JimRT wrote on Aug 22, 2008 5:45 AM:I hate to be the first stone thrower, but, per your story - "Gibson said it upsets him to see companies importing programmers and technicians from other countries when schools in this country could prepare students for the same high-paying jobs.

"We have the intelligence here in America," he said. "We have the capability.""

What is the difference between importing from other countries and teaching kids of people that are from other countries (you know where I am going with this)?

Just wondering.

nice thought wrote on Aug 22, 2008 6:37 AM:doesn't hurt to try but somehow I have doubts this will actually go anywhere...

The saga continues wrote on Aug 22, 2008 8:00 AM:JimRT- No, Jimmy we don't know what you are talking about. Can you be explicit?
So lets just put it this way anyone that is not a Native American is a foreigner I guess we have to do a lot of exporting of white people.

By the way the chemicals are safely contained waiting for an inventory VUSD Business Director Donna Coppertone told us last night and waiting for an inventory.

I had to leave I couldn't stop laughing the meeting was a comical and full of emotions and some other stuff.....we all know whose face was red.

To JimRT wrote on Aug 22, 2008 4:59 PM:I believe that what Mr. Gibson was saying was that currently our Universities are graduating more foreign students in the fields of science engineering and technology than American citizens. Also, the numbers of US citizens with PhDs in these fields, Math included, has now dropped so low that Universities are having to hire professors from outside the US to come teach in American Universities. (Even the CTA News Magazine has covered these stats!!!). Basically, our schools (Public and Private) are producing such a low number of students ready, willing, and able to compete within these fields that we are now facing a crisis. Recently while at a National Defense Industrial Association luncheon, I hear RADM Bauchman (Commander Space and Naval Warfare Command) give the statistics concerning these areas of education. In a nutshell less than 70% of University Freshmen seats available in these fields are filled by Americans due to their inability to qualify. More than 60% of all entering Freshmen require remedial English and Math (i.e. they are not prepared for University level work, but qualified because of rules allowing the top performers from local schools to be accepted in to the University). Of those Freshmen who start in these programs more than half dropout their first year and less than 30% actually complete the degree. Less than 10% of those go on for Advanced degrees in these fields. But, we have an over abundance of Liberal Studies Majors and (believe it or not) teachers qualified to teach general education. But, Science and Math: Forget it!
So, we need to start turning the tables somewhere, and that somewhere is in the K-12 system. Again I heard the RADM state, "we have to get to the kids before the 5th grade and get them excited about Science and Math. If we haven't got them by then their chances are greatly diminished!"

So, I have to agree with you that there really isn’t a big difference as to where the child comes from, family wise that is. It is our responsibility as Americans to ensure ALL children in our Public Schools are well prepared to survive in our society and NOT by living off the Government handouts! We MUST break the chain!

Whats Happening Here wrote on Aug 24, 2008 12:17 PM:Don't the new Dual Magnet High Schools at a $100 million price tag feature a media, communications and arts theme for one school, and an applied science and technology theme for the other? Will this problem draw off students from the magnets so they can be converted to a comprehensive school, as many have thought was the plan all along?

To Whats Happening... wrote on Aug 24, 2008 8:23 PM:So far the Dual magnets are not open, and at the present rate of construction (or should I say lack thereof), the Dual Magnet will not open until 2010 (if then). So, this program (not problem) will hopefully start sooner. It will aslo focus on preparing students for the job market whereas the Dual magnet is to prepare students to continue on to univeristy for futher tech training.
As for the Dual magnet becoming a Comprehensive High School: Not without at least another $40M of renovation to complete the structures, plus whatever it will end upcosting to build a stadium and teh rest of teh ports facilities needed for a Comprehensive High School. By that time our enrollment will probably be so small that the school will have to be sold to Bonsall for them to use as their new High School (or at least one of teh Duals).