So Berkeley types want to explain this away?

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

Berkeley is awesome. The finest city in the east bay. Here's another reason to live in Berkeley.

Living in Berkeley means longer life study finds
http://articles.sfgate.com/2007-05-...y-residents-life-expectancy-african-americans
All those organic bean sprouts and hikes in Tilden Park have paid off. According to a Berkeley public health study released today Berkeley residents have longer healthier lives than almost anyone else in the Bay Area.

The average life expectancy for Berkeley residents is 83 five years longer than the national average and four years longer than their fellow Alameda County residents. Berkeleyans live about three years longer than San Franciscans and four years longer than Californians in general

You make me laugh. Coming from the South Bay, and having lived in Berkeley for 4 years while I studied, it's a shithole. When people tell me Berkeley High is pretty good, it's still pretty ghetto to me.

 

[Capt Caveman]

Isn't that exactly what Democrats want? Let the wealthy pay more and give it the less fortunate. Sounds like the leftist kooks need to practice what they preach.

/facepalm

Going to college what have helped you immensely...

 

[Schadenfroh]

I support a fair voucher system.

If crap like this becomes common, I might even support it.

My point being maybe we should be spending our military budget on our schools.

Part of the military budget does go to education. Look at the G.I. Bill and the load of military / DARPA sponsored projects for universities to work on. I know many people that are having their graduate (and undergraduate) education paid for by the military, in exchange for their time working on research projects (they are not in the Army) that have civilian applications as well.



In regards to Berkley types, I know three people from that university. Two are nice, intelligent and very likable. The third is batshit crazy and a complete ass. All three are in academia.

 

[Patranus]

Yes, it makes Democrats anti-science. That is what one district out of thousands changing it's policy means.

Thats funny.
Liberals thought that one decision regarding the use of federal funds for research using the stem cells from aborted fetuses meant that GWB/GOP was "anti science".
(And somehow constituted a total ban...which it didn't...but that is another story)

 

[MotF Bane]

did anybody say anything about magic? How about competent people getting paid well? The only magic is in my bedroom.

And how do you cause the competent people to be paid well? Merit based teacher pay? Let's see how the teacher's union reacts to that idea.

 

[Patranus]

And how do you cause the competent people to be paid well? Merit based teacher pay? Let's see how the teacher's union reacts to that idea.

And there is the problem. Who the fuck gives a shit about what the teachers union thinks. Let them try and find other jobs as relaxed as teaching.

 

[palehorse]

All great human enlightenments were the result of folk of great mental gift concentrating together in a small area. It happened in the Islamic empire, in Greece, in Rome, in Venice, in Amsterdam, in Washington DC, in Egypt and Mesopotamia, etc. It is the result of genius fertilizing and inspiring genius. Less than 2% of the human race is awake. The awake know who else is awake. The sleepers don't know anything.

That's all swell, but the modern-day "small area" certainly isn't Berkeley, CA.

shit.bottom.boot...

 

[macd7]

 

[GoPackGo]

is that real?

 

[JSt0rm]

And how do you cause the competent people to be paid well? Merit based teacher pay? Let's see how the teacher's union reacts to that idea.

Merit yes. Bust up the unions. I don't care about unions.

 

[Patranus]

In other news, California is looking to get a $700,000,000 bailout from the federal government for education.

Aren't you glad your tax dollars are going to help bail out California and not the schools in your state?
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/01/05/MN0D1BE1C9.DTL&tsp=1
(This is on top of the 40 billion California is seeking form the federal government to "fix" its budget mess)

 

[Red Dawn]

In other news, California is looking to get a $700,000,000 bailout from the federal government for education.

Aren't you glad your tax dollars are going to help bail out California and not the schools in your state?
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/01/05/MN0D1BE1C9.DTL&tsp=1
(This is on top of the 40 billion California is seeking form the federal government to "fix" its budget mess)

Well California pays a hell of a lot more in Federal Taxes than most of the other states so instead of Cali's tax money going to help other states it's coming back home.

 

[theevilsharpie]

Someone want to explain this thinking away?

Reading, writing, and arithmetic form the foundation of all higher-level educational study. Above all else, pupils in primary and secondary educational institutions must master these core subjects. If a large portion of the student body is deficient in these skills, the logical course of action is to redirect resources from electives to core subjects to correct the deficiency, particularly if funding for the school's operations is based on the performance of pupils in those core subjects.

With regards to Berkeley High, high schools all over California have had to eliminate elective courses to make room for more core courses ever since standardized testing was implemented in the early 00s. This is not a new issue, it isn't limited to Berkeley, and it's not an assault on "whitey." Junior and senior high school students that want to take an elective course that isn't offered at their school can take it free of charge at any California Community College, which are much better equipped to teach technical courses anyway, and the courses count as both high school and college credit.

The race issue is a red herring. Move along folks, there's nothing to see here.

 

[DanDaManJC]

In other news, California is looking to get a $700,000,000 bailout from the federal government for education.

Aren't you glad your tax dollars are going to help bail out California and not the schools in your state?
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/01/05/MN0D1BE1C9.DTL&tsp=1
(This is on top of the 40 billion California is seeking form the federal government to "fix" its budget mess)

Besides they do have a shitton of really good schools. Both UCB and UCLA are top ranked schools... and then schools like UC Irvine and Davis are 'pretty good' too. So why not spend on good schools? I mean Berkeley alone produces results... one big example would be BSD (Linux...) but they've also been ranked one of the top 5 science and engineering schools for the past few years. For all the whining about California being a liberal hell hole, you can't deny the fact that Berkeley's still a top notch school.

 

[ebaycj]

All great human enlightenments were the result of folk of great mental gift concentrating together in a small area. It happened in the Islamic empire, in Greece, in Rome, in Venice, in Amsterdam, in Washington DC, in Egypt and Mesopotamia, etc. It is the result of genius fertilizing and inspiring genius. Less than 2% of the human race is awake. The awake know who else is awake. The sleepers don't know anything.

Sad, but true.

 

[ebaycj]

Thats funny.
Liberals thought that one decision regarding the use of federal funds for research using the stem cells from aborted fetuses meant that GWB/GOP was "anti science".
(And somehow constituted a total ban...which it didn't...but that is another story)

That was a nationwide ban, from the president of the united states. You can't see the difference between that and one school district out of thousands? FAIL.

 

[ebaycj]

And there is the problem. Who the fuck gives a shit about what the teachers union thinks. Let them try and find other jobs as relaxed as teaching.

I do 100% agree with this.

I don't think that their pay should go *DOWN* on average, but there should be additional compensation packages for certain subjects (math, science, and comp.sci./logic).

Also, the number (and pay) of administrators should be cut. It is a little ridiculous.

 

[MotF Bane]

Merit yes. Bust up the unions. I don't care about unions.

I'm surprised to see that from you. Merit and increased funding would be a good start to fixing education, and our military can certainly survive some cuts. End a couple of wars for starters...

 

[MotF Bane]

I do 100% agree with this.

I don't think that their pay should go *DOWN* on average, but there should be additional compensation packages for certain subjects (math, science, and comp.sci./logic).

Also, the number (and pay) of administrators should be cut. It is a little ridiculous.

Absolutely! Also, my town's newest budget came back with 25-30 teacher layoffs, and none for admin. After some yelling at a town meeting, they added a single admin cut. If you have to cut personnel from schools, that's the wrong order to do it in.

 

[BoberFett]

/facepalm

Going to college what have helped you immensely...

Clearly it didn't help you.

If you don't under the blatant hypocrisy of "liberals" crying about the less fortunate invading their precious schools and robbing them of their birthright to a better education than those less fortunate, I can't help you. Wallow in ignorance, fool. It suits you.

 

[EagleKeeper]

All great human enlightenments were the result of folk of great mental gift concentrating together in a small area. It happened in the Islamic empire, in Greece, in Rome, in Venice, in Amsterdam, in Washington DC, in Egypt and Mesopotamia, etc. It is the result of genius fertilizing and inspiring genius. Less than 2% of the human race is awake. The awake know who else is awake. The sleepers don't know anything.

How can you lump Washington DC into that mix?

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

And there is the problem. Who the fuck gives a shit about what the teachers union thinks. Let them try and find other jobs as relaxed as teaching.

Like your job?

There are a lot of teachers in my family, and more in my wife's. She's a college professor.

I won't say there aren't slugs, but those are anywhere. If you do the job right that's not the case, and teachers work a LOT of hours outside of the classroom.

My wife her day starts around 7:00 am and goes to 10 or 11 most nights. I'll also tell you she's more organized and efficient than anyone else I know to the point where it's almost annoying. I'll bet you couldn't keep up with her.

 

[Carmen813]

Thats funny.
Liberals thought that one decision regarding the use of federal funds for research using the stem cells from aborted fetuses meant that GWB/GOP was "anti science".
(And somehow constituted a total ban...which it didn't...but that is another story)

Somehow I think a decision affecting national policy may have a larger impact than a local one. Color me crazy...

It wasn't just this decision though, there was a push to teach intelligent design, many wanted to remove teaching evolution, and the GOP seems to enjoy cutting research funding.

 

[Hacp]

And there is the problem. Who the fuck gives a shit about what the teachers union thinks. Let them try and find other jobs as relaxed as teaching.

Teaching is actually a very demanding job. You need to get your masters in many states and then you need to deal with snobby students who think they're always right. Now, if teachers were allowed to give their students a good beating if they misbehaved like in the old days, I think the US education system would be much better.

 

[Patranus]

That was a nationwide ban, from the president of the united states. You can't see the difference between that and one school district out of thousands? FAIL.

Again, your ignorance blinds you.
It was a nation wide ban on the use of FEDERAL FUNDS not a nation wide ban on research.