# Obama saying the USA is being out educated



## floortrader (Feb 5, 2009)

I would like to know by how many countries and what is their size . With a population of 50,000 people that might be funded by the USA, it would not be hard to excel at almost anything. If Obama thinks the USA is so bad why does'nt he go wherever and trick them into making him KING. Damn foreigner. Does this guy have a green card.


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## Ambush Hunter (Jun 29, 2009)

I suggest you do a research..._we are_ out-educated by many many countries, especially in science - math, chemistry, physics, and biology. And oh, geography, since lots of Texans think Texas is the biggest US state and that Africa is a country  :rollin: Our educational standards are below the toilet seat we poop on... When Perry was offered millions of dollars in federal grants (free money) from Washington to improve the educational system in Texas and adopt higher standards by which most of the country is measured, he said no thanks, we won't let you to tell us how to teach our kids in Texas. What a clown. That's Texas. On the big picture, the U.S. is still behind on many subjects...


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## Chuck Smith (Feb 22, 2005)

The great "no Child left behind" program or what ever. I agree that they should not teach only the kids getting the subject matter. But dumbing down the classes to pass kids is not helping kids excel. It is setting the bar low instead of setting it high. Just my .02.


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## floortrader (Feb 5, 2009)

For me the old saying my country right or wrong still aplies. I will not knock my country in public. Matter of fact I won't knock it at all .I will try to make it better. There are enough Obamas knocking America I won't join Em. So there Ha HA Ha :bop: :bop: :bop: :bop: :bop:


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## huntin1 (Nov 14, 2003)

floortrader, being loyal to ones country is one thing, turning a blind eye to something that has been happening for years and will ultimately harm this country is another. I agree that Obama should not be where he is, IMO he's a dunce, but, he is right when he says that there are countries that do better at educating their children, as I recall Japan is one, or was, and there are others I just can't name them without doing the research.

Bottom line is that the education system in this country is sub-par in many ways. Sometimes the teachers are to blame, don't want to hurt little Johnny's feelings by holding him back, we'll pass him on to the next grade whether he has learned enough or not, and the cycle repeats because no one wants to tell Johnny or his parents that he is a slow learner and doesn't get it. Sometimes the parents themselves refuse to acknowledge that their child is not rocket scientist material and force teachers into this cycle with their constant complaints.

Either way the country loses.

And I'm not knocking teachers, there are many out there that are hard working and really strive to teach the kids to the best of their abilities.

huntin1


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

Political correctness and liberal mentality is what is putting our education in the crapper. I remember when I was Cub Scout Master a mother came to me and said we shouldn't have trophies for the boys because only one received first place and all the other children felt bad because they lost. Then she suggested giving them all smaller trophies so the all felt like winners. I told her that Cub Scouts was a good place to learn to win and loose. That it was better lossing and learning now than crying when your 23 years old because you didn't get the job or something else you wanted.

My brother was a teacher, his wife, my mother-in-law, my sister-in-law a few others, and my wife and I both have teaching degrees. We have watched as we stopped providing special classes for the gifted and started trying to make silk purses our of sows ears. We didn't want go give bad grades that may make some looser feel bad. So we lowered our standards to make the stupid feel better about themselves.

I was watching a psychologist on tv the other day and he said it takes 20 to 30 years for psychologists to be able to ***** behavior in child rearing practices. He said the parents that were so concerned about self esteem back in 1978, 1979, 1980 etc have reared children that don't have the ability to practice suspended gratification. They have always been told how wonderful they are and when they get a job they think they should start at the top. When they don't get instant gratification they don't know how to handle it. Those same foolish parents have influenced our education system and it is they who have destroyed it more than any politician, or perhaps they have accomplished their dumbing down of America through politicians.

Sex education didn't reduce teen pregnancy, and special education for the mentally challenged didn't produce new Einsteins either. Special education for them is great, but it's not right to cripple the learning process of others doing it. Try find anyone from the 1950's that can remember open book tests.


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## ShineRunner (Sep 11, 2002)

I had a young man that worked for me while he was in high school. I ran a convenience store. He stocked shelves, mopped, use a broom, emptied garbage, pumped gas, ran the register and any other thing that needed doing. When I gave him his chores for the day I always ask him to let me know when he was finished. I would then check out his work and if it was what I expected, I patted him on the back and said good job. If not I would show or tell him what I expected and I would put him back at the job even if he was wanting to leave with friends to go to the swimming hole. I told him, do it right the first time and he wouldn't need to do it again.

A few years later he went into the Navy and he wrote me a letter stating that he thanked me for showing him how to do a job. He said that he was one of the few that was not crying for mommy at the end of the day because he knew how to work and to do his best to get it right the first time. He later served on a Nuclear Sub and is now living near me in a house that he had moved and rebuilt with local help while still holding a full time job with two kid and wife.

Kids need to be taught at home to have respect for others and do what they are told to the best of their abilities. At school they need decipline and learn what they used to call jokinly the three R's READING, RITEING AND RITHMITIC. Once they have a hands on grasp of that let them have a computer. I believe the would learn faster know the basics.

As I grew up in th 50's and 60's I remember having my backside warmed when I didn't behave at *home* and at *school*. I was taught to respect others, say yes sir and no sir and in general be nice to others.

Ok off my soapbox eace:


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## Longshot (Feb 9, 2004)

Before attacking the US education system too much, realize that everyone here gets an education, which is a huge difference. Many of the so called advanced education systems in other countries only teach the top percentage of children. When you are only comparing the top 10% of students in one country to all the students (of an average cross section) of the US it would be difficult to not be skewed. I would like to see the top 10% of US students be used when they do these comparisons. Given text book tests the US does score poor compared to some countries, but like one foreign professor said, they know what's been taught to them but many times lack the free thought. For example in math, they know the formulas and go through the motions. Give students a problem without a text book solution and the US student is usually the one with the ability to solve the problem. There is a reason why most the world's advanced developments happen here in the US.


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## huntin1 (Nov 14, 2003)

I agree with the fact that it has to start at home. Period. Most parents are afraid to discipline their child, that's a whole other issue. But most parents also believe that their child is the brightest lightbulb out there whether or not they are. They simply will not accept that their child is a slow learner.

When I was in grade school back in the cave man days we would get a gold star next to our name if we excelled in our studies. Did my feelings get hurt if I didn't get that star? Sure they did. But, my parents didn't call the principle and complain that it was unfair, they told me to work and study harder.

As far as attacking the education system, I think we can. I have people working for me that can't write a simple report. Spelling is terrible, no puncuation, no sentence structure, no paragraphs, everything all run together in one big block of text. These are people who graduated with 4 year degrees from public colleges.

Cashiers who can't make change unless they can punch the numbers into the computerized cash register which tells them the amount they need to give back. Most high school and college age kids can't figure out even simple math problems without the use of a calculator.

Few take pride in excelling any more because our schools won't recognize those who do excel, lest they hurt the feelings of those who can't, or won't, put in the work required to excel.

The blame does not rest entirely on the teachers, or the education system, it starts at home, but it extends to the schools, and ours aren't cutting it.

More advanced development does occur here. But, in a lot of cases the people making those discoveries are from other countries. The US is more willing to throw money at research and development, so the top minds come here to do their work and make their discoveries.

huntin1


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## Longshot (Feb 9, 2004)

hunt1, I understand what you are saying. I was referring to the comparison between the US and other countries. We all see what you have stated, but so do those in other countries. There is no doubt in the lack of discipline also. I know all too well the complaints from parents, with just last night's scout meeting, having to listen to some complaining why their kid didn't get an award when they didn't earn it in the first place. Along with complaints from a parent that their kid didn't get an award because a leader didn't get the awards in. Yet this same parent won't help out when asked. I think most of us see the same instances as your examples, but I don't think it carries over to the comparison to other countries. There are definite improvements that need to be made, but I'm tired of hearing the comparison to other countries as being the benchmark when it shouldn't be. There is no reason that a teacher shouldn't have to be certifying that they know the material they are teaching and a student should be able to pass a test on the material at the end of the year. If they don't pass fail them, they can do it again, and parents need to take some responsibility and quit blaming the school. For every extra program tailored to those who are struggling there should also be an advanced program for those doing well.



> More advanced development does occur here. But, in a lot of cases the people making those discoveries are from other countries. The US is more willing to throw money at research and development, so the top minds come here to do their work and make their discoveries.


Yes some are from other countries with most of them being educated here also and many grew up here.


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## Bug Guy (Jul 19, 2009)

It's not all doom and gloom. When I was in HS, we couldn't take college courses if we already had the basics done. We had advance biology or something similiar, but they weren't college classes. Now, the brighter HS students can take college courses and get credit for them towards their degree while still in HS. To me, that is a step in the right direction. Could the education system be improved? Of course, but let's give some credit when it's due.


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## Ambush Hunter (Jun 29, 2009)

Longshot said:


> Before attacking the US education system too much, realize that everyone here gets an education, which is a huge difference. Many of the so called advanced education systems in other countries only teach the top percentage of children. When you are only comparing the top 10% of students in one country to all the students (of an average cross section) of the US it would be difficult to not be skewed. I would like to see the top 10% of US students be used when they do these comparisons. Given text book tests the US does score poor compared to some countries, but like one foreign professor said, they know what's been taught to them but many times lack the free thought. For example in math, they know the formulas and go through the motions. Give students a problem without a text book solution and the US student is usually the one with the ability to solve the problem. There is a reason why most the world's advanced developments happen here in the US.


First of all, NO ONE is attacking anything.
Second of all, when the American students have tests with answers ALREADY given in the form of true or false or a choice of four or five, then it should ring some bells...It is NOT even mandatory to have a HS education here! Lack of discipline should ring some bells, too.

I went through a high school and a college overseas. It was no joke, especially college. Then I got my Bachelor degree in the US, and let me tell you that those four years in VA were a walk in the park. I am still in disbelief. Oh well, gotta go with a flow...


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

I have worked with two people from China (both PhD) and both said less than one percent go to college. Less than ten percent graduate from high school. They begin cutting people out in the first grade. I think that is what longshot was getting at. If we compare ourselves to China, for example, we are comparing our over all average to their top five or six percent. It's not a direct comparison.


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## Gooseguy10 (Oct 10, 2006)

There is much more to education than test taking ability. The problem is that too often we measure educational success by test scores. We do this because it is the only objective way to measure success in a classroom. If you could come up with a way to measure true educational progress, instead of just comparing test scores, you would be a billionaire.


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## ShineRunner (Sep 11, 2002)

I just received this in an email and thought I would pass it along. It is true to a great extent. I was brought up in the 50's and 60's. :beer:

If you are 30, or older, you might think this is hilarious!

When I was a kid, adults used to bore me to tears with their tedious diatribes about how hard things were. When they were growing up; what with walking twenty-five miles to school every morning.... Uphill... Barefoot...BOTH waysâ€¦ yadda, yadda, yadda

And I remember promising myself that when I grew up, there was no way in hell I was going to lay a bunch of crap like that on my kids about how hard I had it and how easy they've got it!

But now that I'm over the ripe old age of thirty, I can't help but look around and notice the youth of today. You've got it so easy! I mean, compared to my childhood, you live in a damn Utopia! 
And I hate to say it, but you kids today, you don't know how good you've got it!

I mean, when I was a kid we didn't have the Internet. If we wanted to know something, we had to go to the damn library and look it up ourselves, in the card catalog!!

There was no email!! We had to actually write somebody a letter - with a pen! Then you had to walk all the way across the street and put it in the mailbox, and it would take like a week to get there! Stamps were 10 cents!

Child Protective Services didn't care if our parents beat us. As a matter of fact, the parents of all my friends also had permission to kick our ***! Nowhere was safe!

There were no MP3's or Napsters or iTunes! If you wanted to steal music, you had to hitchhike to the record store and shoplift it yourself!

Or you had to wait around all day to tape it off the radio, and the DJ would usually talk over the beginning and @#*% it all up! There were no CD players! We had tape decks in our car. We'd play our favorite tape and "eject" it when finished, and then the tape would come undone rendering it useless. Cause, hey, that's how we rolled, Baby! Dig?

We didn't have fancy crap like Call Waiting! If you were on the phone and somebody else called, they got a busy signal, that's it!

There weren't any freakin' cell phones either. If you left the house, you just didn't make a damn call or receive one. You actually had to be out of touch with your "friends". OH MY GOD !!! Think of the horror... not being in touch with someone 24/7!!! And then there's TEXTING. Yeah, right. Please! You kids have no idea how annoying you are.

And we didn't have fancy Caller ID either! When the phone rang, you had no idea who it was! It could be your school, your parents, your boss, your bookie, your drug dealer, the collection agent... you just didn't know!!! You had to pick it up and take your chances, mister!

We didn't have any fancy PlayStation or Xbox video games with high-resolution 3-D graphics! We had the Atari 2600! With games like 'Space Invaders' and 'Asteroids'. Your screen guy was a little square! You actually had to use your imagination!!! And there were no multiple levels or screens, it was just one screen... Forever! And you could never win. The game just kept getting harder and harder and faster and faster until you died! Just like LIFE!

You had to use a little book called a TV Guide to find out what was on! You were screwed when it came to channel surfing! You had to get off your *** and walk over to the TV to change the channel!!! NO REMOTES!!! Oh, no, what's the world coming to?!?!

There was no Cartoon Network either! You could only get cartoons on Saturday Morning. Do you hear what I'm saying? We had to wait ALL WEEK for cartoons, you spoiled little rat-finks!

And we didn't have microwaves. If we wanted to heat something up, we had to use the stove! Imagine that!

And our parents told us to stay outside and play... all day long. Oh, no, no electronics to soothe and comfort. And if you came back inside... you were doing chores! 
And car seats - oh, please! Mom threw you in the back seat and you hung on. If you were luckily, you got the "safety arm" across the chest at the last moment if she had to stop suddenly, and if your head hit the dashboard, well that was your fault for calling "shot gun" in the first place! 
See! That's exactly what I'm talking about! You kids today have got it too easy. You're spoiled rotten! You guys wouldn't have lasted five minutes back in 1980 or any time before!

Regards,
The Over 30 Crowd


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