Trump's Team

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Most Presidents have all or almost all of their cabinet in place this far into their administrations.

Dems filibustered all night over Betsy Devos. Not sure what that is about. She'll still get a vote at noon as and will likely be confirmed with VP Pence breading a 50-50 tie.
 
Though I think DeVos is a horrible pick to head the Dept. of Education, almost as bad a Carson and Perry for their respective departments, a POTUS should get to pick their own cabinet.
 
I was not originally enthused about DeVos. But then I saw just how much 'progressives' hate her. That showed that she must be doing something right.
 
That's utter ********. This is about using public funds for public schools or private and psuedo-private schools. Betsy DeVos has spent her entire career pushing the latter.

The Teachers Unions combined are the most financially powerful union in the US.
Their legal and fiduciary duty is to represent their members. They have no duty to students.
Thus, teachers always first, kids always second.
This is how we end up with kids who are bad at math and science, but know how to put a condom on a banana

Below is 2012 PISAs (but there are hundred of these type of graphs out there) -- Why fight to preserve a system that has been producing subpar results for so long?
Are you really so desperate to ensure that unions dues will continue to go to fund Dem politicians that you are willing to sacrifice the future of our children for it?

Screen+Shot+2013-12-03+at+17.46.39.png
 
The Teachers Unions combined are the most financially powerful union in the US.
Their legal and fiduciary duty is to represent their members. They have no duty to students.
Thus, teachers always first, kids always second.
This is how we end up with kids who are bad at math and science, but know how to put a condom on a banana

Below is 2012 PISAs (but there are hundred of these type of graphs out there) -- Why fight to preserve a system that has been producing subpar results for so long?
Are you really so desperate to ensure that unions dues will continue to go to fund Dem politicians that you are willing to sacrifice the future of our children for it?

Screen+Shot+2013-12-03+at+17.46.39.png

I have no love for the Teacher's union and have told my wife (who is a member) as much. Too often their union contract rules protect the poor teachers and hold back the quality teachers.

Attributing those numbers to the NEA/AFT is like claiming the NRA is solely responsible for our high murder rates. Both are contributing factors based on policies but neither decides which students to teach or who gets possession of the guns.
 
....Attributing those numbers to the NEA/AFT is like claiming the NRA is solely responsible for our high murder rates.....

I partially agree. But your letting teachers completely off the hook for a bad educational system is either extremely naive or perhaps just an expression of self-interest.
 
I partially agree. But your letting teachers completely off the hook for a bad educational system is either extremely naive or perhaps just an expression of self-interest.

I said they were a contributing factor? How is that "letting teachers completely off the hook"? I do have the benefit of my wife, mother-in-law, father-in-law and brother-in-law who are all teachers. They've spanned FT contract teaching and substitute teaching at both public and private schools, in affluent suburban schools and inner-city (Seattle/Tacoma/Las Vegas) schools to reflect on.

My wife once taught at a private Hacidic Jewish school in which there was no English/Writing curriculum when she arrived. It was a good experience albeit one where the teaching standards were vastly deficient compared to any public school. The kids at that school were successful because they were all from very high socio-economic and strong family backgrounds.
 
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That's utter ********. This is about using public funds for public schools or private and psuedo-private schools. Betsy DeVos has spent her entire career pushing the latter.

So have you been happy with how much money is put on Education in the USA to get average results??? The teacher's union hate her so I'm guessing she's the right choice.
 
So have you been happy with how much money is put on Education in the USA to get average results??? The teacher's union hate her so I'm guessing she's the right choice.

I disagree with "average results" claim. The challenges of the inner-city schools is a function or the students/parents moreso than a lack of plan/desire to instruct them. When looking at the budget of the Education Dept, you also have to consider our college system. We have a university system that is the envy of the world. Our secondary students may not enter college with the same degree of STEM skills but they bring a creativity to their thoughts and ideas that is unmatched. Additionally, they catch up in STEM skills but bring a greater level of communication skills in college. I see that every day in working with team in China and India.
 
I disagree with "average results" claim. The challenges of the inner-city schools is a function or the students/parents moreso than a lack of plan/desire to instruct them.....

Some truth there. But why hold even a handful back from a chance at breaking that cycle and succeeding with their lives?
You and your peoples' solution is to not let any promising individual get ahead. Whatever the original intention may have been, the result is always the same -- all kids must be miserable an fail together. This is socialism.
 
Some truth there. But why hold even a handful back from a chance at breaking that cycle and succeeding with their lives?
You and your peoples' solution is to not let any promising individual get ahead. Whatever the original intention may have been, the result is always the same -- all kids must be miserable an fail together. This is socialism.

Socialism is overused. There are elements of that in our education system but that same statement could be applied to fire/rescue, police and other "for the the good of society" programs. I don't have time to debate the vagaries of our educational system today but will tackle this later.
 
This is how we end up with kids who are bad at math and science, but know how to put a condom on a banana

I am very pleased that the kids that are bad at math and science, are capable of putting on condoms. Perhaps that will lead to fewer kids that are bad at math and science.:smile1:
 
I am very pleased that the kids that are bad at math and science, are capable of putting on condoms. Perhaps that will lead to fewer kids that are bad at math and science.:smile1:

I know you dont mean it this way, but IMO you are hitting the primary underlying issue of this whole thing
 
I know you dont mean it this way, but IMO you are hitting the primary underlying issue of this whole thing

If I understand your meaning, we are 100% on the same page. Too many people are having children out of wedlock and children that they can't support. If I were in charge, we'd do away with credits for having children and there would be a lifetime cap on welfare benefits no matter how many children you have.
 
If I were in charge, we'd do away with credits for having children and there would be a lifetime cap on welfare benefits no matter how many children you have.

I don't have a problem with a lifetime cap on welfare benefits, but I do think nonrefundable (meaning they can't take your tax liability below zero) tax credits and deductions for having children is a wise move. It's true that irresponsible people are having too many kids and that it's a problem, but the bigger problem is responsible people not having kids.

Muslims are taking over Europe, but they're not doing it by invasion or terrorism (though that is happening). They're mostly doing it by procreation. Native European women virtually don't have children anymore. Muslim women have tons of them, and eventually they'll be outnumbered. It's not as big of a problem in the US, but it is a problem. We need more fully westernized, educated people who are responsible adults having children and creating real families, and if that has to be incentivized, then so be it. Our country and culture depend on it.

By the way, I don't claim any superiority here. In fact, I'm part of the problem. I have a law degree, and my wife has a masters in special education. We're well-educated, make a fairly good living, and are responsible adults. I'm 40, and my wife is 37. We have one child who's about to turn 3 year old - not even enough to replace us when we're gone. We are hoping to have one more within a year, which would be enough to break even, but I doubt we'll have more than that. By contrast, when my dad was 40, his oldest was 20, and his youngest of four children (me) was ten years older than my oldest is. We need more people to follow his example, not mine.
 

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