SOCIETY: Re: The privatization of public security in South America

From: Brian D Williams (talon57@well.com)
Date: Thu Aug 23 2001 - 08:18:28 MDT


>From: "Olga Bourlin" <fauxever@sprynet.com>

>Hey, school in the U.S. *IS* a vacation! I went to first and
>second grades in Rio de Janeiro -and when I moved to the United
>States I couldn't BELIEVE all the "laffs" American kids were
>having in school. Our Friend the Atom. Arithmetic Is Fun.
>Halloween parades. Art classes. School plays. Bake sales and
>school fairs. Watching movies. Making Christmas ornaments (I
>swear, in the 4th grade I made ornaments for a whole week in
>school, almost nonstop). All we ever did in Rio was read novels,
>study history and geography, learn French, master long division by
>2nd grade, and take home loads of homework. But what shocked me
>most of all was that EVERYONE in America got promoted to the next
>grade (in Rio, many students were held back if they didn't master
>what was taught that year).

>Of course, this was way back in the days before computers. But
>from what I've read and observed about American adults in general
>- how deep their ignorance is when confronted with questions about
>geography and basic science - I wouldn't be surprised if American
>schools are still lagging behind many schools in countries we
>consider "poor," "third world" or "backward." Of course, we have
>compulsory education - which may partly account for the skew.

As a long time fan of both R. Buckminster Fuller and Mortimer Adler
and someelse whose home is completely overrunby books, we are in
complete agreement as to the fact that American education needs a
complete overhaul.

Brian

Member:
Extropy Institute, www.extropy.org
National Rifle Association, www.nra.org, 1.800.672.3888
SBC/Ameritech Data Center Chicago, IL, Local 134 I.B.E.W

Disclosure notice: currently "plonked"
"Joe Dees" <joedees@addall.com>
"Party of Citizens"<citizens@vcn.bc.ca>



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