MM> MM>Much the same problems here ... and being tackled by special
MM> MM>schools being run by their people - jury is out on efficacy.
MM> VH> We do the same here -- so we have all-black schools.  No improvement
MM> VH> noted.

MM>I started this term's class of adult computer beginners last night
MM>- 30 people of at least 5 different ethnicities;  you have to
MM>forget all that and deal with 30 people if the course is to run
MM>usefully.   There is just no mileage in trying to do anything
MM>else.

I gather, though that your students are there voluntarily.  That they do
not have a culture that disdains education, and are not the fourth
generation on welfare.

MM> VH> That is what I call the Civil Rights Cause of the 21st Century -- the
MM> VH> disparity in quality between rich and poor districts.  Not until the
MM> VH> poorest districts reach the level where you are will we have equality
MM> VH> in education.

MM>We're trying - involuntarily.  Our best teachers win promotion to
MM>higher positions in lower decile schools at the rate of 15-20% of
MM>staff per year.  The Board wrings its hand in anguish,  but if
MM>effect we help train up good teachers to move on into schools who
MM>need them more....

That's a good idea -- if implementable.  Our problem here is that the
worst schools are in the worst areas.  Well-paid teachers don't want to
live in those areas.

In some areas, such as Chicago, the single profession most likely to
send their children to private schools are public school teachers --
because they know how bad the public schools are.

You will note that both Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, with great
fanfare put their children in Washington, DC public schools when they
became President -- and quickly withdrew them and sent them to private
schools.

MM> MM> VH> Same here -- student loans are a bad idea.  I'd
frankly rather make
MM> MM> VH> college free for those who qualify and keep up their grades.
MM> MM>I'll vote for that any day !
MM> VH> It makes more sense -- IF we can enforce good grades and not let them
MM> VH> dumb down the colleges.

MM>Every now and then some enterprising smaller college here gets
MM>into degrees or certificates for astrology, iridology or such like
MM>- and sets off a witch-hunt of major proportions - very exciting.

That used to be the great scam here, too -- the GI Bill gave every
veteran money for college, and lots of fly-by-night "educational
institutions" sprang up to take advantage of it.

MM> VH> And you think politicians would make things BETTER? :-)

MM>Hey ... everything is now transported by private road vehicles
MM>whose bosses want the railroads converted to tarmac  :-)

Take my advice and don't do it.

MM>Shifting ballast and tapping track-plates would at least keep the
MM>economists and pollies out of people's hair - until the truckies
MM>and bus-wallahs make them redundant.

MM>The redundancy courses offered by the colleges would then benefit,
MM>and after that hopefully the dismal `scientists' and wafflers will
MM>have acquired real skills as waiters or dish-washers...

You assume such people can actually be made to work.  New Zealand ain't
Singapore, you know. :-)
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