Do you think that the fighting about what should/shouldn't be taught in schools from the religious and political end has contributed to this?  Rather than teach real life skills and what is needed could the fighting about certain things contribute to this?  Do we spend more time fighting about what should/shouldn't be taught than worrying about the problems with education?
202178
Absolutely.  Religious bickering amongst people ignorant of the difference between scientific and legal and common definitions of "theory" is a downright foolish, yet these are the people making policy!!  You know it's endemic when it has reached that level...\n\nWhat SHOULD we focus on?\n\n1. MATH: This is the source of technological edge in the world.  When we trail India and China and more than 20 other countries in this area, we are BEGGING to get whacked.\n\n2. Literacy:  6th grade reading ability is no longer sufficient.  Composition skills are, as you can see on this site, abombinable.  Mean, BASIC SPELLING!!??  Reading comprehension and study skills should not be difficult to grasp either.\n\n3. Science: Sadly, many students apparently don't even know what this is, let alone know how to explain why evolution is a scientific theory and intelligent design is not.  Some scientists act pompus about it, but I see it as a reflection of the quality of science education in this country.\n\n4. Ethics:  Some moron decided this shouldn't be taught in school.  Very stupid.  This should be a required class and could be a religious outlet for some while perhaps learning how atheists COULD actually have morality without religion.\n\n5. Debate and logic:  This is NOT "uh-huh vs. nuh-huh!"  Why our presidential debates and rationales are so friggin lame (unless you'd rather see something closer to the WWF).\n\n6. History: I am SHOCKED that people don't know the connection between the Salem Witch trials and why the US has a seperation of church and state.  Perhaps there is too much time wasted on historical fantasies and not enough on historical realities.\n\nLast, but not least, we really need to pay more attention to how we REALLY compare to other countries.  Sure, Japan and China and Germany have sophisticated ways of padding their educational systems' results by sorting out the unmotivated, lackluster students into second-class vocational schools, but if China is cranking out many times more Engineering students and India is cranking out many times more Engineering students, then, Houston, we have a problem...
196122
As "wimpy" as it sounds, I really don't support physical fighting at school.  It's not very productive at all and usually just gets the students involved suspended.  There are other ways to work out problems.
8663
Beware of collapsing the two-- religion and those who follow religion. For I posit, that even without "religion", we would be divided over something or other. \n\nObserve two toddlers at play for a few hours and watch them fight over one toy. Very quickly you'll see, it is not their religion that has divided them, but their "idea" that they both own this toy. \n\nWe fight not because of religion, but because of our differing ideologies, beliefs, etc. Throw our heated emotions into the mix, and we can really be hostile, violent people.\n\nHence, don't vilify religion but take note of human nature. For that's what religion does, it illuminates our human nature in hopes that we might be empowered to "be our best" in spite of ourselves.
649491
Very smart thought. I have taught my children to pick their battles.\nOh they are 24-30 yrs old - not children but mine. My son is a Ranger in Army ( his battle is safety of democracy), My youngest,( a mother of twin sons, like you is an environmentalist - she wants her children to have a beautiful earth like she does, my oldest is a stay at home mother that has chosen children's rights to fight for. I am very political but the plight of the homeless - making sure they are fed & have a safe place to go is my fight that I work with the most. Now with my son, I am involved with the Military much more. You are right, we must pick our battles & fight with all we have. I love the United States of America & must work harder to defend it from enemies outside & within our borders. Thanks for reminding me.\n\nIt is hard to tell by our battles but we are a whole family of Republicans.
528720
Like most early religions, the condemnation of education was a way for the church to control the people. It's unfortunate but it is a fact that all religions are power based pushing their agenda and loosing sight of what God asks of man. There is a big difference in being spiritual and being religious.  I would say that any religion would be better than no religion but we must search our hearts to find a true religion for ourselves and not just follow the man made teachings because it's convenient
437922
I don't think it'd be a particularly bad thing for there to be a religion course in public schools.  Religion is a huge part of modern society, and to be ignorant of (or worse, prejudiced about!) it is to lack understanding of a key factor in today's world.  You just can't fully understand events in Iran, Saudi Arabia, India, England, Tibet, Israel, France, Norway, the United States, or a myriad of other nations if you don't understand religion.  As for which religions should be taught, it should naturally be all the major ones, not just Christianity.
355017
Why shouldn't she learn about it?  Would learning about it hurt her in some way?  The teacher must abide by government regulations when forming curriculum and the students must behave when given assignments.  I think I might know where she is getting the attitude, you yourself said that they "did her wrong."  I find it hard to believe that she was punished for her actions in your home.  In her mind, you just said it was ok to behave like that.
375306
I think it's absurd, school is meant to teach you how to learn, to achieve this you must open the mind not close it. To subscribe to a system of beliefs is to close the mind to certain issues, there is no other way around that. To truly learn a new thing efficiently and without bias you must first admit that you don't know certain things. If you have already come to a conclusion about a thing because of religious indoctrination with out doing your own research to confirm, then this trend will continue for the rest of your life, because it is easy, it is human nature to take the easy road, and this is what cripples your ability to learn efficiently.
31064
Our schools should teach students HOW to learn and study on their own. I was the Valedictorian of my high school, not so much because my teachers were good at teaching me (although they were very kind for sure), but because I learned how to study effectively.\n\nThere is too much information in society today. Schools should focus less on "teaching" (which presupposes that they know everything) and focus more on "empowering students to learn on their own and use their rationality to verify the relevance or validity of information they come across."
214210
I think these days, teachers are being forced to "teach towards the test" only.  In my state specifically, being an intellectually well-rounded student means nothing as long as your state test scores look good.  Previously, students were learning to successfully function in society, as well as to do well on tests, but the inverse seems to be in practice today.  No one is teaching courtesy, chivalry, or common sense to kids these days, which I think are imperative to becoming good citizens.  Teachers, in my opinion, are really getting a raw deal now.  Reproaching students by calling parents or punishing them doesn't seem to be working either.  OK, getting back to the teaching topic... one excellent teaching technique is to become as personable with students as possible.  That, in turn, will give students an initiative to learn.  I have had some horrible experiences with teachers that just don't care and have expressed this to students.  I definitely think that teachers these days are on the defensive and this a stark contrast from 20 years ago when the teacher acted more like a second mother to students than a disciplinarian only.
137351
will someone just tell it like it is.  True, there's not enough time, and a good bit of ALL history is omitted from the curriculum.  However, if researched, eventually you'll discover the whole truth from all aspects or points of view. Some information is deliberately left out of textbooks to control or manipulate the minds of certain people or cultures.  Yeah, I know it sounds farfetched, but it's the truth. And if the real truth were told, we would have either chaos or peace. Seem like we've had all the chaos we can handle for a while...
458250
I agree with you.To many much more important things to worry over.\nAlso,home schooling isn't right for everyone but it is for my son.Everyone is entitled to their opinions but no one is entitled to down someones beliefs.
432993
I thought that schools avoided religion in school.  Why should a Muslim respond to those questions differently than a person of any other religion?  Isn't that prejudice on the part of the teacher?
384299
You mean my two cents?\nI would agree that an elective course in, say, comparative religions should cover at least the five major religions and perhaps the next 2-3 as well. However, any course or "class" or "club" that promotes a single viewpoint belongs in a church context - not in a public school.
509047
Ugh...some of these answers...When personal morals get mixed with public politics(aside from leaders breaking established law) there is always trouble. The nice things about a Free country is that even if Public schools don't teach christian/judeo values in school doesn't mean that you can't send your kid to a religious school. The only way that could be fdone properly is to have a religion class and teach about MANY religions fairly.\n\nI HATE that my freedoms are being crushed under a presnt govt's leave taking. I am awaiting, armed and ready, the revolution.\n\nBuisiness would regulate to match the publics desires IF the GOVT stopped giving AID to large profitable buisness. The end. \nWhat ever happened to good 'ol Teddy and his big stick? I guess there is a carrot tied to the end now...:(\n\nPeople of born to or earning weath are not superior...it goes back to the previous comment. Lack of appreciation...it is a sorry state, but not a crime. At least those who earn it have a *bit* more appreciation.\n\nBy the way I am a conservitive contitutionalist.
287219
If they only taught "Facts" in school then there would be little to go on.  \n\nHistory is a subjective (not objective) area of study.\n\nScience itself believes in no absolutes, resolving that there is no proven theories, only those that are unproven as of yet.\n\nI could go on, but to answer the actual question I would say that as long as there is balance in the text, it would actually improve the way we look at others.  \n\nI for one would love it if my Religion were represented more respectfully than the way we see it on TV or read about in the papers.  The same goes for Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, Hindu's, etc.  If we represented the religion the way it was INTENDED, we'd probably find out we're not all that different.
561958
I taught in a public school for three years.  The "powers that be" actually told me to stop grading for grammatical and spelling errors, saying all of my students would fail.  That is a travesty.  From my perspective as a teacher, ignorance (which is what I believe you are really asking) is on the rise.  Despite compulsory education, it almost appears to me that we are reverting to a 19th century-like model with an educated few and masses of ignorance.