No More Summer Vacation?

C

Card Slinger J

Aspiring Trainer
Member
Apparently President Obama wants to cut back Summer Vacation for students here in the U.S. cause he doesn't think they're getting enough education. I feel that it violates American tradition that has been going on for years, here's the full story:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090927/ap_on_re_us/us_more_school
 
He is also trying to take away our weekends. Which is our FAMILY TIME. I am going to end up skipping every Saturday and Sunday because I want to be with my family.
 
Well, this isn't particularly fair. I mean, we should enjoy our summer, not spend it in school. This won't go over well with kids if it's passed.
 
I'm not sure if this is true or not. I don't think it is, because the author apparently may be stretching the truth, judging by what she's written in the past.

But if this is true...
I may convince my parents to move to Britain.
 
Well there are two sides. There should be a test on who gets to have a break. If you fail everything you shouldn't have a break only to not learn and become less prepared for the next year.

China and Japan's students are some of the brightest in the world, while ours ranks like 40th :p

We need help, but not for smart people.
 
No more summer vacation? This has got to be the stupidest thing I've ever heard. We'd go nuts if we were stuck in school all year!
Thank goodness I'm graduating this year...
 
Guys, remember that this has not been confirmed as true yet. As I said before, the author, Libby Quaid, has a reputation for stretching the truth. As Spoon has said previously, it's best to do your research.
 
42 chocolate said:
Guys, remember that this has not been confirmed as true yet. As I said before, the author, Libby Quaid, has a reputation for stretching the truth. As Spoon has said previously, it's best to do your research.
Click to expand...

It was also on AOL News as well, so I assume it was also from the same person who wrote the news article online. I found the source:

Associated Press writer Russell Contreras in Boston contributed to this report.
Click to expand...
 
Also, instead of changing the times, they should be changing the curriculum. If you make an A in a public school, you are only C material in a Private school. Asians are smarter then us, because we are lazy and we a slackers. They have drive, will, and the bar is always raised. Our bar is constantly being lowered on us. If we fail the test once, that should be it, not re-do it until we get it right. Life isn't like that.
 
Mr. Random said:
That's just not right. I suppose we might as well pack our bags and live in our schools? :mad:
Click to expand...
That would actually be kind of cool.
But; I would soooooo convince my parents to move to Lebanon with my Teta and the rest of my dad's family if they did this. >:O
 
They should raise the curriculum instead, rather than make all the students unhappy. Asians are smart because of high expectations. Longer school years won't raise any expectations at all, and school on weekends won't be fun, either. We won't ever see our family, as C88 said.

If I were in charge, I'd only let the struggling students stay for longer years, or bump up expectations in summer school. I've been there (though it wasn't required of me), and summer school didn't seem to help those students at all. Or maybe that's just my school...
 
ElectroManiac said:
Also, instead of changing the times, they should be changing the curriculum. If you make an A in a public school, you are only C material in a Private school. Asians are smarter then us, because we are lazy and we a slackers. They have drive, will, and the bar is always raised. Our bar is constantly being lowered on us. If we fail the test once, that should be it, not re-do it until we get it right. Life isn't like that.
Click to expand...

I thought Asians were smarter than us not just cause they have no Summer Vacation but also because they stole U.S. technology and ideas from us after we defeated Japan in World War II.

Because of President Truman and Albert Einstein we allowed them to have the advantage, yet If it wasn't for them I guess we wouldn't have Anime/Manga pop culture in the U.S. wouldn't we?
 
Wow. Japanese students can do advanced algebra on an Abacus, they are so smart. That took determintation.

It would be cool to live at school, but not mine. It's aweful
 
I don't think the problem is the curriculum, or the number of days we go to school. Rather, I believe it is that there is a lack of motivation among American parents.

In Asian countries, parents pressure their kids to do well, as getting bad grades is considered dishonor to their family. In America, however:

"Mommy, I got an A on my test."
"OK."

and

"Mommy, I got a C- on my test."
"OK. Just don't fail."

Most parents these days don't care if there child gets Cs and Ds. (Well, in America) Also, kids are also pressured by their peers to not be "a nerd", or else they will get bullied.

I can understand a week or so trim off of summer break. However, getting rid of summer and weekend breaks is overkill, especially since the main issue has nothing to do with the number of days a child is in school. Also, as a few others have said, this cuts in to overall family time, which actually worsens the issue of parent motivation. Not only this, but the extra hours for the gifted students are a waste. Even now, I get at least an hour of "free time" during the school day. I couldn't imagine going to 6 PM, and going on a Saturday.

Having school on Sunday also interferes with religious activities of some students. This can be a big punch in the face to some families, and will cause them to give up public school altogether.

Also, going for SO many days on end can cause burn out. Going for 60 hours a week (10 hours X 6 days) is more than the amount of hours the average adult works. Few jobs can match 60 hours a week, and you're placing all of this on a child. Work-weeks like this even cause stress for adults, let alone an 8-yr. old.

Overall, if this is implemented, I see it failing miserably. I don't even see many parents approving of this, due to the cut in family time. Burn-out is also likely to happen among students, and I can see wide-spread skippings.

Moves like this will make sure you won't get re-elected in 2012, Obama. NCLB was bad enough.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top