Study: Blue States with Strong Teachers Unions Influence Have, for Some Reason, the Lowest Student Literacy Rates in the Nation

You know those teachers unions only care about the kids.

It's all about the kids, you know. When they shut down the schools for a year and a half so that teachers could sit at home on their asses and literally phone in their lessons, that was all for the kids, too.

Their lazy, greedy stance has resulted in the worst literacy rates in the nation.

Blue states with strong teachers' unions overwhelmingly have worse student literacy scores than Republican states where educators don't have as much say over policy, a shocking new analysis found.

This is a novel use of the word "shocking" I wasn't previously aware of.

At least eight of the ten states where students had the worst literacy scores were liberal strongholds with politically powerful teachers' unions, while just five were Republican and one was a swing state, a recent assessment from the Progressive Policy Institute (PPI) found.
New York -- where more than half of third- to fifth grade students failed their reading proficiency exams this year -- was among the worst-performing states, and also had some of the strongest teachers' unions.
The top-performing states, meanwhile, were overwhelmingly conservative and had less politically powerful unions -- of the 23 top-performing states, 13 were Republican majority and just 4 were Democratic hubs.
Even with the findings stretched out to the top 32 best-scoring states, a mere 7 were Democratic states and only four of them were ranked in the 25th percentile for teachers' union power, according to the Wall Street Journal.
...
And Canter's study found one overwhelming and shocking throughline -- the stronger the state's teachers' union the worse its student literacy scores were, results which did not exclusively follow party lines but strongly trended that way and often to the detriment of Democrats.
"Democrats, however, don't often ask me how to replicate Mississippi's success," Canter said. "They ask if it's possible at all, given the power of teachers' unions in their home states."
,,,
"We found a strong, negative correlation between the two -- the more powerful the unions, the fewer literacy policy principles the state had adopted," Canter said.

In New York state, they've decided they will just stop teaching students and, so parents won't know, they'll stop administering the Regents Exam, which tests for minimum educational achievement at graduation.

Not enough students from "different communities" were passing the minimum standards exam, while Asian students passed at a rate of 86% and white students at 87%.

So instead of solving the problem, or at least ameliorating it, they'll just destroy all records of their failure.

What is more shocking is that a board member of the Regents exam explains that asking black and Hispanic kids to pass a minimum-competency test is like... testing a fish to see if it can climb a tree. Fish can't climb trees, and therefore, she implies, black and Hispanic kids are just not capable of passing a minimum-standards test and should be excused from doing so.

But you're the Racists, Racists.

Neetu Arnold
@neetu_arnold
New York Regents member Felicia Thomas-Williams on why she thinks students shouldn't have to take Regents exams to graduate:
"You don't assess a fish on climbing a tree because fish can't climb trees"
Maybe asking a student to read or do math on a test is a little more reasonable than asking a fish to climb a tree?

New York Regents member Felicia Thomas-Williams on why she thinks students shouldn’t have to take Regents exams to graduate:

“You don’t assess a fish on climbing a tree because fish can’t climb trees”

Maybe asking a student to read or do math on a test is a little more… https://t.co/vfDFZPMBfX pic.twitter.com/FV8mVDjFSa
— Neetu Arnold (@neetu_arnold) September 15, 2026

You see, "local communities" have "different assessments" so...

Regent member Weinman Shorenstein was concerned about outcomes: “I’m unsure how you intend to determine comparability across local communities w/different assessments…” pic.twitter.com/Nnq3fOTFmG
— Neetu Arnold (@neetu_arnold) September 14, 2026

Posted by: Disinformation Expert Ace at 03:26 PM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 Blue states stink.

Posted by: Piper at September 17, 2026 03:26 PM (ZdaMQ)

2 "Study: Blue States with Strong Teachers Unions Influence Have, for Some Reason, the Lowest Student Literacy Rates in the Nation"

It's a mystery.

Posted by: Mister Scott (Formerly GWS) at September 17, 2026 03:26 PM (I43vL)

3 But in some good news, they discovered a new cat in Bolivia! A teeny, tiny leopard. I need one.

Posted by: Piper at September 17, 2026 03:28 PM (ZdaMQ)

4 Study: Blue States with Strong Teachers Unions Influence Have, for Some Reason, the Lowest Student Literacy Rates in the Nation
-----

We just need more money.

Posted by: The NEA at September 17, 2026 03:29 PM (XeU6L)

5
Or, as the left would put it,

WINNING!

Posted by: Auspex at September 17, 2026 03:29 PM (Y8DZL)

6 Not even teaching how to read Karl Marx's Das Kapital?

Posted by: Skip at September 17, 2026 03:29 PM (Ia/+0)

7 Ol' Chin Chin doesn't want her Asian kiddos' high marks diluted by the actual retards.

Posted by: Moops at September 17, 2026 03:30 PM (hyQrc)

8 Every now and then people dig up HS exams from 100 years ago and perhaps 10% of modern HS graduates could pass those exams.

Math...without a calculator?

Knowing history?

Knowing classic literature?

ALL RACISM

Posted by: 18-1 at September 17, 2026 03:30 PM (sKqQm)

9 "You don't assess a fish on climbing a tree because fish can't climb trees"

One might be tempted to ask why they allow fish to be enrolled in tree-climbing school in the first place.

Posted by: FeatherBlade at September 17, 2026 03:30 PM (vJrRc)

10 They hate tests because it exposes them.

My daughter goes to a public high school, and she was telling me she had a substitute with gay ribbons on, and pins about her pronouns etc. Very political in the classroom.

But good news, the substitute got hired full time.

Posted by: Leupold at September 17, 2026 03:30 PM (eIzlH)

11 I'm sure Randi Weingarten will be showing up shortly to disagree with your premise, Mr. O'Spades!

Vehemently! She shall disagree vehemently! Cower now, whilst you still can!

Posted by: Duncanthrax at September 17, 2026 03:30 PM (0sNs1)

12 We can't help it if you have stupid kids.

Posted by: A Educater at September 17, 2026 03:31 PM (MWfyi)

13 "At least eight of the ten states where students had the worst literacy scores were liberal strongholds with politically powerful teachers' unions, while just five were Republican and one was a swing state, a recent assessment from the Progressive Policy Institute (PPI) found."

Um, I'm going to guess that the "journalist" that wrote this graduated from a blue state -

Posted by: isolden at September 17, 2026 03:31 PM (dB99g)

14 Randi Weingarten for Secretary of Edication!

Posted by: Dirac_Delta at September 17, 2026 03:32 PM (m/MJs)

15 Neetu Arnold
@neetu_arnold
New York Regents member Felicia Thomas-Williams on why she thinks students shouldn't have to take Regents exams to graduate:

"You don't assess a fish on climbing a tree because fish can't climb trees"

Maybe asking a student to read or do math on a test is a little more reasonable than asking a fish to climb a tree?

_____________________________

Neetu Arnold needs to read more. There are, actually, a number of fish that can climb trees, including the Mangrove Killifish.

Posted by: Orson at September 17, 2026 03:32 PM (dIske)

16 "You don't assess a fish on climbing a tree because fish can't climb trees"
......

No, they ride bicycles.

Posted by: wth at September 17, 2026 03:32 PM (UjdFS)

17 I remember a few years ago watching election returns where the local republican rep unseated a long term democrat criminal. The whole bar where I was watching this was pretty happy with the results except for two big, fat black mamma jammas sitting at a corner table. They had the sadz and left quickly after the results came in, letting those close by knows they were unhappy.

As they rolled their fat asses out the door, someone mentioned they were government school teachers.

Posted by: Home School Your Children at September 17, 2026 03:32 PM (P4iUb)

18 "You don't assess a fish on climbing a tree because fish can't climb trees"

One might be tempted to ask why they allow fish to be enrolled in tree-climbing school in the first place.

Could you imagine sharing this meme with someone from 100 years ago? They'd think it was the most terrible indictment of certain groups of humanity imaginable. Well, except the racist/eugenicist groups that would agree fully.

Posted by: 18-1 at September 17, 2026 03:33 PM (sKqQm)

19 "They are a picture of a two tier system."

OK. You want to say out loud what the tiers are and why they are divided? I presume you're not implying that the teachers are racist, are you? So what is it?

Posted by: Oddbob at September 17, 2026 03:33 PM (vTZFs)

20 >>black and Hispanic kids are just not capable of passing

I am legitimately curious to learn what kind of test those kids *should* be expected to pass?

(Any ideas?)

Posted by: bob (moron inbobnitus) at September 17, 2026 03:33 PM (VUfCb)

21 Shoot! If not for the, um, Kids of Color the rate would be a solid ten points higher. Nothing to see here. Move along.

Posted by: Moops at September 17, 2026 03:33 PM (hyQrc)

22 But in some good news, they discovered a new cat in Bolivia! A teeny, tiny leopard. I need one.
Posted by: Piper at September 17, 2026

***
"Bolivia -- !?!"
( -- The Sundance Kid in disgust, surveying a Bolivian farmyard)

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at September 17, 2026 03:33 PM (wzUl9)

23 When I was a kid we pissed and moaned about those Regents'' exams non stop.

But I have the Regents' seal on my h.s. diploma. So I've got that going for me.

Posted by: San Franpsycho at September 17, 2026 03:33 PM (RIvkX)

24 I have found there are many 'fish' who long to, how you say, climb the tree.

Posted by: Paolo at September 17, 2026 03:33 PM (FnkYl)

25 I read the content or I would’ve been first

Posted by: Big Alfredo at September 17, 2026 03:34 PM (pWWHO)

26 Neetu Arnold
@neetu_arnold
New York Regents member Felicia Thomas-Williams on why she thinks students shouldn't have to take Regents exams to graduate:

"You don't assess a fish on climbing a tree because fish can't climb trees"

===

WUT??

Posted by: runner at September 17, 2026 03:34 PM (AKptf)

27 OK, so are we done with the "soft bigotry of low expectation" now and ready to move on to the brutal bigotry of "these people are just too dumb to learn?"

What exactly is this woman saying? She really needs to be forced to answer that.

Posted by: bob (moron inbobnitus) at September 17, 2026 03:34 PM (VUfCb)

28 Some of the faculty at my institution of higher learing have proposed that incoming students in the 2.00 to 2.99 GPA range not be required to submit SAT/ACT scores in order to be admitted.

Because nothing says "we support student success" by setting youth up to fail even harder, just so you can have enough warm bodies to keep your phoney-baloney job

Posted by: FeatherBlade at September 17, 2026 03:35 PM (vJrRc)

29 This is a sore spot to me.

I really fucking hate these people. I hate them because I think of the kids who she is telling that they can never succeed. They can never learn, they can never pass a test. So why try?

Everything these POS people do is harmful to kids but she doesn't care.

Posted by: bob (moron inbobnitus) at September 17, 2026 03:36 PM (VUfCb)

30 New York Regents member Felicia Thomas-Williams on why she thinks students shouldn't have to take Regents exams to graduate:

"You don't assess a fish on climbing a tree because fish can't climb trees"

===

WUT??
Posted by: runner

She is saying "These minority kids are so incapable of learning that they shouldn't have been in school in the first place"

Posted by: FeatherBlade at September 17, 2026 03:36 PM (vJrRc)

31 "At least eight of the ten states where students had the worst literacy scores were liberal strongholds with politically powerful teachers' unions, while just five were Republican and one was a swing state, a recent assessment from the Progressive Policy Institute (PPI) found."

Um, I'm going to guess that the "journalist" that wrote this graduated from a blue state -

Posted by: isolden at September 17, 2026 03:31 PM (dB99g)

At the very least lazy and incompetent, relying on an LLM to write and/or edit their article.

Posted by: Sjg at September 17, 2026 03:36 PM (i8HNq)

32 Blue states stink.
Posted by: Piper

On ice!
Posted by: Mel Brooks

Posted by: rickb223 at September 17, 2026 03:37 PM (Za/mt)

33 The only question is if this is correlation or causation.

Because Liberal States are more likely to have strong teacher's unions, so it would be the being a liberal state causes worse educational outcomes AND having a strong teacher's union.

OR, a strong teacher's union causes worse educational outcomes. It's hard to parse because they are almost always related.

Posted by: Formerly Virginian at September 17, 2026 03:38 PM (zjgNU)

34 Dollars = results.

Results = generational wealth for those in charge of orgs getting the dollars.

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, discovering British horror with Hammer Films at September 17, 2026 03:38 PM (RtL9D)

35 "At least eight of the ten states where students had the worst literacy scores were liberal strongholds with politically powerful teachers' unions, while just five were Republican and one was a swing state, a recent assessment from the Progressive Policy Institute (PPI) found."

Um, I'm going to guess that the "journalist" that wrote this graduated from a blue state -

Posted by: isolden

8+5+1=14. Um, the math ain't mathing if they're only counting to 10.

Posted by: rickb223 at September 17, 2026 03:38 PM (Za/mt)

36 Have Republicans "pounced" yet?

Posted by: Jim Rose at September 17, 2026 03:38 PM (miqrx)

37 If a Luddite like me knows that there are fish that can climb how come this genius regent with two last names doesn't know that? Somebody needs to assess her ass.

Posted by: fd at September 17, 2026 03:39 PM (MWfyi)

38 It's furry the children.

Posted by: ... at September 17, 2026 03:39 PM (kM43H)

39
To be fair, teachers in the 60's and 70's that I had, with few exceptions, were awful as well.

Learning was done at home at the kitchen table with mom instructing, or in the car with the old man ordering recitation of the multiplication tables.

Posted by: Auspex at September 17, 2026 03:39 PM (Y8DZL)

40 My daughter goes to a public high school, and she was telling me she had a substitute with gay ribbons on, and pins about her pronouns etc. Very political in the classroom.

But good news, the substitute got hired full time.
Posted by: Leupold at September 17, 2026 03:30 PM (eIzlH)

And yet, your daughter is still going to public school...

Posted by: Formerly Virginian at September 17, 2026 03:39 PM (zjgNU)

41 33 The only question is if this is correlation or causation.

Because Liberal States are more likely to have strong teacher's unions, so it would be the being a liberal state causes worse educational outcomes AND having a strong teacher's union.

OR, a strong teacher's union causes worse educational outcomes. It's hard to parse because they are almost always related.

Posted by: Formerly Virginian at September 17, 2026 03:38 PM (zjgNU)

======

Progressive organizations like teachers' unions use their political power to import and attract illegal immigrants who can't speak English and drag down testing scores.

Their problem is that they care too much.

We need to pay them more. They're heroes.

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, discovering British horror with Hammer Films at September 17, 2026 03:39 PM (RtL9D)

42 Blame that union thug Weingarten.

Posted by: Gmac-WTF did you think was going to happen? at September 17, 2026 03:39 PM (Q/FnY)

43 11 I'm sure Randi Weingarten will be showing up shortly to disagree with your premise, Mr. O'Spades!

and hopping around like she's got ants in her...

Posted by: zigggggy at September 17, 2026 03:39 PM (EDeJ/)

44 "When schoolchildren start paying union dues, that's when I'll start representing the interests of school children."
-Albert Shanker

Posted by: San Franpsycho at September 17, 2026 03:39 PM (RIvkX)

45 New York Regents member Felicia Thomas-Williams on why she thinks students shouldn't have to take Regents exams to graduate:

"You don't assess a fish on climbing a tree because fish can't climb trees"

===

WUT??
Posted by: runner

She is saying "These minority kids are so incapable of learning that they shouldn't have been in school in the first place"
Posted by: FeatherBlade

Left unsaid: They should be in the fields picking crops.

Posted by: rickb223 at September 17, 2026 03:40 PM (Za/mt)

46 Posted by: Piper at September 17, 2026 03:28 PM (ZdaMQ

That tiny leopard cat is adorable. I still wouldn't trust it though. My kitten grabs onto to my legs and start to bite, I have to say "NO!"'very loudly . I can't imagine what a wild cat would do.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at September 17, 2026 03:40 PM (JrHfD)

47 I'd prefer to shift funds from public education to prison construction.

Posted by: mr tmz at September 17, 2026 03:40 PM (rJ48h)

48 Felicia Thomas-Williams is a fu*king idiot. That has to be the stupidest thing I have read in a week. Maybe a month.

Posted by: Diogenes at September 17, 2026 03:40 PM (2WIwB)

49 48 Felicia Thomas-Williams is a fu*king idiot. That has to be the stupidest thing I have read in a week. Maybe a month.

Posted by: Diogenes at September 17, 2026 03:40 PM (2WIwB)

=====

And you've read my comments.

Damn...must be REAL bad.

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, discovering British horror with Hammer Films at September 17, 2026 03:40 PM (RtL9D)

50 Progressive organizations like teachers' unions use their political power to import and attract illegal immigrants who can't speak English and drag down testing scores.

Their problem is that they care too much.

We need to pay them more. They're heroes.

I was watching a video from a teacher that argued teachers are underpaid because some times she had to work more then 40h in a week.

And...I had to laugh. Not because she was annoyed at working more hours, trust me I can understand, but that she didn't realize that is NORMAL for white color jobs.

Posted by: 18-1 at September 17, 2026 03:41 PM (sKqQm)

51 This is a sore spot to me.

I really fucking hate these people. I hate them because I think of the kids who she is telling that they can never succeed. They can never learn, they can never pass a test. So why try?

Everything these POS people do is harmful to kids but she doesn't care.
Posted by: bob (moron inbobnitus) at September 17, 2026 03:36 PM (VUfCb)

Well, honestly, she might be telling the truth.

She and the school system have worked very hard to make sure these children can never succeed.

Posted by: Formerly Virginian at September 17, 2026 03:42 PM (zjgNU)

52 50 I was watching a video from a teacher that argued teachers are underpaid because some times she had to work more then 40h in a week.

And...I had to laugh. Not because she was annoyed at working more hours, trust me I can understand, but that she didn't realize that is NORMAL for white color jobs.

Posted by: 18-1 at September 17, 2026 03:41 PM (sKqQm)

=======

They want the laptop class lifestyle without the expectations of results or ability to get fired.

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, discovering British horror with Hammer Films at September 17, 2026 03:42 PM (RtL9D)

53 Ace, I'm disappointed you didn't drop-kick Illinois in your comments. We're the absolute worst!

Posted by: Smallish Bees at September 17, 2026 03:43 PM (8Q86n)

54
One might be tempted to ask why they allow fish to be enrolled in tree-climbing school in the first place.
Posted by: FeatherBlade at September 17, 2026 03:30 PM (vJrRc)

___________

They pay full tuition.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at September 17, 2026 03:43 PM (eRlcH)

55 53 Ace, I'm disappointed you didn't drop-kick Illinois in your comments. We're the absolute worst!

Posted by: Smallish Bees at September 17, 2026 03:43 PM (8Q86n)

=======

Are people from Indiana allowed to say that about Illinois?

Or is that a "only we can hate on ourselves" thing?

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, discovering British horror with Hammer Films at September 17, 2026 03:43 PM (RtL9D)

56 Maybe I am living in a simulation.

Posted by: No Name Today at September 17, 2026 03:43 PM (8mulE)

57 But in some good news, they discovered a new cat in Bolivia! A teeny, tiny leopard. I need one.
Posted by: Piper at September 17, 2026 03:28 PM (ZdaMQ)
---
Get a Bengal cat--they are distantly related to snow leopards and are adorable.

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at September 17, 2026 03:44 PM (FZ29D)

58 To be fair, NYC is like 75% non American. You can’t really expect 3rd world shithole children to be proficient in English or math. Same with California.

Posted by: Sandy Cocazio Ortez at September 17, 2026 03:44 PM (Bl+DZ)

59 OR, a strong teacher's union causes worse educational outcomes. It's hard to parse because they are almost always related.
Posted by: Formerly Virginian

---------

They will argue that they spend more and have bigger unions because they have more diverse student population, and more kids with special needs, and more ESL students.

They will claim that this is the cause of poor performance. That is why the recent Mississippi shift was so important -- they have a high population of minority kids, but they are doing much better with phonics than the patented "Professor Howard Hill Think Method of Reading."

But it is a lot deeper. The data is there for states like CA if they just analyzed it to find what schools do good, etc. but they don't want to expose their failure.

Posted by: bob (moron inbobnitus) at September 17, 2026 03:44 PM (VUfCb)

60 how come "we" never protest this sh*t? I don't care if folks have jobs, can't get away. They sure manage to show up in the thousands for BLM, gays, even a mom that slaughtered her babies hundreds show up...too Abstract an issue for people to protest? I mean, it's only your kids life...

Posted by: zigggggy at September 17, 2026 03:44 PM (EDeJ/)

61 I was watching a video from a teacher that argued teachers are underpaid because some times she had to work more then 40h in a week.

And...I had to laugh. Not because she was annoyed at working more hours, trust me I can understand, but that she didn't realize that is NORMAL for white color jobs.
Posted by: 18-1 at September 17, 2026 03:41 PM (sKqQm)

My favorite Norm MacDonald clip is a really poor quality recording of him riffing off the "Teachers are the REAL heroes" and a blue-haired (I assume) teacher trying to heckle him.

Really illustrated his quick wit and teachers' hubris in thinking they are the smartest person in the room. (And everyone else laughing at them because they're the stupidest and incapable of learning.)

Posted by: Formerly Virginian at September 17, 2026 03:44 PM (zjgNU)

62
100 years ago you could send stupid, illiterate children off to the mines and mills. Nowadays they're completely useless.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at September 17, 2026 03:44 PM (eRlcH)

63 A simulation of what

Posted by: ... at September 17, 2026 03:44 PM (kM43H)

64 But in some good news, they discovered a new cat in Bolivia! A teeny, tiny leopard. I need one.
Posted by: Piper at September 17, 2026

You already got a deadly tumor from your dog, and now you want to get a Bolivian cat? Who knows what pathogens that thing's got.

Posted by: Bulg at September 17, 2026 03:45 PM (77rzZ)

65 8+5+1=10. Damn that new math.

Posted by: JS at September 17, 2026 03:45 PM (l6eKM)

66 "You don't assess a fish on climbing a tree because fish can't climb trees"

BTW I think she is getting it from this meme I see on leftleaning forums regularly: https://tinyurl.com/3dvs4z6f

Of course it should be pointed out they are basically arguing non-white/asian kids are the fish here...

Posted by: 18-1 at September 17, 2026 03:45 PM (sKqQm)

67 46 Posted by: Piper at September 17, 2026 03:28 PM (ZdaMQ

That tiny leopard cat is adorable. I still wouldn't trust it though. My kitten grabs onto to my legs and start to bite, I have to say "NO!"'very loudly . I can't imagine what a wild cat would do.
Posted by: FenelonSpoke at September 17, 2026 03

I already have 2 Savannahs (African Serval hybrids, mine are theoretically 40ish percent serval). This one is way smaller than they are. What could it possibly do? 🤣😂🤣

Posted by: Piper at September 17, 2026 03:45 PM (ZdaMQ)

68 my favorite example of this is Oregon, my state.
Ranks in the bottom 5 in education
Ranks in the top 5 in spending per student.

Every election the teachers complain that they need more money and are paid too little and have to spend their own money for classroom supplies.

Every election the voters go "gosh, its for the children" and vote* for more money for schools.

And the teachers never seem to be paid enough and they still have to buy their own classroom supplies.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at September 17, 2026 03:46 PM (K32Fz)

69 58 To be fair, NYC is like 75% non American. You can’t really expect 3rd world shithole children to be proficient in English or math. Same with California.

Posted by: Sandy Cocazio Ortez at September 17, 2026 03:44 PM (Bl+DZ)

Didn't you see Stand and Deliver?

Posted by: zigggggy at September 17, 2026 03:46 PM (EDeJ/)

70 29 This is a sore spot to me.

I really fucking hate these people. I hate them because I think of the kids who she is telling that they can never succeed. They can never learn, they can never pass a test. So why try?

Everything these POS people do is harmful to kids but she doesn't care.
Posted by: bob (moron inbobnitus) at September 17, 2026 03:36 PM (VUfCb)

Sore spot for me, too. All kids can learn...and actively want to when they are young...

Posted by: Nova Local at September 17, 2026 03:46 PM (tOcjL)

71 Isn’t the Norm teacher joke something like all you need to teach 5th grade is a 6th grade education.

Posted by: Sandy Cocazio Ortez at September 17, 2026 03:46 PM (Bl+DZ)

72 "You don't assess a fish on climbing a tree because fish can't climb trees"

===

WUT??
Posted by: runner at September 17, 2026 03:34 PM (AKptf)
---------
Do you think she thought this up herself or did she hear it from someone else?

Posted by: beckster at September 17, 2026 03:46 PM (kX27y)

73 Education and public unions need to be banned, permanently. Public trials and executions of union leaders optional.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at September 17, 2026 03:47 PM (K32Fz)

74 Do you think she thought this up herself or did she hear it from someone else?

Its a meme, she didn't come up with it, see my link above

Posted by: 18-1 at September 17, 2026 03:47 PM (sKqQm)

75 Get a Bengal cat--they are distantly related to snow leopards and are adorable.

Piper has Savannahs!

I have a bengal. he IS adorable

which is good bc he is also A MENACE

Posted by: Black Orchid (j+aD2) at September 17, 2026 03:47 PM (j+aD2)

76 Isn’t the Norm teacher joke something like all you need to teach 5th grade is a 6th grade education.
Posted by: Sandy Cocazio Ortez at September 17, 2026 03:46 PM (Bl+DZ)

No, that's a small part of Norm's teacher jokes.

Posted by: Formerly Virginian at September 17, 2026 03:47 PM (zjgNU)

77 One might be tempted to ask why they allow fish to be enrolled in tree-climbing school in the first place.
Posted by: FeatherBlade at September 17, 2026 03:30 PM (vJrRc)

___________

They pay full tuition.
Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh

In elementary school, all the property owners are paying their tuition

Posted by: FeatherBlade at September 17, 2026 03:47 PM (vJrRc)

78 But in some good news, they discovered a new cat in Bolivia! A teeny, tiny leopard. I need one.
Posted by: Piper

We just had the thread about voting for the Leopards Eating People's Faces Party.

Posted by: mikeski at September 17, 2026 03:47 PM (VHUov)

79 62
100 years ago you could send stupid, illiterate children off to the mines and mills. Nowadays they're completely useless.
Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh

The world needs ditch diggers, too - Judge Smails

Posted by: Mr Aspirin Factory at September 17, 2026 03:47 PM (X0hVh)

80 66 BTW I think she is getting it from this meme I see on leftleaning forums regularly: https://tinyurl.com/3dvs4z6f

Of course it should be pointed out they are basically arguing non-white/asian kids are the fish here...

Posted by: 18-1 at September 17, 2026 03:45 PM (sKqQm)

======

Seems like it's an argument against the school system as currently conceived in total.

That teaching children like wannabe Prussian military officers leads to bad results, and that the interests most invested in the current system perpetuating are just out of frame, killing anyone who tries to teach the fish how to swim away from the current system, like a home school system.

But, I'm an illiterate asshole, so what do I know?

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, discovering British horror with Hammer Films at September 17, 2026 03:47 PM (RtL9D)

81
"You don't assess a fish on climbing a tree because fish can't climb trees"

She must be auditioning for the lyricist job for the old early 90s Fresno local band Chum and the Frenzy.

https://tinyurl.com/25aaf9km

Posted by: IllTemperedCur at September 17, 2026 03:48 PM (y9nCu)

82 And you've read my comments.

Damn...must be REAL bad.
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, discovering British horror with Hammer Films at September 17, 2026 03:40 PM (RtL9D)

Ha!
I actually though about adding a comment there but decided to let it go.

Posted by: Diogenes at September 17, 2026 03:48 PM (2WIwB)

83 Ace, you just don't understand.

It is the tremendous altruism of the teachers and their unions. They see the flaws in the schools, and grow their power and influence specifically to help...the children!

It just takes a long time to reverse the malign influence of the Republicans.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at September 17, 2026 03:48 PM (k5CNB)

84 Its a meme, she didn't come up with it, see my link above

I like how she demonstrated that she cannot understand metaphors

Posted by: Black Orchid (j+aD2) at September 17, 2026 03:48 PM (j+aD2)

85 Some of the faculty at my institution of higher learing have proposed that incoming students in the 2.00 to 2.99 GPA range not be required to submit SAT/ACT scores in order to be admitted.

Because nothing says "we support student success" by setting youth up to fail even harder, just so you can have enough warm bodies to keep your phoney-baloney job

Posted by: FeatherBlade at September 17, 2026 03:35 PM

I think that some people here don't understand what's going on with higher education. It's failing, the enrollment numbers are down and they have to try and prop up the numbers by whatever means they can.

university enrollment fell by over 7% last year after falling for previous two years. And projections have enrollment continuing to fall each and every year going forward.

Posted by: Mister Scott (Formerly GWS) at September 17, 2026 03:48 PM (I43vL)

86 What could it possibly do? 🤣😂🤣
Posted by: Piper

Give you a tumor...

Posted by: Bulg at September 17, 2026 03:48 PM (77rzZ)

87 Didn't you see Stand and Deliver?

I wonder if that could get made today.

Posted by: Oddbob at September 17, 2026 03:48 PM (vTZFs)

88 82 And you've read my comments.

Damn...must be REAL bad.
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, discovering British horror with Hammer Films at September 17, 2026 03:40 PM (RtL9D)

Ha!
I actually though about adding a comment there but decided to let it go.

Posted by: Diogenes at September 17, 2026 03:48 PM (2WIwB)

=======

Wouldn't do me any good.

I wouldn't be able to read it anyway.

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, discovering British horror with Hammer Films at September 17, 2026 03:48 PM (RtL9D)

89 Was the teacher Norm was arguing with a Professor of Logic?

Posted by: ... at September 17, 2026 03:48 PM (kM43H)

90 Everything I've seen out of the NEA indicates that their primary objective is to produce little zombie communists. If kids become well-read critical thinkers who can reason and be competent, that presents an obstacle to their objective.

Posted by: Emmie, celebrating 250 years of God's grace at September 17, 2026 03:48 PM (OlzlW)

91 You’ll be shocked to know that NY has some of the most stringent teacher licensing requirements in the country. You must get a masters degree and gain at least 100 credits of continuing education over every 5 year period to keep that license. You’ll also be shocked to know that the qualifying events, degrees and education to get that license have been dumbed down and reduced to shit, so that any monkey could get them.

That’s in addition to the idiots they’ve put on the NY Regents Board being dumber than a cardboard box and pedestrian racists.

Posted by: Vengeance at September 17, 2026 03:49 PM (PxIWo)

92 Abstract an issue for people to protest? I mean, it's only your kids life...
Posted by: zigggggy at September 17, 2026 03

Some of us have - by removing our children from it all together. I homeschool. Though I am not in a blue state, but I don’t know if public schools are great anywhere.

Posted by: Piper at September 17, 2026 03:49 PM (ZdaMQ)

93 Every election the teachers complain that they need more money and are paid too little and have to spend their own money for classroom supplies.

Every election the voters go "gosh, its for the children" and vote* for more money for schools.

—

You have described my county. Every 2 years some new bond measure f0r tHe ch1ldREn is put to the voters. Every 2 years it passes with 65-70%. And every 2.5 years people start to complain property taxes are too high.

Test scores? They never improve of course. But teachers get fat raises and that’s what really matters.

Posted by: Sandy Cocazio Ortez at September 17, 2026 03:49 PM (Bl+DZ)

94 I like how she demonstrated that she cannot understand metaphors

Posted by: Black Orchid (j+aD2) at September 17, 2026 03:48 PM (j+aD2)

Which is ironic because if you've ever been a feminist, then you've met a lot of fours.

Posted by: ... at September 17, 2026 03:49 PM (kM43H)

95 But, I'm an illiterate asshole, so what do I know?/i]

It becomes a motte and bailey argument

The motte is "the current school system doesn't do a good job of teaching kids to live in the modern world"

The bailey is "black kids can't learn white sh*t so stopping being racist and trying to make them"

Posted by: 18-1 at September 17, 2026 03:50 PM (sKqQm)

96 I'm not a cat person but we had a Maine coon cat, a hand me down from the Daughter, and that sucker was huge.. Lived to be 16

Posted by: It's me donna at September 17, 2026 03:50 PM (+gK6I)

97 piper tell me more about the little cat!

by the by my bengal at 5 years old is more mellow

he only breaks about 1 item per day now

Posted by: Black Orchid (j+aD2) at September 17, 2026 03:50 PM (j+aD2)

98 university enrollment fell by over 7% last year after falling for previous two years. And projections have enrollment continuing to fall each and every year going forward.
Posted by: Mister Scott (Formerly GWS)

Yep. But point out that maybe universities shouldn't have been so gung-ho about encouraging their co-eds to not breed, and people look like you've grown a second head.

Posted by: FeatherBlade at September 17, 2026 03:51 PM (vJrRc)

99 Posted by: Emmie, celebrating 250 years of God's grace at September 17, 2026 03:48 PM (OlzlW)

Funny thing is you don't even have to be able to reason. If you can so much as have your own thoughts, you are already a severe threat to the State.

Posted by: ... at September 17, 2026 03:51 PM (kM43H)

100 These cities get more money for students with special needs or ESL.

So they really want more of them (immigrants) for more cash, and low test scores is just not an issue -- why bother even testing.

I knew a woman (illegal) in NJ (15 years ago) who moved from NY for more benefits. She had kid with "learning problems." She got visits from social workers, special doctors, extra cash -- I swear there was an army of state workers for this woman's little retard. He was completely normal though, just a lazy thug.
The only relief to the taxpayer is when he graduates to crime and then we have to pay for his lawyers and jailers.
(Oh, the dad was amnestied and on disability (SSDI for ""bad""" back). He spent most of his time working in South America and only came to USA for the checks.)

The purpose of a system is what it does.

Posted by: bob (moron inbobnitus) at September 17, 2026 03:51 PM (VUfCb)

101 One thing that amazes me about cats...

Most want to be outdoors.

Where there are things that can and will kill them.

I live in the suburbs and their are coyotes in my neightborhood that will eat outdoors cats...

Posted by: 18-1 at September 17, 2026 03:51 PM (sKqQm)

102 And the teachers never seem to be paid enough and they still have to buy their own classroom supplies.
Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at September 17, 2026 03:46 PM (K32Fz)

Blue hair dye doesn't grow on trees, you know.

Posted by: hobbitopoly at September 17, 2026 03:52 PM (ZgwKJ)

103 98 university enrollment fell by over 7% last year after falling for previous two years. And projections have enrollment continuing to fall each and every year going forward.
Posted by: Mister Scott (Formerly GWS)

Yep. But point out that maybe universities shouldn't have been so gung-ho about encouraging their co-eds to not breed, and people look like you've grown a second head.

Posted by: FeatherBlade at September 17, 2026 03:51 PM (vJrRc)

=======

One of the top two most loyal Democrat demographics is college educated women.

And they've been shrinking as part of the electorate every cycle for like a decade.

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, discovering British horror with Hammer Films at September 17, 2026 03:52 PM (RtL9D)

104 If these fish can't climb trees, perhaps they can work the fields?

We could offer to provide them food and housing, in exchange, they would volunteer to plant and harvest the crops.

We'd even let them, in slow months, hire themselves out to neighbors for a little spending money.

Naturally, we'll have to have some sort of "overseer" to ensure they don't leave their free housing without permission and show up on time to plant and harvest.
But that would be all "voluntary" of course.

We'll call it Agri-Socialism.

Posted by: People's Hippo Voice at September 17, 2026 03:52 PM (3cUTc)

105 Its a meme, she didn't come up with it, see my link above
Posted by: 18-1 at September 17, 2026 03:47 PM (sKqQm)
----------
And guess what? Einstein did NOT say that, according to the internet. Figures.

Posted by: beckster at September 17, 2026 03:52 PM (kX27y)

106 I hate the teachers union, but I think most of these issues are just cultural. There's a certain segment of the population that probably just needs some sort of expedited public education and to just start working because they are never going to be scholars.

It used to be like 14 and you were figuring out a trade.

I know an immigrant and their kid is just doing online high school. probably saves the taxpayer a fortune.

Posted by: Leupold at September 17, 2026 03:52 PM (eIzlH)

107 99 Posted by: Emmie, celebrating 250 years of God's grace at September 17, 2026 03:48 PM (OlzlW)

Funny thing is you don't even have to be able to reason. If you can so much as have your own thoughts, you are already a severe threat to the State.
Posted by: ... at September 17, 2026 03:51 PM (kM43H)

I see you are also teaching your children Animal Farm this week...so many great messages and themes in that book...

Posted by: Nova Local at September 17, 2026 03:52 PM (tOcjL)

108 My wife, a public school teacher, will say matter of factly that public education is a Racket. Individual good involved teachers exist, of course, but the Racket does not encourage that. Everything for the Union, nothing against the Union.

Posted by: tubal at September 17, 2026 03:52 PM (Gqar8)

109 What could it possibly do? 🤣😂🤣
Posted by: Piper at September 17, 2026 03:45 PM (ZdaMQ)

A friend of mine had a housecat that literally went insane. Had to have it put down. They can do some serious damage if they are so inclined.

Posted by: No Name Today at September 17, 2026 03:52 PM (8mulE)

110 But teachers get fat raises and that’s what really matters.

Posted by: Sandy Cocazio Ortez at September 17, 2026 03:49 PM (Bl+DZ)

It's the administrators who get the fat raises.

Posted by: Emmie at September 17, 2026 03:53 PM (OlzlW)

111 NY has lost over 9% of its public schools population in the last 10 years. The smart people are getting their kids out. Those who remain are putting their kids on “special education” programs so they get an IEP or other situation that makes specific demands on the teacher and their time, which takes away from other students. On top of that you have the children of illegal immigrants, who to add insult to injury, don’t pay a dime in taxes, stealing resources from the children whose parents pay exorbitant taxes for the school budget.

Posted by: Vengeance at September 17, 2026 03:53 PM (PxIWo)

112
"You don't assess a fish on climbing a tree because fish can't climb trees"

This is the kind of enlightened stuff Masters Po and Kan would say to Kwai Chang Caine before he set off to the old west to kung fu some ass.

I'm sad you cis-normiewhities just don't seem to get it.

Posted by: Auspex at September 17, 2026 03:54 PM (Y8DZL)

113 I worked in the Higher Education Racket for many years. The professors and the administration were villains, almost completely.

Posted by: tubal at September 17, 2026 03:55 PM (Gqar8)

114 The secret sauce for public schools is teaching is a vocation, not a profession, comprised of young women practicing until they marry and have families of their own.

Posted by: Field Marshal Zhukov at September 17, 2026 03:55 PM (bX16E)

115 91 You’ll be shocked to know that NY has some of the most stringent teacher licensing requirements in the country. You must get a masters degree and gain at least 100 credits of continuing education over every 5 year period to keep that license. be fully indoctrinated in their cult of mo' money

Posted by: Vengeance

Posted by: bob (moron inbobnitus) at September 17, 2026 03:55 PM (VUfCb)

116 1 Blue states stink.
Posted by: Piper

Well, if you cherry pick, sure. My boys are doing just fine. Both to the right of me, voters, make more money than I do and good men.

This is a beautiful part of the country. I would not choose to live anywhere else.

There’s shitty people and shitty schools in every state. Even the red ones.

Posted by: nurse ratched at September 17, 2026 03:56 PM (W2Pud)

117 university enrollment fell by over 7% last year after falling for previous two years. And projections have enrollment continuing to fall each and every year going forward.

Posted by: Mister Scott (Formerly GWS) at September 17, 2026 03:48 PM (I43vL)

Thank God!

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at September 17, 2026 03:56 PM (k5CNB)

118 Shit, not underline, strikthrough. dammit.

Posted by: bob (moron inbobnitus) at September 17, 2026 03:56 PM (VUfCb)

119 a LOT of colleges in PA need to close

clearly York needs to close jeez louise

Posted by: Black Orchid (j+aD2) at September 17, 2026 03:56 PM (j+aD2)

120 3 But in some good news, they discovered a new cat in Bolivia! A teeny, tiny leopard. I need one.
Posted by: Piper at September 17, 2026 03:28 PM (ZdaMQ)

I watched a YouTube Short compilation of people giving affection to various big cats, and the comments were all, what, you can get a job hugging danger kitties? Why did no one tell me?! And then they were angrier over the follow-up revelation that those jobs typically require a degree in zoology or veterinary medicine than they were at the jobs mostly being about urine and feces.

Posted by: SciVo at September 17, 2026 03:56 PM (ke3zm)

121 >> You don't assess a fish on climbing a tree because fish can't climb trees"

You know, it eludes me at the moment why NY students have the worst outcomes of any in the nation.

Posted by: Vengeance at September 17, 2026 03:56 PM (PxIWo)

122 It's perfect that educators went for the Modern Authority route:

Origin of the QuoteMisattribution: The popular Quote Investigator research shows the exact origin is unknown, but it does not trace back to Einstein.

Earlier Analogies: Similar educational parables about judging animals by the wrong tasks have appeared in various forms and books for over a century.

Modern Popularity: The specific wording often circulates online, mistakenly paired with Einstein’s name to give the sentiment more authority.

Posted by: beckster at September 17, 2026 03:56 PM (kX27y)

123
A friend of mine had a housecat that literally went insane. Had to have it put down. They can do some serious damage if they are so inclined.
Posted by: No Name Today at September 17, 2026 03:52 PM (8mulE)

Mine our destructive. They are not for the feint of heart. But I love them so there is that.

Posted by: Piper at September 17, 2026 03:56 PM (ZdaMQ)

124 university enrollment fell by over 7% last year after falling for previous two years. And projections have enrollment continuing to fall each and every year going forward.
Posted by: Mister Scott (Formerly GWS)

This was known for the past 10 years. Simple numbers. People stopped having kids post 2008. There just aren’t enough kids to fill all the spots anymore it will get worse before it gets any better, if it ever does. GenZ is having even fewer kids than millennials at the same age.

I’ve seen predictions where 1/3 of all colleges will close in the next 10-15 years.

Posted by: Sandy Cocazio Ortez at September 17, 2026 03:56 PM (Bl+DZ)

125 In a town near mine they were having a budget debate. The town wanted a 25% increase in property taxes mostly for the school budget.

Someone looked and noted enrollment was down 1/3 over the last 10 years and noted that the school budget should be going down. So where was the increase in spending? Mostly administrators.

The school budget increase actually LOST. And...they didn't fire any teachers/close any schools. In fact as far as I can see they did...nothing.

The geniuses in the town though re-elected the same town officials all of whom supported the tax increase. Because their opponents were scary people with crazy ideas like uh, not raising taxes.

Posted by: 18-1 at September 17, 2026 03:57 PM (sKqQm)

126 124 This was known for the past 10 years. Simple numbers. People stopped having kids post 2008. There just aren’t enough kids to fill all the spots anymore it will get worse before it gets any better, if it ever does. GenZ is having even fewer kids than millennials at the same age.

I’ve seen predictions where 1/3 of all colleges will close in the next 10-15 years.

Posted by: Sandy Cocazio Ortez at September 17, 2026 03:56 PM (Bl+DZ)

========

American conservatives have maintained the same birthrate since the early 90s, roughly 2.1.

It's progressives who aren't having kids. They've gone from 2.1 to about 1.3.

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, discovering British horror with Hammer Films at September 17, 2026 03:57 PM (RtL9D)

127 Mine our destructive. They are not for the feint of heart. But I love them so there is that.

do they open locked doors or is that just bengals?

it's a constant battle with him taking apart door hardware to get them open

currently on my third printer of his tenure here

he's fun

Posted by: Black Orchid (j+aD2) at September 17, 2026 03:57 PM (j+aD2)

128 It's the administrators who get the fat raises.

And that is the secret behind the Oregon thing I did above: the teahers are paid pretty well and do get raises, but almost all the money people keep voting for goes to the administration, not the teaches.

The reason teachers keep having to buy makers and paper is because the administration gets all the money. You don't see the budget going to classroom supplies (uness its purchasing Apple tablets), it goes to the new vice president of diversity and hiring another therapist and 3 new secretaries for each office.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at September 17, 2026 03:58 PM (K32Fz)

129 >> You don't assess a fish on climbing a tree because fish can't climb trees"

A normal, thinking person would find that extremely insulting to the “fish”. The rest of the people have no idea wtf she’s talking about. And I honestly don’t think she does either.

Posted by: Vengeance at September 17, 2026 03:58 PM (PxIWo)

130 129 >> You don't assess a fish on climbing a tree because fish can't climb trees"

A normal, thinking person would find that extremely insulting to the “fish”. The rest of the people have no idea wtf she’s talking about. And I honestly don’t think she does either.

Posted by: Vengeance at September 17, 2026 03:58 PM (PxIWo)

======

Let me translate.

Ahem.

"Black people can't read because we wuz kangs."

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, discovering British horror with Hammer Films at September 17, 2026 03:59 PM (RtL9D)

131 It's progressives who aren't having kids. They've gone from 2.1 to about 1.3.

The left/FNM tells women that not only are kids bad for the Erf but will make you stop being a cool girl boss and instead become a boring mother whose life is over and you'll never get to spend a summer in Paris or have that cool lesbian affair you always wanted...blah blah blah

Posted by: 18-1 at September 17, 2026 03:59 PM (sKqQm)

132 For other reasons Masshole is probably rated the most educated state in the country. Not because it's true but because of reasons. Nagging, screaming, idiotic reasons.

Posted by: Case at September 17, 2026 03:59 PM (xJpuh)

133 >> It's progressives who aren't having kids. They've gone from 2.1 to about 1.3.

Well they keep chopping their sons dick’s off a putting them in a dress. The rest they’re encouraging to use their pronouns and find solace in another man’s ass. Because after all it’s their right.

Posted by: Vengeance at September 17, 2026 04:00 PM (PxIWo)

134 I’ve seen predictions where 1/3 of all colleges will close in the next 10-15 years.
Posted by: Sandy Cocazio Ortez

===

You always hear these dire warnings about people not having enough kids, but I'm willing to roll the dice and see what happens if population in the US maybe just levels off for a few years.

I think we'll be fine

Posted by: Leupold at September 17, 2026 04:00 PM (eIzlH)

135 so there's a scary story brewing here in Philly btw

Olney

Murder house, serial killer dad and son, snuff porn

really f88king horrible stuff

Posted by: Black Orchid (j+aD2) at September 17, 2026 04:00 PM (j+aD2)

136 The plummeting birth rate won’t just affect education. There’s an entire economy built around kids that will suffer bigly. Everything from diapers to Disneyland is dependent on lots of kids produced annually. When that gets cut by 20,30,40% there’s a lot of disruption.

Posted by: Sandy Cocazio Ortez at September 17, 2026 04:00 PM (Bl+DZ)

137 Mine our destructive. They are not for the feint of heart. But I love them so there is that.
Posted by: Piper at September 17, 2026 03:56 PM (ZdaMQ)

This one was beyond destroying the furniture or anything like that. She became hostile to people even being in the same room as her and would immediately attack. Not rabid, just insane.

Posted by: No Name Today at September 17, 2026 04:00 PM (8mulE)

138 Nostril/uterus calculus anyone?

Posted by: Hokey Pokey at September 17, 2026 04:00 PM (wxsGM)

139 Are people from Indiana allowed to say that about Illinois?
Or is that a "only we can hate on ourselves" thing?

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, discovering British horror with Hammer Films

Oh, no. We're equal-opportunity here. Chicago is, bar none, the worst of the worst of the absolute f--ing worst.

Posted by: Smallish Bees at September 17, 2026 04:00 PM (8Q86n)

140 This was known for the past 10 years. Simple numbers. People stopped having kids post 2008. There just aren’t enough kids to fill all the spots anymore it will get worse before it gets any better, if it ever does. GenZ is having even fewer kids than millennials at the same age.

I’ve seen predictions where 1/3 of all colleges will close in the next 10-15 years.
Posted by: Sandy Cocazio Ortez

And don't think they aren't panicking about that! Their solution, naturally, is to being in ever more unqualified students, thus preventing even more people from being able to start families at a reasonable time.

I hope that the DoEd cuts the available amounts of student loan money in half, every year from now until they're offering a dollar per semester.

Posted by: FeatherBlade at September 17, 2026 04:00 PM (vJrRc)

141 131 It's progressives who aren't having kids. They've gone from 2.1 to about 1.3.

The left/FNM tells women that not only are kids bad for the Erf but will make you stop being a cool girl boss and instead become a boring mother whose life is over and you'll never get to spend a summer in Paris or have that cool lesbian affair you always wanted...blah blah blah

Posted by: 18-1 at September 17, 2026 03:59 PM (sKqQm)

=======

And white skin is evil, and you can start having kids at 40, and the world is 4 years away from burning up, and the few that did get born were all born the wrong sex and need to become mules by cutting off their junk.

Conservatives heard all of this, rejected it, and had kids.

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, discovering British horror with Hammer Films at September 17, 2026 04:01 PM (RtL9D)

142 Link to new kitty info!

https://tinyurl.com/3kc9uj4a

This goes to x.

Posted by: Piper at September 17, 2026 04:01 PM (ZdaMQ)

143 Chicago elected the teachers' union tool, Brandon Johnson. I don't think he has fixed the schools, but who knows, they can't take tests with all the shooting.

Posted by: Dave at September 17, 2026 04:01 PM (sbsMc)

144 "Black people can't read because we wuz kangs."

Africa came up with reading and writing but the Greeks stole it from them!

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at September 17, 2026 04:01 PM (K32Fz)

145 133 >> It's progressives who aren't having kids. They've gone from 2.1 to about 1.3.

Well they keep chopping their sons dick’s off a putting them in a dress. The rest they’re encouraging to use their pronouns and find solace in another man’s ass. Because after all it’s their right.

Posted by: Vengeance at September 17, 2026 04:00 PM (PxIWo)

=======

Combine the mass deportation machine with the bifurcated birth rate in America, and...the future seems pretty bright, to be honest.

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, discovering British horror with Hammer Films at September 17, 2026 04:01 PM (RtL9D)

146 136 The plummeting birth rate won’t just affect education. There’s an entire economy built around kids that will suffer bigly. Everything from diapers to Disneyland is dependent on lots of kids produced annually. When that gets cut by 20,30,40% there’s a lot of disruption.

Posted by: Sandy Cocazio Ortez at September 17, 2026 04:00 PM (Bl+DZ)

========

"Have abortions."
-Toys 'R us

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, discovering British horror with Hammer Films at September 17, 2026 04:02 PM (RtL9D)

147 Conservatives heard all of this, rejected it, and had kids.

Then sent their kids to public schools and were confused when the kids turned on everything they love and believed in.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at September 17, 2026 04:02 PM (K32Fz)

148 really f88king horrible stuff
Posted by: Black Orchid (j+aD2) at September 17, 2026 04:00 PM (j+aD2)

I saw that. Sickening.

Posted by: beckster at September 17, 2026 04:03 PM (kX27y)

149 147 Conservatives heard all of this, rejected it, and had kids.

Then sent their kids to public schools and were confused when the kids turned on everything they love and believed in.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at September 17, 2026 04:02 PM (K32Fz)

=======

This happens far less than the scaremongering stories indicate.

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, discovering British horror with Hammer Films at September 17, 2026 04:03 PM (RtL9D)

150 97 piper tell me more about the little cat!

by the by my bengal at 5 years old is more mellow

he only breaks about 1 item per day now
Posted by: Black Orchid (j+aD2) at September 17, 2026 03:50 PM (j+aD2)

Bengals are clowns. I love them. I posted a link above.

Posted by: Piper at September 17, 2026 04:03 PM (ZdaMQ)

151 For many, as we all know, Higher Education is a waste of time and money. Numerous men in my church are doing extremely well in all manner of trades. Some are second or even third generation tradesmen. Also, get this, they get married and have lots of kids, whose mothers stay home and provide stability. Some of them even home school. We are backward people.

Posted by: tubal at September 17, 2026 04:03 PM (Gqar8)

152 Seriously, imagine you’re an average somewhat apolitical person, who can reason and think for yourself. All you want is a good traditional education for your child. Then this dunce gets up there spouting what she thinks is a clever metaphor using a fish, while you, the person of reason, is just trying to figure out what just left her mouth, and whether the lady ever had a single cogent thought. Maybe even whether there’s a single brain synapse that ever fired. You’d be running for the first red state you could find.

Posted by: Vengeance at September 17, 2026 04:04 PM (PxIWo)

153 Live in a blue state for all the stupid kids and freed criminals you can get!

Posted by: Lady in Black at September 17, 2026 04:04 PM (qBdHI)

154 Who else is all in on outbreeding the libs? Call me.

Posted by: Vengeance at September 17, 2026 04:05 PM (PxIWo)

155 Neetu Arnold
@neetu_arnold
New York Regents member Felicia Thomas-Williams on why she thinks students shouldn't have to take Regents exams to graduate:

"You don't assess a fish on climbing a tree because fish can't climb trees"

Maybe asking a student to read or do math on a test is a little more reasonable than asking a fish to climb a tree?
-------------------
If it isn't reasonable -- if certain populations are incapable of reading, writing, and arithmetic -- then maybe it's a mistake to let them have a say in the community's governance. If they also belong to a community that cannot be held accountable because hormones, then that's a double strike against their franchise.

Now, I don't believe either proposition. But I'm for sure not going to accept that they are superior beings who get authority over me while being less accountable. Authority (including the vote) requires responsibility, which requires accountability. It must be revoked and forbidden otherwise.

Posted by: SciVo at September 17, 2026 04:05 PM (ke3zm)

156 Just going from memory here--and I could be wrong--but I think there were at least two North American Indian tribes that invented a writing system.

But, AFAIK, there were zero African tribes that developed writing.

(ok, off to grok)

Posted by: People's Hippo Voice at September 17, 2026 04:06 PM (3cUTc)

157 In a town near mine they were having a budget debate. The town wanted a 25% increase in property taxes mostly for the school budget.

The geniuses in the town though re-elected the same town officials all of whom supported the tax increase. Because their opponents were scary people with crazy ideas like uh, not raising taxes.
Posted by: 18-1

The school district in the allegedly-red place where my parents live puts forward a bond measure every year, even when their last one or two are still in effect.

Their favorite tactic is - after the bond measure fails in the general election - to hold another election somewhere and somewhen that they don't advertise except to their supporters.

Those, unsurprisingly pass. And apparently no one pays enough attention to their taxes to wonder about it.

Posted by: FeatherBlade at September 17, 2026 04:06 PM (vJrRc)

158 Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at September 17, 2026 04:02 PM (K32Fz)

Well, my son has managed to stay conservative and still read actual books even after going to public school. I feel blessed.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at September 17, 2026 04:06 PM (JrHfD)

159 >>>a shocking new analysis found.

Yeah, about that.

Posted by: Comrade Flounder, Disinformation Demon at September 17, 2026 04:06 PM (dK+Kv)

160 You don't assess a fish on climbing a tree because fish can't climb trees"

Gosh, that’s the most racist statement I have heard in a while.

Posted by: tubal at September 17, 2026 04:06 PM (Gqar8)

161 Always vote in your school board elections. Always. They do.

Posted by: tubal at September 17, 2026 04:07 PM (Gqar8)

162
They've been building palace schools and sports complexes as well as padding administrator retirements for decades.

Chicago is especially egregious, teachers can have absence rates over 30% and put in 10 years to qualify for 100K / yr packages.

Posted by: Auspex at September 17, 2026 04:08 PM (Y8DZL)

163 We don't need to import the 3rd world. We are creating our own.

If you axe yourself what kind of idiot would vote for leftists, here is your answer.

Posted by: JackStraw at September 17, 2026 04:08 PM (viF8m)

164 68% of children share the political affiliation of their parents as adults:

https://x.com/TonerousHyus/status/
2017261383679615284

And if you raise the kid in a generally conservative environment, like go to church regularly, the numbers are going to be higher.

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, discovering British horror with Hammer Films at September 17, 2026 04:08 PM (RtL9D)

165 Those, unsurprisingly pass. And apparently no one pays enough attention to their taxes to wonder about it.

One of the most common things I see on lefty forums is this pattern:

First: I voted for this school budgeting tax. I'm sure the home owners can afford it, I mean, its for the children and they are rich right?

Then: Why does my landlord keep increasing my rent? I think he's a fascist that just wants people living on the street!

Posted by: 18-1 at September 17, 2026 04:08 PM (sKqQm)

166 This happens far less than the scaremongering stories indicate.

Maybe but that's not a Russian Roulette that I'd want to play with my children and our future.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at September 17, 2026 04:08 PM (K32Fz)

167 The school district in the allegedly-red place where my parents live puts forward a bond measure every year, even when their last one or two are still in effect.

Their favorite tactic is - after the bond measure fails in the general election - to hold another election somewhere and somewhen that they don't advertise except to their supporters.

Those, unsurprisingly pass. And apparently no one pays enough attention to their taxes to wonder about it.
Posted by: FeatherBlade

===

I live in what was once a reddish district and bond issues kept getting voted down.

So the school started having school "part time" like Mon-thu to save money on electricity.

Disgusting move, and it worked, next election they got their bond override

Posted by: Leupold at September 17, 2026 04:08 PM (eIzlH)

168
And white skin is evil, and you can start having kids at 40, and the world is 4 years away from burning up, and the few that did get born were all born the wrong sex and need to become mules by cutting off their junk.

Conservatives heard all of this, rejected it, and had kids.
Posted by: TheJamesMadison, discovering British horror with Hammer Films at September 17, 2026 04:01 PM (RtL9D)

_____________

They said if we just freed ourselves from believing there's some Flying Spaghetti Monster we'd live happy lives without fear from fairy tales. Instead we take antidepressants, drink wine by the gallon, go to therapy, think the world will end in five years, kill ourselves, and so on.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at September 17, 2026 04:08 PM (eRlcH)

169 Well, my son has managed to stay conservative and still read actual books even after going to public school. I feel blessed.
Posted by: FenelonSpoke

Same here. And they read actual literature in my son's HS English classes -- The Odyssey, Paradise Lost, Shakespeare...

Posted by: Bulg at September 17, 2026 04:08 PM (77rzZ)

170 I grew up in Red State with Giant Blue City.

The ignorant little piggies I went to college were something else.

The place was 1.5hrs from my house. Whivh was in a poor, rural, conservative school district that consistently academically outperformed ALL the urban districts they came from.

And yet... more than one of these people, who probably never went beyond the city limits, would ask me about whether we had things like running water and internet.

Posted by: Yudhishthira's Dice at September 17, 2026 04:09 PM (BI5O2)

171 do they open locked doors or is that just bengals?

it's a constant battle with him taking apart door hardware to get them open

currently on my third printer of his tenure here

he's fun
Posted by: Black Orchid (j+aD2) at September

They open doors, cabinets, you name it. We have had to make sure we had the right kind of door knob on exterior doors. We had to get a fridge with the water on the inside because they press the button and flood the kitchen. Which is fine, that looks neater anyway. We had to replace the touch faucets with non-touch ones, or they would be on all day, every day. They flush the toilet randomly. Kovu just learned how to turn the TV on, which he does in the middle of the night when he is lonely. Furry 3 year olds.

Posted by: Piper at September 17, 2026 04:09 PM (ZdaMQ)

172 Ace is missing the exploding Charlie Kirk story at the University of Utah.

In brief: College Republicans had a booth, doing the Kirk thing: debate, etc. Some leftist bint student on Sept 10, the anniversary of Kirk's death, comes up to the booth with a "Happy Kirkversary" cake, smiling and poses for the picture as she is gleefully celebrating Kirk's murder.

The College Republicans post the picture of this woman. It goes viral, and someone finds out who she is and posts her name, etc. Now the College Democrats and the university are investigating the College Republicans and trying to expel them and decertify the College Republicans for the crime of posting a picture of this woman who posed for the picture.

Harmeet Dhillion and lots of others are chiming in now.

Posted by: SimoHayha at September 17, 2026 04:09 PM (IeYnM)

173 School districts in NY who take illegal immigrants get extra funding from the state. So much that some school districts deliberately encourage their enrollment. A few have built brand new stadiums that rival pro fields.

Posted by: Vengeance at September 17, 2026 04:10 PM (PxIWo)

174 170 And yet... more than one of these people, who probably never went beyond the city limits, would ask me about whether we had things like running water and internet.

Posted by: Yudhishthira's Dice at September 17, 2026 04:09 PM (BI5O2)

=======

"No, but we kill interlopers real good and easy and have plenty of space to hide the bodies."

Posted by: TheJamesMadison, discovering British horror with Hammer Films at September 17, 2026 04:10 PM (RtL9D)

175 If you axe yourself what kind of idiot would vote for leftists, here is your answer.

I mean I get the Dem's appeal.

They openly run on "vote for me and I'll give you money"

The R approach is something like, "vote for me and I'll take less of your money then the D guy. Still to give to the D guy's friends mind you. "

Posted by: 18-1 at September 17, 2026 04:10 PM (sKqQm)

176 Testing is violence!

New York Teachers Union

Posted by: Darth Randall at September 17, 2026 04:10 PM (Gelwd)

177 Then: Why does my landlord keep increasing my rent? I think he's a fascist that just wants people living on the street!

Its like pushing for ever higher minimum wage by huge jumps then whining that a Big Mac costs 10 bucks now

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at September 17, 2026 04:10 PM (K32Fz)

178 161 Always vote in your school board elections. Always. They do.
Posted by: tubal

lol, scheduled in July without media notification.

They make sure the right people vote.

Posted by: Auspex at September 17, 2026 04:10 PM (Y8DZL)

179 Answering the important questions:

"The cat had been brought in by a man living in a community in the forest near La Paz who had mistaken the cat for a domestic kitten, according to details recorded by the sanctuary. He had fed the animal noodles, rice and eggs, only to realize it was wild and that he could not take care of it. So he brought it to the sanctuary."

So not cuddly, and not domesticatable. Or at least, not easily. I wonder if they tried a string on a stick?

Posted by: bob (moron inbobnitus) at September 17, 2026 04:11 PM (VUfCb)

180 "They flush the toilet randomly." That's hilarious .

Are obviously very bright cats

I once went to a Bed and Breakfast in VA years ago and the owner had taught the cat to use the toilet .

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at September 17, 2026 04:11 PM (JrHfD)

181 179 Answering the important questions:

"The cat had been brought in by a man living in a community in the forest near La Paz who had mistaken the cat for a domestic kitten, according to details recorded by the sanctuary. He had fed the animal noodles, rice and eggs, only to realize it was wild and that he could not take care of it. So he brought it to the sanctuary."

So not cuddly, and not domesticatable. Or at least, not easily. I wonder if they tried a string on a stick?

Posted by: bob (moron inbobnitus) at September 17, 2026 04:11 PM (VUfCb)

Laser pointers, paper bags and balls of tinfoil always does the trick.

Posted by: tubal at September 17, 2026 04:12 PM (Gqar8)

182 Ok, for writing:
1 North American
5 Central American
0 South American

3 African (in Sudan, Ethiopia and the northern Berbers areas)

Posted by: People's Hippo Voice at September 17, 2026 04:14 PM (3cUTc)

183

Which natioality do you have to suck to give you the lifestyle you think you you deserve?

Posted by: four seasons at September 17, 2026 04:14 PM (/QHx4)

184 You don't assess a fish on climbing a tree because fish can't climb trees"
--------

Assessing a fish wouldn't net you much.

Posted by: ... at September 17, 2026 04:16 PM (kM43H)

185
3 African (in Sudan, Ethiopia and the northern Berbers areas)

North Africa is really more part of the Med community of civilizations then part of SubSaharan Africa.

And Ethiopia is interesting because they stayed tied to the western religious tradition and kept connection with the Med/Middle Eastern civilizations

Posted by: 18-1 at September 17, 2026 04:16 PM (sKqQm)

186 Maine Coons are also supposed to be very smart, but my boy is still at the "extremely enthusiastic" stage. The brains may appear at a later date

Posted by: Kindltot at September 17, 2026 04:18 PM (rbvCR)

187 "So not cuddly, and not domesticatable."

Ah, my old girlfriends have been talking, haven't they.

Posted by: Kindltot at September 17, 2026 04:18 PM (rbvCR)

188 Teacher unions IS this nation’s backbone!

Posted by: Vote Cam Brady at September 17, 2026 04:18 PM (7BAZk)

189 If you're in an urban school district it really doesn't matter.

In Denver metro, there were two districts (Douglas & Jeffco) that staged a revolt and turned their boards red.

Every teacher went on strike, started pickets along miles of sidewalks, while the CEA & NEA helicoptered palettes of cash into lawsuits and recalls. The whole thing was over in less than a year.

These union fortresses can't be assailed. Not at this time.

But if you live in a rural/small town district, by all means, vote in those elections to maintain your toehold.

Posted by: Yudhishthira's Dice at September 17, 2026 04:18 PM (BI5O2)

190 Waht na awy. O edar adn rwitee earl oggd.

Posted by: SOMEASSHOLESTOLEMYPEN at September 17, 2026 04:19 PM (XjCxr)

191 Waht na awy. O edar adn rwitee earl oggd.

Doesn't this phrase summon Cthullu?

Posted by: 18-1 at September 17, 2026 04:20 PM (sKqQm)

192 Well, if you cherry pick, sure. My boys are doing just fine. Both to the right of me, voters, make more money than I do and good men.

This is a beautiful part of the country. I would not choose to live anywhere else.

There’s shitty people and shitty schools in every state. Even the red ones.
Posted by: nurse ratched at September 17, 2026 03:56

Well of course, I was being glib. Your boys are amazing because they had an amazing mom. I am glad you are happy where you are, and I agree it’s very pretty. Same with California. Unfortunately, the politics of the areas outweigh the pretty for me, but that is my choice and I understand others make different choices for very legit reasons. Luckily, I get to live in a very pretty place, too, that happens to be red. I am extremely blessed, I never lose sight of that fact.

Posted by: Piper at September 17, 2026 04:20 PM (ZdaMQ)

193 Will we ever reach Peak Stupid? I just wish it would happen in my lifetime.

Posted by: Ripley at September 17, 2026 04:20 PM (GUOwU)

194 186 Maine Coons are also supposed to be very smart, but my boy is still at the "extremely enthusiastic" stage. The brains may appear at a later date
Posted by: Kindltot at September 17, 2026 04:18 PM

I had a Maine Coon growing up. He was gorgeous. He was loveable. He was not smart. 😂

Posted by: Piper at September 17, 2026 04:22 PM (ZdaMQ)

195 Where is the department of education on all of this? I'm sure they're in their like gangbusters auditing all of the federal funding that is sent out subsidize a hot lunch and audio-visuals.

Posted by: Rev. Wishbone at September 17, 2026 04:22 PM (5C90x)

196 Blue states with strong teachers' unions overwhelmingly have worse student literacy scores than Republican states where educators don't have as much say over policy, a shocking new analysis found.

That's because so-called "educators" know fuckall about teaching anything useful.

Posted by: Educators can't read at September 17, 2026 04:23 PM (TbWk/)

197 Will we ever reach Peak Stupid? I just wish it would happen in my lifetime.
==
The stupid curve is vertically asymptotic. It goes infinitely worse. Forever.

Posted by: Stupidity Contests are so 2026 at September 17, 2026 04:23 PM (anL5R)

198 Will we ever reach Peak Stupid? I just wish it would happen in my lifetime.
Posted by: Ripley at September 17, 2026 04:20 PM (GUOwU

Peak Stupid comes one nanosecond before implosion. It's the crackling in the aft you hear in the OceanGate Titan.

Posted by: Yudhishthira's Dice at September 17, 2026 04:24 PM (BI5O2)

199 NY resident here. I know a lot of teachers. Some really care and just shake their heads at the mess that is public education. They don't do anything about it because the unions protect teachers who suck. I know other teachers that I am surprised that they remember to breath.
Not only is education getting worse , the schools have to have officers in them because the threat isn't from crazies shooting the place up for fights that get out of control.

Posted by: Smell the Glove at September 17, 2026 04:24 PM (oUMhY)

200 Correlation doesn't mean Causation!

Posted by: NEA, desperately grasping at straws at September 17, 2026 04:25 PM (Yqrio)

201 Today is the 2nd anniversary of the Israeli pager attacks and Trump put out a Truth Social message of happy anniversary

Posted by: beckster at September 17, 2026 04:28 PM (kX27y)

202 Don't have a fav. drag queen.

Posted by: Squared Straight at September 17, 2026 04:28 PM (ehY6c)

203 50 minutes to fix my plumbing leak, needed no parts, installed a shut off valve on that line.

Posted by: Skip at September 17, 2026 04:28 PM (Ia/+0)

204 Posted by: beckster at September 17, 2026 04:28 PM (kX27

LOL

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at September 17, 2026 04:28 PM (JrHfD)

205 At least eight of the ten states where students had the worst literacy scores were liberal strongholds with politically powerful teachers' unions, while just five were Republican and one was a swing state

Ummm.... Teacher can't maths.

8/10 +5/10 + 1/10 = 14/10

Posted by: GWB at September 17, 2026 04:29 PM (kU0PQ)

206 The Ryan Reynolds movie on Apple TV is hot garbage.

Stupid, preachy, and tone all over the place. Its like he tried to make The Proposal, without a Girl, and in the middle of an action movie. Sheesh. I thought Green Lantern was bad, but that was a masterwork compared to Mayday.

Posted by: Prometheus would have been better use of time at September 17, 2026 04:29 PM (anL5R)

207 This is only because the red states flood these blue states with their stupids.

They ship in stupids and guns--ruining the perfect blue states cause they can't stand to see them succeed.

Posted by: People's Hippo Voice at September 17, 2026 04:29 PM (3cUTc)

208 They shoehorned a lesbian into a cold war action movie.

Posted by: Prometheus would have been better use of time at September 17, 2026 04:30 PM (anL5R)

209 nood

Posted by: doug at September 17, 2026 04:31 PM (B1+sW)

210 Ai, ironic for PA because...

Well-heeled communities and schools are battling kids relying on tablets, etc. and are demanding old fashioned classroom teaching.

Unfortunately, administrators are not ready to administer the
many teachers that are just not ready to teach full time or even any time.

Others - like in Philly and other urbanized areas - are not prepared to come off their unique jobs and titles and sit their butts in the classroom as legitimate school teachers of children.

There are compromises in some before mentioned communities in that tablets, etc. will no longer be employed as primary teaching tools until fifth grade.

The teachers unions are also not pleased at all about stories of teaching success - cursive handwriting, phonetics for reading, etc.- from Mississippi and other southern states.

Posted by: L - No nic... at September 17, 2026 04:34 PM (NFX2v)

211 But in some good news, they discovered a new cat in Bolivia! A teeny, tiny leopard. I need one.
Posted by: Piper at September 17, 2026 03:28 PM (ZdaMQ)
---
Get a Bengal cat--they are distantly related to snow leopards and are adorable.
Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at September 17, 2026 03:44 PM (FZ29D)

Bengal cats are *extremely* active cats -- if you can't handle that you best get a normal tabby cat that doesn't make you play hours a day.

Posted by: Oldcat at September 17, 2026 05:06 PM (uhVAy)

212 We just need more money.
Posted by: The NEA at September 17, 2026 03:29 PM (XeU6L)

That’s our line.

Posted by: Texas Association of School Boards at September 17, 2026 05:09 PM (WB/3O)

213 In all fairness, TJM is illiterate and look how well he's doing. Passing tests is not the end all be all.

Posted by: toby928(c) at September 17, 2026 05:20 PM (4NO2D)

214 where'd I put my Flamethrower?

Posted by: Jimmy Doolittle at September 17, 2026 05:50 PM (vI4Yj)

215 Do you understand they - blue states and their purple kin - may need to shutdown for ages again someday, probably not so far in the future, for control?

That's what started the rapid decline and they can't fight their way out of it and have it happen again.

Posted by: L - No nic... at September 17, 2026 06:25 PM (NFX2v)

216 Ace who is Spayed: The viral chart does **not** prove red states teach reading better. It proves some of you can’t read a Y-axis.

That wasn’t NAEP. It was how many of 18 *bills* a legislature passed. Mississippi 18/18 vs New York 2/18 is a statute count, not a kid who can decode.

2024 NAEP Grade 4 proficient: Massachusetts 40%, New Jersey 38%. Blue. Nation 30%. Mississippi 32% — not first.

Line NAEP against child poverty and the jersey story dies. Mass/NJ/CT *and* Louisiana/Mississippi/Florida beat the poverty line. Oklahoma, West Virginia, New Mexico, Maine, and Oregon miss it. Wisconsin is dead average.

Red map ≠ readers. The split is poverty plus whether you made teachers teach phonics — not team color. Using a policy checklist to own the libs is the same cheap trick you mock when they do it.

Posted by: South and Proud!! at September 17, 2026 07:21 PM (V+Vyw)

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