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 ...
"Because you'll be outnumbered"
We were outnumbered when we decided to go into Iraq too.
"Not every issue that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced" - James Baldwin
I don't think the School Board in my town can do much more than rubberstamp the school budget. They can't touch curriculum, staffing, or books, or much of anything else.
"I don't think the School Board in my town can do"
And that can't be changed?
Yes, but in this case you don't have the option of simply killing your opposition...you have to get them to cooperate with you, and that's much more difficult. Meanwhile, are you going to have your own children in the school system where this one-sided battle is taking place?
You may...I won't. I will one day tilt at the public-education windmill, but it will almost certainly be after my own children are grown.
"Meanwhile, are you going to have your own children in the school system"
As a matter of fact, they have completed their k-12 and both are currently enrolled in public colleges.
They also attended a church pre-school.
I myself, attended both public and private schools.
I have friends who are teachers in both private and public schools and my son dated a homeschoole teen.
What is your experience?
I see your handle is well-justified :)
As a single parent with an absentee ex-husband, I spend the time I would have had to devote to being a community, state and federal activist (with no guarantee of success) instead to my dd. No, I didn't do any of those things you mention. At best, because it is all political, every success can be counteracted at the next election.
What I can tell you is that for 6 long years I worked within the schools with teachers and administrators to get curriculum changed, get rid of ignorant, incompetent and abusive teachers, and promote a common sense view of a normal child. I was labeled an interfering, obstructionist, overprotective, amateur who could not possible know anything about educating a child because I didn't have a degree in school administration, a teaching certificate, more certificates in curriculum design etc etc.
My results: precisely 0. The teacher who verbally abused my child in front of the class and the entire school, repeatedly, is still there, still promoting groupthink and still allowed to give children who "voted" for George Bush over Al Gore in the "mock election" at school failing grades.
The curriculum director who promotes whole language and deliberately excludes phonics is still pushing the same curriculum.
The administrators who say they cannot change the curriculum, teachers, or control bullying are still there.
Any more bright ideas ?
Parents only have 12 years of their child's school life - the blob has carried on its inexorable way for far longer than that.
I chose to leave the mess, give my dd the opportunities she did not get in school, and end up with a thinking, kind, achievement oriented child, all traits that were being beaten out of her at school.
Someone once said that reading a book is like crawling into someone else's head and understanding their experiences. If Marty Rochester, a noted professor of political science at a state university and the parent of 2 boys in the local public schools, whose wife worked as a teacher in the special education unit of the public schools, could not get any satisfaction, well then...
Why keep beating your head against the wall ? Because it feels so good when you stop.
I highly recommend books as an addition to your experiential education.
I have two children ages 11 and 9 who are currently home-schooled, a 5-year-old who will start being formally home-schooled in the fall, and a newborn for whom formal schooling is some years away.
There is no circumstance under which I could be persuaded to let the local school district to get their mitts on these children.
Your tax dollars.
Me thinks that no one person can bring about the changes to the issues you have with the school.
"What do you suggest the citizens of Massachusetts do?...."
Fight or flight. Your "choice".
Suffice to say, no one really wants to give money to the lawyers. Probably don't care to pay for a service, public education, that you're not getting satisfaction from either?
Some older folks who have paid their taxes and their children are out of school wonder why they should have to pay to educate someone elses kids?
Any ideas why?
You are so right - and this is an award-winning school district.
You should hear the stories of those who send their kids to the Philadelphia or Chester-Upland public schools. No education would be better than most of those schools.
Ping
"Philadelphia"
The difficulty with the argument is, just because one's personal experience with a school or school district isn't acceptable doesn't mean that ALL public schools are bad.
It's like some terrorist professing to be "Christian" means all Christians are bad.
You just wait till terrorist show up in NY. Just because they haven't shown up yet doesn't mean they won't.
Well, they did show up and I saw the responses. Clinton let is slide and Bush didn't.
"ACLU Victory: Pro-Homosexual Training Required for School District"
Good example and basis for much discussion, albeit from a state full of nuts, fruits and flakes.
The larger issue is whether schools have an obligation to protect students. Suppose the "victim" kids were Jews, no believers, would the school be obligated to protect them? Would it not be in the best intersts of all for kids to know something about the beliefs of non-bleiving Jews?
When your kids do confront a homosexual what will their response be?
Why the need to post a link to the same article twice? Getting a bit confused?
Of course you are correct - my point in these two cases is that in PA, these entire school districts were taken over by the state for non-performance (80% of kids tested at a basic or below level). That is more than anecdotal - it's fact, if you believe the standardized tests. Oh, but then you'd have to read about it, not just get involved yourself - your logic.
Yes, in Philly you have Masterman and Girls High and a few others, but even there the curriculum is mandated by the state and the teachers still belong to the NEA - they still teach socialism and group think, just at an accelerated level. :)
Ever look at the IB (International Baccalaureate) program that is all the rage in many high-achieving schools, in some cases supplanting AP classes ? Who approves that curriculum ? It's sponsored by the United Nations - need I say more ? You want your child taught one world government, pro international courts, radical environmentalism, socialism, pro-homosexual, anti-family ? Kids in the IB curriculum represent the best and brightest of this nation, and what they are being taught undermines everything that has made this nation great.
Oops, sorry, I asked you to read something else.
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