I thought this video was a perfect ending point to our lengthy discussion on public school, private school, homeschool, and the pros and cons of each. This young man asked several young women to sign a petition to end women's suffrage. As you watch, please note that this isn't even a public school, but an elite private college prep academy where the parents pay $8,000 a year in tuition. And just in case any of you DON'T know what suffrage means, they provide a definition at the beginning of the video.
This experiment was actually done at several schools and there are a couple of more videos of it on YouTube. In one school, these guys actually got a teacher to sign!
Full disclosure: Only one of my three big girls knew that suffrage meant the right to vote. Given that they're both only 12, I'm glad we had a chance to talk about it so if this experiment comes their way, they won't get duped and look silly!
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
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11 comments:
Oh. So sad.
The music selection was hilarious.
Reason to homeschool #432,593. :)
Ironically enough, my 10-year-old just wrote a paper last week on Susan B. Anthony. When I saw your post I called my two daughters up here to watch the video (my older one is 13). They thought it was hilarious and couldn't believe it.
Thanks for the heads up on this! I'll post it on my blog, too.
And I found you through the Family Friendly Feedburner network!
Visit To Love, Honor and Vacuum today!
Though homeschooling is my favorite method of education, I've met plenty of homeschooled kids whose academic knowledge would be considered less than stellar. Or, they may be overly studied in one discipline but lacking in another.
Ravengal, long time no hear from;-)
I know you're right that any educational method can leave some gaps. You have to admit, the video IS pretty fuuny, and these are supposed to be a smart bunch of kids!
Wow! I guess this shouldn't be too shocking considering less than 50% of American college graduates can locate Iraq, Israel, & Iran on a map or globe. ;o) Very scary!
Have you seen the little "What an Eight Grade Education Was Like Back Then" bit of writing that has been floating around the blogsphere? Here is a link if you haven't. Realizing the difference between "then" and "now" is both fascinating and troubling.
Thanks for the link Mrs. Brigham. That was an eye-opener for sure! I'd wager that the average certified teacher couldn't pass that exam today.
My fave comment, "Thank you so much. You're a true American!"
LOL!!!
I wonder what would happen if this petition were circulated in front of the local Wal-Mart?
Oh, nevermind.
Mrs. C, I think you and I both know what would happen if this petition was circulated in front of Wal-Mart, LOL! Most of the American public got their education in schools far worse than the one in this video, myself included. But of course, I pick up a book every now and then!
I think another part of this may be due to how education is changing. Lots of schools specialize to prepare students for a certain career. Many 'prestigious' careers (doctor, dentist, engineer) focus heavily on math and sciences, and I think the focus of some schools has shifted heavily to that side of the balance. I don't think you can take the response of some students from some schools and apply it to the school system as a whole, but I would agree that some schools don't teach a balanced curriculum. I wouldn't say that those kids aren't smart though, not knowing the definition of "suffrage" (which sounds a lot like suffering) doesn't mean that those kids are dumb/improperly educated. It could just mean that their strengths lie in other areas.
Terry, I posted the You Tube link on my blog and have put your blog in my list. :]
Amber, I see what you're saying but I think there is a certain basic threshold of knowledge we should all have. The sad thing is that when the elite schools don't have students at that point, we're all in trouble.
I completely agree with you about the threshold of knowledge, whether it's at a public school or through homeschooling :)
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