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Teen Movie Dialogue is Eye-Roll Inducing

Between text-writing and chat-speak, it should be dumbed down, not witty-fied.

Teenagers are some of my favorite people. I’ve always empathized with them and championed them when they get blamed for everything from loud noise to having babies to stealing and more. They get a really bad rap when they often don’t deserve it, and when they do, well, it’s usually in reflection of our own behavior and how we treat them in the first place. I would maintain that the same is true of most people. If I didn’t oppose the public school system so much, I’d be teaching teenagers today, as I’d planned on having a “safe haven” in my classroom for the few hundred that I would teach in my life.

All of this said, teenagers do not speak nearly as well as we give them credit for in the media. I think it’s time that we recognized how wrongfully the media portrays everyone—men and women, kids and teens, you name it. But this happens to be one of my biggest pet peeves, since instead of simply being slightly askew, the portrayal of teen speech in the media—particularly in television and film—is extremely overrated.

Teens do not generally use large vocabulary words. Unfortunately, as they memorize facts to pass standardized tests that our government forces them to take, they are not taught such words very often, let alone how to use them. They certainly are not provided any free creative time to develop the ability to do so, either. I can count on one hand the teenagers that I knew growing up who could regularly speak using more than a few hundred words, and today I am not sure that I know any at all who can (to be fair, the same goes for most adults I know as well).

So when we see films like Easy A in which Emma Stone is adorable and witty, supported by a liberal and understanding family, and uses phrases such as “The accelerated velocity of terminological inexactitude,” it’s important for us to realize that it’s a bunch of crap. It’s extremely unfortunate, but many teens are not supported by such families (or such teachers)—and most certainly do not speak like this. They could if we provided them with the time and support to develop their vocabularies, read for pleasure, and write creatively, sure; but to do that, we’d have to trust them and their interests, and I don’t think we’re ready to do that, which is a shame.

School Vouchers Debate

Not Just About Money

As the 2012 election season swings into high gear, more and more states legislatures are debating school voucher issues, and more candidates running for office are deciding which side of the debate to fall on.

Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett recently introduced an expanded school voucher program for Pennsylvania’s worst performing schools. That legislation is currently under debate in the state Senate. If passed, it will move into the state House of Representatives.

In Ohio, a proposal to provide scholarships to private schools is drawing debate. The proposal allows families with higher income levels to use taxpayer funds to send their kids to the school of their choice. Ohio currently has a program to allow parents of children in schools with low academic achievement records to enroll them in the school of their choice. Under the new proposal parents would have the choice regardless of their current schools academic record.

But as more and more private and charter schools open up across America the issue of parental rights in determining the schools of choice for their children is beginning to be impacted by issues beyond money. Many opponents of school vouchers base their argument around the issue of money. Taking money out of public school budgets doesn’t help to support the remaining students or the public schools the argument goes.

But lately parents have begun to request vouchers for other reasons. One reason is violence in schools. Many parents, alarmed at the rate of violence in schools, and media coverage of the ongoing debate over bullying, are urging the increased use of school vouchers to allow them to put their children in safer schools. Although the amount of violence in schools has declined overall in the past decade nationally, many schools still face unacceptably high levels of violence among students. A recent Pennsylvania report released by the State Department of Education counted 5,430 incidents of violence in the state 144 lowest performing schools. In these lowest performing schools its difficult enough for a child to get a quality education even if they manage to avoid incidence of violence.

Another issue driving many parents is the religious issue. Religion is rightfully the province of parents and children at home but many parents are finding the schools not just benign on the issue but actually undermining parents beliefs. The increase in enrollment in parochial schools, both Catholic and Christian, and the increase in home schooling over the last decade, is a direct response to what many parents consider apathy on the part of teachers and school boards for parents religious views.

A third driver for school vouchers for a smaller segment is the parents of gifted children. These parents, whose children reflect unique gifts, find them slotted in with other kids less interested in learning. Most public schools provide limited access to the kinds of programs that high performing children need to excel. The type of schools that can provide both the educational environment and expanded curriculum for gifted students are almost always private schools designed specifically to support this group. Parents of gifted children want to take advantage of the educational opportunity best suited to them and see no reason why they shouldn’t be entitled to school vouchers just as parents of children in poor performing schools have.

As the recent proposal in Ohio reflects, the school voucher debate is moving beyond just poor performing schools, and into providing more choices for parents.

Pennsylvania Governor Corbett introduces School Reform Plan

National Vouchers Debate Mirrored in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett introduced his school reform plan this week with broad implications for the Pennsylvania school system. The plan includes a call for vouchers for the states worst performing schools, tougher standards for public school teachers, and changes in the way the state regulates charter schools.

Corbett called for taxpayer funded vouchers for the worst performing 5% of schools. The move would affect about 140 schools across the state. It would allow parents to have their children attend another public school, a private school, or a parochial school.

He also called for school teachers and administrators to be evaluated based on student performance. That evaluation would be the basis for merit pay, tenure, and dismissal of poor performing staff. His proposal also calls for the creation of a statewide board that would approve and oversee charter schools. Under the current system they are subject to the oversight of local school boards. Corbett’s proposals are backed by conservative groups such as the Commonwealth Foundation, private schools, and religious organizations such as the Pennsylvania Catholic Conference. Groups like the Pennsylvania State Teachers Association and Americans United for the Separation of Church and State oppose the changes. An advocacy group called Keystone Progress emailed supporters stating that “Vouchers take away scarce resources from under funded and often struggling public schools and give them to unaccountable and sectarian religious schools”.

The arguments for and against in Pennsylvania are similar to the nationwide debate ongoing in may cities and states across the nation. Proponents believe that the introduction of choice into the schools creates a more competitive atmosphere and results in better schools. Opponents believe that the introduction of vouchers reduces the amount of money available to support public schools and that private and parochial schools do not have to operate under the same directives. Americans United for the Separation of Church and State believes that voucher programs violate the separation of church and state since more than 80% of private schools are parochial. Proponents of parochial school education counter that since school vouchers are given directly to parents, the parents choose the school and are fully aware of any religious content provided.

While Governors Corbett’s initial school reform plan is focused primarily on helping students in the poorest and worst performing districts, home school advocates want to see the voucher program expanded to cover middle income families. Proponents of school vouchers in Pennsylvania believe this is the best chance in years to see advances pointing to the popularity of charter schools and a growing coalition of urban democrats and African-American parents who want a chance to get their kids out of failing public schools.

School Vouchers Debate Fuels Local Races

Officials in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin Square Off

Michael Nutter, incumbent Democratic Mayor of Philadelphia, and Republican nominee Karen Brown faced off in a wide ranging debate Tuesday. Karen Brown, a former school teacher and the first female nominee for mayor, addressed a number of issues facing the city including crime, unemployment, and schools.
   Brown stated she would work with the Governor to replace the existing School Reform Commission with a locally elected school board. She went on to state that she would expand the number of business and trade schools to help students get jobs without going to college. Addressing the issue of low income families and poor performing schools she favored vouchers to expand the number of opportunities for families to place their children in non public schools.
   Mayor Nutter replied that he is not a supporter of school vouchers and his administration will continue to implement reforms in the existing public school system. He praised recent test score gains but failed to mention recent charges that evidence of cheating may have influenced the scores.
   In Wisconsin the legislatures Joint Finance Committee voted to expand the states voucher program to Green Bay and Racine. They also raised family income limits and dropped enrollment caps for the Milwaukee choice program. There are 16 cities in Wisconsin that are considered second class school districts. If they meet certain criteria they would be eligible for school vouchers. Green Bay schools currently meet three of four parameters for expanding school vouchers.
   Opponent of the measure including Tony Evers, State Superintendent of Public Instruction, are lining up to block the legislation. Critics say that voucher programs take away state funding from public schools and that cuts in state aid to schools will have negative effects for all of Wisconsin. School officials in Wisconsin have opposed the voucher program because it reduces school aid by $6,400.00 per student. They have supported legislation to repeal the school voucher program. They also want the school voucher issue to be addressed by local school boards where they have a more dominant position rather than in the Republican held legislature.
   Wisconsin Governor Scott Walkers budget proposal is heavily favored towards expanding the states school vouchers program.

School Voucher Debate Rages On

Debate will impact upcoming 2012 elections

At the end of 2010 there were more than 5400 charters schools in America servicing more than 1.7 million students and the number of charter schools continues to grow. 465 new schools have opened in 40 states and the District of Columbia for the 2011 school year. Not only are new charter schools increasing but existing schools are seeing increased demand by parents with 65% having growing waiting lists.

   The school voucher issue continues to be a topic of much debate in state capitols and local municipalities. The Pennsylvania Senate recently passed a bill designed to subsidize private school tuition for lower income families. A bill to provide school vouchers that included provisions for increasing the number of charter schools was recently signed by Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels. The school voucher issue is also a hot topic in the Lakewood, Colorado elections scheduled for November, in spite of the fact, that Colorado’s school voucher bill, passed by the legislature, is now on hold pending a court appeal.

   One of the primary reasons for the increased attention to the school vouchers issue in the upcoming election is a result of the last election. Republicans made strong gains in Governor seats with the Republicans holding 29 states and Democrats 20 with 1 independent. State legislatures also moved to the right with 14 chambers changing to Republican control bringing the total to 25. Republicans picked up over 500 state legislative seats with more than 100 in New Hampshire alone.

   Conservatives typically support more choice in schools while education unions, a democratic constituency, typically oppose charter schools decrying the reduced funding to public schools. Politics as the old saying goes “make strange bedfellows“. Much of the increased demand for school voucher programs has been driven by members of the black community with children in poor performing schools.

Many communities have seen property tax payments ( the primary source of local public school funding ) fall due to the recession putting increased pressure on politicians and school boards to retain funding levels. As the 2012 election season gets underway issues related to Education will remain a high priority issue for many Americans and voters, elected officials, and candidates will have to face thorny questions about school funding and school voucher issues.

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