Our number one issue in Wisconsin is Education!

[keith]

Education is the key - to everything.

Better education means better jobs. Better jobs mean greater earnings. Greater earnings correlate to higher quality of life and more tax revenues per taxpayer, which in turn can lead to still higher quality of life.

Better education means better choices by better citizens.

Wisconsin long enjoyed a reputation for statesmanship at the state and local level. From Milwaukee's socialist mayors to fighting Bob and Lee Dreyfuss, Proxmire, Nelson and others, we were blessed with good leadership, even great leadership though much of our history. Unfortunately many recent State reps are indicted or arrested and Milwaukee's Norquist blew a wide-open opportunity for progressive government of a great city. My knee-jerk response to our number one political issue was honesty and ethics in government. Thinking about it further, I believe the best way to get better leaders is via a well-educated and active electorate.

A highly-educated populace attracts and retains more of the best and the brightest. Leaders from among these leave legacies for all of the rest of us to enjoy.

Education isn't a panacea, but I've got to believe kids, including poor kids of color, will do better in uncrowded classrooms with great teachers. I believe that positive educational environments would result in better choices - even among our youth, including our young people with the biggest challenges.

I'm all for school uniforms. Hang the 'freedom of expression' argument. Let our kids express themselves in music, art, debate, science, mathematics and literature - and not via pocketbook power at the Gap. Walk through a high school between classes and you'll find the atmosphere charged - not with learning and education but with angst, attitude and overt sexuality.

We're in the information age now. It isn't just about training good workers, it is about training good thinkers.

[NanaTink]

Keith, I couldn't agree more.
Having raised my kids in Wisconsin schools over the past 25 years, I've seen the strengths and some of the weaknesses our public schools possess. For much of the past 5 years I've homeschooled because our public schools just weren't cutting it.

I was never one who planned to homeschool, and will admit to at one time having a bit of a suspicious mind about those who did. (What were they trying to hide?) :roll: I really did have faith in our system to do what needed to be done to prepare my kids to succeed until we learned just how narrow that tunnel of opportunity is that they were expected to squeeze through.

One of my kids is gifted. I'm not talking just a smart kid; I mean a genious IQ that leaves those of us with average minds quite befuddled at times. One of those people who's in the 99th percentile without trying types. 8O
So we get called to the school and told "this child needs to go on ritalin". HUH? He's smart, but generally lazy and laid back... DEFINITELY not a candidate for ritalin!

So we have him tested and learn his IQ is about 50 points higher than average and go back to the school. "Oh I've known that since he was little." The guidance counselor tells us.
Um ok, so why hadn't she told us? Or told his teachers?
So anyway... NO he's NOT going on ritalin. What's the gifted and talented program for, RIGHT? Well it turns out all that really consisted of was the opportunity to still do the work that was already boring him senseless PLUS extra that was little different.

We butted heads at 2 different school districts over this and in the end, homeschooled him because there just really wasn't any other choice. Rather than be labeled a nerd or brainiac, we had a class clown who was like a square peg in their round tunnel of acceptability.

Had he had a learning disability, they'd have bent over backward to help. They'd by law have had to make allowances for his behavior issues and find ways to help him even if it took extra effort. Since he's gifted, he got nothing.

Now not to look my nose down at the special needs kids or programs, but WHY when all the help in the world can't make some kids productive independant adults... is all the help thrown at them? While kids like mine who have more potential than they (or we) know what to do with are thrown to the wayside. With the right help you never know what an extremely gifted person could accomplish. Without it, you have to wonder what they might be capable of!

It's only one issue and obviously doesn't affect the majority of students at the immediate time, yet if we're ignoring and discouraging our brightest kids, who's going to be leading us in the next generation? It's about more than my kid being left behind... it's about taking advantage of our resources in a way that we get the best return on them. Give the kid with the 160 IQ a bit of help and maybe he will in time discover how to prevent others from being born with an IQ of 60.

OK sorry... **getting off my soapbox now** JMHO

[LittleT]

Hi Nana and Keith
I have seen both of your stories happen and agree with both of you.
How can I Help???