By the time they hit high school they'll be so bored with school they might be tempted to drop out, while my oldest will be so frustrated with falling behind that he may drop out as well! When I was in school, we had different placements. I was reading well above my class level, so when my class was doing their reading assignments, I would go to a different class and join other children on my level and do work that challenged us. Same with all subjects. We seperated into groups based on our level.. we weren't all stuck on the same levels. I don't see what was wrong with doing it that way.. if it ain't broke, don't try to fix it! So why does the government keep trying to fix things??

I am in agreement with you re abolishing the Department of Education. I say this as a NON-union teacher who knows what goes on inside of our not only dangerous but corrupt schools. The unions have too much power and they are much less concerned with "educating" our children than indoctrinating them politically in exchange for money and even more power. Our school districts are, unfortunately, just another arm of a corrupt government intent on "dumbing down" innocent victim children. And, of course, teachers' unions donated mucho to put illegal alien O into office. Even John Stossel, whom I consider a liberal, has called for the abolishment of the Department of Education. Our schools remain an academic and political sewer and totally unsafe at every level for our children.

I am not expecting anything from Obama.He is just another chap who talk and does nothing. About USA education i though things are good there because i see lot of people immigrating to USA from India to take higher education.

I believe there is evidence of deliberate dumbing down in the curriculum used in our schools. http://www.deliberatedumbingdown.com/pages/book.htm I also believe that the social engineers have taken it upon themselves to 'reeducate' the America population with liberal values and concepts. But I am just a conspiracy nut. Bertrand Russell wrote: It may be hoped that in time anybody will be able to persuade anybody of anything if he can catch the patient young and is provided by the state with money and equipment...When technique has been perfected, every generation will be able to control its subjects securely without the need of armies or policemen. Mr. Russell was a UNESCO advisor and Socialist Philosopher.

I don't know where he would go with this. Usually government wants to do something that will involve a lot of money right? So, just keep on spending that money. Spending, spending. You should get a nice education for your children and everyone else. Don't you think?

Because I don't want to spend any more money (and the problem with education is NOT lack of money), rather than "can" the whole law and come up with a 2000-page new law (like health care), I'd rather find common ground and keep what is working, drop what's not working, tweak this and that, establish new goals/objectives, etc. And then sit back and measure... I don't like the tenure system. I'd pay teachers more and do away with tenure. Tenure is keeping too many bad teachers employed. I think most teachers would go for better pay, and dropping tenure. They're trying it now in many states and it seems to be working. If I could, I'd do away with the union. The union isn't doing anything good for its teachers or our kids. And I'm with you, the federal department needs to go away. A Cabinet position with some staff is all that is needed in Washington. Educating our children needs to be a local/state focus. I think education is important and should be on the "to-do" list this year, but my top priorities are still the economy/jobs/national debt/decreasing the size/role of Government/dismantling health care, but there's room for education on the list. I just don't want education overwhelming the agenda like health care did.