Stealth Taxes

Monday, January 31, 2005

The Post-Disptach's Monday editorial, Stealth Taxes, stated very eloquently what I have felt for so long. They succesfully point out the hidden costs of under-funding higher education and not taking care of the poor and less privileged.

Many Republican administrations, on both the federal and state levels, have brought us “trickle down” economics to the detriment of the majority. I say let’s try “trickle up” for once and reap the benefits that come when you take care of the health and education needs of the citizenry.

posted by suzyjax on 1/31/2005 09:54:00 AM > 0 comments

CEC slammed on 60 minutes!

Did you see the piece on 60 minutes last night (Sunday, 1/30) on so-called career colleges, specifically Career Education Corp (CEC)?

As a former CEC employee, I applauded the investigation into career colleges. I was in a position to occasionally proctor the so-called "entrance exams" and it was not uncommon to be asked to give someone additional time (above the guidelines for the test) or leniency in grading. As someone of strong moral character, as well as one who can identify with the type of student these schools attract, I could not in good conscious meet the admissions staff requests to “cheat” on these tests.

However, I do believe that the instructors truly care about providing a good education, even though they struggle with the lack of college-quality material turned in by the students. And, I also believe that the placement people are truly trying to place the people in good jobs. However, a bad economy in the past four years and the underlying fact that some of these students should not have been in the programs in the first place making their job a near-impossible task. All problems stem from admissions.

Thank you to CBS News for bringing this to the attention of the public. Hopefully if government will not take action, students will learn they need to investigate on their own—go to prospective employers in their field and find out where they think the best education can be received. There is a problem when education is "for profit" and probably a deeper problem when the company is publicly traded. Can you really do what's best for the students and the stockholders at the same time? Obviously not in some of these cases.


Note: They missed it on the Washington-connection. If I am not mistaken, Nick Glakas is brother-in-law to former CIA Director Tenet. That’s about as inside as one could get.

posted by suzyjax on 1/31/2005 09:45:00 AM > 0 comments

Blunt Trauma

Saturday, January 29, 2005

Interesting editorial in yesterday's Post-Dispatch on Governor Blunts budget proposals in his State of the State address. I always wonder why some folks in my family call themselves Repbulicans. Well, here is how their vote is hitting home:

1) My great-Aunt, who is so poor she can't even afford the dirt to call herself dirt poor will be kicked off Medicaid. The woman is in assisted living. My mother and her siblings have been considering a nursing home. I guess that is out of the question now. But, what do you do? No one can afford a nurse to take care of her.

2) Department of Mental Health will be cutting about 1000 FTE positions. So, I may not have a job come next fiscal year.

3) For those of us who do keep our jobs, we have been promised a 1% increase. (We will try not to spend that all in one place!)

This is just the direct immediate impact on my family. What about families with small children? What about that mother who only makes $90 week? What is she to do when she gets sick.

posted by suzyjax on 1/29/2005 01:28:00 PM > 0 comments

Intro to Classroom Teaching

I thought I would add some comments on each of my classes this semester. I know I will like this course. It mainly consists of classroom observation at the elementary, middle and high school levels.

Only bad part: we have to teach a Junior Achievement thing to the elementary students. This sucks because 1) why do I want to promote becoming Corporate Bastards to these children and 2) I do not plan to teach elementary so this is a moot activity.

The syllabus would tend to send on screaming from the classroom. It must have been 40 pages front and back. Lot's of rubrics and other stuff about class assignements. The syllabus itself was maybe 8 pages.

We do have a research paper due in this class. I plan to do mine on differentiated learning. I have already started to pull books and articles. I know that makes me sound organized, but I should be working on that instead of blogging, right? So, not so organized right?

The teacher should be good. She worked as a public school teacher for 30+ years. Though she seems to get into a story and you almost forget what the point was. But, this is good because she is giving us real-life examples of the particular topic.

posted by suzyjax on 1/29/2005 01:11:00 PM > 0 comments

My list for 2005 part 1

1. Start student NEA chapter at school

2. Maintain my GPA

3. Finish painting my bedroom

4. Re-organize/redecorate the basement

5. Read 2 books on my “books to read list”. I know, I know two doesn’t sound like much, but with school 2 leisure books is a lot!

6. Get red car paid off

7. Find scholarships for 2005-2006 school year.

posted by suzyjax on 1/29/2005 01:10:00 PM > 0 comments

Are resolutions really necessary?

Friday, January 07, 2005

I've never been a New Year's Resolution type of girl. I have usually made resolutions as part of my birthday, but not New Years. I find New Years is the best time to make lists.

I always suggest making a list of things you want to do. Things you want to do this year. Things you want to do before you die. Afterall, these things may give you cherished memories that isn't likely to come from the typical "I will diet and exercise NY Resolution".

Back in the day, I used to make a list of every man I had slept with. But, with time (friends are married or in committed relationships) these lists do not chanage.

So, my next post I hope to put in the things I would like to do in 2005. I will hopefully follow that one with a post on things I want to do before I die.

I think either resolutions and the "things to do" list make us a better person and help us set goals. I guess I just don't feel like I am cheating if it's just an item on a "to do" list.

posted by suzyjax on 1/07/2005 01:38:00 PM > 0 comments

Where have I been

Monday, January 03, 2005

Hmmm...I haven't posted in over 2 months. And there really is no excuse for the past two weeks since I have been out of school.

And still have another 2 weeks before school starts again (1/18). This is a nice break, but I wonder how hard it will be to get back into that school routine.

School last semester was tough, but I still maintained my 4.0. This upcoming semester will be different. I am taking a "teleweb" course--part television, part internet-based course. That is the big question mark course. It's science (biology) which is not one of my keen subjects. But, if I am going to go into Educational Technology I really should experience a different type of learning/class.

My other two classes are Intro to Education and History of Film. The former class requires a lot of papers (not a big deal). I really don't think that is a class with a lot of tests/exams. The other is History of Film, which is lecture one day and movie watching on the alternate day of the week.

I am also taking a Phys Ed class, but that is truly a blow-off class. I mean, how hard can it be to workout for 50 minutes every Tuesday and Thursday?

posted by suzyjax on 1/03/2005 06:59:00 AM > 0 comments

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