That could work

Grading atm, can confirm that Joe Sixpack is terrible at calculus. He should lay off the beers and hit the books.

Joking aside, I'll go a bit further than Clovis.

I would agree that a lot of the issue comes from inadequate high school education, and improving that should be a place where much energy and money are focused. But at the end of the day, if I had to assess my failing students, I would say just under half lack any kind of mathematical ability, e.g. they struggle with concepts that even a mathematically competent small child grasps.

The idea of such a student going on to a successful STEM career, as many of them intend to, seems highly unreasonable to me. And that's fine! I think one thing that could be done is to channel people ealier at younger ages into courses that fit better with their skill set and interests.

These 45-year-old coal miners with limited/outdated skillsets didn't materialize out of the ether last week. Even after qualifying a subset of them and other industry workers similarly displaced--some people are at capacity trying to get by and shouldn't be overlooked--there tends to be a lot of foregone opportunity for self-improvement.

I don't mean that anybody can become a neurosurgeon with pure hard work or that tired bootstraps argument. I'm talking about people doing the extra pro development things that set you apart from those who pretend that showing up to a job for X years amounts to something special, or think that bachelors degree someone handed them back in 1994 is more than a footnote to anyone looking at their resume today.

This is total nonsense.

I don't know why we're limiting it to 50-year-olds, but presumably they have kids and they want those kids to have a better shot at life and telling them that their kids probably just aren't destined to get an education because not everyone is cut out for college seems dismissive and insulting.

Anyone can read at a 12th grade level. First you learn to read stuff at a 1st grade level, then 2nd grade level, etc. Same with calculus or any other reasonably difficult skill to learn.

Finite life span. Imperfect memory.

One solution is not going to solve all of society's problems. That's no reason to toss it aside. The real question is, is the marginal benefit worth the marginal cost of implementing the solution (in this case, increased taxes on the very wealthy to pay for universal education). You could also take into account the opportunity cost of not doing so and letting other countries take all those advanced high-paying jobs. But judging a single solution against "will it solve every problem in America" doesn't make much sense to me. By that standard no solution is worth even attempting.

No it's not. My point is given a random baby they can learn calculus.

I know let's of relatively dumb people with college degrees so that some are pretending it is too much of a burden to educate the majority of people is just wrong.

I don't agree with the calculus comment either as far as anyone learning it, as it requires logical and abstract thinking which is more difficult for some than others - I think you also need to qualify "learning" here as there's a difference between understanding on a conceptual/applied level and someone with a minimal grip and some formulae that will get them through a class at 70%.

Either way, pure lack of aptitude is a lot less common than people pretend it is. I won't rant on it again today but there's definitely a pervasive "I'm not a math person, lol" excuse culture in the US.

awval-
You have an easier job than the ****ing fast food worker, and you're ****ing terrible at lying.

You voted for Trump because you're a huge racist, and you're happy with Trump because that's the one promise he hasn't broken from his campaign.

I know they aren't illiterate, but they are steeped in derpy right-wing talking points that aren't going away. Maybe your pitch will work. But I fear the depressing truth is that they will see government action as a liberal assault on job creators.

Why do we want everybody to learn calculus?

4-day work week would create jobs.

This might be the king of all strawmen. The Straw King.

BEHOLD THE STRAW KING

I think a big problem with these not "everyone" is destined for college, "everyone" can learn calculus, etc. arguments are some people are using everyone literally (i.e. 100%) and others are using it in a more casual sense where they actually mean almost everyone.

If every instance of "everyone" were changed to "almost everyone" in the last few pages, there would be very little argument.

People are just using calculus as an example of a skill that most people could reasonably learn given the time and effort.

Sure, and the way you just said it is like the least controversial thing ever. The problem is that some people insert "everyone" where you said "most people", others interpret the "everyone" literally, and we end up with a fairly silly derail.

LOL fly. Come on with the personal attacks.

Oh jeez did I trigger the special snowflake?


You don't give a **** about poor people, or Mexicans, or anyone but yourself, dude. People aren't required to humor your bull****.

Let me put it this way:

At the end of the day, not everyone is destined to be able to hold political opinions. If someone didn't receive the necessary education, well, there we are. They pick their candidates based on a toxic stew of white male resentment, and the rest of us have to deal with the consequences.

Yea you are triggering me comparing my profession and career to a fast food worker.

Fly that's the point I'm trying to make re:trade

You may laugh at those white coal miners. They elected Trump. To fix it. If it's not fixable, 46 will be worse.

Overflowing with empathy for the working class, as always.


This is what I'm talking about how you're a bad liar. You can't stick to the script because you get your feelings hurt by disagreement.

YOU VOTED FOR HIM.

And also, again, this is something I'm not surprised you don't get with your educationally deficient background, but coal workers didn't elect Trump. West Virginia was not a swing state. Retirees and suburban dads elected Trump.