G'morning Vern,

 MM>I mentioned NZ's new regulations for ensuring teachers were
 MM>literate and numerate before being allowed into a classroom
 MM> ... it
 MM>occurs to me after I'd posted that reply that a similar bit of
 MM>legislation would solve a great many of society's ills...
 VH> But how do you do that?

Dunno, sorry to have suggested it.. :-)  (shudders at echoes of 
Hilter's eugenic programme enforcement schemes)...

 VH> In Europe, they measure literacy by the number of years of school
 VH> completed -- one doesn't have to be able to read in order to be classed
 VH> as literate.

That's not a measure, its a self-justifying assumption...

 VH> Here in the US, we have used teacher tests -- but the  teacher's union
 VH> bitterly opposes that and erects all sorts of obstacles.

It seems that here in NZ the teacher unions are helping install 
the scheme...

 MM>How about insisting on parents demonstrating both skills and
 MM>theory in bringing up babies before the first offspring births ?
 VH> Again, how do you do that?  Especially in a society that has rewarded
 VH> women for having children out of wedlock?

My best answer to all that is...

 MM>I keep trying to have basic child-rearing introduced into the year
 MM>0-12 curricula here  -  a very lone voice,  I'm afraid.

 VH> Both child-rearing and economics -- so they can support their
 VH> offspring.

Aye ... both are understandings that a reasonable family passes on 
to its offspring,  and both are worthy of being taught throughtout 
the 0-12 years.   It'd take a generation and a bit to see the 
benefits - but the payoffs would come in every worrisome aspect of 
social life...

Meanwhile,  our newspapers here are full of kids being killed, 
shot, kidnapped, abused, recruited into crime and generally 
treated like pets by adults who barely put up with these annoying 
products of their hedonisms,  and who firmly believe the State 
ought to teach their offspring better.  Its a wunnerful world...

Miles.





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