.

True. Very true.

....Hey, Ozzie.
Ozzie: Yes?
Me: You know Esmerelda right?
Ozzie: .......Yeeessss.... *suspicious glare*
Me: Guess what?

That, my dear, is a generalisation of profoundest proportions. Did you know that a lot of students who go to private schools are unable to make it through university?

Statistically speaking, in Australia, while non government students do much better than government students throughout high school in regards to better grades, lower retention rates and a greater proportion of students studying high status subjects, when it comes to uni, they end up failing because throughout their schooling career they've had constant support from teachers, encouragement from parents and pressure from other students to surge forward and do their best. However, in the case of further tertiary education, non government students cannot handle the self-motivated study that is expected in universities and end up falling behind and dropping out completely because there's no one sitting on their backs telling them to keep going.

And what with 83% of jobs (here in Australia at least) requiring some form of post year 10 qualification, it's clear to see why university is an important requirement in today's society. Especially when you consider the fact that we're and moving into a post-industrial era, as predicted be Daniel Bell, seeing as the mechanisation and automation of Primary and Secondary industry has shifted a large proportion of jobs to the Tertiary sector of the workforce, which overall requires higher education. But I digress. And the prolly went way over your head.

I'm a government school kid, and I turned out great. I have many friends who're just the same. It's not the type of school you go to, it's the background you come from that usually determines your future.

For instance, in the Meritocratic view of education, sociologists who argue this approach claim that some students do better in school than others because they're simply brighter, more hard-working and better motivated. Some kids are just stupid, while some kids are very smart. But this view claims that education is a 'level playing field', with everyone having an equal opportunity for educational succes. It doesn't account for socio economic obstacles that hinder certain classes, as well as gender and even ethnicities who are brought up with different values and lower expectations of themselves.

This is where the Social Class theory comes into play. This perspective focuses on how people from different classes in society can have different experiences and understandings of education, and how this can hinder or help a child in their future educational endeavors. Take, for instance, a family from a higher socio economic class. the parents would have gone to university to become doctors or lawyers or businessmen, thus gaining higher statuses within society, as well as an accumulation wealth and power (the fundamental basis of the apparent heirachy of social stratification). More often than not, they will attribute their incredible success to their schooling, and will thus encourage their children to take on a similar path. However, people from lower socio economic classes will regard education as a waste of time, more often than not because the educational system mucked them around a whole heap just because they didn't have enough money behind them or were unable to keep up with the other students.

Nevertheless, it isn't always about money. Indeed, parents who at least finish year twelve are better able to support their children and assist them with their education than parents who left school at year 10. This is one of the many aspects of the Deficit theories, which focus on how specific families can better prepare their children for school. So many things can be taken into account in this area - for instance! Studies at the University of Kansas show that children from lower socio economic classes hear fewer words (well over 1000 less) in thier infanthood than children from higher classes. And the words they DO hear are usually negative as opposed to positive reinforcement. Studies in Australia show that the amount of books within the household can be directly linked to a child's educational success. The more books a child is exposed to at a young age, the more likely they are to complete year 12.

There is also the factor known as 'cultural capital', wherein children who exposed to more worldy experiences (such as music lessons, visits to the musicals or stage productions, travelling and surrounding politics) will have a far greater arsenal of knowledge to take with them to school. And because the only ones who can afford this cultural capital are mainly people from higher socio economic classes, this enforces the 'gate-keeping' that disallows people from lower socio economic classes to do better in schools. Especially since the people with the money have more power as well, which thus leads the educational system to suit curriculum to their children's needs and interests as opposed to those who cannot afford to do so.

And while private schools are much more equipt to cater for individual student's needs, afford better facilities and offer a wider variety of subjects to suit each child, it isn't always the private schools that come out on top. Especially since, as I said before, a lot of students from private schools tend to drop out of University.

Having said all this, it isn't as though children from lower socio economic classes are doomed to forever remain in their wealthless, powerless and low status positions. There is such a thing as movement through classes, known as 'social mobility', whether it occurs within a lifetime (inter-generational movement) or throughout a series of generations (intra-generationa movement). But more often than not, the only way to do this is through education.

I will not sit by and let you blame public schools for ruining people. Some people just never had a chance. Others are just stupid and let little things like the shift to different schools change their educational success. If they were really that good in a private school, then they should have been just as good in a public school.

And thus, you have been lectured.

I'm just saying you can't stereotype every public school in the world as being some drug-f*cked hole full of idiots who can't count their fingers. If you were to move down here, for example, I'm sure you would be happy to invest in public education, because we have some really good schools down here. Admitedly, our curriculum isn't as intense as you North Americans, but we get through just fine.

It's no good being so closed minded about these things though. Not all Catholics are bad. Not all public school students are failures. Not all private school kids end up being successful.

Having said all that, my kids (if I ever feel like having them) would go to a private school. Why, you may ask? Because private school uniforms rock, that's why. 83

I think it's because we're comfortable with discussing these things, without fear of being shot down or hated. ^__^

OZZIE! What are your views on education?

Baby crocs are teh cuteness. 83

OZZIE! Baby crocs! Yes? No?

*nods...turns to Cale* STAY IN SCHOOL KIDLET! >8O

Cale: T____T

Also, Emily, I must say that I believe if we ever met in real life..... I'm sure we'd argue. A lot. I'm actually very opinionated and stubborn once I come out of my shell. XD That's where Cass gets it from, I guess ^^

If I ever went to Australia, I'd have to take my mom. Or else she would kill me in my sleep. ^^

..... Not really. But she wants to go there almost as badly as I do XD

That rhymed. It took over the meaning of the question B3

...Wait. No.

It didn't.

Coz I don't like poetry XD

Maria: 8D *loves poetry!*
Cass:......You're a freak Maria. -_____-
Maria: I know ^^

XD

OZZIE! Do you like poetry?

Ozzie: "Wings all a flutter, as trees bend and sway. The whistle of the wind brings new life today." You get the knack of making up poetry and rhyming when it comes down to spells. That particular one helps my air abilities garden. And torture Miss Xtream.

Emily: *tied to chair cringing and twitching in horror with blood spurting out of her ears*

*..........is also on the floor, twitching in pain* DX

SO! Ozzie! What's your favourite thing to garden?

Mairi: *shreiks* DAFFODILS!!!!! 8DDDDDDDD

Mairi: *eyes well up with tears* *in the softest voice she had ever produced-* Thank you.

Flowers? Mairi has ever been given any. *glares at Duck*

Duck: (B

Mairi: *glares at Duck* If he wasn't an adorable ferret who was acually an elf from another world, I'd totally choose him over you.

I'd love it if he was. XDDD

Read Tintin. T__T

Cassidy loves roses, Ozzie B3 Mainly coz of her mom, but either way ^^

Cass:.......You are such a suck-up. T____T

I know. B3

Ozzie: Ooh! Yay! I LOVE marshmellows! One of my favorite earth foods! Can we make S'mores?! Oh please please please say we can make S'mores! D8
 .....in the microwave though. The last time I made some my tail caught on fire. T___T

Here Mairi, I'll show you. B3

*takes two graham crackers, a couple marshmallows, and a chunck of chocolate* 83

*puts the marshmallows between the crackers with the chocolate* 8D

*puts the whole thing in the microwave for about..... 30 seconds or so* ^^

*pulls it out and hands the melted chocolatey, marshmallowy goodness to Mairi* \BD/

..............................D8

*cries a little*

Ozzie: How in the world could you NOT like S'mores?! I-It's in humane!

....
LolliPOPS or LoliCON?

Melvin: I'll kill you if I hear you say that again

.....
LOLICONLOLICONLOLICONLOLICON LOLICONLOLICONLOLICONLOLICON LOLICONLOLICONLOLICONLOLICON LOLICONLOLICONLOLICONLOLICON LOLICONLOLICONLOLICONLOLICON LOLICONLOLICONLOLICONLOLICON

Melvin: DKLSHDSAGFAKHKJ Dx

Isn't that the little girl Bumblebee hangs out with all the time in the newer Transformers show? 0_o


Lollipops. Suckers. Hard candy.


All three names are funny.

Ozzie: *comes out of other room with a truce of half the pancakes* Looks around. I heard the mention of Lolipops did I not? 8D
Ash: Here. *hands him lolipop*
Ozzie: *is about to pop it in his mouth when he sees Cale and tries to gie it too her.*
Cale:*seems to ignore him and then takes a quick glance at the candy* .........I'd need to brush my teeth afterwards. *takes it an pops it in her mouth as she walks off*
Ozzie: 8D
Avril: .......what was that? 0_o
Ozzie: *sniffles* Oh nothing. (,B

....That is so cute it makes me ILL.

Melvin: Well, it doesn't make YOU ill.
I'm just voicing his feelings until I don't have to anymore.

Melvin: .... ................ ............................You're very good at sounding mysterious when you want to.
I only learn from the best. 83 +Snuggles with a blanket with an image of Xellos Metallium on the front+