Gunner wrote:
On Sun, 06 Aug 2006 11:00:43 GMT, Glen wrote:


F. George McDuffee wrote:

On 5 Aug 2006 07:27:58 -0700, "Too_Many_Tools"
wrote:



SNIP

In

addition to creating a generation that has no knowledge of how
things work, the abolition of the vocational classes has lead to
a huge upsurge in male dropouts who were attending school only
for the vocational classes.


SNIP

Oh my God! Does this mean all my woodshop classes for next year
(2006-07) at the high school where I teach have been dropped? Does this
mean I am now out of work? Are my fellow IA teachers who teach masonry,
auto shop and computer repair also out of work? Do we now hold our
department meetings at the unemployment office?

The scenario you present might be true in some places, but not in all.
I have been asked (along with a few of my cohorts)to work on a funding
grant to expand our vocational offerings in our school, and maybe the
district as a whole.

Glen


The school that has any sort of shop class..is the exception, rather
than the rule. And not just in California where I live.

Gunner

I, too, live and work in SoCal, and you are correct in saying that VocEd
is the exception rather than the rule, but I merely wanted to point out
that there are some good VocEd programs out there, and some are growing
and flourishing. There is such a demand for our Wood classes that
sessions of Wood are offered after regular school hours, and the Masonry
and Auto classes are filled to capacity with many more wanting the
classes than there is room for students.

In response to another gentleman's comments later on, our principal is
nearing retirement (as am I), but our three previous principals were
also devoted to VocEd. We will have a new superintendent next year, and
I hope that this individual has the same commitment as the previous super.

As a side note, the community college near where I live (I don't know
much about the CC near to my job) has an excellent Wood program, even
periodically offerring a guiter building class.

Glen