Students asked to give part of their GPA to lower earning student.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Absolutely I would.

We should do a better job of screening folks before putting them through a cookie cutter education system. Not everyone can be a rocket surgeon. Some folks don't need to ask, "would you like fries with that?" The problem now is we "educate" both equally.

I guess that's fine if you believe people are born to underachieve and if you trust that the people deciding that you are worthy of extra or lesser investment of education are infallible. What you'd get is a society where class/status are determined explicitly by the government.

Out of curiosity which tier would you fall into?

[^_^ 5,021]

I guess that's fine if you believe people are born to underachieve and if you trust that the people deciding that you are worthy of extra or lesser investment of education are infallible. What you'd get is a society where class/status are determined explicitly by the government.

Some people are late bloomers. A system like that would fail them.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Naturally. Not to mention its not very fair either - we'd be back to aristocracy.

Now if an aristocrat were to promote something,like that they'd be rightly called a fascist. If someone on a low to middle incomes were to do it, they'd effectively be a slave collaborating in their own repression.

[^_^ 5,021]

Naturally. Not to mention its not very fair either - we'd be back to aristocracy.

Now if an aristocrat were to promote something,like that they'd be rightly called a fascist. If someone on a low to middle incomes were to do it, they'd effectively be a slave collaborating in their own repression.

OTOH, when we have a school system that puts up college as the only desirable end-game, are we ever going to end up with a population of people that can support a national manufacturing revival?

[Zero Sum 305]

There you are again hearing things that nobody here is saying...

I get her point. But what she's failing to connect is the fact that Steve Jobs could work on the line in Hong Kong but not everyone on that line could make (good) strategic decisions for the company.

What I keep hearing is everyone is equal. Everyone is not. Some people are better than others. Better at doing jobs, better at life and just better people in general. For whatever reason, many people in the US have a problem with that.

Maybe it's because we teach "team" in schools and everyone gets a trophy for playing T-Ball?

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

OTOH, when we have a school system that puts up college as the only desirable end-game, are we ever going to end up with a population of people that can support a national manufacturing revival?

I doubt it will happen anytime soon

[^_^ 5,021]

I doubt it will happen anytime soon

And if the conditions necessary for the revival do not exist, it never will.

[Zero Sum 305]

I LOLEd at this. The cookie cutter approach likely yielded great thinkers like slim. Lets think about that for a moment.

Absolutely I would.

We should do a better job of screening folks before putting them through a cookie cutter education system. Not everyone can be a rocket surgeon. Some folks don't need to ask, "would you like fries with that?" The problem now is we "educate" both equally.

[Golden Gate 530]

I guess that's fine if you believe people are born to underachieve and if you trust that the people deciding that you are worthy of extra or lesser investment of education are infallible. What you'd get is a society where class/status are determined explicitly by the government.

Out of curiosity which tier would you fall into?

Slim,

You have some good points. I think it is your choice of language that helps fuel this constant back and forth. Suggesting that some people are 'better' than others takes away from the dignity each person deserves as a human being. Children do not determine their own life circumstances. Definately, a one size fits all school system doesn't work and some areas of the country have more opportunities for the diversity of learners than other parts. Everyone deserves to learn, grow and develop their own abilities according to their individual needs. This is something our society continues to struggle with and some communities handle it better than others.

Sorry, meant to respond to Slim.

Edited April 27, 2011 by Golden Gate

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

I went to public school and we had AP classes for academically talented students and special ed for people who struggled.

Many of the AP students went on to top tier universities and had successful careers, and many of the special ed kids went on to good jobs that suited their skill set.

The opportunity was there for those willing to take it - they will probably now only exist for people who can afford private school with all the cuts in education.

[Vi-Jay 218]

Not really.. maybe true in really shitty inner-city schools. But still there are magnet programs, AP classes, etc to help these gifted students.

Yes! Yes! Yes!

Edited April 27, 2011 by Vi-Jay

[rika60607 215]

Dead giveaway

Smart kids don't work hard because they do not have to. Learning is easy for them. Hence, usually, they do not have any resentment toward helping others

On the other hand, there are some wannabes, who work hard, because they *must* be as good... but it is hard for them. So they are resentful that other kids get help, while nobody is helping them... since obviously, they developed a good coping mechanism.

.....so the dummies could mooch off the hard work of the smart kids....

[slim 1,530]

You guys all have me figured out! I was one of the dumb kids and wish the smart kids would've helped me more. Shucks.

What I really hope is those of you who fail to see the correlation of the "team" mentality and where that's leading us don't have to deal with the whole team when the time comes. I hope you have the mindset to deal with the dummies like me and are smart enough to make the right choices.

[Zero Sum 305]

You guys all have me figured out! I was one of the dumb kids and wish the smart kids would've helped me more. Shucks.

What I really hope is those of you who fail to see the correlation of the "team" mentality and where that's leading us don't have to deal with the whole team when the time comes. I hope you have the mindset to deal with the dummies like me and are smart enough to make the right choices.

That's another topic, slim- something you've not quite understood yet.

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

Why do you think the "team mentality" is all about giving everyone a medal? It isn't, though it's curious that you think that way.