Kansas has the worst science standards for public schools in nation

[donsu]

http://www.buzzflash.com/mailbag/06/07/mai06164.html


-snip-

Subject: Wat a Suprize.....

“Seven states, led by California, received “A” grades, while 15, including Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas, flunked.”

Kansas ranks last in science 15 states receive failing grade in institute’s report

By John Hanna - Associated Press Writer

Topeka — Kansas has the nation’s worst science standards for public schools, a national education group says, condemning the state for rewriting its definition of science and treating evolution as a flawed theory.

The “F” grade from the Thomas B. Fordham Institute came after the State Board of Education approved the new standards last month. The Washington-based institute said Kansas’ treatment of evolution was “radically compromised.”

“The effect transcends evolution, however,” the institute said in a report released Wednesday. “It now makes a mockery of the very definition of science.”

SW

-snip-
---------------------------------


feel sorry for the kids in Kansas being cheated of a real education

[MuseRider]

1. Most of those kids

are not being cheated, most of the science teachers are teaching like they always have. Still, this is just so sad.

Elections soon, I think the vast majority of this state is fed up with this crap and we will see a big change.

Fingers crossed here, awaiting my chance to vote. The really good thing is that in years past it has been almost impossible to root out who was for ID and who was not, it was not covered as an issue. This time it is out there, easy to find and we are taking no chances. If we end up with a similar mix then it is our fault. Before it was a toss up, now we will know. Keep your fingers crossed too.

[donsu]

6. who and how are the votes counted in Kansas?

nt

[MuseRider]

8. Kinda like

everywhere else. Republican SOS who will not answer questions, return calls. We use an optic scanner here, some places use the computers and there have been in places some closing of polling places forcing some to travel to vote.

I would give you a better answer but am on my way out the door, hopefully someone else here knows more and can help you.

[mcscajun]

2. Same here. I also feel sorry for the rest of us, who'll have to live

in the country where these kids grow up to vote and work in.

[atreides1]

3. And we should be surprised by this???

These are the states where the cannon fodder will come from for perpetual war, they don't need to be educated to come home in metal boxes. But this isn't only the fault of the state government, half the blame belongs to the parents who don't believe in a secular education.

[hfojvt]

22. I will say it again

the best school in this town is the Catholic High School. So apparently a non-secular education is not the end of the world. Also, except for the three years that I taught college, I have not needed my education for any of the jobs I have gotten after graduation. My fault, I suppose, for majoring in useless things like math and physics.

[atreides1]

25. How long has it been

Since you've been out of school? Or are you like "Doogie Howser"? Things change over time, even where I went to school things have changed!!!!

[hfojvt]

27. what are you saying has changed?

The job market or the Catholic schools? I still am looking at the job market from time to time, although my 16 year old un-used MA is doubtless irrelevant. Okay, that is not entirely true, because I have used the degree both as an archery target and a dartboard, but it did not work well for the latter.

I was noticing the Catholic school last year when the paper wrote about its graduates. Not a detailed investigation, but it sounded impressive.

[ComerPerro]

4. Republicans are trying to make all of the US like Kansas

[Swamp Rat]

5. Maybe the Flat Earth Society moved to Kansas because it is so flat?

:shrug:

[MuseRider]

9. LOL

:hi:

[hfojvt]

23. unfortunately for this bicyclist

it is not nearly as flat as Dakota, at least not this close to the Missouri river.

[Strawman]

7. On the other hand, their witchhunt standards are top notch!

Jeff Sesshuns fer prezuhdint! :sarcasm:

[Scout1071]

10. As a product of Kansas Public Schools, I call bullshit.

I attended one of the best school systems in the country and we had an excellent science program that was nationally recognized. In fact, the only teachers in the state that were awarded with the Presidential Excellence award were my two science teachers. We had a massive environmental labratory where we learned about and cared for llamas, pythons, pot-bellied pigs, ground hogs, ferrets, guinea pigs and much more. Not to mention acres of a natural science area with trails and various ecosystems where we took thousands of inner city schools through on tours each semester.

Outstanding science program. I hope they aren't basing the whole thing on those asshats who are temporarily on the school board.

[MadHound]

12. And when did you attend school in KS?

Not slamming KS or anything(though as an MU Tiger, it is almost de rigueur), but educational excellence can go downhill in an extraordinarily short period of time:shrug:

[sui generis]

14. My little sister's class had three Cal Tech and one MIT acceptance(s)

On the other hand . . . I arrived from Germany at 14 (military brat) and tested out of American highschool - just went straight into college.

It probably varies by location and era.

[FSogol]

11. "Don't know much about history, don't know much biology..."

Don't know much about history
Don't know much biology
Don't know much about a science book
Don't know much about the French I took

But I do know that I love you
And I know that if you love me too
What a wonderful world this would be

Don't know much about geography
Don't know much trigonometry
Don't know much about algebra
Don't know what a slide rule is for.

But I do know that one and one is two,
And if this one could be with you,
What a wonderful world this would be.

Now i don't claim to be an "A" student,
But I'm trying to be.
So maybe by being an "A" student baby
I can win your love for me.

Don't know much about history
Don't know much biology
Don't know much about a science book
Don't know much about the French I took.

But I do know that I love you,
And I know that if you love me too,
What a wonderful world this would be.

Latatatatatatahuwaah (history)
Oehwoewoe (biology)
Latatatatatatahuwaah (science book)
Oehwoewoe (French I took)

But I do know that I love you,
And I know that if you love me too,
What a wonderful world this would be.

Take the chorus out and it becomes the Official Kansas State Song.
(Lyrics by Sam Cooke)

[hughee99]

13. Does it matter what the standards are

If no one's learning the material anyway?

[demigoddess]

15. I went to school in Kansas 1958- 1065 and the schools were

considered excellent in those days. Now I am in Wa state and know that these schools have fallen so much since the anti- tax crowd have been around. They convince people that money does not make a difference and then cut the budget to the bone. We have lost music, art and language etc. also I know for a fact that they have hired teachers on the basis of who they knew and I was told by one teacher that they were actively sabotaging the gifted program. It's a miracle that my kids made it through without screaming. Hate to tell you but most schools are run like old boy networks and the kids are the ones who suffer.

[happyslug]

16. The actual reference Article, not Buzzflash:

http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2005/dec/08/kansas_ranks_last_science/

[SidDithers]

17. The Flying Spaghetti Monster agrees...

http://www.venganza.org/

Sid

[leeroysphitz]

18. I feel bad for the children as well.

It's just too bad that it's going to take the realization that all the good jobs left in this country are going to people from OTHER states before the hill billies down there accept that teaching science is not from the devil or whatever such nonsense they think...

[MuseRider]

20. Hillbillies?

LOL, sounds like the geography classes in your state need a little upgrading?

:hi: from a Kansas flatlander. ;)

[leeroysphitz]

28. You can take the hillbilly out of the hills.

You just can't seem to get the hills out of the hillbilly. :)

[SheilaT]

19. The Kansas public schools

outside of the small towns are generally quite good, especially those in the Johnson County, which is in the shadow of Kansas City, Missouri. Missouri, on the other hand, has schools that are consistently less rigorous than those in Kansas. People who move from Missouri (especially from St. Louis) often find their kids up to a year behind their counterparts here.

Our biggest problem in Kansas is not so much the science standards -- although schools in fundamentalist areas will use them as an excuse not to teach much science -- but funding. Our state supreme court has told the legislature they need to boost funding by $400 million or so, and of course the largely Republican legislature is balking. It's mainly the rural areas who aren't willing to do so. A lot of adults simply do not understand why kids today need a school any fancier or with better equipment than what they themselves had thirty, forty, fifty years ago or more. There's also a Johnson County and the rest of the state split. Here in Johnson County we've been willing and able to pay the taxes necessary for good schools, and there's a lot of resentment from the rural areas over that, even though two-thirds of the taxes collected for schools here in JC go to the rest of the state.

[MuseRider]

21. Both of my boys

earned National Science Awards not too long ago. It is too bad that this has happened here.

[Raydawg1234]

24. Fuck em. The world needs ditch diggers.

[hfojvt]

26. I cannot figure out their complaint

The standards make a mockery of the definition of science? How?

This quote:

“They said it’s wrong to limit science to the discussion or study of natural processes,” Gross said. “It’s not just wrong but stupid.”

is confusing. Who is they? The institute or the Ks BOE? And Gross, who is from the Institute, is saying that science can study unnatural processes?

I accidentally read the standards from 2001 before I found this

http://www.ksde.org/outcomes/sciencestd.pdf

Did not see alot of change, if any, in the definition of science. This:

"Science is a systematic method of continuing investigation that uses observations, hypothesis testing, measurement,
experimentation, logical argument and theory building to lead to more adequate explanations of natural phenomena. Science does
so while maintaining strict empirical standards and healthy skepticism."

is the same, and how does it mock the definition of science? Probably this has been discussed before, but is there a link or something that will explain the problems scientists have with the new standards?