Over at Spunky's Place

Check out todays blog over at Spunky's. This is incredible to me, but not in the good way. She is referring to the new system they are implementing in Florida (she does a great job explaining the impact of such a plan). They are wanting students to pick majors at 13 years old.

"That's because Florida's eighth-grade students, including more than 13,000 in Palm Beach County, will be the first in the country who must select high school majors. The statewide majors are a provision of Gov. Jeb Bush's "A-plus-plus" plan designed to make Florida schools more relevant to children.

More than 50 of the state's 138 "major areas of interest" will be available to Palm Beach County students, from the academic, such as social studies and science, to the more technical and career-oriented, such as assistant automotive detailing specialist.

"This is intended to be a career plan to help them better engage in making plans for their future," said Elizabeth Decker, director of the school district's department of K-12 curriculum, adult and community education."

Now think about that for a minute. Thirteen and having the pressure to try and pick what you want to be. How many college students do you know (or you yourself) actually knew what they wanted when they went to college for crying out loud... and how many changed majors once they were in there?

"As long as we encourage students to think about it and let them know they have choices, and as long as we keep it flexible, I don't think it will do too much damage." (School board member Sandra Richmond)

Um, too much damage, the fact that it was even WRITTEN down leaves a metallicy bad taste in my mouth. Serioulsy, I think blood is going to shoot out of my nose.

"Regular high schools each offer about a dozen or more of the majors, while charters and alternative schools offer far fewer. The school board must approve the list of programs each year. More than 80 state-approved majors will not be offered in the county, including salon services assistant, library media and florist assistant."

So you're going to offer stuff... but not very much. Great! You want them to pick from a short list! Brilliant!

To read the article in its entirety... 8th-graders face major decision

My question to you, dear readers, is where is the money going to come from to fund this new project? Who is going to teach these different specialties... Coach Jones who is only teaching AP History because he has to teach a subject in order to coach? Or are you going to go out and find professionals to teach? Are you going to have to pay them more to come to do this sort of thing? My guess is that they are going to be robbing from programs that are already in place... Art, Band, Theater, Choir (let's be real, they won't steal from sports). I'm just spectulating here! These above electives are very important... these are special outlets for kids that don't always fit into their 'career plan', but are very important on so many levels.

Where does that leave the dreamer... the next inventor... the next amazing performer... the next artist that colors our world?

This article alone proves to me that there is an agenda in the school system. The government is trying to churn out little worker bees. Whatever happened to the notion of doing something because you enjoyed, but at the end of the day it was only a job and your family was more important. With this new system we are telling kids that a job in a particular field and money are the most important things in life. What a sad thought.