School shootings from the 1700's to present day in the US

[DoxaPar]

Yep, standards for most public schools are crap / lowest common denominator. It's the constant "all outcome must be equal" issue that plagues so many people's thinking. Leftists seem to be incapable of seeing the difference between equal opportunity and equal outcome. And if they do, they prefer equal outcome apart from merit.

Personally, I'm exceptionally thankful for schools like my kids' school where my wife also works. The standards are high, they emphasize quality character traits in their instructions and are based on classical models for education.

EDIT: Lest anyone consider my comments to be in opposition to things like special education please note that is not the case (my wife teaches kids with special needs and I have a special needs son). I'm opposed to the dramatic reduction of educational standards as a whole that seem to be increasing (for a variety of reasons).

[St. Olaf]

It's the constant "all outcome must be equal" issue that plagues so many people's thinking. Leftists seem to be incapable of seeing the difference between equal opportunity and equal outcome. And if they do, they prefer equal outcome apart from merit.

I suppose, since I'm not on your side, you'd consider me a leftist (which is funny, but that's another story).

The truth is that American education is the most UN-equal education in the civilized world......and it's all about lack of equal opportunity.

The really rich kids, of course, go to private schools and elite universities.

The somewhat rich kids get a pretty good public school education and many can afford the tuition at a good college even though tuition costs are probably about 25 times what they were 25 years ago.

The poor kids get a sub-standard education and can't afford the tuition for a college education.

The really poor kids get almost zero education. Hardly any get to college.

This is because education funding is doled out in a bizarre and obviously biased way.

The richer the neighborhood, the greater the funding and the finer the education.

The poorer the neighborhood, the lesser the funding and the more dysfunctional the school.

Some of you will remember the "Minnesota Miracle" of the early 70s. Taxation was reformed to make school funding more equitable. The result was many years of better education for all. That came to a screeching halt as Republicans gradually undid the miracle.

This year we have a chance to do another "Minnesota Miracle."

Don't forget to mention that to your legislators when you contact them about gun control.

[Heffay]

The richer the neighborhood, the greater the funding and the finer the education.

The poorer the neighborhood, the lesser the funding and the more dysfunctional the school.

I don't think that's right. The money spent per student in Minneapolis is higher than in the suburbs.

There are other, more significant factors that affect the quality of education than just money.

[St. Olaf]

The richer the neighborhood, the greater the funding and the finer the education.

The poorer the neighborhood, the lesser the funding and the more dysfunctional the school.

I don't think that's right. The money spent per student in Minneapolis is higher than in the suburbs.

There are other, more significant factors that affect the quality of education than just money.

Is "per student" an accurate measure?

And what are those "other, more significant factors" of which you speak?

Last of all, if everything is equal, why not do a mass transfer of all students from an inner-city school to a suburban school and put the kids from the suburban school in the inner city school to test the fairness of the system?

If all is equal, the suburban kids should get the same education as they did in their suburban school.

Hmmmm........

[Heffay]

Is "per student" an accurate measure?

How would you measure it then?

And what are those "other, more significant factors" of which you speak?

Family.

Last of all, if everything is equal, why not do a mass transfer of all students from an inner-city school to a suburban school and put the kids from the suburban school in the inner city school to test the fairness of the system?

We don't need to test it. Life is a lot tougher in the inner city schools. However, money isn't the solution to fixing inner city schools. Social change will have far more effective results than increasing the school budget by 10%.

[St. Olaf]

We don't need to test it. Life is a lot tougher in the inner city schools. However, money isn't the solution to fixing inner city schools. Social change will have far more effective results than increasing the school budget by 10%.

No sign of social change happening (other than things getting worse).

So, if a 10% increase in the school budget won't do it, how about increasing the school budget by 100% to make the two schools in question equal?

Or, if it has to be......then increase it 500%.

The only "fix" is to make the two schools in question equal. The amount of money shouldn't even be considered as part of the problem.

[tt3]

Money won't fix the difference. Getting the parents involved will, getting the teachers who stopped caring and hide behind tenure out might help too. Pouring more money into a school won't get a parent to sit down after school with their kid and help with homework.

[DoxaPar]

No sign of social change happening (other than things getting worse).

Then don't expect schools to improve. The folks that care about the education of their children will continue to seek out other options, further depriving schools of what they need most.

[St. Olaf]

Actually, the only problem is the greed and selfishness of far too many people.

However, this year at least, Minnesota may be able to make some improvements.

[St. Olaf]

DoxaPar, in the post you deleted......you said something to the effect that you came to the inner city for more lofty reasons.

What brought you to the inner city? Are you involved with some special kind of school? And why did you delete the post?

[Cavscout]

Before the posts about the school system, my original post on the degradation of society still stands.

It wasn't an inner city kid that shot up Sandy Hook. That kid was living in a larger $350k house. Alone with his mother... from support from the separated father... Almost enough to make you look more seriously at all the conspiracy theories about Newtown and Aurora.

Anyway, it wasn't money. Besides, no matter how much money you pump into the school system, if the parents are out on the corner selling then the kids aren't very likely to make it to school regularly anyway. Inner city people in general seem to have a lot more issues with corruption in the systems. Goes both ways, but still accurate. At the same time, all schools across the board are having fuller classes, fewer teachers even when they increase organized sports, and more draws on the systems by unions.

Doesn't help we have about 40 million illegal immigrants here either.

So, the school system has NOTHING to do with mass shootings. Rich (successful/inheritted) people could send their kids to public school. After all, they pay more for public schools than any of us do. They choose to send their kids to a better, privately funded school, that wasn't paid for by others in the first place.

Is a public school's course load that much worse, or is it that even the higher achievers see how you can just float through and milk the system and still be all right?

[Heffay]

Before the posts about the school system, my original post on the degradation of society still stands.

Except society isn't degrading.

[NMRMN]

Before the posts about the school system, my original post on the degradation of society still stands.

Except society isn't degrading.

Yes, no problem whatsoever. 20 kindergartners shot in the face is a good thing, really.

[Heffay]

Before the posts about the school system, my original post on the degradation of society still stands.

Except society isn't degrading.

Yes, no problem whatsoever. 20 kindergartners shot in the face is a good thing, really.

Anecdotes ain't evidence.

[NMRMN]

Anecdotes ain't evidence.

So you believe Sandy Hook didn't occur?