This thing a guy said on my dad's talk radio show.

Chagen

(I mean show my dad listens to, not one he owns) "We spend too much money on schools. We should cut budgets to all public schools by half!" People in the show AGREED with him on this. What the hell is wrong with this country What's even more ridiculous is that a year ago, my school district was already suffering from budget cutbacks. This psycho wants to cut even more.

ClockworkUniverse

Well, considering that when budgets to public schools in this country increase, the schools don't show any signs of improvement, I can see the logic behind it.

That said, I think it should be done on a school-by-school basis. I heard about a public school in my home state that absolutely had to buy an iPad for every student, because you just can't learn if you don't have an iPad. Now that school's in need of a budget cut. There are probably some in need of a budget increase, too.

But as for governmental spending as a whole, schools are a drop in the bucket, so I don't see why you'd prioritize them.

Chagen

The fuck

Why can't I go to a school that awesome

(I'd just sell the Ipad, though)

ClockworkUniverse

>Awesome

>A public school in Alabama

-facepalms-

Chagen

>buys every student an Ipad
>not awesome

laughinggirls.jpg

ClockworkUniverse

Trust me, if it's an Alabama public school, it's not worth it.

Chagen

I'm joking

ClockworkUniverse

Yeah, I know...Alabama's education system tends to piss me off, is all.

IanExMachina

Public school in the US is a state funded one right?

ClockworkUniverse

Yep.

AHR

I dunno, the ipad system could work. I wouldn't knock it till I saw it in motion.

ClockworkUniverse

You're overestimating Alabamian educators.

From what I heard, they weren't doing anything in particular with the iPads. They just said "hey, students will totally learn better if they own them."

AHR

Oh. Ok. I know another school that gave all their kids macbooks. Apparently they had to give them back at the end of the 4 years. Not sure how ell that turned out, but I don't think it hindered them too much.

I hope.

MillerCross

There's nothing wrong with giving tech to kids in order to enhance their learning provided they work as tools (Like, for example, using old laptops with various PDF files with reading and study material doesn't seem like a particularly bad idea)

captainbrass

I think it's just common-sense to say that schools now need good IT, in a general sense, as much as they need books. But INUH's right - you don't need an IPad, specifically, to study. The only situation in which that might make sense is if Apple were offering them free/on the cheap (companies do sometimes do that sort of thing - it enhances the brand image). Of course, then you get into a whole different set of issues around corporate power in education.

Also, I can't help thinking that if his views are as reported by his son, Mr Chagen would be a shoo-in as a talk radio host. He could have Chagen as co-host or something. I'd listen.

Crimson

I would laugh my ass off if Chagen was talking about True Capitalist Radio.

RedEyedAbyss

Won't someone PLEASE think of the corporations?!

DYRE

The problem with funding for public schools is that the money is never concentrated toward the districts that need the money the most.  Wealthier towns are going to have the best public schools, even though a lot of the kids there are going to end up going to private schools anyway, whereas schools in poorer places get screwed over.  I don't think funding for public schools should be reduced, sure, but as things currently are, as INUH said, it's not really like increased budgets for public schools are accomplishing a whole lot.

Gelzo

One of those situations where throwing money at it or taking it away shouldn't be considered to be the best solution, from what I can see. I don't think we spend all that much on education compared to things like defense or medical care.

Central Avenue

My high school gave everyone an iPod Mini (because the Nano and the Touch didn't exist at the time). Supposedly the idea was to use it to listen to educational podcasts, but we all just loaded them with music and the school people knew it.

...I actually still have it around here somewhere, though it barely works anymore.

ninjaclown

Is the issue really funding or the inadequacy of your schools? Throwing money at the problem won't necessarily make it better.

InsanityAddict

@ OP: your dad is a radio talk show host? Link plox, and does it have call-in segments?

Evergreen

^No, he isn't. It says there that this is just one he likes to listen to. Although captainbrass did suggest it...

Malkavian

You know if we want to get into budgets I'd rather the kids in schools get ipads then three pointless wars continuing.

ClockworkUniverse

^Yeah, like I said, wasted money, but it's a drop in the bucket.

MillerCross

but but but but but

population control!

Icalasari

Easy solution Juan!

We set up designated kill stations, and have those that don't contribute go into them! We can eliminate any poor genes and save on wars at the same time!

MillerCross

I'm fairly sure that's illegals

pointless wars are not, though.

Icalasari

Make kill stations legal and pointless wars illegal then

MillerCross

You still get international scorn.

That's no fun. 

Ask Hitler sometime.

Icalasari

But they would be equal oppotunity kill stations!