I am especially heartbroken to see Alaska labeled as "meager" since it was in Alaska's public school system that as a child I was first introduced to the wonderful work of Charles Darwin and where I was inspired to continue my education in the school's library.
It was such a great education. Every child should have one at least as good. And every parent should want that for them as well.
I have to agree.
ReplyDeleteYou might want to change "day" to "say" in your first sentence.
Also the map doesn't enlarge, but because I'm a teacher, I know exactly what it says.
Also the map doesn't enlarge
DeleteThe map is a clickable link to http://i.imgur.com/0g2jb.jpg?1. On that page, ctrl-+ will—at least in Firefox—make it bigger. Keep doing it until it's big enough.
Uh oh, NC and SC will probably have to change their approaches. They're making the other dunderheaded states in the region look bad.
ReplyDeleteNC used to have some of the best schools in the country. "Used" is the operative word.
DeleteGuess what this map would look like in a couple of years if the Romneys had been elected. Mr. and Mrs. thought it was a great idea to eliminate the federal Department of Education. There would then be NO consistency from state to state in our highly mobile society. No wonder we trail other countries in education.
ReplyDeleteYes, I sometimes go to the "what if" scenario, especially with the Newtown tragedy. Could you imagine what shitstorm he'd have started by siding with NRA???
DeleteMy skin crawls just thinking of it...
I live in NY and have family all over NY.
ReplyDeleteNobody I know has had a problem with creationism in school. my kids were taught evolution biology, even in the Catholic schools they attended.
I'm kind of surprised IN is so well thought of. Of course, give Pence a few years and we will be in the red too. Daniels sure as shit tried to get us there with his idiocy.
ReplyDeleteCheck out this youtube video of "Athetists at the Creation Museum" and weep.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IacAn3gQiY4
Mel68
Yea I'm weeping for all the children being taught this tripe!
DeleteMankind already tried allowing all "education" to come from the church
ReplyDelete-- we call that period "The Dark Ages".
I see Michelle Rhee didn't do squat to improve STEM in Washington D.C. while she had the chance. Too busy politicizing and blaming the teachers. Well, what do you expect from an amateur.
ReplyDeleteProud to be a California Teacher.
If this country is serious about competing with other countries in STEM standardized testing, then the first thing that needs to happen is that map needs to be ALL green. And you cannot blame the teachers for that. That comes from the amateurs up the administrative food chain that are giving the teachers their marching orders and making sure their orders are being followed to the letter. Start with the politicians at the state level. They wanted local control of public education and curriculum. They got it. So accountability is on THEM.
As a resident of Florida, I don't think many people would argue that Florida is a backward state, especially in its rural area's. During the time I spent in a rural community, Sebring, Fl, I was shock with what I found in their schools. One of my children, who was in the forth grade, would come home and tell me often what her teacher had told her class that day. One of her worse stories was her refusal to teach science to her class because she didn't believe it. She often told her class that she was a fundamentalist Baptist and that all other religions were wrong. My daughter was a very honest person, and just a year earlier was declared to be a reliable source of information during a custody case in what she told a physiologist at what she had witnessed. I wrote down almost everything she told me.
ReplyDeleteAfter several months went by, I arrange for a meeting with her principal to discuss this. I read to him what she had told me, but he didn't really seemed too concerned and asked me if I spoke to her teacher. I told him no and that I would. I arranged for a meeting with her, and could tell she and the principal had obviously had a meeting before this, because she knew exactly why I was there. She denied everything, but she knew she was on shaky ground. For the rest of the school year the teacher would never talk to her or picked her when she raised her hand.
It doesn't surprise me that Florida is one of the states on the "Map of Shame". Besides, if it's something ridiculous that is reported in the news, you can always count on it being another stupid story out of Florida without even being told.
When did all this happen? I grew up in NJ, earth science, biology, chemistry, physics, chemistry II, then physics II, 7-12....what the hell happened to the rest of the country? I was college prep, if you wanted business you still needed 2 years of science, creation stories were meant for church, which is why I also thought of the bible as a "story",not truth. I really thought the creation thing was only in the south, but they still taught normal science. I am surprised the parents aren't screaming, at least the northern transplants...I know alot of people in NJ left for the carolinas, jeez this map is truly a sad thing.
ReplyDeleteI graduated from high school in Alaska in 1960 and we were then known to have an excellent school system. I took college prep courses in high school (direction of my father) and when we entered college we did not have to take classes to bring us 'up to par' for our selected college courses. That, sadly, has become the norm of today.
ReplyDeleteOur education system nationally (Alaska is now horrible!) does not compare to that of many foreign countries. Where are our new leaders going to be from in the US? Someone like Rubio who is currently lying and restructuring the story of his background to make him more attractive in running for POUSA in 2016? Give me a friggin' break!
Our politicians have created this mess - getting rid of unions - driving the public school system into disarray - promoting private schools that many cannot afford - belittling teachers and on and on. The USA is fast becoming a third-world country and only the rich will dominate within another generation or two is my guess.
I'm so glad I'll not be around - I'm a senior now. People truly need to pay attention to those they elect to office. Pay attention especially to the Republicans - they are creating a horrible mess and are only looking out for the rich of their party. They want to control the rest of us!
Map is misleading. Indiana may have state standards that are exemplary, but a) Dipwad TeaTHUGS in the state legislature trying to change that and b) vouchers brought to you by a Dipwad TeaTHUG governor who appointed his buddies to the land grant university board (Purdue) who in turn appointed him Pres of Purdue.
ReplyDeleteWhere does this map come from? I'm in MA and am very surprised to see that we are only yellow and the comment "marred by creationist jargon" - doesn't sound like anything my children or I have been exposed to in the public schools here.
ReplyDeleteI went to Anchorage and Wasilla schools back in the late 50's and the 60's. When we went to Washington in my 4th grade, they moved me to 5th down there, but when I came back to AK, I put back in my regular grade.
ReplyDeleteIt's nothing like that anymore. Wasilla schools have changed, and not for the better. It's so damn sad that the kids now days can't read about everything that we did, only 30-40 years ago. Talk about dumbing down the kids. It's at play in Alaska.
That map shows a major misappropriation of our tax dollars, our kids deserve better!
ReplyDeleteI live in Pennsylvania and my kiddo had one teacher who handed out creationist mythology in public school. He handed out the material and told the kids it "MAY show up in tests someday, so you SHOULD study it", but he didn't do a formal lesson plan or presentation thinking it wouldn't be a big deal.
He got the axe after the kids took it to the principal and parents got involved. Where are the parents in the other states?
In addition to all the comments above about our current education, this also means America will lose its status as the premier country in scientific research. Many potential scientists will be turned off before they get to college. If they do get to college, they will spend their first year doing remedial work as a nephew of mine did. (Bless his heart, he also had to support himself, but had a full tuition scholarship. It took six years, but he did it.)
ReplyDeleteElizabeth 44
Look at Indiana!!! Yippee! FINALLY, something I can be proud of. Aa....ohhhh- just read anon 4:41. I graduated with a science degree from Purdue. Purdue's reputation was huge in landing my first couple of job as a biologist and in getting into grad school. Why would they mess with that. My sister just entered a medical program and aced anatomy and chemistry(so proud of her!). I love talking to her about her psychology class because she likes her prof who she says is very liberal. This woman is really challenging some of that Indiana conservatism and making a difference in my sister. She gives me hope.
ReplyDeleteFrom whence came this map? There is no cited source anywhere, nor is there any standard by which the conclusions for each state were reached.
ReplyDelete