ojai news at The Ojai Post :: blog, newspaper, events in Ojai, California

I read the article. It repeats the same findings that many before have reported in detail.

Back in the late forties, through the 50s into the sixties, schools through out the country had relatively homogeneous populations, particularly when compared to todays student body. Where the parents were of a common experience, of living with war, and the effects of military training instilling discipline and order. Also the back drop to this population is that a significant portion were still dependent on agriculture for their livelihood, or that many of their relatives were. Anyone who has worked on a ranch or farm for any length of time will attest, there is little time to be waisted, if you want to survive.

It's much easier to accomplish something when everyone is on the same page, or better, have similar values and a common experience, breeding familiarity and brotherhood, promulgating a common expectation from one, from all.

We don't have that now. Since the 60s, our society has changed. We are far more dynamic, diverse, divided and undisciplined. Our society has become over indulgent. Guilty of meeting wants without the temperament requisite of a mindful, unwanting, distilled character vetted by trial, by peers, or by family in repose.

Our schools have become a mirror of this poor state of being. Unions wanting, teachers wanting, untried school administrators pushing unwanted texts and experiments of thought, parents demanding rights while disavowing responsibility, all pushing for supposed equality but actually dumbing down the whole, for the few.

Where does it stop?

In your home.

Many are taking the step to pull out of america's public schools and leave them behind. They are so far gone, they can't possibly meet the needs of our kids while meeting the needs of so many insecure adults and outside interests. The effect of all these interests have dumbed down expectations and denied achievement to those who could excel. The ignorant/uneducated mother who's goal is a better education for her own, would do better to pull her child out of public school. Seek guidance from others already out there, and push herself and her child in reading, writing and arithmetic. She and her child will surpass those stuck in the public store rooms. Store rooms they are and have been for years.

Dana and Alyeska, do you know about Global Village School, here in Ojai? They share many of the same values you are describing. www.globalvillageschool.org

Thank you Heather for this site. In looking it up, I found another that list many other alternative school curriculum: www.educationrevolution.org/aero-member-schools.html of which you probably know of.

I've had trouble trying to find stats online concerning global village school. Their website itself doesn't give much on stats. Though there was allot on how you can fund them. I don't mind the funding info, we all have to pay bills, but wouldn't it be better for them to supply data that one can use to make a decision concerning choosing them over another school. But it does sounds very interesting in terms of curriculum.
------------------------------------------------
A fundamental of American Life is Change. Actually, that is true of any and all aspects of life. But in the States and Canada, change comes fast for we are a dynamic society. Change can blind side us for we are not always looking for it, because we are attending to our routines of life. When our routines are disrupted, as in violence at our public schools, on the buses that carry our kids, or at other, once before safe places for our children, from the ever encroaching culture of disrespect-disdain, we begin to take notice.

As a nation, most or us have our children in public school. Many of these schools are doing fine. But when this culture of disrespect and disdain enter in the equation of our children's lives, we are forced to make decisions in order to protect them. Institutions are the last to control change effectively. In the Philadelphia School system, a student can beat the hell out of teacher, nearly killing him and only be suspended from that school. If the student is found guilty in court and is punished, when that punishment is served, that student is allowed to go back to that same school as if nothing ever happened. I actually saw this happen last year when a beloved teacher, was beaten ruthlessly, and there were attempts to keep this kid out of the school, but law allows the kid to return.

Private schools don't have this problem. Yes they do have violence, but they have the ability to deal with this, and other problems more effectively. That is why Catholic schools are incredibly popular in Philadelphia.

The public school systems nation wide have to cater to too many interests to be effective at handling change. I've seen some districts go into a no tolerance enforcement that served no one. Kids being suspended for bringing an Ibuprofen in their back pack. It is as if we have lost the ability to use common sense in our approach to problem solving.

I like many others out there have many ideas on how to approach many of these problems, alas, we see over and over, those in control of the purse strings are not approachable nor do they have the same interest as those who depend on those disbursements.Which brings up how our schools are funded and some changes I would like to see made. But not now.

That is why I and many others in our attempt to be responsible parents, when necessary, simply pull our little ones from the miss-direction of our many public schools.

We as individuals, collectively make decisions that represent 'How We as a Nation, Care for our Children'. Education is but one dimension, but the paramount one, of how we care for our kids. Ojai is blessed with great public elementary schools that meet the needs of most of it's student body. But when they don't meet your needs, there are alternatives. Valley Oak Charter is but one, one that fit my family's needs for a time.

Dana and Alyeska,

I know some of the folks at GVS and I'd love to give them constructive feedback. What kind of stats are you looking for? What information did you not find that might be useful to you or to a prospective family? Thanks.

Thanks again Heather.

I always look for break downs as to how many are in all the grades. What scores have been achieved in the state mandated tests. What colleges are actively recruiting there upcoming graduates, or where the grads move onto. What if any distinguishing awards or affiliations they have. An actual course list.

Not all give up this information, but I think it's important. Some prefer that you call them, but when you are going through dozens of sites, who wants to make all those calls, but that is what you end up doing, for you want that info, that those sites leave out. I personally move on from sites that I see as power point sales pitches without pertinent facts, for that shows immediately what their priority is.(I'm not saying that of GVS)

It was by accident that I found that they are on Ledera RD. from another site, not theirs. BTW, Ledera is one of my favourite hills to run up.

Hi Dana and Alyeska,

I am a teacher and technical advisor at GVS. I agree that some of that information should be posted on the site (some of it is already there, but perhaps it is too difficult to find!). I think the there are three reasons why some of the statistics aren't there.

One, the numbers are constantly changing due to the nature of the school. Students enroll and graduate all year round, so it's not as simple as updating the numbers each September or June. The fact that they all work at their own paces within a certain framework complicates matters since students are moving from grade to grade at somewhat different rates.

Two, GVS is a small-ish non-profit organization (such that keeping stats updated on-line might not be the highest priority).

Three, I think most of the people involved with GVS are very passionate about the social justice focus of the school. Consequently, we spent a fair amount of time talking about our educational philosophies and the way the system works and perhaps not enought time on stats!

Let me give you some quick answers:

GVS is an online school - thus the reason for the P.O. Box instead of a street address.

GVS believes does not believe that standardized tests show anything useful about the real knowledge level of most children. GVS, like other CA private schools, is not required to administer these tests.

Thus far, 100% of the high school graduates have gone on to college. Usually there is around a 50-50 balance between K-8 and 9-12 students but this year I believe there are more K-8 students.

The curriculum descriptions for K-8: http://globalvillageschool.org/k8.html#CURRICULUM

The course list and course descriptions for 9-12: http://globalvillageschool.org/hs.html#top_of_curric

Thanks for the input. I'll ponder the logistics of updating stats on our site.

You're awesome Tanya for coming out as you did for your school. I really appreciate your response. It is true some sites are not so obvious as to how to navigate to get the information that is there, that you want, while others simply don't bother to post the information. Some of it is that it didn't seem important while creating the website(as with your focus on the social justice aspect). Others don't put in an update mechanism allowing for more current information(as may not be a priority for such a small school as yours). The worst one I've visited is the Philadelphia School Districts. They have stuff from 2005 and before still listed as current. I've tried to no avail for them to update their site, but like their approach to education, it's not a priority.

For parents such as myself, we appreciate having information beyond philosophy in helping make our decision in choosing a curriculum, a school, and for me it begins at the face of such organizations where generally first contact is made by me, at the website.

Again, thanks and I'll be tagging the links you provided.
Dana