Posted on 02/07/2005 3:46:06 AM PST by DaveTesla
The Humanist Mission of Our Schools.
I think the most important factor leading us to a
secular society has been the educational factor. Our
schools may not teach Johnny to read properly, but the
fact that Johnny is in school until he is 16 tends to
lead toward the elimination of religious superstition.
The average child now acquires a high school education,
and this militates against Adam and Eve and all other
myths of alleged history.
Humanist writer Paul Blanshard.
Extending State Control.
Humanists know that the future of our country rests
with our children. Therefore, in order to control the
future of our country, they must control the minds of
our children. And the easiest way to control our
children is to control the schools.
Radical left-wing writers, including Alexander Cockburn
and James Ridgeway, incessantly rail against
parental "interference" in schools, because, as they
openly acknowledge, "The Left can't survive politically
without a public school system to spread leftist
attitudes."[3]
The New Curriculum.
The future of any nation lies with its youth. So
corrupt them; since religion teaches moral virtue,
erode the churches and divert the young from religion.
Make them interested only in themselves. Get them
involved in drugs, alcohol, and sex. Get them addicted
to privileges and rights.
Vladimir Lenin's "Rule for Revolution" #1.
"Reading, writing and arithmetic" no longer figure
prominently in today's exotic public school curricula.
Children who attend public school will be compelled to
learn the following;
that homosexuality is a perfectly acceptable
alternative lifestyle;
.....SNIP......
C.S. Lewis, The Abolition of Man.
(Excerpt) Read more at prolife.ath.cx:8000 ...
We're in San Jose. Our wonderful district just decided to close my kids' school because of "declining enrollment".
However, enrollment is declining in the northern part of the district near downtown San Jose, and it is increasing in the more suburban part of the district where my kids' school is located.
My kids school is a National Blue Ribbon School, California Distiguished School, and it has high test scores.
My daughter has a severe speech and language disorder due to brain damage. She is in the tops of her 2nd grade regular education class in math, and she is reading at grade level (Charlotte's Web). She's done this with good teachers, a good speech therapy, and a good occupational therapist. She's never needed a full-time aide or a special education class, and she no longer need occupational therapy.
My son was at a private Christian school for k-2. He didn't even know what a paragraph was at the end of 2nd grade, and he didn't know how to multiply. He switched to the public school in 3rd grade. At the end of 5th grade, he can write an essay and is probably going to be in a pre-algebra class for 6th grade.
Good public schools are hard to find, and I'm fighting to keep mine open.
Interestingly enough, the not having to undo takes homeschooling kids very far. Very few homeschooled kids live out of touch with the world - they have neighbors, participate in all types of sports, fine arts, academic and other opportunities, work at various jobs or start businesses, occasionally take classes either at local ps or community college, etc.
My dd, for example, volunteers at the local science museum in Philly 1 day a week in an exhibit serving kids from age 3 thru 15. She has to deal with bosses (managers of exhibit), co-workers, parents of kids, kids, groups of school or camp kids, and so on. She knows her performance matters and that she could be asked to leave if her performance or attitude does not meet the standards of the museum. She will be better prepared for life than those who just go to school and participate in school activities, because she will have dealt with life in the real world.
In Philly, where there's about a 5/1 ratio of democrats to republicans, she had her share of getting along with those of the opposite philosophical persuasion last fall. But, get along she did. The difference was, a class grade was not at stake for her beliefs. She learned to speak out when appropriate, and agree to disagree otherwise.
I couldn't agree with you more - there is no one way to educate, just as there is no "one child" to mass educate. Unfortunately, in any classroom, the teacher has to deal with individuals who are all at different levels of ability and with different learning styles. Some kids will do very well under a teacher - others will be profoundly hurt by that same teacher in the same class.
So if you had a child that is deaf, blind, in a wheel-chair, or has down syndrome then you wouldn't put them in public school for those problems.
Do you know how to teach a blind child how to read?
You must be very talented.
Why are you addressing me this way? Was I in any way critical of you? I meant to say that while I would not under any circumstances send my children to the local public schools, you're entirely free to do as you like. That's still my position, and no criticism of you is expressed or implied.
ping
Several out of many thousand does not indict the system, but in Chester-Upland, for example, all 11 schools in the 11 school district were taken over by the state, because all were substandard. In Philadelphia, I believe only 10% of the schools were deemed OK - the rest were substandard. (not sure of the exact numbers in Philly)
Of course, across the U.S. are many thousands of schools. My point was, even if the kids seem to be doing OK, it still doesn't explain the 48% nationwide illiteracy rate, the dumbed-down standardized tests where in California and Florida, for example, a 12th grade test is set at an 8th grade level, and the fact that the same dumbed-down and abhorrent textbooks are used across the nation because textbook writers are catering to Texas and California standards in order to sell the most textbooks.
In your post# 40, you indicated you'd rather act than read. Perhaps I misunderstood you.
Re the IB - when the IB is the only honors choice, would you rather your kid be in a lower track ? I'd choose neither, but then that leaves me without an alternative for an honors/accelerated education that is not all socialist and ecodisaster-oriented.
PA may have more National Merit Scholars, but again the test has been recentered and changed over the years so that it no longer means what it used to 30 years ago. A larger % of crap is still crap.
And yes, I know the US also sponsors the IB - we have a lot of good little socialists at the US Dept of Ed, the NEA, and elsewhere. Read some of Charlotte Iserbyt's book for some very interesting information on that issue - former researcher at the US Dept of Ed.
That's it in a nutshell. Unfortunately, the ones who deny that fact and blame the parents are the ones who haven't yet tried.
The only way to improve public education is to pull ALL funding, reduce county and state taxes accordingly, and let the parents decide how to best educate their children.
Public school "teachers" are not qualified to teach children whose IQ is above average. Whether they are qualified to teach their mentally retarded equals is questionable at best.
You said:
"There is no circumstance under which I could be persuaded to let the local school district to get their mitts on these children."
I pointed out that there actually may be an instance where you might. If something like your child became blind, then you might have to reconsider that option.
You said:
"Well, I didn't ask you to. We all pays our money and takes our chances, as they say."
Which I thought was a very interesting kind of tacky comment.
My comment about you being very talented may have been out of hand, but I still ask
"So if you had a child that is deaf, blind, in a wheel-chair, or has down syndrome then you wouldn't put them in public school for those problems?"
"When your kids do confront a homosexual what will their response be?"
If you can address the original question, you should be able to answer the second.....What is that age?
"BTW, even if the schools taught patriotism and conservative values I would disagree that that is what we want from the schools. I would like the schools to teach a history that is fair, and could teach comparative religions in a course designed for this, but teaching that homosexuality is a reasonable way of life.."
Nice summary and sensible. In a similar vein, one can teach about homosexual without advocating homosexual activities just as one should be about to teach religion without advocating it?
"I simply resent the government telling us how we should think."
Perhaps you meant to say that schools shouldn't teach children "what to think" but how to think. One who knows HOW to think will discern truth for themselves rather than relying soley on another for truth.
"It's more accurate to say that I won't answer the question."
I suspected that when I asked the question. But, since you made the assertion, I thought perhaps you were able to back it up.
Yes I'd read that previously.
"writing from a biblical perspective"
Obviously a unbiased objective look at public education. NOT
"I'm fighting to keep mine open."
Wow! I can certainly see why.
I don't think all public schools do a good job and they're certainly full of teachers who are incompetent, but as you point out, there are some teachers who are indeed effective and do care.
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