http://www.bigthink.com/adobe/Logo_250X250.jpg http://www.bigthink.com/adobe/Background_1024X576.jpg http://www.bigthink.com/adobe/Banner_686X60.jpg http://www.bigthink.com/adobe/Half-Banner_234X60.jpg http://www.bigthink.com/adobe/Logo_250X250 http://www.bigthink.com/adobe/Logo-Watermark_250X250.jpg http://www.bigthink.com/adobe/Background_1024X576.jpg http://www.bigthink.com/adobe/Half-Banner-ALT_234X60.jpg Bigthink http://www.bigthink.com/feed/rss/comment/idea/7150 Tue, 02 Dec 2008 23:44:08 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.2 http://www.bigthink.com/policy-politics/education/7150 I agree that the family's attitude toward education can enhance a young person's success in school. I disagree with the speaker's financial analysis. Teachers are some of the highest paid citizens in my area, especially when you figure in benefits. Also, students with special needs and that includes emotional/behavioral issues are getting LOTS of funding when you consider the teacher/student ratio is much lower for students (of all races/socioeconomic classes) who are failing academically and socially. This is true in the classrooms I work in. The money is going to the "problem kids" in the form of lower teacher/student ratios in an attempt to keep them under control, and there is very little learning going on. You cannot combat the nihilism in a classroom. The nihilism only disrupts the learning of others. By the way, the nihilism affects more than just minority races nor is it only a gender issue, it is in every community in both sexes. Bigthink Sat, 16 Feb 2008 13:28:07 +0100 http://www.bigthink.com/policy-politics/education/7150/#8747