TOTALLY GEEKED!

lilyofcourse · My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

Don't Stay in School

lilyofcourse · My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

I have tried finding just the lyrics for this but I haven't had any luck.

I will say that the song makes a valid point.

But the message is all wrong.

I really would love to know what someone else thinks about it.

Dona Worry Be Happy · Vette's SS!!

Give us a general idea of the lyrics? I can't watch it on my phone.

lilyofcourse · My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

This isn't word for word.

But it says he wasn't taught to do taxes but he was taught Shakespeare. That there are 31 human rights but he learned none of them but could tell you all about Little Big Horn.

Basically it is saying of all the things earned in school, none of it had real life application.

Even says in one part that when kids misbehave they blame the parents, but if they spent time teaching the kids how to grow up and be good parents it would solve the problem.

If you get a chance to listen to it. I wish you would.

lilyofcourse · My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

Found them!

Lyrics:
I wasn’t taught how to get a job
but I can remember dissecting a frog
I wasn’t taught how to pay tax
but I know loads about Shakespeare's classics

I was never taught how to vote
they devoted that time to defining isotopes
I wasn’t taught how to look after my health
but mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell

Never spent a lesson on current events
instead I studied The Old American West
I was never taught what laws there are.
I was never taught what laws there are.

Let me repeat - I was not taught the laws for the country I live in,
but I know how Henry the VIII killed his women.
Divorced beheaded died, divorced beheaded survived
glad that’s in my head instead of financial advice

I was shown the wavelengths of different hues of light
but I was never taught my human rights
Apparently there’s 30, do you know them? I don’t
Why the hell can’t we both recite them by rote?!

I know igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks
Yet I don’t know squat about trading stocks
Or how money works at all - where does it come from?
Who controls it? How does the thing that motivates the world function?

not taught how to budget and disburse my earnings
I was too busy rehearsing cursive.
Didn’t learn how much it costs to raise a kid or what an affidavit is
but I spent days on what the quadratic equation is

negative b plus or minus the square root of b squared
minus 4ac over 2a
That’s insane, that’s absolutely insane.
They made me learn that over basic first aid

How to recognise the most deadly Mental disorders // or
diseases with preventable causes // How to buy a
house with a mortgage // if I could afford it
‘cause abstract maths was deemed more important

than advice that would literally save thousands of lives
but it’s cool, ‘cause now I could tell you if the number of unnecessary deaths caused by that choice was prime.

Never taught present day practical medicines,
but I was told what the ancient hippocratic method is
“I’ve got a headache, the pain is ceaseless
what should I take?” umm... maybe try some leeches?

“Could we discuss domestic abuse and get the facts
or how to help my depressed friend with their mental state?”
Ummm... no but learn mental maths
because “you won’t have a calculator with you every day!”

They say it’s not the kids, the parents are the problem
Then if you taught the kids to parent that’s the problem solved then!
All this advice about using a condom
but none for when you actually have a kid when you want one

I’m only fluent in this language, for serious?
The rest of the world speaks two, do you think I’m an idiot?
They chose the solar over the political system
So like a typical citizen now I don’t know what I’m voting on

which policies exist, or how to make them change
mais oui, je parle un peu de Francais
So at 18, I was expected to elect a representative
For a system I had never ever ever ever been presented with

But I won’t take it
I’ll tell everyone my childhood was wasted
I’ll share it everywhere how I was “educated”
And insist these pointless things

Lady Gaga Snerd · Guru

The school is not the parent. Too many people expect the school to teach their kids all about life.

Lawyerlady · On the bright side...... Christmas is coming! (Mod)

lilyofcourse wrote:
This isn't word for word.

But it says he wasn't taught to do taxes but he was taught Shakespeare. That there are 31 human rights but he learned none of them but could tell you all about Little Big Horn.

Basically it is saying of all the things earned in school, none of it had real life application.

Even says in one part that when kids misbehave they blame the parents, but if they spent time teaching the kids how to grow up and be good parents it would solve the problem.

If you get a chance to listen to it. I wish you would.

Well, where did he go to school? And what classes did he take? I learned how to do my taxes, balance a checkbook and other stuff like that - it was a "life skills" class. And teaching you how to be a good parent is not the school's job.

Lawyerlady · On the bright side...... Christmas is coming! (Mod)

Go to college, you tool. You really think they can teach you everything you need to know in life in grades K-12? Where the heck are your parents?

Lady Gaga Snerd · Guru

At our school, they have a class in personal finance. And, doing a checkbook, etc. You can sign up for Home Ec and learn some cooking skills too. But, I do agree, the schools seem to have lost focus. We should be more focused on developing fully functional adults who know the laws of their OWN country and basic skill sets. When my kids were in Elem School, they did some play on Carribean history. Um, what is wrong with AMERICAN history?

flan327 · Itty bitty's Grammy

Yeah, after reading the lyrics, I'm going to have to disagree.

Of course, my boys were taught things they don't use every day, but they also learned plenty of practical things.

flan

lilyofcourse · My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

I don't see this as trying to make the school the parent.

I think it makes a valid point.

You realize that a majority of those who vote have no idea of how voting works? How a bill becomes a law?

There are people who cant balance their check book. Cant make change with out a calculator.

People are still graduating unable to read more than a grade school level. People who cant tell you where their state capitol is.

There are a lot of things we learn in school, but how much of it is truly practical to real life?

I do not agree with the "don't stay in school" message. But it sure gets your attention.

Lady Gaga Snerd · Guru

Yes it does. And, what are we trying to accomplish by 12 yrs of School? We should want to make Good Citizens out of the students. Not just memorizing information.

Lawyerlady · On the bright side...... Christmas is coming! (Mod)

lilyofcourse wrote:
I don't see this as trying to make the school the parent.

I think it makes a valid point.

You realize that a majority of those who vote have no idea of how voting works? How a bill becomes a law?

There are people who cant balance their check book. Cant make change with out a calculator.

People are still graduating unable to read more than a grade school level. People who cant tell you where their state capitol is.

There are a lot of things we learn in school, but how much of it is truly practical to real life?

I do not agree with the "don't stay in school" message. But it sure gets your attention.

I learned all of that in school.

If he was a bad student - don't blame it on the school.

Lady Gaga Snerd · Guru

I didn't learn all that in school. I didn't learn about stocks and the market. How many kids have even been made to read the Constitution?

Lawyerlady · On the bright side...... Christmas is coming! (Mod)

Lady Gaga Snerd wrote:
I didn't learn all that in school. I didn't learn about stocks and the market. How many kids have even been made to read the Constitution?

I did, and I did.

Ohfour · Hooker

Lawyerlady wrote:
Lady Gaga Snerd wrote:
I didn't learn all that in school. I didn't learn about stocks and the market. How many kids have even been made to read the Constitution?
I did, and I did.

Me too...and so did my kids.

tlc · Regular

lilyofcourse wrote:
I don't see this as trying to make the school the parent.

I think it makes a valid point.

You realize that a majority of those who vote have no idea of how voting works? How a bill becomes a law?

There are people who cant balance their check book. Cant make change with out a calculator.

People are still graduating unable to read more than a grade school level. People who cant tell you where their state capitol is.

There are a lot of things we learn in school, but how much of it is truly practical to real life?

I do not agree with the "don't stay in school" message. But it sure gets your attention.

I don't agree. Or at least, my school actually dd offer classes that taught these things. I skimmed over the lyrics and I learned most of what was touched on in the "song". I had to take a Current Problems class that used Time Magazine as a jumping off point, I took a health class and biology class where I learned about sex, took a business math class that taught how to balance a checkbook and do taxes among other daily math, I took psychology in college, also took government in college. I learned beyond grade school level reading and writing. I also took a child development class that went from conception to school age children, and home ec. where I learned cooking, sewing and other daily useful things. I agree that you learn things you don't need daily, but if you take the right classes, and you have parents who teach you life skills, you will learn these things.

lilyofcourse · My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

I am noticing a real pattern.

All of us who had these classes in school, had these lessons, are all about the same age.

What are the schools offering now.

What is being taught now.

I have high school kids. There is no home ec now. They have a class called economics but they look at abstract ideas of what economics should look like. They are not taught how to handle real life economics.

I don't know what other schools are doing.

I thought it was an interesting subject.

Lawyerlady · On the bright side...... Christmas is coming! (Mod)

Well, did kids quit taking the classes? I mean, life skills and home ec were choices in my school. If kids didn't take them, they might stop offering them.

But let's talk about this - we learned to do a tax return - now they have Turbotax.

We learned to balance a checkbook - now they have online banking and you can check your account 6 times a day. Although - I do think they should teach budgeting and using credit responsibly.

They taught us how to vote because you used to have to punch holes and pull levers - now it's all touch screen.

Some of the stuff we learned has become obsolete.

Mellow Momma · Sniff...sniff, sniff. Yay! A Bum!

lilyofcourse wrote:
I am noticing a real pattern.

All of us who had these classes in school, had these lessons, are all about the same age.

What are the schools offering now.

What is being taught now.

I have high school kids. There is no home ec now. They have a class called economics but they look at abstract ideas of what economics should look like. They are not taught how to handle real life economics.

I don't know what other schools are doing.

I thought it was an interesting subject.

A lot of schools don't offer the "fluff" classes anymore because there is such a push for AP classes. Neither of my girls took any of those types of classes because their schedule didn't permit it. The schools they were/are looking at were selective and taking even one "easy grade" class like that could ruin your chances to get in. DD23 took business etiquette and that was the on,y class that was a true elective and not something she needed for college.

Kids don't have time to take those classes anymore. And in the younger grades, if it isn't on the state test, they are t learning it. I don't care how important you think it is, if it isn't on that test forget it.

The kid in the OP sounds like a douche. The school gave him what he needed to graduate, it's up to him to learn how to apply it.

lilyofcourse · My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

I agree that what we need to teach changes.

But is it being taught?

When I was in school, home ec was required. I don't know why but it isn't even offered how.

Shop was required. Again, not even offered.

Mellow Momma · Sniff...sniff, sniff. Yay! A Bum!

lilyofcourse wrote:
I agree that what we need to teach changes.

But is it being taught?

When I was in school, home ec was required. I don't know why but it isn't even offered how.

Shop was required. Again, not even offered.

Kids aren't taking those classes. Why spend a semester learning how to build something you could buy from Target for $10 ? I understand craftsmanship and true artisans make beautiful things. But kids I'm high school shop generally are not artisans and are there for an easy grade.

lilyofcourse · My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

Shop taught us how to fix a leaky faucet, change a tire, charge a car battery, and other practical things in every day life.

voiceofreason · Guru

My little tiny school (24 in our graduating class) followed those song lyrics to a t. I think it was a different era. We also had no idea about finances as that wasn't talked about at home or in school.

We didn't have AP classes, or work credits. We didn't get to choose our classes or credits, we were told what classes we would be taking. We were also given a full week off for the opening of deer hunting.

But, I got a basic education that my peers got as well. My real education came after high school.

The difference 30 years makes!

Mellow Momma · Sniff...sniff, sniff. Yay! A Bum!

lilyofcourse wrote:
Shop taught us how to fix a leaky faucet, change a tire, charge a car battery, and other practical things in every day life.

Most schools don't have the facilities to teach car mechanics. I have never been in a typical high school that was equipped for that. And I have been in over 200 high schools in the past 8 years.

It comes down to money. If the school has to cut a class because of funding, I guarantee it's going to be shop over an AP class or other academic class.

You want your kids to learn those other, valuable skills? Teach them at home. I can't teach AP Psychology but I can show my kids how to sew on a button and make a balanced meal.

lilyofcourse · My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

Did you see what you posted? In the last 8 years.

I am thinking you are not understanding.

I know, I know. You have been in all those schools and know all there is to know about everything.

flan327 · Itty bitty's Grammy

lilyofcourse wrote:
Did you see what you posted? In the last 8 years.

I am thinking you are not understanding.

I know, I know. You have been in all those schools and know all there is to know about everything.

To be fair, 200 schools is more than most of us have been in.

flan

Mellow Momma · Sniff...sniff, sniff. Yay! A Bum!

flan327 wrote:
lilyofcourse wrote:
Did you see what you posted? In the last 8 years.

I am thinking you are not understanding.

I know, I know. You have been in all those schools and know all there is to know about everything.

To be fair, 200 schools is more than most of us have been in.
flan

I didn't say I knew everything. I said I have never seen a high school equipped with facilities to teach auto mechanics.

I have been a judge for a specific academic contest and have been all over high schools in over 5 states. I have never seen an area for auto mechanics. That is my experience. I never said I knew everything.

You ou asked if I saw what I posted. I might ask if YOU saw what I posted. I simply stated my experience. I thought that's what discourse was all about.

Mellow Momma · Sniff...sniff, sniff. Yay! A Bum!

If you want them to teach auto mechanics Lily that's going to require extensive remodeling and the schools aren't going to go for that. That's all I was trying to say.

Ohfour · Hooker

Mellow Momma wrote:
flan327 wrote:
lilyofcourse wrote:
Did you see what you posted? In the last 8 years.

I am thinking you are not understanding.

I know, I know. You have been in all those schools and know all there is to know about everything.

To be fair, 200 schools is more than most of us have been in.
flan
I didn't say I knew everything. I said I have never seen a high school equipped with facilities to teach auto mechanics.
I have been a judge for a specific academic contest and have been all over high schools in over 5 states. I have never seen an area for auto mechanics. That is my experience. I never said I knew everything.

You ou asked if I saw what I posted. I might ask if YOU saw what I posted. I simply stated my experience. I thought that's what discourse was all about.

I think it's a Southern thing, MM. My northern friends were shocked to know that we still have shop garages, Home Ec kitchens and even full on cosmetology schools in our high schools.

Mellow Momma · Sniff...sniff, sniff. Yay! A Bum!

Ohfour wrote:
Mellow Momma wrote:
flan327 wrote:
lilyofcourse wrote:
Did you see what you posted? In the last 8 years.

I am thinking you are not understanding.

I know, I know. You have been in all those schools and know all there is to know about everything.

To be fair, 200 schools is more than most of us have been in.
flan
I didn't say I knew everything. I said I have never seen a high school equipped with facilities to teach auto mechanics.
I have been a judge for a specific academic contest and have been all over high schools in over 5 states. I have never seen an area for auto mechanics. That is my experience. I never said I knew everything.

You ou asked if I saw what I posted. I might ask if YOU saw what I posted. I simply stated my experience. I thought that's what discourse was all about.
I think it's a Southern thing, MM. My northern friends were shocked to know that we still have shop garages, Home Ec kitchens and even full on cosmetology schools in our high schools.

It very well might be. We have those things in our vocational high schools, but not the regular high schools.

Mellow Momma · Sniff...sniff, sniff. Yay! A Bum!

No superintendent is going to remodel a wing of the high school to add those classes though. They are going to add AP classes that the parents and kids are begging for so that the kids in their high schools can be admitted to prestigious colleges and universities and boost enrollment for the high school.

Mellow Momma · Sniff...sniff, sniff. Yay! A Bum!

lilyofcourse wrote:
Did you see what you posted? In the last 8 years.

I am thinking you are not understanding.

I know, I know. You have been in all those schools and know all there is to know about everything.

And Lily...in all the high schools I was in, only about 10% of them were BUILT on the last 8 years. Most of the buildings were significantly older. So these decisions were not made in the last 8 years. They were made years ago when the buildings were built.

Ohfour · Hooker

Mellow Momma wrote:
Ohfour wrote:
Mellow Momma wrote:
flan327 wrote:
lilyofcourse wrote:
Did you see what you posted? In the last 8 years.

I am thinking you are not understanding.

I know, I know. You have been in all those schools and know all there is to know about everything.

To be fair, 200 schools is more than most of us have been in.
flan
I didn't say I knew everything. I said I have never seen a high school equipped with facilities to teach auto mechanics.
I have been a judge for a specific academic contest and have been all over high schools in over 5 states. I have never seen an area for auto mechanics. That is my experience. I never said I knew everything.

You ou asked if I saw what I posted. I might ask if YOU saw what I posted. I simply stated my experience. I thought that's what discourse was all about.
I think it's a Southern thing, MM. My northern friends were shocked to know that we still have shop garages, Home Ec kitchens and even full on cosmetology schools in our high schools.
It very well might be. We have those things in our vocational high schools, but not the regular high schools.

I don't think our schools (in middle TN) differentiate vocational high schools. I think they are all considered that. Most of the schools were built in the 70s, so they still have all the buildings and rooms for vocational classes...

The high school I went to my senior year (after *ahem* "leaving" private school) offered the following and still does today...

The Center for the Creative Arts
Advisory Program
Freshman Seminar
Library Media Center
Student Computers and Nine Subscription Data Bases
JROTC (Air Force)
AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination)
13 Advanced Placement Courses
Foreign Languages include French, German, Russian & Spanish
Indoor and Outdoor Green Houses
Planetarium
In addition to core curriculum, additional courses such as Shakespeare Studies, and Astronomy, are offered
Culinary Arts & Raiders Bakery
Cosmetology

Performing Arts (Dance, Drama, Piano, Band, Chorus & Orchestra, Guitar, & Bluegrass)
Student Enrollment in the Vanderbilt Math and Science School
Fine Arts
CTE (Career & Technical Education) courses range from Auto Collision & Repair to Web Design
Peer Tutoring
Inclusion Classes
Alignment Nashville
Credit Recovery
A+ Lab
After School Tutoring
Forensic Team
Quiz Bowl
Student Clubs
National Honor Society
Student Council
Youth Leadership - Donelson-Hermitage

Sports include Varsity & Freshman Football, Varsity & Freshman Volleyball, Bowling, Varsity & Freshman Basketball, Soccer, Track & Field, Cross Country, tennis, Softball, baseball, Golf, Wrestling Varsity & Freshman Cheerleading
Dance Team
Bands include award winning Raider Marching Band, Color Guard, Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, 9th Grade Concert Band & Jazz Band
Choruses include Mixed Chorus, Ladies Show Choir and Capital Sounds
Orchestras include String Quartet & String Ensemble
DECA Skills USA
Future Business Leaders of America
Family Career and Community Leaders of America
Messenger (Newspaper)

tlc · Regular

It must be regional because our new school was built abut 25 years ago and we still have shop class (Industrial Arts) and Home Ec. As a matter of fact, the Industrial arts class is designing and building the reading garden at our library. The FFA group will also help with it. We also have plenty of AP classes as well. Maybe it's that we live in a small town so all these things need to be addressed. We get open enrollment students from other districts that come to our school because we offer so much more than some of the other districts in the area.

Mellow Momma · Sniff...sniff, sniff. Yay! A Bum!

In the north, the high schools I have experience with are academically focused. They may offer a home ec course or a single shop course, but that's about it. These classes are typically poorly attended because the kids don't have room for them in their class schedule. Those that do take them are usually the "burn outs" looking for an easy grade.

Now, in Ohio specifically, there is one vocational school per county. One county may have dozens of high schools that feed the one vocational school. This school is for junior and seniors only and has subjects they can "major in". Off the top of my head there is : auto mechanics, diesel mechanics, Ag, culinary arts, cosmetology, electricity, plumbing, carpentry, welding, horticulture, medical assisting to name a few. The kids do their regular high school academic requirements half the day and these classes half the day. When the kids graduate, they are ready for their apprenticeships or ready to take the state boards in their major. Cosmetology graduates ready to take the test I believe while plumbing is ready for their apprenticeship for example.

Now, back to the OP. If someone wants their kid to learn how to change a car battery, they can teach that at home. I am not able to teach AP French or AP Biology at home. If you want your child to learn about personal finance you can teach that at home. Schools have a lot of budgetary concerns. They are going to choose the classes parents and kids want and that make the school look good. If a kid graduates that high school and gets accepted into a prestigious university, I guarantee that high school will use that to promote the school. I don't think they will use the number of kids who graduate and can change their car battery to promote the high school. Not that it isn't a valuable skill, it just isn't what people are looking for in a high school.

Nobody Just Nobody · Rib-it! Rrrib-it!

When I was in high school, back when dinosaurs roamed the earth, and I lived in Chicago, we had a daycare in my school. Not for the high schoolers but for outside people. Parents could put their kids in our daycare which was staffed by high school students learning about child development and psychology. We worked in the daycare for free but the parents paid a minimal fee which was for supplies and snacks which we provided.

We also had a shop there where guys, or girls, could go to learn to work on cars. A lot of the teachers brought their cars in for tune ups or minor repairs. They also advertised some small services in our community that gave the kids an opportunity to learn.

We also had cosmetology school.

Mellow Momma · Sniff...sniff, sniff. Yay! A Bum!

Nobody Just Nobody wrote:
When I was in high school, back when dinosaurs roamed the earth, and I lived in Chicago, we had a daycare in my school. Not for the high schoolers but for outside people. Parents could put their kids in our daycare which was staffed by high school students learning about child development and psychology. We worked in the daycare for free but the parents paid a minimal fee which was for supplies and snacks which we provided.

We also had a shop there where guys, or girls, could go to learn to work on cars. A lot of the teachers brought their cars in for tune ups or minor repairs. They also advertised some small services in our community that gave the kids an opportunity to learn.

We also had cosmetology school.

My high school had the daycare when I started high school. But by the time I graduated they had to close it because the insurance to keep it open was too high.

Lawyerlady · On the bright side...... Christmas is coming! (Mod)

Nobody Just Nobody wrote:
When I was in high school, back when dinosaurs roamed the earth, and I lived in Chicago, we had a daycare in my school. Not for the high schoolers but for outside people. Parents could put their kids in our daycare which was staffed by high school students learning about child development and psychology. We worked in the daycare for free but the parents paid a minimal fee which was for supplies and snacks which we provided.

We also had a shop there where guys, or girls, could go to learn to work on cars. A lot of the teachers brought their cars in for tune ups or minor repairs. They also advertised some small services in our community that gave the kids an opportunity to learn.

We also had cosmetology school.

Our high school had this, too. But it was only for 1/2 a day.

Tignanello · My dog name is, Sasha!

I learned all of the things in this song. About DNA and about checkbooks. And if there was something I wasn't taught that I needed to know, I went and learned it. Where is the personal accountability??!