I wish it were as funny as it looks. The reality is that "Mediocrity" is Education Minnesota's team captain.
R-Five | Homepage | 04.24.07 - 8:02 pm | #

Along with Obfuscation as a co-captain!
The captive audience system we have now has no reason to improve, no accoutability to make it improve and unlimited funding with which to pay off the pols to keep the system as is.
Vouchers would put the boot to their ass but it won't happen anytime soon.
As for the dumpy white guy? He's to blame for everything anyways! Right?
Can't be racism if it's directed at the white male.
maxxdog | 04.24.07 - 9:43 pm | #

I hate those effing commercials. They piss me off to no end. I want to throw that damn basketball at each of those uber-cool pains in the ass that get picked to play.
Jim W | Homepage | 04.25.07 - 7:54 am | #

The use of taxpayer money to ask for more taxpayer money while using children to gain sympathy is pretty twisted and certainly wrong.

Are they a racist organization? I think that's a bit of a stretch. I'd give them the benefit of the doubt on that one.
McGruv | 04.25.07 - 9:34 am | #

I agree with McGruv...I think it's a little bit of a stretch to call them racist...but I do think that they are playing dirty pool by making the guy look a little like Dick Cheney.
SB | Homepage | 04.25.07 - 10:11 am | #

Oh you picked up on that too? It is so clearly a "republicans are for mediocrity" message, it makes me sick.
Jim W | Homepage | 04.25.07 - 10:20 am | #

Jim...can you imagine the outrage if were were to spoof SanFranNan, or Dingy Harry as being a French Surrender Monkey because of their retreat proposals?

BTW...any ANYONE seen ANYTHING on Diane Feinstein's resignation yet?

Has it been long enough now that we can all FINALLY admit that the MSM might as well just change all of their coporate logos to the DFL Ass?
SB | Homepage | 04.25.07 - 11:23 am | #

"Is Education Minnesota a Racist Organization?"

No. Next question?
Ed Salden | 04.25.07 - 11:33 am | #

we dont' need to help San Fran Nan or Dingle Harry along, they feed us plenty of material to work with.
Jim W | Homepage | 04.25.07 - 11:38 am | #

Is Education Minnesota an honest organization?
McGruv | 04.25.07 - 11:47 am | #

McGruv...are you asking if they are honest or if they are an organization?

If you are asking if they are honest...the answer is a RESOUNDING NO!!!!!!!

If you are asking if they are an organzation, I think the answer is yes.
SB | Homepage | 04.25.07 - 11:53 am | #

"Is Education Minnesota an honest organization?"

Yes. We know where all their money comes from, and nobody (I know of) says they're hiding their intentions.
Ed Salden | 04.25.07 - 12:01 pm | #

Ed,

I think that it is deceptive. They act like it's all about the kids when in reality it's all about their pay.
Alex | 04.25.07 - 12:28 pm | #

Doesn't anyone appreciate hyperbole anymore? Geez, you try to be provocative and all you get is blank stares.
Yes Jim, part of the hundreds of tousands of your dollars spent on focus groups pointed them to a Rovian character.
No Ed, they are decidely dishonest. Their blanket assertion that more money buys better public ed is a bald-faced lie, and they know it. They have the same stats that I have.
Kermit | 04.25.07 - 12:32 pm | #

Kermit, you big silly. Everybody knows that if a white guy is the target, it can't POSSIBLY be considered racism.
Jim W | Homepage | 04.25.07 - 12:39 pm | #

"Their blanket assertion that more money buys better public ed is a bald-faced lie..."

Kermit, I doubt they've ever said that, exactly. Your characterization of their position is decidedly dishonest.
Ed Salden | 04.25.07 - 12:45 pm | #

And another thing. Calling that money tax money is misleading.

These teachers are spending their own hard earned dough. If that's tax money, so is the money they spend at the gas station and grocery store.

It seems to me that the teachers union is privately supported.
Ed Salden | 04.25.07 - 12:50 pm | #

I think it's a matter of semantics.

Wether it's their money or not it's still misleading. It's about their salary and has nothing to do with "the kids".
Alex | 04.25.07 - 12:54 pm | #

"blanket assertion" is the key to Kermit's wording, Ed. And they absolutely DO imply that. Otherwise, why would they ask for more money?

Alex, you're spot on. If it was truly about "the kids", we'd see more than $.50 from every dollar spent on "the kids". Right now, administrators and teachers are making up the bulk of the tax dollars given to Education. Instead of pissing and moaning about how they need the tax payer to spend more money, how about some of those fat cats at the top take a hit on their pay and spread out that money to truly educate kids? After all, it's FOR THE KIDS.
Jim W | Homepage | 04.25.07 - 12:57 pm | #

Ed, they are telling you to "Talk to your Legislators". They don't want you to talk to them about the weather. They want you to demand that Public Education be "fully funded".
Wrap your brain around that.
Kermit | 04.25.07 - 1:26 pm | #

I have an Uncle who is in that union and he readily admits that Education Minnesota likely does more harm than good as they protect the jobs of horrible teachers and block merit increases for good teachers.

Even teachers that possess child pornography or are sexually involved with a student can't easily be fired because of terms negotiated by Education Minnesota.

And that doesn't even address the financial excesses of an organization that constantly lobbies for more money when they already consume half the state budget.
McGruv | 04.25.07 - 1:26 pm | #

Call me crazy, but I think our kids would probably do better with smaller classes, all-day kindergarten, a longer school day, and more school days per year.

And I can't imagine getting this done for free.
Ed Salden | 04.25.07 - 1:44 pm | #

I agree Ed, kids probably would do better with that stuff. But why do I have to pay for that? Can't parents pay for their own kids? Should I pay for their Karate, Piano, etc. lessons too?
Larry | 04.25.07 - 2:08 pm | #

And I can't imagine getting this done for free.

I don't think that anyone will disagree with you...but public education is already over 50% of the state budget...

With each increase that we have given to public education we have seen almost ZERO improvement in class size or in the achievement of the children.

But let me play an ass here for a second...

If we are already giving over 50% of the state budget to education, and Education MN is telling us that they need more...then how much is enough?

Should we give them 75% of the current budget? How about 100% and then just double taxes in the state?

I know you are semi-retired...so how would you feel if your property taxes went from $4000 a year to $8000 a year? But, that's just the START of your worries...we also need to increase the sales tax to at least 15%.

Remember...like you have said...education isn't free, nor has anyone here said that it should be...but how much IS enough?

OH...and one other thing...how do we KNOW when it's enough? Because, right now, all you are doing is taking Education MN's word for it.
SB | Homepage | 04.25.07 - 2:12 pm | #

Larry...I understand your point of view...but I also understand why childless adults should also contribute to schools.

Personally, I would have little problem if the state were to only tax me for my children and not you...but, according to the State, I'm in the top 20% of wage earners and I can afford it...but what about those who have children and are in the bottom 20%? How are they to educate their kids?

(And if you are interested...a check for my son's Karate can be made out to Dojo Karate...)
SB | Homepage | 04.25.07 - 2:16 pm | #

Call me crazy, but I think our kids would probably do better with smaller classes, all-day kindergarten, a longer school day, and more school days per year.

I think I will go ahead and call you crazy for advocating all the above except the smaller class sizes part. I personally think that making kids spend even more time in a classroom would be counter-productive.

I believe that one of the biggest challenges/opportunities in education is harnessing a child's natural curiosity and using it to make learning fun and a habit. Burning kids out on schoolwork will kill their inherent 'love of learning' in my opinion.

Schools aren't lacking in money or class time. They need a way to reward good teachers and punish bad ones. They also need to learn to be more resourceful.
McGruv | 04.25.07 - 2:21 pm | #

What are we up to now, $14,000.00 per student?
With a nice moderate class size of 25.
That's $350,000.00 per classroom. I think they have enough to do the job of teaching Johnny to read.
The problem is not in the amount collected, it's in the way it's spent. My guess is that 20% gets to the school/classroom to pay the teacher and the light bill, leaving barley enough to buy a few books. If we throw more money at the beast none or very little will get to the kid level. It all just gets eaten off at the top. Then next year they can show us the same godammed thing and ask for more money and spend none of it at kid level AGAIN.
Their "honest" commericals tell us that if we don't throw huge $ increases at "education" we will have mediocrity.

The very name is misleading: "education Minnesota". When I first got here I thought is was the MN department of education. Nope it's the teachers union.
sequel | Homepage | 04.25.07 - 2:35 pm | #

Actually we have a Department of Education. Prior to TPaw's admin it was called the Dept. of Children, Families and Learning.
Kermit | 04.25.07 - 2:53 pm | #

Just a random thought...why is it that the DFL (which we all know if HEAVILY supported by teachers and their union) believe that we need to add MORE money to the beast and that it will trickle down to the classroom, but they are AGAINST the exact same thing from the GOP side...namely giving tax breaks to the "wealth" so that they can invest more money and create a stronger economy?

The MAJOR difference here is that investors hold those who recieve their money accountable while we don't hold our educators accountable...
SB | Homepage | 04.25.07 - 3:04 pm | #

The old Perpetually-Underfunded Public Education Game kind of reminds me of the SNL skit where Phil Hartman plays Bill Clinton stopping in McDonalds during his jog:

Male Customer: Do you support the decision to send troops to Somalia?

Bill Clinton: [ chews his McMuffin ] Mmm.. that's a good question. Yes, I do.. and let me tell you why. See, right now, we're sending in.. [ holds us McMuffin ] ..food.. [ puts McMuffin in front of Male Customer ] ..to Somalia.. but it's not getting to the people who need it because.. [ brings McMuffin back to himself ] ..it's being intercepted by the warlords.. [ chews McMuffin some more ] And it's not just us. It's other countries, too.. [ grabs a McNugget from another customer ] Your McNugget is aid from Great Britain.. [ takes it to other customer, then gibbles it down ] ..intercepted by warlords! [ grabs someone's Filet-o-Fish ] This man's Filet-o-Fish over here is relief from Italy.. [ pops it in his mouth ] ..warlords! And you can send all the food you want...a McDLT, hot apple pie.. it's just gonna end up with.. [ puts it all in his mouth ] ..the warlords! Now, with a broad-based international military force, we can make sure that the McRib sandwich...gets to the people who need it.

Except the food is taxpayer money, the Somalis are the teachers & kids, and Edu. Mn. are the warlords.
McGruv | 04.25.07 - 3:19 pm | #

Those who endorse putting children in schools earlier, for longer hours, and for longer school years need to remember where the academic, musical, and athletic all-stars of their childhood came from.

The academic stars were those whose parents believed in books and museums and turned off the idiot box. The musical all-stars were those whose parents paid for piano, violin, or voice lessons. The athletic all-stars were those whose parents played catch with them or paid for youth sports.

In other words, placing kids in school for longer periods of time works actively AGAINST excellence. Plus, it costs beaucoup bucks.
Robert Perry | Homepage | 04.25.07 - 5:26 pm | #

but I also understand why childless adults should also contribute to schools.

I don't understand this. If your child goes to school and grows up to be a teacher, a nurse or whatever and after college moves to Florida to do this occupation, how do I benefit from this after I have helped pay for this? Do I benefit more from government educated kids then i do from private or home school kids?

the people in the bottom 20% shouldn't have kids if they can't afford to educate them via home school or whatever. Or they should prearrange with family, friends, church etc. the funds or resources to educate those kids before having them. Just like they better be able to afford to feed them and clothe them. I want to see people actually do some planning before plowing ahead with major life decisions.

As for the Karate, the check is in the mail, just keep watching for it.
Larry | 04.25.07 - 5:26 pm | #

Call me crazy, but I think our kids would probably do better with smaller classes, all-day kindergarten, a longer school day, and more school days per year.

RP hit the nail on the head, you assume that a child is better off in the system than at home with it's parents. This is so not true.

Home schooling has shown that a focused 3 to 4 hours a day can produce academically superior students.

The current level of stupidity I see in the NEA liberal drones leads me to conclude that parents should actively reduce exposure to the schools, not increase it. Many teachers have no clue about economics, capitalism or US history. They are far to steeped in PC, Victimology and liberalism to be of any use to most children.

The current system needs to be dismantled, not over funded.
Tracy Eberly | Homepage | 04.25.07 - 5:56 pm | #

I agree about overschooling kids...it is easier for parents at first, but then when your kid is 14 and has been in school 103,000,000 hours and is bored and tired, they burn out...therefore our high school scores are lower and the dropout rate higher. Think of how many kids are in after-school programs and daycare...sometimes all this structure is just overkill and stunts creative, independent thinking. Extra money spent that in the long run hurts kids.
gobigred | 04.25.07 - 8:53 pm | #