This was mentioned by another person in an earlier post, but the Harlem Children's Zone is an example of what I am talking about. It is a charter school that caters to a specific neighborhood and the needs of those 100 blocks. It has been very successful. http://www.hcz.org/about-us/history

Who is running the local school board? How much of a say do the parents actually have? I've lived in districts where the local school board was almost hostile to parents voicing their concerns. I am not sure what the situation is here, but just because a "local school board" is in control does not ensure the parents are. It would be interesting to hear from someone who actually lives there.

I agree that this stereotype is applied to individuals far too often, but I am related through marriage to someone you could describe as a stereotypical "welfare queen." She even moved across state lines to get better benefits. I'm not sure how prevalent this type of behavior is, and I'm not trying to judge people on welfare, my point is that the stereotype of a "welfare queen" does exist for a reason, it was not created out of thin air or created merely due to bigottry. I would choose to label them something other than "welfare queens," but women like this really do exist.

High protein does not necessarily mean meat. Dairy has protein, beans, other sources are just as effective. And fat does not have to come from meat either, think butter and olive oil. It is true that activity is important as well, but we simply aren't planting fields by hand or threshing anymore. The amount of activity needed to burn a high number of carbs used to be built into daily life, where as now we have technology to do most of our daily labor. Since it is hard for us to get 6-8 hours of excercise a day, we need to reduce our carbs (not just grains and natural sugars, but processed sugar as well).

:iagree:

It sounds as though the monopoly will stay in tact, it will just be privately controlled, and so these families still have no real choices. The US spends more on education per student than any other country. If money were a solution, our tests scores would be the highest in the world.

I agree that the problem is not caused by instruction or curriculum, but instruction and curriculum can be part of the remedy. As ElizabethB explained above, these schools are not using intensive phonics, and it can be very successful in motivating kids to learn. They are already spending 40 hours a week in school, why not make sure they are learning to read? It can't hurt, it can only help.

The top down social programs and govt agencies work well in other socialist countries because they have a smaller population that is not as culturally diverse. The US has a large population that is too culturally diverse for a one size fits all solution. The individual school districts all have such vastly different needsm that is why local control by the parents is so important, and why we need to fix these systems so the parents have more control and are empowered and informed so they can fix the problems. Of course this is easier said than done, but a top down approach is exactly what has caused some of these issues.

Thanks for the input! Did you rinse the items out in the sink and then wash them in the washing machine? Any other tips to avoid a mess? Thanks again!

I am wanting to dye some cotton bath rugs, as well as some cotton shorts.

I am wondering how well this works, I've read the instructions but I'm still skeptical. Anyone had success with this, and if so have any tips or info I should be aware of before attempting?

They don't have access to adequate reading instruction and education if the literacy rate is only 15%. Reading remediation that includes direct phonics instruction has been effective in populations that are dealing with many of the problems we are talking about, such as in prisons. The type of "education" I am speaking of would include things like hygiene, nutrition, communication, general life skills. But how can you even tackle that if they can't read? ETA: I'm not saying the teachers are to blame for the "inadequate" instruction, I'm saying that most modern curriculum simply won't cut it for kids who are struggling, they need intesive phonics instruction. As a former teacher, I know that this simply is not how teachers are taught to teach themselves.

:iagree: I can't say it any better, so I'll just quote you. But, I'll also add the spirit of innovation. I realize this is not exclusive to the US, but the US medical system has given rise to some truly amazing medical innovations, technology, and treatments, without which three of my children would not be living today.

I used to work full time as a teacher, now I stay home. I am sad to hear the working moms feel judged, I see nothing wrong with working at all. I see the pros and cons to both situations. We do make sacrifices so I can stay home, but if my dh hadn't had a significant raise a few years back I would still be working. I was raised by a single working mother, so I know that working is a necessary sacrifice for some as well. I know that some women need to work for their sanity, I think this is totally valid. Some days I wish I was still working myself.

This looks great, the cookbook is on my Amazon list. Thanks! :)

I went to college 12 years ago, and though I was not in an "inner city" type of environment, the issues facing what you would consider "inner city" were well addressed in my classes. Those who go to work for an inner city school do have some idea what they are getting into, they are usually on a mission. They may not be able to anticipate how difficult it will be, but they are not as naive as your post implies. As ElizabethB's previous posts have explained, all children can be taught to read adequately, if not fluently, with intensive phonics instruction, no matter what their situation is. This is the type of instruction homeschoolers often take for granted, as they don't realize just how many schools use really terrible language arts curriculum, and many teachers haven't been exposed to any other methods other than "whole language." When we covered phonics in college, it was basically whole language instruction with a few spelling rules thrown in and called "phonics." It wasn't until I started working at a private school that implemented an intensive phonics program (Recipe for Reading, based on Orton- Gillingham) that I truly learned about phonics and could identify the differences between the two approaches. The kids at our school all excelled, even the ones who had been previously diagnosed with dyslexia. Once these kids start reading fluently and independently, they take off in all other areas. When kids enjoy reading and feel successful, they will be eager for more learning. The 3 R's can be taught to anyone, you just need the appropriate methods, which are not being used in these schools. Parents need to demand this type of education in the first place. However, the system makes it hard for parents to challenge the curriculum being used, they have removed parental control over what is taught. The whole system really is broken. ETA: These types of socio-economic problems are not only confined to the inner cities anymore. I lived in a small town (about 2500 people, mostly white) where the high school was a failing school. The drop out rate was very high, kids being expelled for drugs every month, and a community of parents who really didn't value education in the first place. The drug use in that county was a real problem, mostly presription drug abuse and meth. So many of these "white women" you are talking about have seen the challenges outside the inner city as well.

I have a similiar problem with smells, but it is from the previous owners dog. I have a small half bath that stinks like wet dog and urine if the door is shut for more than a few hours. I'm assuming it is where they put their dog when they were at work, poor animal. We also had the living room carpet replaced, we couldn't really afford it, but it was worth maxing out the Home Depot card, the smell was interfering with our children's learning. :tongue_smilie:

:seeya: I've been at home for 4 years, for the first 2 I had an at home business. I am really relishing only having to worry about the schooling and the housework, for now. I'm sure one day I will want to get back out there.

DH has a Masters in Chemical Engineering, he currently works as a process controls engineer for a large paper company.

Did you read my post? Impovershed, uneducated, drug addicted parents don't need pity, they need empowerment. Their children certainly do. That is why I advocated school vouchers, charter schools, and school choice programs, so these low income families CAN get away from failing public schools and send their kids to better public schools or private schools. My children attend the what I consider the best private school in town, but it is not the most expensive, we do not have much disposable income. And they attend school with many low income students who take advantage of scholarships. The private school I worked at also provided scholarships for many low income families, and we were also involved in community outreach and edcuation programs for families as well. The system needs to be changed to allow low income families more choices, and the added competition will improve the failing public schools. That is why the charter schools in Harlem have been so wildly successful. As for the doctor situation, I was once a single mother on medicaid, so I am not speaking from lack of compassion, I am speaking from experience. The government is not going to take proper care of anyone, the parents need to do it. Teachers can only do so much, and our children deserve much better. I wish people would read my entire posts before making condescending comments. It is that type of snarky attitude that prevents us from actually addressing the problem and helping these low income students.

Yes please!

I put a whole chicken in the crockpot with onion, carrots, and celery. We eat it with rice and the veggies from the pot. After we eat I use the bones and such to make stock in the crockpot, then I use the stock and leftover meat to make soup. I love chicken tortilla soup, but you could just use whatever is around that isn't too expensive. You could also roast a chicken for the same purpose.

Congrats!! Now you won't have to live with any regrets. I thought I was DONE after having four boys, but that changed and now I can't imagine life without my two baby girls. I have met plenty of older people who see our family tell me they wish they had more children, but I've yet to meet anyone tell me they wish they had had less!