[speaker001:] Well, in the norman-, in a normal route of way we do things, how about the ladies go first?
[speaker002:] All righty [LAUGHTER]. Um, well, I, uh, have a four year old who will just be entering public school next year, so I'm really just starting to get involved in, uh, in what's out there and how they do things. Um, as far as the system as a whole, I really don't see a problem with it. I do see a problem with graduating people that, that can't read and are not, you know, productive in society or productive to themselves and, uh, I think that's the main problem at this point. How about yourself?
[speaker001:] All right. I 'm, live in Plano, Texas and, uh,
[speaker002:] Uh-huh.
[speaker001:] uh, today we're not even suppose to be in school because the, uh, the way the taxation and all that crap is, there really legally isn't any funding for the school systems in Texas today.
[speaker002:] Right.
[speaker001:] So, uh, I mean, when you, when you take, uh, uh, professionals and put them in situations, they have to make decisions based on money to fund public education, and they can't get their finger out of their ear long enough to, to get that major subject in line, something's wrong. So, I think here in Texas mainly that the, the, they're not serious, they're more serious about what the salary should be for senators than they are for what, how the level of education should be for children. I have a one year old so I'm not, I'm more opinionated about the observations than, than the true facts, but,
[speaker002:] Uh-huh.
[speaker001:] it's just a shame to me that, that the, our firemen, our policemen, and school teachers are the three least paid utilities, um, that have the biggest impact to our well-being.
[speaker002:] That's true.
[speaker001:] I have, I have a real issue with that. Um, I think that if from every year when they, when they pull in the, the, the, uh, test that the last three years, you know, ten, eleven, twelve year, uh, graders take, and, and then you see that their education is below the norm throughout of all fifty states. They're not saying that something's wrong with the educational system here in Texas, I have a real concern about that, um, as a matter of fact I'm very content to spend my daughter out of state to college in Virginia,
[speaker002:] Uh-huh.
[speaker001:] uh, verses having her go down here and not learn anything, and then, uh, so I'm, my opinion I think there's a big concern hope, hopefully the new, uh, education, secretary of education will do something to fix the problem but, uh, I don't know, they've got to quit worrying about, uh, the, uh, religious, uh, overtones in our textbooks and get on with teaching the product.
[speaker002:] Yeah, I think they get bogged down in a lot of small issues that people, you know, special interest groups can blow up,
[speaker001:] Uh-huh.
[speaker002:] and, uh, and not really get down to teaching what's important. Teaching these kids, you know, how really the basics is what it comes down to.
[speaker001:] Exactly. I was astonished to find out that, that across the United States in all public schools it is not mandatory for them to take phys ed.
[speaker002:] Is that right?
[speaker001:] Ha-, they don't even, a lot of the school systems don't even, uh, the kids nowadays don't even know what, what the president's fitness education program is all about,
[speaker002:] Huh.
[speaker001:] they don't have to do sit-ups and push-ups and all that crap we had to do when we were going to school.
[speaker002:] I remember.
[speaker001:] And, yeah, and, uh, I talked to a thirteen year old last night who 's, uh, goes to, uh, one of the Plano high schools or junior highs, I guess, and she said that she had a choice, she could either have taken tennis, or weight lifting so she choice to take weight lifting,
[speaker002:] [LAUGHTER].
[speaker001:] over the regular gym, I mean, give me a break, I mean, the kids sit there and they, and they drink cokes and eat popcorn for, for lunch {C and,
[speaker002:] And talk, yeah.
[speaker001:] then } go out there and lift weights and don't learn anything, it's just a real, I have a real problem with the whole system.
[speaker002:] Huh.
[speaker001:] They need to put some sternness back into the, into the teachers and let them be able to, uh, get the old whip out and get some discipline.
[speaker002:] Yeah, then it comes down to what you said before though about them being some of the lowest paid public, you know, public service,
[speaker001:] Uh-huh.
[speaker002:] employees that there are,
[speaker001:] I used to,
[speaker002:] and yet they're so important.
[speaker001:] I used to date a girl who taught English at ninth grade level.
[speaker002:] Uh-huh.
[speaker001:] I mean, I was absolutely flabbergasted at what, they wo-, what she was paid. True, she was young, you know, but still it's the principle.
[speaker002:] Right.
[speaker001:] Of course, if she got her Master's degree it would all be different. But, uh,
[speaker002:] Well, you know, it's hard though because then you start talking taxes and,
[speaker001:] Oh, taxes Lord forbi-,
[speaker002:] that's a bad word [LAUGHTER].
[speaker001:] Lord forbid, taxes. Goodness gracious, if we would, uh, plan our expressways a little better, that ten dollars for the bridges and the roads, we'd cut that in half and get some teachers we might have us a problem [LAUGHTER].
[speaker002:] [LAUGHTER] There's an idea.
[speaker001:] Maybe I should run for office, huh? [LAUGHTER].
[speaker002:] Run on that then, no income taxes in Texas, huh?
[speaker001:] That's true.
[speaker002:] I'm in Texas too, so,
[speaker001:] That's funny, that's funny. Well, that's about all I have here.
[speaker002:] Well me, too, I, uh, I think we both agree there's some problems there but,
[speaker001:] Yes, *one utt ma'am.
[speaker002:] we'll, maybe do our small part to fix them up.
[speaker001:] Surely. I've enjoyed it.
[speaker002:] All right, you too.
[speaker001:] Bye, bye.
[speaker002:] Bye.