I've wondered if it would be possible to sit in on a public school classroom to see what happens in school now. Anyone know? I have a 13 year-old great-nephew who is just finishing the seventh grade in the Bethel school district. I'm really interested to see if anything has changed since I was in school, which was a very long time ago. My impression, from what my nephew tells me and other things I've heard, is that they're still using much the same methods, and that teachers are overwhelmed. 

I still vote for school bonds, even though I have doubts about the way schools are structured, because I don't want things to get even worse. I respect teachers, who are doing a difficult job, but I don't think it's working. From a documentary I watched I got the impression that teachers are frustrated because they're not allowed to teach the way they think best. Apparently too much top-down control by the feds, state government, school boards and administrators.