• Hi, I am the owner and main administrator of Styleforum. If you find the forum useful and fun, please help support it by buying through the posted links on the forum. Our main, very popular sales thread, where the latest and best sales are listed, are posted HERE

    Purchases made through some of our links earns a commission for the forum and allows us to do the work of maintaining and improving it. Finally, thanks for being a part of this community. We realize that there are many choices today on the internet, and we have all of you to thank for making Styleforum the foremost destination for discussions of menswear.
  • This site contains affiliate links for which Styleforum may be compensated.
  • UNIFORM LA Japanese BDU Camo Cargo Pants Drop, going on right now.

    Uniform LA's Japanese BDU Camo Cargo Pants are now live. These cargos are based off vintage US Army BDU (Battle Dress Uniform) cargos. They're made of a premium 13.5-ounce Japanese twill that has been sulfur dyed for a vintage look. Every detail has been carried over from the inspiration and elevated. Available in two colorways, tundra and woodland. Please find them here

    Good luck!.

  • STYLE. COMMUNITY. GREAT CLOTHING.

    Bored of counting likes on social networks? At Styleforum, you’ll find rousing discussions that go beyond strings of emojis.

    Click Here to join Styleforum's thousands of style enthusiasts today!

    Styleforum is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.

Things That Are Bothering You, Got You All Hibbeldy-Jibbeldy, or just downright pissed, RIGHT NOW!

jbarwick

Distinguished Member
Joined
Nov 28, 2012
Messages
8,753
Reaction score
9,743
Personal example so N=1. My brother had 3 kids with his girlfriend. They were young parents and cared a lot about getting high and less about a stable job and place to live for their kids. From birth - 5, all kids bounced around to multiple places to live, family, shelters, and various apartments for short stents. When school started, the lazy parents would not wake up in time to get the oldest to school and he almost retook kindergarten. Strangely though, all kids ended up retaking 2nd grade.

At some point, my mom said "enough" and took custody of all 3 kids. They were then in a steady home with meals, sleep, and no basic life worries. While they were in the shytty school district I went to, they all did and continue to do better than if they were to stay in their other living situation.

It is not just a school funding issue as others have mentioned.
 

otc

Stylish Dinosaur
Joined
Aug 15, 2008
Messages
24,592
Reaction score
19,274
Yes and I guess to my point even if Finland isn't matching us dollar-for-dollar on education, I wonder if looking at school funding in isolation tells the wrong story. IDK though am dum.

Nah, I think you're right. It makes sense in comparisons within the US where things are relatively homogenous in terms of other programs (obviously very different between rural AL and suburban Boston...but still nothing resembling Finland)

Social services make a huge difference and can also impact what is even included in school funding. E.g. some countries don't really mix extracurricular activities with school like we do. Some countries don't do food in school (e.g. Switzerland still sends kids home for lunch...which is actually kind of a big issue when it comes to women in the workforce...), etc. $1 into a school that does nothing besides teach students (who all have healthcare and food support from elsewhere) is different $1 into a school that runs a full kitchen, athletics department, additional after-school programs, etc.

Cultural differences also matter...that's a tough one too. American right now just doesn't respect being smart the same way it respects things like athletic achievements. There isn't anywhere near the focus on academics as there is in somewhere like South Korea where non-school learning and test prep is HUGE.
 

double00

Stylish Dinosaur
Supporting Member
Joined
Nov 24, 2014
Messages
17,202
Reaction score
17,751
Schools can't overcome the broader issues which affect the families of the children, but in addition to educating children, we seem to have decided that the school is the locus of delivery for all of the social services which aren't being provided elsewhere. One K-8 here even acted as a shelter for a time.

Money certainly won't fix everything, but I guarantee that the absence of money is worse.

I've talked about this a bit but we moved our kiddo from the super convenient , well-funded , well-regarded district school to a specialized-curriculum charter school out in the country .

that charter school receives public funding from the district but only gets ~80% of what the district funds the mainline schools . so it is *poorer* . otoh , for our family it's been a vastly improved experience .

afaik nobody at the charter school is there by default , I see a structural intention and engagement from both parents and staff that is frankly absent at the district school . I ended up providing a testimonial during public comments for charter renewal and happy to throw a few thousand bucks annually if it helps ease fundraising burden . imho that's easy value .

but i'm not going to simply roll with a default situation out of some misplaced civic idealism . I'm a bit surprised the pandemic didn't beat that nonsense out of the true believers but what can you do ?

I also think it's disingenuous for somebody in a two million dollar house in a *top* school district to trumpet the public option as the socially ethical choice . for most that's not a default situation and shouldn't be presented as such
 

edinatlanta

Stylish Dinosaur
Joined
Nov 17, 2008
Messages
43,064
Reaction score
17,419
I made fun of you old guys for your injuries and yesterday I stood up straight and my back popped...now I am hobbling around.
Speak when spoken to, young'n.
 

SixOhNine

Stylish Dinosaur
Supporting Member
Joined
Dec 10, 2012
Messages
16,116
Reaction score
28,641

beargonefishing

Stylish Dinosaur
Supporting Member
Joined
Jul 24, 2009
Messages
34,168
Reaction score
41,399

SixOhNine

Stylish Dinosaur
Supporting Member
Joined
Dec 10, 2012
Messages
16,116
Reaction score
28,641
I think i forgot to play wordle yesterday

:embar::marchal::wow::redx:
1000001485.gif
 

Featured Sponsor

Do You Have a Signature Fragrance?

  • Yes, I have a signature fragrance I wear every day

  • Yes, I have a signature fragrance but I don't wear it daily

  • No, I have several fragrances and rotate through them

  • I don't wear fragrance


Results are only viewable after voting.

Forum statistics

Threads
508,614
Messages
10,603,316
Members
224,680
Latest member
dialdesk
Top