I think you discount the parental influences, which allow your above statements to ring true. People seem to be stepping away from liability or their own children and expecting the Village to raise their child. They piss and moan when the schools don't do exactly as they see fit, but at the same token, won't hold responsibility for teaching their own children.

When I was teaching a voluntary afterschool activity for high school kids, if they showed up late or didn't show up at all, there was always an excuse. The parents would send an email or would come in and tell us to excuse their child - my favorite would be the notes we'd receive from doctors, psycs, part-time bosses, and older siblings. There were many times we knew the kid was playing hooky (because their peers would tell us) but then would have a note "Please excuse Jimmy. He had a Dr's appointment."

My long-winded point is that there is a trend of parents not even holding their own children responsible for their actions. When I was young and accidentally broke a neighbors window, I was the one that had to do yard work for them or paint their fence - today, a parent just pays for the window.

I think this all adds to the increasingly litigious state of this country.

agreed, want a new one? I was thinking of posting this and Im sure Fishbones will chime in.....I get a note from daycare, MA passed some requirement that if you're in daycare for more than 4 hrs or eat there, they have to brush the kids teeth. This is becasue of growing tooth decay. WTF !!!! So because some parents dont take care of their kids, we all have to do this? I'll bet any $$$$ it was a liberal who implemented this. So now we have massive flu hysteria and we're going to be having kids swaping spit and using toothbrushes at daycares. F'in nuts!

I don't think it's just for day care, Jim:fury:

Yeah, I got that note, too. Just more of the "since you can't do it for yourself, we'll do it for you" mentality that's prevalent in all aspects of society nowadays. And I'm pretty sure that people like us end up paying for this in one way or another.

I think that's an influence as politics have always been ugly, but the media age, and especially the influence of the Internet have definitely changed the game significantly.

Disinformation goes viral much, much faster. This consumes the news cycle which is much shorter.

-spence

Idiotic post.

-spence

Typical hit and run potshot post by Spence. Insult someone by saying their post is idiotic, but offer no reason as to why you think so. Why don't you try some of that "critical thinking" that you accuse others for not using. Your act is so transparent and weak that it's getting to the point that it's no longer fun to goad you into arguments.

when was Spence ever fun???

This is funny. I haven't put out any ammo for you lately so you've moved onto spence.

It was self explanatory, had you applied some critical thinking yourself that would have been apparent :bshake:

-spence

I substitute taught for 3 or 4 years after i retired because i love kids,
thought i had something to offer, and wanted to pay back.
I found the exact same things as you in the public schools and quickly ended up in a private school
because the parents were paying $$$ and really took
an interest in how their kids were doing. Both teachers and kids knew
the parents were behind the school and it was a pleasure to teach there.

In the end the parents are responsible for their kids education.

Just setting the stage for when they go to elementary school they'll be ready for their on premises dental care.

Disinformation cuts both ways. No/Few unbiased sources. Quick disinformation. Makes living in the extreme middle challenging.

Dont claim something is idiotic simply becuase you dont understand it. So its purely a coincidence that the worst schools, in the worst areas, with the worst students are in primarily democratic areas? Sure.

Democrats tend to give the most to social services. Just like Republicans tend to give the most to businesses.

Correlation does not prove causation.

REALLY? So if the need for social services goes away, which one is out of a job?

Democrats and Republicans both give the most to themselves.

The poor areas vote democrat because the Democrats promise them handouts. I'm simplifying it, but it's a fact.

politicians like to ask "are you are better off now that you were x number of years ago"...I think it might be a good strategy to go into these areas that the dems have controlled forever and ask "are you better off now than you were 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40 years ago?" ....and then remind them about what Obama is eating each night and about Pelosi's booze and food binge flights :uhuh:

Essentially what I was getting at.