What's more important, raising teachers' salaries or putting more iPads and similar handheld tablets in students' hands?

"As in so many things, balance is critical."

Agreed, Heisenberg.

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Spirit, I agree that technology can't be introduced early enough to eliminate learning of the basics. that doesn't do any good for anyone. I do see some younger people in my business that also aren't literate enough with technology, as counterintuitive as that may seem with the perception of the younger generations.

I am a member of the younger generation, not far out of my twenties, and I have seen numerous younger people taking up trades such as plumbing, electrician, machinist, and welders, that are seriously hindering their potential advancement by having little to no developed skills in basics such as typing. As in so many things, balance is critical.

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I say option 3 please. The teachers are paid enough. Until we have proof that our children are learning the basics as they should be, the teachers are not doing their jobs. As for the ipods etc. we need to stop letting the kids use them until they can do the basic r's and fully understand them. In fact, let's take away all the electronics, except computers and have that usage monitored. I home educated my children and became the state's model home for home education. The school system's only complaint was that my children were not allowed calculators until they could do every mathematical concept easily in their heads. Now these children all excel in their careers and contribute to society in many positive ways. We all find it sad that kids nowadays can't even add without a calculator.

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Oh there is news out there and most of it is bad. And most is not reported by the main stream media.

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loco...you're right!

Although here's the difference... Normally a newspaper publishes news (which Rand's 13 hour speech was)but, when all you want to publish is right wing attack points you leave YOUR candidates out of the public scrutiny because you know how pleasant critics can be.

Kinda like a form of attrition by ommision.

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Loco sorry to say but you cannot buy the MDN with a EBT card.. So now you know why....

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Veritas, you need to buy a newspaper.

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Did you like Paul Rand's 13 hour filibuster and agree with the message?

Sorry MDN...Beat you to it.

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My children are grown up. They now have to worry about their own children. They are on their own.

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billdoesntgetit. Me too. Country school - that says it all. Now I would not put my children in another school with the whinning - I'm not getting my fair share- school. I would have found a private school. Sick of the Unions and the Liberals shoving their stuff down our throats. And our childrens.

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Like they need another gadget.

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A Teacher is the epitome of inspiration,

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No level head I'm sorry to say the teachers have quite a 'me me me' list with pension always a concern, when you can collect full pension at 50-55 years of age if you work steady and retirement is part of your employment package. I tell you what levelhead I remember the name of every Teacher I had in every grade and there is a good chance you do too. To me that shows how much impact they really have on our lives. Some seemed to have a special knack that made us want to learn and do the right things. I honestly think the reason kids go to school is to learn what their parents can't teach them so don't blame the parents. A Teacher is epitome of inspiration, just get in any classroom and sit down and see where your mind is taken.

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gotta agree with loco. good post! and congrats to the MSU hockey team. national champs! hoo-yah!

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Levelhead the cost of living has increased I grant you that but the knowledge of our students has decreased.

Would you give your assembly line guys a raise because the cost of living went up or because they actually increased their productivity and kept your product flowing On time and under budget.

The Education department needs to be taken away from the Federal Government. So far they have screwed up everything they have touched and education is now feeling the draft of the inefficient Feds.

Turn it back to the states and kick the Feds out.

Our kids don't need monuments to the City to go to school in. They need a classroom and a competent teacher. They don't need sports, they don't need days off. ,They actually need 8 hours of Education a day and take away the 6 hours of BS that happens around schools day in and day out.

Our schools do everything BUT teach any more and our National grade scores are out there for you to go verify that before you start with the liar l

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Salaries or Technology? Well they both have to be budgeted so why not both. The cost of living has increased so shouldn't everyone want a raise? If people are going to comment on topics the least they could do is get the facts correct before opening their mouth. billdoesntgetit is right, do you understand the process of free and reduced lunch? Do some research so you understand they why. The sport articles can be found in the SPORTS SECTION while while math counts can be found in the EDUCATION SECTION. Earlybird, you didn't get the worm. Say what you want about salaries, technology, teachers etc.. when you look at the big picture it comes down to parenting. If parents don't have expectations of participation, completed homework, respect, study. Wait... so what you are trying to tell us is the responsibility of what a parent should do becomes the teachers responsibility. Okay, I know see why teachers should get paid more and I still say salaries and technology.

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Homework> That's a bone that sticks in my throat. I went to a one room schoolhouse..No home work. The teacher actually taught all 8 grades, helped us understand our lessons and we got our recess without any sports activities to take our mind off our lessons and force us into Homework.

Our schools are nothing more then Day Spas now. The teacher assigns the lesson and sends the kids home to Mom and Dad to help them learn the lesson. I thought we hired teachers to teach but instead they just hand out assignments and go on about their business.

pretty sick when we look at how intelligent people use to be and what we get now.

Our PE was done at home. Cleaning barns working in the gardens and feeding the livestock.

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Boy loco...I agree completely..Good post.

Lessons/teaching begins, continues and ends at home.

Maybe parenting should get graded like teachers do.

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Well, well, another blogger on the mark. Good job lefty.

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So, it took eight bloggers before Loco got it right. Bravo to loco.

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Do you think johnny got a great score on his SAT by himself.He had some great teachers.Anyone who tries to tie how the stockmarket is doing with this question needs to go back counting sheep.All of you people that think they dont deserve a living wage need to form a group and start chanting were # 45 were #45. What does a rancher have to do with this.As with any occcupation if you are too old do it than hire someone or sell.If you want to home school your kids fine,do it. So,If your kids get in trouble at school you say back in the day they probably got it worse at home.We'll I had 6 brothers and sisters and not a one of us ever got into trouble nor my kids.So that's telling me that they must be looking for attention at home,Good job mom and dad.Sorry for going all over the place but thats where all your stupid comments lead me.

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I'll throw in a bone FOR the teachers: when you have parents that don't stand with teachers/administration on homework, attendance, discipline measures, or sports policies--it certainly couldn't be MY kid that's at fault--you couldn't pay me enough to teach.

Do any of you remember the days when, if you got in trouble with the teacher, that you'd be in double trouble at home too?

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BGDGIT,is right on!!Chasin I vote F also. More and more money every year for Ed. and the kids get dumber every year, have you ever had one try to make change for a $20.00 bill when their till computer has gone down? Or have you ever tried reading their hand writing? They are totally uneducated and the teachers could care less! All they care about is their vacation time and their pentions its flipping ridiculous!!Maybe we should try the 3 "R'S" for a change! Less sports and more respect and another new idea how about DISIPLINE!!!

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MDN add: (C)Neither A&B, (D) Cut Teacher Pay, or (F)both C&D. Then I will vote for "F".

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The teacher’s union are afraid they will lose their jobs to technology and in the future you will see more and more robotic teachers. And from a cosmetic standpoint some will look better and get the students attention faster.

Won’t have to pay them much and they won’t require retirement funds. The robotic teachers will still demand a vacation from all the hard classroom duties but will be satisfied with a day off to be recharged.

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