Oprah Winfrey: kids in U.S. don't appreciate value of free education

[sweetness]

No big Oprah fan here, but I still think what she's doing is wonderful. At least she's being generous with all that money. The fact that the people she's helping do not live the U.S. shouldn't really matter IMO.

If I was throwing down that kind of money I'd wanna make sure it was well-spent and appreciated too.

[mintjelly]

Originally Posted by teforde23

I kinda agree with Oprah. I grew up in an inner city brooklyn neighborhood and went to so called gifted school and we had a graduation rate of about 60%. A lot of kids just didn't care even though they were getting an almost free ride on everything. All anyone cared about were sneakers and designer jeans or who could hook up with what guy or girl. Even now when I ride the subway I can honestly say that I have never once heard a teenager discuss a book or even what they learned in school. And that is the honest to goodness truth. Every kid has a cellphone and expensive ipods. When I was young the police would question you up if they spot you walking the streets during school hours. I agree with you mshovito, if Oprah had come to me at that age and asked me what I wanted I would say an ipod too. I never really appreciated education until I graduated high school and saw how some of my friends struggled to get their GED.
Can I just add that one of the reasons that kids don't repect getting an education is that they were taught from an early age that the gov't would always be there to take care of them. When I worked as a recruiter I can't tell you how man 18 and 19 year olds came in looking for a job. And they would always tell me that they could only work part time because they they would be able to collect public assistance. And these were women with 2 or 3 kids. And I can assure you that their parents (usually mom) tell them at an early age how to fill out the public assistance paperwork and how to get around the system. So why should school matter.

Sorry about the long rant.

I totally agree with everything you just said. It completely blows my mind the amount of children that keep passing to the next levels even though they can barely read. It's both the government ("No child left behind") and the parents fault.

[pacific breeze]

Speaking as a teacher, I have to agree with her. The majority of kids don't value their education at all, at least not enough to actually pay attention in class, study and learn something. I hear this from teachers at all levels of education. I teach in post-secondary schools, three of them, and the most prevalent attitude among far too many students is that they have a right to education, but that they do not have to participate in it. In other words, it's a "learn me" attitude that dominates.

Kids in Africa and other Third World countries don't take it for granted that they have the "right" to make a lot of money, to be literate, and to know something about the world they live in, and gasp, maybe even try to make it a better place for everybody.

I had an 18-year-old student a few years ago who summed up what a lot of North American students seem to think. I asked her why she didn't study or read the texts or participate in class, and in fact, why she was in school, and she said something like, "I'm just here to get a piece of paper. I already know everything I need to know." I pointed out to her as tactfully as I could that maybe, just maybe, she didn't know everything and that if she approached school with a more serious and open-minded attitude, she might learn something and even have fun doing it.

Needless to say, she wasn't interested. I think her attitude sums up the way too many students, and some parents, undervalue education. Oprah is right on this one.

[olivia720]

thank god we have saint oprah to show us the way.

[lovehurtsrealbad]

Originally Posted by mintjelly

I totally agree with everything you just said. It completely blows my mind the amount of children that keep passing to the next levels even though they can barely read. It's both the government ("No child left behind") and the parents fault.

I don't know if its just my weird-o brain not working again, but something about that just doesn't sound right. Last time I checked, The "No Child Left Behind" act gives schools standards for their students, in which every grade level has a higher expectancy each year. So basically what it is is this act that forces teachers to teach students things they aren't ready for, {and, like I said, the expectancies for the students highten for every year the act goes on.} and if they don't acheive that, then the state is allowed to step in and run the school until: a} The students learn all the material or b} They all die because their heads exploded from too much information.

So basically the government isn't letting anybody take a free ride through school; they're just working the children like dogs because they can. Bastards.

Fund your own schools.. first, in fact, REGISTER for school.. most americans are proud drop outs.

WTF? I'm only thirteen. Can't do very much, sorry. And, by the way, I happen to NOT be a dropout, thanks.

why are you all fronting and acting like Education was on your mind this morning? If Oprah came to your school and asked you what you felt you needed you'd be talking about clothes and iPod's and shoes.. ADMIT IT!!!

I thought about school this morning. And a few hours ago. I've been thinking about school for a while. Worrying about whether I'll get into a decent college or not; whether I'll really be able to become a Forensic Anthoroplogist like I hope I will. And its stereotypical shit like that that's making us start "fronting" against Oprah. Not ALL children in America hate going to school and don't care. At least I don't.


LHRB

P.S.: I HATE iPODs!!!

[pacific breeze]

^^And good for you. Students like you give me some hope for the future. You are in the minority, however, and that does worry me.

[Lobelia]

As a sucky American, I wouldn't have anything of importance to add, except my opinion that if you gave the African children ipods & sneakers & STUFF, then they TOO would begin to value it. They're not asking for these things because they don't KNOW those things. They're not morally & intrinsically superior. And yeah, I know nobody said they were, but I'm saying this anyway.

[lovehurtsrealbad]

Originally Posted by Lobelia

As a sucky American, I wouldn't have anything of importance to add, except my opinion that if you gave the African children ipods & sneakers & STUFF, then they TOO would begin to value it. They're not asking for these things because they don't KNOW those things. They're not morally & intrinsically superior. And yeah, I know nobody said they were, but I'm saying this anyway.

*Golf clapping* Awesome, Lobes, really.
LHRB

[o0Amber0o]

Originally Posted by lovehurtsrealbad

*Golf clapping* Awesome, Lobes, really.
LHRB

This is off topic but:

lovehurtsrealbad, I didn't want to quote your reply because it was too long and I'm too lazy to cut it down BUT, I've ALWAYS wanted to take a forensic anthro class. When I went to community college it was only offered to criminal justice majors and it was only offered once at my four year school and I couldn't fit it in. I love love LOVE anthro, if I didn't decide to go into teaching I'd definitly be doing something in that field. Good luck with your goal!

[ChangingEventually]

I do be learnin my edumicatiaon.

Oprah be dum.

No, but seriously. School just stopped having meaning for me. I mean, I've been getting straight A's since 6th grade and got into one of the best highschools in the state but school doesn't mean anything to me. I go in, I do my work, I never actually learn (just memorize for the tests), get my grades, and then go out and party or something. I just don't have the liking for school. The only thing I like about school is that I can hang out with my friends. I only "learn" and get good grades because my parents expect it. I really couldn't care less.

But for me, school never meant anything. And I think a part of it is because my parents pushed it on me so much. It was always "get straight A's" and so I did. But I have no liking for school. Nothing will ever make me like school, no matter how much Oprah donates to my school. For me, when people say "Oh, you don't appreciate school", there's nothing I can do but agree with them. I don't appreciate it. I'd rather be working.

[lovehurtsrealbad]

Originally Posted by ChangingEventually

I do be learnin my edumicatiaon.

Oprah be dum.

...

Why do ya'll have to make fun of the way we American's talk??
LHRB

[ChangingEventually]

Originally Posted by lovehurtsrealbad

...

Why do ya'll have to make fun of the way we American's talk??
LHRB

Haha. I'm in LA, so I know not all Americans talk like this.


But dear God, you guys use 'like' too damn much.

"And I like asked like him like for like a like paper like so like I like could like write like my like number like down like."

True story.

[lovehurtsrealbad]

Originally Posted by ChangingEventually

Haha. I'm in LA, so I know not all Americans talk like this.

But dear God, you guys use 'like' too damn much.

"And I like asked like him like for like a like paper like so like I like could like write like my like number like down like."

True story.

I live in Illinois, and its probably just as bad here as it is in L.A.
I once knew this girl Courtney who got a detention for saying "like" too much. {Of course, it was a joke, and she was just doing it to make a point that teenager's language is the intellectual equivalent of a box of rocks, but still.} She said "like" for about twenty minutes while we sat in the back of class, and the teacher got mad and sent her to the office. We got a kick out of that.

But now Courtney goes to Olsen and I'm not allowed to talk to her. {School rivalries; you know how that is, right?}
LHRB

[ChangingEventually]

Yeah...I wasn't kidding. I really have no interest in school. I used to want to be a lawyer and get into Politics and now I want to be a model. But school's just never interested me. It's a shame because I know I'm smart and I understand things quicker and easier than other people. It's a shame, but still. I'd rather start my own business or something. I just can't imagine going to school for the next 10-12 years.

4 years of highschool
4 years of college
2 to 4 years of whatever's after that (Law school or something)


But I'm not American. I'm European so I don't think my opinion applies to American kids.

And you know what's really sad? That I'll probably end up going to college and Law School and become a lawyer even though I don't want to be one and just do it because it's expected and my parents would be hurt if I didn't. Oh well, there goes my life.

[lovehurtsrealbad]

Originally Posted by o0Amber0o

This is off topic but:

lovehurtsrealbad, I didn't want to quote your reply because it was too long and I'm too lazy to cut it down BUT, I've ALWAYS wanted to take a forensic anthro class. When I went to community college it was only offered to criminal justice majors and it was only offered once at my four year school and I couldn't fit it in. I love love LOVE anthro, if I didn't decide to go into teaching I'd definitly be doing something in that field. Good luck with your goal!

Thank you. {I feel kinda stupid because I added a link to the words Forensic anthropology, just in case no one knew what it was. But, what can I say, you know? I'm American }

Thanks again. I'll probably need all the luck I can get, seeing as I'm an American. {Okay, fine, I'll stop using that joke ... }
LHRB