Mary had a little lamb, ...

[AAAAmember]

"I wish that the morals and values that were taught in school, came back."

Morals and values are taught at home (or for those who need help, taught in church), not in school.  They are merely reinforced at school, with things such as honesty, hard work, etc.  If a child has no morals, it is the parents' fault, not the teacher's fault.

"Now, I feel like teachers are teaching worldly materialistic values. 'I can't teach because I don't have any supplies.  I need new books.  I need more...'"

Are you a teacher?  No?  Then please be quiet.  My mother is a teacher; you insult her by saying that she can only teach with "wordly materialistic values".  Not true!!  

"Teachers use to only need a chalkborad and the knowledge that is in their heads."

How ignorant.  Teachers need more than just a piece of chalk (which you forgot to include), a chalkboard (which you misspelled), and knowledge to teach.  My knowledge of AP Chemistry would have been limited last year had I not been able to perform laboratory experiments, all which require chemicals and laboratory equipment.

"Now, it seems like they want to just barely pass by in classes and move the students on, instead of making students think/brainstorm/and grow as well rooted people of God."

There you go again...insulting a profession which you know nothing about!  I don't know what teachers you're talking about, but mine did an excellent job in encouraging me to think and becoming a good student.  As for the God stuff, that belongs in the church.

"It seems to me that the 14% of people who would rather not have God or the Word in our schools, should listen and allow such values in schools. "

No - the law says we don't have to.  School is for learning.  Church is for God.  Non-Christian students attend school.  Christian students attend school and church.  I don't see how this isn't enough for you guys!!

"They should realize that there is a good and a bad (common sense?--maybe not) and that to grow into well-rounded, prosperous individuals, we need to know these things--not avoid them.  They should sit back and listen and try to understand just a little bit.  Especially this day in age: We need to be awake!!"

I am aware of good and bad.  I have morals.  I know these things, and I do not avoid them.  I don't want to "sit back" and listen to something that I do not believe in.  Go to church if you wish to hear about God.  School is for learning.

I think you need to get rid of your ignorance about the teaching profession before you go criticizing public school.

~AAAA

[Symphony]

AAAA:  School is for learning.  Church is for God.



       

[ebia]

The goals of (state) education aren't set by teachers, but by society.While teachers do have some input into that debate, ultimately they are employees of the system.

Society sets competing goals for education, which are always in tension.  Labaree (1997) describes these as Democratic Equality (producing good citizens, which might include morals and or religion), Social Efficiency (equiping students with the skills needed by the workforce) and Social Mobility (giving each individual student the best chance of getting ahead in life).  Currently the last of those is the predominant driving force in education in the US (according to Labaree) and I would think in most western countries.   Teacher's have no choice but to respond to these demands.

And now that I think about it.. they had such strong values back then because they did allow the Bible and prayer into schools.

Not because they read their bibles at home then?
Schools cannot fix society's problems.

Now, I feel like teachers are teaching worldly materialistic values. "I can't teach because I don't have any supplies.  I need new books.  I need more..."  

Try teaching mathematics without good quality textbooks, manipulatables and other resources.  Try teaching IT without computers.  Try teaching science without a lab.  Try teaching English without literature.