This past week, Q-line asked: What does the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District have to do to ensure that the upward achievement trend among students continues?
Here are your responses: ✆ “To ensure the upward achievement of students, the general environment in and around schools needs to be made safe and secure. Constant vigilance regarding troublemakers, drug and alcohol abusers needs to be consistently done with a no tolerance agenda. That is a big part of the overall picture. One cannot learn in an atmosphere of fear and upset.” ✆ “Frankly, I think the whole school system and its curriculum need updating badly. Not every student is geared toward or capable of higher education. Have basic English classes, etc., but then for those so inclined, gear the courses toward the various trades. There’s no shame in trades versus higher education. Everyone is needed and everyone with their own needs met will be happier and more successful.” ✆ “It is important that teachers make learning interesting and explain in detail why it is important to learn. It is not enough to teach that two plus two makes four. The student must understand why they should care. One reason being that figures do not lie, however liars do figure. As adults, we should be on top of the figures, lest we be outfigured. Children and adults will stand in a six-block line and pay to see a “Star Wars” movie simply because it is interesting and exciting. I have never seen anyone stand in line to go to school, due to school being boring. Most students would rather ditch and often do.” ✆ “Test scores would rise as long as several things are done. They should concentrate on teaching English to the kids that don’t speak English. That should be their main focus. Forget about teaching bilingual junk. Just get them to learn English. And if they’re troublemakers, send them to this community day school but call it a reform school. That’s what it should be called. Teachers should be able to teach and not spend half the time in class disciplining the troublemakers. They don’t belong in school with regular people because regular people want to learn. Troublemakers don’t. Ship ‘em out. Get rid of the illegal aliens. Most of them don’t speak English. That would help raise the test scores too.” ✆ “Continued achievement is beyond the ability of this school board. The board president spends most of her effort writing to your paper to complain about our governor while conveniently forgetting who overlooked the last 30 years that put us in this mess. But the one I like most is the professional racial agitator funded by the city. Every progressive school board should have one. The rest are fence-sitting dullards, who are catering to their political voter base. At the 10th grade, put those who are not into vocational studies. Here is the most important new concept for students to achieve high scores: discipline, personal responsibility, sacrifice, no free lunch. Not really a new concept but only to progressives. Time to evaluate a lot of high-paying positions in the school district. Our teachers should instill these values starting at an early age — to do the very best you can, no matter what. In the end, the most important person you compete against is yourself.” ✆ “Get rid of Malibu and use our money here instead of constantly asking for more. Santa Monica taxpayers should not have to continue to subsidize the Malibu schools. It’s time to end this illegal arrangement.”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on September 3, 2005. Read the original PDF.