Forward Looking Mansfield ISD?

[dboat]

http://www.onenewsnow.com/Education/Default.aspx?id=1291008

[Shiner1]

While I might agree that learning about different cultures and languages is forward looking and even educational, why limit it to a single culture? Let the students have the ability to learn about several different cultures or allow them to choose one.

I'm sure there are some kids who could give a rat's ass about the Arabic way of life and would be more interested in the chinese lifestyle or the hispanic lifestyle. Seems to me the latter of the two might even be useful given where we live!

Just my .2 though. Never been accused of looking forward.....:tex

[98Cobra]

If for no other reason than to have more people here that understand what they are saying - translating jihadist website, videos, etc - I think its a good thing. Much ado about nothing - I dont see them turning Mansfield schools into madrasahs. lol.

[Sixpipes]

So I guess Mansfield ISD will be offering Hebrew studies as well? :D

[dboat]

So I guess Mansfield ISD will be offering Hebrew studies as well? :D

maybe go halfway and learn Greek..

Dana

[SILVER2000SVT]

Looks like they backed out of the program after all the media attention. This is not the kind of thing one would expect out of a Texas school, especially Mansfield. If it were one of those on the Dallas side of town it would be less surprising, but Mansfield is typically considered more rural with conservative values.

[Moonshine]

I wouldn't have had a lot of heartburn about it except that it was mandatory for the elementary kids.

[BradOcean]

"What has the Arab world contributed except terror?" he exclaims. "The theocratic, repressive Arabic states do no significant science, no significant arts and culture."

xElevendy Billion!!!!

[98Cobra]

"What has the Arab world contributed except terror?" he exclaims. "The theocratic, repressive Arabic states do no significant science."

xElevendy Billion!!!!

Only in very recent years is that true. Their total contributions to medicine, science, geography, mathmatics, etc. are quite numerous. Here are some:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_Golden_Age#Sciences

As far as art and culture - those are totally subjective. By that argument, we are screwed too, unless you think Jersey Shore and all the other trash content we produce is a good thing.

[BradOcean]

By that argument, we are screwed too, unless you think Jersey Shore and all the other trash content we produce is a good thing.

I agree with that 100% as well. I dont mean to say that they have never given any contributions to humanity. Not trying to step on any toes.

[Sixpipes]

Only in very recent years is that true. Their total contributions to medicine, science, geography, mathmatics, etc. are quite numerous. Here are some:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_Golden_Age#Sciences

As far as art and culture - those are totally subjective. By that argument, we are screwed too, unless you think Jersey Shore and all the other trash content we produce is a good thing.

I think that is probably the most bogus Wikipedia entry I have ever read. No wonder the article has the following notice:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/f4/Ambox_content.png

This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Islamic_Golden_Age&action=edit) or discuss these issues on the talk page (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Islamic_Golden_Age).


Its neutrality (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Neutral_point_of_view) is disputed (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:NPOV_dispute). Tagged since April 2010.
It may contain an unpublished synthesis (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:SYN) of published material that conveys ideas not verifiable (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Verifiability) with the given sources. Please help add reliable sources (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Reliable_sources) about this topic. Tagged since April 2010.



I read a book recently by Rodney Stark called "The Victory of Reason" that is a historical account of science and technology among other things. A quote from the introduction of the book is as follows;

When Europeans first began to explore the globe, their greatest surprise was not the existence of the Western Hemisphere but the extent of their own technological superiority over the rest of the world. Not only were the proud Mayan, Inca, and Aztec nations helpless in the face of European intruders: so were the fabled civilizations of the East: China, India, and even Islam were backward by comparison with 16th century Europe. How had this happened? Why was it that although many civilizations had pursued alchemy, it lead to chemistry only in Europe? Why was it that for centuries, Europeans were the only ones possessed of eyeglasses, chimneys, reliable clocks, heavy cavalry, or a system of music notation? How had nations that had risen from barbarism and the rubble of fallen Rome so greatly surpassed the rest of the world?

A very good read... :cool:

[SILVER2000SVT]

The class was supposed to include studies of their culture and history. This would be all but impossible without including Islam into those discussions.

It's not like I have a problem with Islam, but if public schools aren't allowed to teach Christianity then they shouldn't be allowed to teach Islam either, much less make it mandatory.

[98Cobra]

I think the question is - what stopped their progress? So many factors to consider. Also important to consider that, just as today, technolgical advances were coming quickly in many areas, from shipbuilding to exploration, small arms, etc. One single invention can spawn 20 better ones, but you have to have that FIRST one. Maybe the other civilizations hadn't had theirs yet.

Also intriguing to me is that they may have considered everyone else backwards, yet they still thought you could sail off the end of the planet.

A little OT, but I read this bit in Time today. Maybe our kids should be thinking about this instead of Hebrew/Arabic/whatever.

http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,2048138-1,00.html

[Sixpipes]

Human reason is flawed. By the same inferences made in the Time article by this guy, there should be no such thing as Pi. That is, eventually, as Pi gets to have more and more digits, it will eventually end...and I think even computers (insert irony here) have determined that it does not. :icon_mrgreen:

[98Cobra]

See, I don't read it that way. I read it as, technology will continue to evolve even after we are gone. We don't know where it will end.

[Sixpipes]

And what about the pygmies in the rain forests of South America that don't have computers? They may be the only survivors. :cool:

[dboat]

And what about the pygmies in the rain forests of South America that don't have computers? They may be the only survivors. :cool:

They forgot to take one thing into consideration. That we are smart enough to not allow another creature to supercede us in this world. in other words, we will unplug the computer and not allow it to surpass us.

[Mark #2]

I am really hoping to see the aliens come back on 12.21.12.
http://www.satansrapture.com/maycal.htm

[BradOcean]

I do not believe in the machines taking over the world bit. They cannot exist without our constant supervision. Surpass us in knowledge and creativity they may, but machines will always need maintenance. Anyone who owns a car or truck knows that. Machines can’t take care of themselves. If you build a machine to maintain another machine, you would need a machine to maintain the maintainer. And so on and so on. It just doesn’t work.

[Sixpipes]

So there you have it...from Mansfield ISD all the way to the Amazon rain forest pygmies in one thread. :cool:

[dboat]

I do not believe in the machines taking over the world bit. They cannot exist without our constant supervision. Surpass us in knowledge and creativity they may, but machines will always need maintenance. Anyone who owns a car or truck knows that. Machines can’t take care of themselves. If you build a machine to maintain another machine, you would need a machine to maintain the maintainer. And so on and so on. It just doesn’t work.


Dude, didnt you watch the Terminator movies.. with Skynet.. they did it.:evil.

Dana

[BradOcean]

Dude, didnt you watch the Terminator movies.. with Skynet.. they did it.:evil.

Dana

I forgot about that!!! Wow i take it back. It IS possible....dun dun dah....

[98Cobra]

If you build a machine to maintain another machine, you would need a machine to maintain the maintainer. And so on and so on. It just doesn’t work.


Don't humans maintain themselves through medicine? We are complex machines ourselves...

[Sixpipes]

I have heard of this human maintenance thing before, but I can tell you for a fact that not all humans require maintenance. Just take a trip to the local Walmart and then tell me I'm wrong. :tex

[98Cobra]

True that. Some are better at it than others.

And some dont try at all!

[justplainkelly]

HA! Or just visit my 'place of business'...thinking some haven't seen a roll of TP in atleast a week. (speaking of human maintenance and all...) Wait...what was this poll about? :)

[Sixpipes]

I use to work at the Ada cement plant so I am very familiar with the culture in the PV area. What else should we expect from the "Noodling Capital" of Oklahoma? :icon_mrgreen:

[justplainkelly]

Dang! And I was planning to attend that event!!! What a great time I would have downing a cold one checking out all the 'hotties' PV has to offer!!!! :) Yeah, I'd have to agree that the gene pool here needs a good shock.