California Doing California Things

[TSwizzle]

Another beauty from California, a state with an appalling record in education;

California is close to passing a law that could cut homework and alleviate stress for pupils and parents. The Healthy Homework Act, which has passed both chambers of the state legislature but must still be signed off by the governor, asks teachers to consider whether any homework assigned requires parental support and access to technology. Pilar Schiavo, an assemblywoman, wrote the bill after a conversation with her nine-year-old daughter, who asked whether she could “ban homework”.

The Times

 

[Politesse]

Another hair-brained scheme from the numbskulls that run California;

A California bill that would allow undocumented immigrants to qualify for first-time homebuying loans continues to progress in the state Legislature. The bill, formally known as AB 1840, would expand the eligibility requirement for the state’s first-time homebuyer loan program, the California Dream For All Shared Appreciation program, to allow undocumented immigrants who live in the state to use it. Most recently, AB1840 passed the Senate Appropriations Committee last week and now faces a floor vote in the Senate. The bill has already passed the Assembly. The program, which was launched in 2023, provides up to 20% for down payment or closing costs, not to exceed $150,000. The homebuyer would have to repay the original down payment loan, plus a share of the home's increase value upon selling the property.

News

Setting aside the "undocumented immigrants" part of it, what the actual fuck are government doing getting into the real estate business? What a convoluted piece of nonsense. The state is financially broke and still comes up with new ways to give money away that they don't have.

“Let me be clear: anyone who meets the program’s criteria can apply for this loan program. And, to qualify, you must secure a bank loan or mortgage. AB 1840 is about providing an opportunity for homeownership, which we know allows families to secure financial security and stability. The ability to do this strengthens local economies and benefits all people who call California home.”

So, can illegal residents get a mortgage in the US?

You do not have to be a citizen to own property in the US, whether your state is "red" or "blue". Neither is there any restriction on "getting a mortgage", it's just a bit more difficult to talk a bank into extending the offer.

Considering US citizens and corporations own whole countries' worth of properties abroad, constituting value in the tens of trillions of dollars, it would be the height of hubris and hypocrisy to outlaw the practice domestically.

 

[Politesse]

Another beauty from California, a state with an appalling record in education;

California is close to passing a law that could cut homework and alleviate stress for pupils and parents. The Healthy Homework Act, which has passed both chambers of the state legislature but must still be signed off by the governor, asks teachers to consider whether any homework assigned requires parental support and access to technology. Pilar Schiavo, an assemblywoman, wrote the bill after a conversation with her nine-year-old daughter, who asked whether she could “ban homework”.

The Times

For the record, I oppose the Healthy Homework act. It passed almost unanimously, though, with broad support from Republicans and Democrats alike, so it is almost certain to be enacted.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Another beauty from California, a state with an appalling record in education;

California is close to passing a law that could cut homework and alleviate stress for pupils and parents. The Healthy Homework Act, which has passed both chambers of the state legislature but must still be signed off by the governor, asks teachers to consider whether any homework assigned requires parental support and access to technology. Pilar Schiavo, an assemblywoman, wrote the bill after a conversation with her nine-year-old daughter, who asked whether she could “ban homework”.

The Times

The Healthy Homework Act, which has passed both chambers of the state legislature but must still be signed off by the governor, asks teachers to consider whether any homework assigned requires parental support and access to technology.

That doesn't sound like banning.

According to this article:

AB 2999 would not ban homework, however, the proposal would mandate local school boards and educational agencies to establish homework policies that consider impacts on students’ physical and mental health all with input from parents, teachers, and students themselves.

The bill doesn't sound like it does much of anything.

 

[Politesse]

I like how the term "undocumented immigrant" is used like "leper". We're expected to recoil in horror to learn that an undocumented immigrant might be allowed to have nice things in America.

If the new bill is passed or signed into law, undocumented borrowers would be able to apply for the housing loan. However, they would be required to have a valid Social Security number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number in addition to meeting existing legal residency and documentation requirements.

Apparently an undocumented immigrant and a documentless immigrant are not the same thing.

Has anyone explained this? How can one be a "legal resident" with "required documentation" but also be "undocumented"? Is this due to some conflict between U.S. and California law?

No, the same is true in every state. It's not illegal to be present in the US, to attend school in the US, to engage in tourism in the US, to visit family in the US, to do business in the US, or to buy or sell property, goods, or services in the US as a non-citizen. One only becomes an illegal alien if one illegally maintains a permanent residence in the US, or if they immigrated to the US in a manner that violated US law. The media wants you to believe that the main targets of this law are penniless Mexican migrants present illegally, but a few seconds of critical thought should make it obvious why penniless Mexican migrants present illegally do not constitute a large share of California home buyers.

 

[Rhea]

Another beauty from California, a state with an appalling record in education;

California is close to passing a law that could cut homework and alleviate stress for pupils and parents. The Healthy Homework Act, which has passed both chambers of the state legislature but must still be signed off by the governor, asks teachers to consider whether any homework assigned requires parental support and access to technology. Pilar Schiavo, an assemblywoman, wrote the bill after a conversation with her nine-year-old daughter, who asked whether she could “ban homework”.

The Times

For the record, I oppose the Healthy Homework act. It passed almost unanimously, though, with broad support from Republicans and Democrats alike, so it is almost certain to be enacted.

What is the objection to asking teachers to CONSIDER the effects of assigning homework that can’t be done without access to technology or parental involvement?

I had a long and fruitless “discussion” with my school district when a teacher decided to do a “flipped learning” plan that required my daughter (and all the students) to watch a streamed lecture at night and spend the classroom time doing homework in the company of the teacher.

A nice concept actually, but she did not CONSIDER that some of her students have no access to technology (internet) at home, and did not make a DVD copy of the lectures available. For a while we drove our daughter downtown and parked outside the library in the van while she watched an hour class, but this was really really hard to sustain as a nightly assignment.

No amount of begging for a DVD that she could watch from home instead, was successful. Finally, the teacher said, “you’re smart, just skip the lessons and try to learn from the homework.” Really? Just skip class for a whole semester? That’s your solution?

This is STUPID and discrminates against all of the kids in our town who are on dial-up like us.


In a second case, I was volunteering to be a “read-to—me” adult in our 3rd grade classrooms. The homeowrk was “pick a book, read it, go home and read it aloud to your parents, then come in to school the next day and read it aloud to one of the volunteers in the hallway.” There were two students where I was instructed, “have this child read the book twice, because they have no one at home who will listen.”

In this case the teacher CONSIDERED what happened when requiring parental involvement isn’t an option for the kid, and by considering this, they developed a workaround so those kids didn’t face discrimination in tehir education for not having involved parents.

….

So a law that requires teachers to CONSIDER these condition before they decide on the homework seem eminently reasonable to me.

 

[Politesse]

The bill doesn't sound like it does much of anything.

Not true. It will absolutely bury teachers in paperwork to "justify" the homework they assign across a complex array of oversight structures, and provide an easy opportunity for "parents' rights" organizations to cause trouble for them professionally. A lot of teachers will voluntarily reduce or eliminate homework, not because the law requires it as such but because of the hours and labor it will cost them to keep assigning it.

It's a terrible idea, in my opinion, and evidence of a generalized culture of disrespect toward educators as professionals and the work that we do, as well as a perilous lack of concern for the long term wellbeing of students. I'm not affected by this one directly, but I will be in about three or four years time when the affected student body reaches my institution with even less study skills than they already don't have.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

The bill doesn't sound like it does much of anything.

Not true. It will absolutely bury teachers in paperwork to "justify" the homework they assign across a complex array of oversight structures, and provide an easy opportunity for "parents' rights" organizations to cause trouble for them professionally. A lot of teachers will voluntarily reduce or eliminate homework, not because the law requires it as such but because of the hours and labor it will cost them to keep assigning it.

It's a terrible idea, in my opinion, and evidence of a generalized culture of disrespect toward educators as professionals and the work that we do, as well as a perilous lack of concern for the long term wellbeing of students. I'm not affected by this one directly, but I will be in about three or four years time when the affected student body reaches my institution with even less study skills than they already don't have.

What are the requirements for the school districts? The article indicated that it would mandate "establish homework policies", not require people to prove their homework load isn't too much. If teachers have to back it up annually, it'll become a pain, but if it is a periodic review every x number of years, not as bad.

I do get the desire to step in the way of parents that want to set the standards, despite lacking the education and experience.

 

[bilby]

Another beauty from California, a state with an appalling record in education;

California is close to passing a law that could cut homework and alleviate stress for pupils and parents. The Healthy Homework Act, which has passed both chambers of the state legislature but must still be signed off by the governor, asks teachers to consider whether any homework assigned requires parental support and access to technology. Pilar Schiavo, an assemblywoman, wrote the bill after a conversation with her nine-year-old daughter, who asked whether she could “ban homework”.

The Times

For the record, I oppose the Healthy Homework act. It passed almost unanimously, though, with broad support from Republicans and Democrats alike, so it is almost certain to be enacted.

I don't know the details of the act, but I strongly oppose the entire concept of homework. If you want children to do more hours of schoolwork than there are hours in the school day, you need to extend the school day.

School time is for schoolwork; Home time is not. Parents are not schoolteachers, and it is unreasonable to treat them as unpaid and unqualified teaching assistants, particularly given their very variable quality in the role.

Time to rest, and to play, are important. Stealing that time to make up for the inadequacies of the school system is not acceptable.

For the record, I never did homework. I wasn't aware that what I was doing was a protest; I didn't seek any kind of publicity, or make any fuss. I just didn't do it. Got lots of punishments. Still didn't do it.

 

[Elixir]

If you want children to do more hours of schoolwork than there are hours in the school day, you need to extend the school day.

I don't know if it's about that, but I know I always had a hard time with homework. It might be about self discipline in general.
Not that I couldn't do it, just that I wouldn't do it. I never had what they called "good study habits". Or any study habits.
I'd disqualify myself from voting on this issue if I was qualified to vote. Maybe homework and the associated "good study habits" actually help people get ahead in life after school. Maybe they don't. I don't know.

 

[TV and credit cards]

AB 2999: Pupil instruction: homework policy. | Digital Democracy

Digital Democracy overview of bill AB 2999: Pupil instruction: homework policy.

digitaldemocracy.calmatters.org

Seems well founded.

 

[bilby]

Maybe homework and the associated "good study habits" actually help people get ahead in life after school. Maybe they don't. I don't know.

I don't either, but I do know that I seem to be a lot happier than my peers who "got ahead" rather than concentrating on what is actually important - self, family, and friends.

 

[Colonel Sanders]

If you want children to do more hours of schoolwork than there are hours in the school day, you need to extend the school day.

I don't know if it's about that, but I know I always had a hard time with homework. It might be about self discipline in general.
Not that I couldn't do it, just that I wouldn't do it. I never had what they called "good study habits". Or any study habits.
I'd disqualify myself from voting on this issue if I was qualified to vote. Maybe homework and the associated "good study habits" actually help people get ahead in life after school. Maybe they don't. I don't know.

I think homework was my first righteous indignation stance. My attitude was that if I was going to be in school 5 days a week for 9 months out of the year then I shouldn't have my time invaded by bullshit homework.

So I got shit grades... I really should've done my homework

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Another beauty from California, a state with an appalling record in education;

California is close to passing a law that could cut homework and alleviate stress for pupils and parents. The Healthy Homework Act, which has passed both chambers of the state legislature but must still be signed off by the governor, asks teachers to consider whether any homework assigned requires parental support and access to technology. Pilar Schiavo, an assemblywoman, wrote the bill after a conversation with her nine-year-old daughter, who asked whether she could “ban homework”.

The Times

For the record, I oppose the Healthy Homework act. It passed almost unanimously, though, with broad support from Republicans and Democrats alike, so it is almost certain to be enacted.

I don't know the details of the act, but I strongly oppose the entire concept of homework. If you want children to do more hours of schoolwork than there are hours in the school day, you need to extend the school day.

School time is for schoolwork; Home time is not. Parents are not schoolteachers, and it is unreasonable to treat them as unpaid and unqualified teaching assistants, particularly given their very variable quality in the role.

Time to rest, and to play, are important. Stealing that time to make up for the inadequacies of the school system is not acceptable.

For the record, I never did homework. I wasn't aware that what I was doing was a protest; I didn't seek any kind of publicity, or make any fuss. I just didn't do it. Got lots of punishments. Still didn't do it.

Like ever? Not even high school?

 

[bilby]

Another beauty from California, a state with an appalling record in education;

California is close to passing a law that could cut homework and alleviate stress for pupils and parents. The Healthy Homework Act, which has passed both chambers of the state legislature but must still be signed off by the governor, asks teachers to consider whether any homework assigned requires parental support and access to technology. Pilar Schiavo, an assemblywoman, wrote the bill after a conversation with her nine-year-old daughter, who asked whether she could “ban homework”.

The Times

For the record, I oppose the Healthy Homework act. It passed almost unanimously, though, with broad support from Republicans and Democrats alike, so it is almost certain to be enacted.

I don't know the details of the act, but I strongly oppose the entire concept of homework. If you want children to do more hours of schoolwork than there are hours in the school day, you need to extend the school day.

School time is for schoolwork; Home time is not. Parents are not schoolteachers, and it is unreasonable to treat them as unpaid and unqualified teaching assistants, particularly given their very variable quality in the role.

Time to rest, and to play, are important. Stealing that time to make up for the inadequacies of the school system is not acceptable.

For the record, I never did homework. I wasn't aware that what I was doing was a protest; I didn't seek any kind of publicity, or make any fuss. I just didn't do it. Got lots of punishments. Still didn't do it.

Like ever? Not even high school?

Like ever.

After a couple of years, most teachers just learn to live with the fact that it isn't going to happen.

Spent a lot of time in detention; Got a lot of trouble from my dad too, to begin with. After a while he too realised the futility of punishment.

 

[thebeave]

I'm sort of the opposite. I ALWAYS did my homework. From elementary school through college. Both of my parents were teachers (in a small town) so not doing it was not an option. No regrets, though. It has served me well. In fact, many of the "nightmares" I still have nowadays are of going through a whole semester and skipping the homework and getting that "holy crap, I fucked up" vibe at the end when grades are being handed out. Also dreams where I skipped class and tests. I hate those!

 

[Politesse]

Another beauty from California, a state with an appalling record in education;

California is close to passing a law that could cut homework and alleviate stress for pupils and parents. The Healthy Homework Act, which has passed both chambers of the state legislature but must still be signed off by the governor, asks teachers to consider whether any homework assigned requires parental support and access to technology. Pilar Schiavo, an assemblywoman, wrote the bill after a conversation with her nine-year-old daughter, who asked whether she could “ban homework”.

The Times

For the record, I oppose the Healthy Homework act. It passed almost unanimously, though, with broad support from Republicans and Democrats alike, so it is almost certain to be enacted.

I don't know the details of the act, but I strongly oppose the entire concept of homework. If you want children to do more hours of schoolwork than there are hours in the school day, you need to extend the school day.

School time is for schoolwork; Home time is not. Parents are not schoolteachers, and it is unreasonable to treat them as unpaid and unqualified teaching assistants, particularly given their very variable quality in the role.

Time to rest, and to play, are important. Stealing that time to make up for the inadequacies of the school system is not acceptable.

For the record, I never did homework. I wasn't aware that what I was doing was a protest; I didn't seek any kind of publicity, or make any fuss. I just didn't do it. Got lots of punishments. Still didn't do it.

Out of curiosity, what line of work are you in, bilby?

 

[ZiprHead]

I see nothing here that addresses presidential politics so I've moved this to the standard politics forum.

 

[Colonel Sanders]

Another beauty from California, a state with an appalling record in education;

California is close to passing a law that could cut homework and alleviate stress for pupils and parents. The Healthy Homework Act, which has passed both chambers of the state legislature but must still be signed off by the governor, asks teachers to consider whether any homework assigned requires parental support and access to technology. Pilar Schiavo, an assemblywoman, wrote the bill after a conversation with her nine-year-old daughter, who asked whether she could “ban homework”.

The Times

For the record, I oppose the Healthy Homework act. It passed almost unanimously, though, with broad support from Republicans and Democrats alike, so it is almost certain to be enacted.

I don't know the details of the act, but I strongly oppose the entire concept of homework. If you want children to do more hours of schoolwork than there are hours in the school day, you need to extend the school day.

School time is for schoolwork; Home time is not. Parents are not schoolteachers, and it is unreasonable to treat them as unpaid and unqualified teaching assistants, particularly given their very variable quality in the role.

Time to rest, and to play, are important. Stealing that time to make up for the inadequacies of the school system is not acceptable.

For the record, I never did homework. I wasn't aware that what I was doing was a protest; I didn't seek any kind of publicity, or make any fuss. I just didn't do it. Got lots of punishments. Still didn't do it.

Like ever? Not even high school?

We, the homeworkless, especially didn't do homework in high school. I can't speak for anyone else, but I was too busy partying and chasing skirt. If I would've put the effort into school that I put into having a good time, Harvard would've been begging me to show up.

 

[Politesse]

Just wait til an old lady in the park is murdered by a pack of teen thugs made "homeworkless" by insufferable prick Gavin Newsom.