The parental choice supporters over at South Carolinians for Responsible Government made a mistake …
In analyzing a new report on South Carolina’s graduation rate last week, the group concluded that “South Carolina has gained only 0.2 percent in its on-time graduation from the period from 1996 to 2001.”
Well, it turns out the organization was actually giving our worst-in-the-nation public school system too much credit, as a follow-up release from SCRG noted on Monday.
The pathetic 0.2 increase is an accurate figure, but that’s over the last decade – from 1996-2006 – not just a five-year snapshot.
Of course, there’s absolutely nothing to fear, right?
In the worst economic climate since the Great Depression, South Carolina is somehow spending more on public education than ever before, and in case that doesn’t work (duh, it doesn’t), the people charged with tracking academic achievement will just move the goalposts to make it look like more students and schools are making the grade.
And people wonder why the Palmetto State never gets anywhere!
WEB EXTRA
By Frank October 27, 2009 at 12:05 pm
Unreal that Rex is running for office again. Inez could atleast frame her failures with the mask of “steady improvement.”
Jim, on the other hand, is simply driving the schools into the ground and not clever enough to spin it well.
ANYONE will be an improvement – and more importantly, let’s hope to see some new faces in the district level sups!
By Trey October 27, 2009 at 1:31 pm
So, what would you do and how much would you spend? Why don’t you try and own something?
By Huhhh??? October 27, 2009 at 1:49 pm
…pulling in them big bucks from Howie Rich…while you badmouth your state as much as you can…great assist to economic development…maybe Boeing is reading you…they should know about the likes of you before they spend anymore money here and look dumber to you…they wouldn’t come here if they were smart, right?
By Mr. Ellipses October 27, 2009 at 2:37 pm
Huhhh???,
The word on the street is that your liberal use of my name is keep Boeing from relocating here.
Mr. Ellipses
By Scott October 27, 2009 at 2:48 pm
I’m sure Boeing and the other companies who are looking to locate in South Carolina are well aware of the problems with our public education system.
Absolutely incredible that HALF of our high schools are considered “drop out factories”.
By Todd October 27, 2009 at 2:53 pm
Trey, Huhhh???? Try having a child in Richland District 1. There are so many administrators and consultants, they run into each other in the halls. There are too great a percentage of teachers hanging around who do nothing and care less about helping children because they don’t have to be accountable to anyone anytime. There is zero common sense and focus on really teaching children.
By RedBank Bar October 27, 2009 at 2:54 pm
Yes sir, Mr. Rich. Sorry, Mr. Rich, I didn’t mean to break my nose against your arse.
By BLBarBob October 27, 2009 at 4:14 pm
I always thought we should have named the education
lottery “Dollars for Dummies” At least, it would
have been truth in advertising. Private or public,
education in SC stinks, has always stunk, and will
always continue to stink. Fighting for or against
vouchers/school choice/etc is a complete waste of
time and energy because we will always be at or near
the bottom (thank God for Mississippi).
By Laura October 27, 2009 at 4:22 pm
Don’t know about our school district, but can say Cheraw Primary & Cheraw Intermediate’s principals, teachers, & PTO leaders bend over backwards to do their jobs, & do it well.
If they did not have to spend so much time on discipline & answering to a handful of folks who think they should have free-running control of everything, there would be much improvement.
Where does a state’s or country’s ultimate failure begin & end, in education, economics, et al? With bozos in government & citizens who look the other way or don’t care.
Simply put, parents had best assure they do the extra at home if they want their kids to excel.
Much of our government, nationwide, statewide, & locally are loosing big time. All they care about is forgiveness, but more often, revenge. They’re not going to help.
By Liberty For Me October 27, 2009 at 4:30 pm
ooops wrong article….
By Earl Capps October 27, 2009 at 5:20 pm
It’s ok, RedBank. You can sue him. As much as he spends trying to buy elections, he probably wouldn’t notice the money anyway.
By BIN News Editorial Staff October 27, 2009 at 7:26 pm
sic(k) willie is puking up more of Howie’s voucher scam rhetoric. They feed him such manure. It stinks. Facts mean nothing to voucher clowns.
sic(k) willie and the voucher clown (singular, masculinish) at SC for irResponsible Voucher Scams know the real issues facing education in SC.
But they ignore the poverty and the (b)latent racism. They ignore the social ills that go along. They ignore the shameful “minimally adequate” standard set by our Legislature. They ignore funding issues.
They don’t care about fixing real problems.
They want to abandon public education (but only for those who can afford it). They know a voucher scam only hurts those who need help the most.
Voucher clowns have been exposed for that they are. That’s why the voucher scam is dead in SC. Jakie said so. And he means it!
BIN News Editorial Staff
Flair and Balanced
By Eric October 28, 2009 at 12:40 pm
I use to live in that building – on the 12th floor.
By Skidmarks October 29, 2009 at 10:15 am
If you factor in how many people get their HS diplomas through adult education classes, the figures for K-12 get even worse.