As for the studies you so arrogantly assumed I didn't have....try "Does Money Matter" from the Brookings Institution. Also you might want to read Berliner and Biddle 1995, Hanushek and Rivkin 1997, National Commission on the High School Senior Year 2001, The Rise of Teachers’ Unions by Peltzman 1993. These reports focused on two explanations that have shown how the balance of political power has shifted in schools over the past four decades: the centralization of funding and the rise of teachers’ unions.

#6 – Back in the good ole days of the 30’s – 60’s that you reminisce about, children did not spend their free time watching TV or playing video games. They would spend the evenings at home with their parents reading, talking and working on homework together. The biggest change that has happened over the years to affect the education of our children has been the withdrawal of the parents from the process. Even you will have to admit that 50 years ago parents played a much larger and active role in their child’s education. And I do not count taking them to soccer practice and going to watch them play as taking an active role in their EDUCATION.

#2 – “teachers today only teach about half as much as teachers taught 40 years ago”. Can you please cite your source for this statement? NO you can not because it is BS that is only YOUR opinion.

#3 – “The kids then were better educated and better prepared.” Yes you are right. That is why we used to teach the 3 ‘R’s” when only 1 of the 3 words started with the letter R. That’s educated for ya!

#4 – “in the 1930's through the 60's” …. “teachers then found the time to teach Math, … Science, History”. The world experienced more “history” and “scientific” advances in the nearly 50 years since the 60’s than it had in the 200 years prior to it. This is one more reason why year round instruction is needed.

You MUST be a teacher....they are ALWAYS the first to blame parents for their failure. The fact is....teachers today only teach about half as much as teachers tought 40 years ago. The kids then were better educated and better prepared. An 8th grader in the 1930's through the 60's learned math that is only tought in the 11th and 12th today. Why is that? Why is it that teachers then found the time to teach Math (to include algebra, trig, and calculus), Science, History (to include World and American), English & Literature, Music, Art and Geography to each grade? Ever seen the test students HAD to pass to move on to the 10th grade? I dare say the majority of 12th graders couldn't pass it today. Why is that? Poor teachers...BULL!!! They should try doing the job they are paid to do!!!

Burn out is an excuse, These same kids that are claiming burn out do NOT seem to get “BURNED OUT” on playing the Xbox, PS2 or Wii programs 24/7 365. So what gives? How many adults do you see becoming “burned out” & dropping out of the workforce? These drop-outs are the older students that should have been prepared to enter a 40 hour a week workforce long before they reach the age that they are dropping out!

Also STOP blaming the teachers & the unions. It is the parents that have no interaction or part in their child’s lives that need to shoulder the blame for the condition of our schools today. They set them in front of some form of electronic babysitting & then wonder why JR. has no social skills, no work ethics & no problem solving skills. Then when the school employees try to discipline & teach them it’s these same parents that now want to take a role & stand in defense of their little darlings.

As for this "retention" thing. Do you think these kids are mentally defective? I mean you must, because you seem to think they can't remember anything. And if what you say about "having to re-teach lessons" is true....then the teachers didn't do their job in the first place, or they wouldn't have forgotten so easily, now would they?

30 or 40 years ago we were (as a nation) on top in education. We didn't have year around schools, we could read, write, and were prepared for secondary education. Whats changed? Teacher's Unions is what. Get them off their lazy a s s e s and you'll see a

Kids are much more resilient than most adults and they would adjust and make the new schedule work for them. Vacations, trips, camps would just be rescheduled to fit the schools. What’s the big deal?

I do not think that it is the governments or the school systems responsibility to put a schedule in place to allow children to visit their other parents for 7 weeks at a time. It was these parents whose choices and actions made these trips a necessity and thus it is their responsibility to work out visitation and to pay for the travel.

It is true that you are only a kid once, but those years are to prepare you to be an adult for the rest of your life. Quit coddling the kids and expect something out of them!

And why does everyone seem intent on mentioning Bible School? Isn't that what church and Sunday school is for? How much of this bible stuff does any kid need? You certainly don't need to be sending kids off to "camp" to learn about the bible.

Summer vacation? Why? They're not going to get a "summer vacation" once they enter the working world? Why humor them now, by thinking that they get a "break"?

As far as "be themselves", how in the heck is loitering around the mall being themselves? Admit it - all you people who cry about kids having their free time just drive them to the mall, dump them there, and pick them up 8 hours later.