My son is 13 and is in the 8th grade, most 13 year old boys thinks of cars, girls, sports and so on,
just like when we were at that age, when he came home from school today, in a class they had kind
of a career day and what  they wanted to do in life. My son pick either to become a NHRA Top Fuel
racer or become a Navy Seal, I thought they were a good choice, trying to think back that far when
I was 13. The teacher told him that the choices he made was not good enough, and made him change his answer, What are these schools trying to teach, saying that a career in the Navy or
being some kind of pro-sports not worth it? I wish that someone like Dale jr. or Kenny Bernstien
would show up at my son's school or a couple of Navy seals and have that teacher say it to them!
better yet send that teacher to Iraq, so when his ass gets into a sling let him say then the military
is not worth it!

Most of the emphasis today is on higher education, thereby cheapening higher education.  The idea now days is that everyone deserves to, and should, go to college.  Sorry, that's just not the case.  I am the only one of my childhood friends that went to college.  I did well enough in undergrad and grad that I now make more than any of them.  But we're all equally happy (or unhappy) with where we are in our lives.

I work currently in construciton management.  There is a serious gaping hole in qualified craftsmen and manual laborers.  People whine and cry that the immigrants are stealing their jobs, yet they tell little Johnny that he's too good for construction work and he should go to college and become a doctor.  Too bad that most of those kids who have no business in college just wind up getting high, dropping out, and worse off than they would have been if they had just gone into the trades or the military at 18.

That's freakin' outrageous.  When the country is at war, to have a young man say that he would like to be a Navy SEAL is fantastic!




Plus, military service does NOT preclude higher education.  I've had a number of MBA students in my classes over the years who are former army (incl. rangers), navy SEALs, marines, etc.  (Those are usually the best MBA students, btw)

When I was 17, the only thing in my future was trouble, so I took a chance and joined the Air Force
and spent ten years there, and it was the best thing that ever happend to me other than my wife of
16 years and my 2 children being born, and after hearing that I wanted to go to his school and let
him know that my son should not have changed his answer and the next time he thought of  that low of the Military,  remember the one's that gave their life and are still giving their life today so that he can say bullshit like that.

Quoted: Most of the emphasis today is on higher education, thereby cheapening higher education.  The idea now days is that everyone deserves to, and should, go to college.  Sorry, that's just not the case.  I am the only one of my childhood friends that went to college.  I did well enough in undergrad and grad that I now make more than any of them.  But we're all equally happy (or unhappy) with where we are in our lives. I work currently in construciton management.  There is a serious gaping hole in qualified craftsmen and manual laborers.  People whine and cry that the immigrants are stealing their jobs, yet they tell little Johnny that he's too good for construction work and he should go to college and become a doctor.  Too bad that most of those kids who have no business in college just wind up getting high, dropping out, and worse off than they would have been if they had just gone into the trades or the military at 18.

Yep.  It's nuts to go to college if you just go because you're expected to, or because that's what everybody else does.  I kind of drifted until I found the kind of college that would give me the education I wanted and was perfect for me, but I couldn't afford it for more than one year.  So I spun my wheels at a public university I hated, graduated, and now what?  I'll probably end up opening a small business, something I never needed a degree for anyway.  But that would have been fine if I had gone to the college of my choice, because the education was intrinsically valuable and enriching to me. Instead, I got trained/indoctrinated in economics, which I'll probably never really use and eventually forget.

The teacher wants him to be "realistic." You know the story encourage kids to set lower goals so they do not get disapointed in the future. I say, "pish tosh." Your kid needs to dream big. He may accomplish his goals, and if not he can then change his choices in future careers. Why does any teacher need to break a kids heart and make him feel lousy by telling him his goals aren't good enough. I think any kid with a goal for his future career (no matter how unlikely) is far less likely to end up involved with drugs or crime in the future. My husbands cousin has wanted to be a Neuro surgeon since she was very little, and by God she is an excellent student, and stays out of trouble. She is too busy aiming for her goal to get her life messed up. She is in high school now and still plans on being a Neuro surgeon. Let your kid have goals, and tell him to ignore the teacher.

Have you contacted the teacher or the school to say you disapprove of them making him change his answer? if no one ever disagrees with them they will continue to stamp out children's dreams. I don't care if my kids said they wanted to be circus clowns, it is not their teachers place to tell them they can't do it!

I think the teachers right,






He should be a Ranger!

Just when I begin to lose faith in the youngsters nowadays, I get a story like this.

Hell, I wouldn't make it through air force boot and he wants to be a Seal.   God bless em.

- BUCC_Guy


Aww hell... I bet I could do Air Force boot.  Do they make ya run nowadays?

Quoted: Most of the emphasis today is on higher education, thereby cheapening higher education.  The idea now days is that everyone deserves to, and should, go to college.  Sorry, that's just not the case.  I am the only one of my childhood friends that went to college.  I did well enough in undergrad and grad that I now make more than any of them.  But we're all equally happy (or unhappy) with where we are in our lives. I work currently in construciton management.  There is a serious gaping hole in qualified craftsmen and manual laborers.  People whine and cry that the immigrants are stealing their jobs, yet they tell little Johnny that he's too good for construction work and he should go to college and become a doctor.  Too bad that most of those kids who have no business in college just wind up getting high, dropping out, and worse off than they would have been if they had just gone into the trades or the military at 18.

that is ture all that is one the the main reasons I didnt go to college.  The school system made me hate it enough where I didnt want to go.

Quoted: Quoted: Most of the emphasis today is on higher education, thereby cheapening higher education.  The idea now days is that everyone deserves to, and should, go to college.  Sorry, that's just not the case.  I am the only one of my childhood friends that went to college.  I did well enough in undergrad and grad that I now make more than any of them.  But we're all equally happy (or unhappy) with where we are in our lives. I work currently in construciton management.  There is a serious gaping hole in qualified craftsmen and manual laborers.  People whine and cry that the immigrants are stealing their jobs, yet they tell little Johnny that he's too good for construction work and he should go to college and become a doctor.  Too bad that most of those kids who have no business in college just wind up getting high, dropping out, and worse off than they would have been if they had just gone into the trades or the military at 18. that is ture all that is one the the main reasons I didnt go to college.  The school system made me hate it enough where I didnt want to go.

So you ditched college out of spite?  That's kinda pathetic.

Look, don't get me wrong, I think college is great for those that want to go and can use the education (like I do), but don't use not going as an excuse for failure.  Some of the most succesful people in thw world never went to college.  Just because you don't have a higher education doesn't mean you get to cop out on having goals and being productive.

Quoted: Just when I begin to lose faith in the youngsters nowadays, I get a story like this. Hell, I wouldn't make it through air force boot and he wants to be a Seal.   God bless em. - BUCC_Guy Aww hell... I bet I could do Air Force boot.  Do they make ya run nowadays?

Only to the espresso machine, so sayeth a friend in the 10th Mtn Div. ......

Quoted: My son is 13 and is in the 8th grade, most 13 year old boys thinks of cars, girls, sports and so on, just like when we were at that age, when he came home from school today, in a class they had kind of a career day and what  they wanted to do in life. My son pick either to become a NHRA Top Fuel racer or become a Navy Seal, I thought they were a good choice, trying to think back that far when I was 13. The teacher told him that the choices he made was not good enough, and made him change his answer, What are these schools trying to teach, saying that a career in the Navy or being some kind of pro-sports not worth it? I wish that someone like Dale jr. or Kenny Bernstien would show up at my son's school or a couple of Navy seals and have that teacher say it to them! better yet send that teacher to Iraq, so when his ass gets into a sling let him say then the military is not worth it!

Demand a conference, one-on-one with the teacher. If you don't get one, or a straight answer beyond placating BS from her, go to the principal. I'd really like to hear her rationale for her negativity.

As a former teacher, I can tell you, the one thing that teachers and adminstrators fear the most is irate, determined parents. Irate, determined parents get on school committees and in local govt., and can make life very difficult for educrats, esp. at budget time....