But that would require a radical overhaul of education. Are you familiar with a 1959 novel by retired Admiral Robert A. Heinlein entitled Starship Troopers? [NOT the motion picture of that same name but little else] And by chance are you a veteran of U.S. military service?
Ret. Admiral Heinlein suggested a governmental reform or two that might lead things in the direction you mention, and even outlined a proposed *History and Moral Philosophy* course somewhat similar in some respects but very different in others from the fairly boring Government and Civics classes I attended in the early 1960s. But including the history behind many of the governmental foundations takes much of the boring right out of the classroom.
In 1993 I was one of a handful of local citizens involved with a long-range planning committee for one of our three local school corporations; of which I am a graduate. Since that school can trace its origin back in excess of two hundred years, that could have been quite a chunk to bite off, but we settled on 25 years hence, and a H&MP addition to the curriculum was among the ideas considered. No Child's Behind Left Alone and ISTEP killed it, of course, and instead the carrot-and-stick methods of rating teachers for bonuses or early retirement seems to be taking hold instead.
And where do those expelled teachers go? You might think that attorneys and lawyers would be the most represented trade in the state legislature, but it's not here. It's teachers, active and *retired* and professional educators, with a smattering of local school members pitched in. The result has been about what you might imagine.
Are you familiar with a 1959 novel [Starship Troopers]?
Sorry, just the movie. I did notice the idea of military personnel having the vote. Intriguing. Expanded my consiousness [although that precise idea not workable].
“And by chance are you a veteran of U.S. military service?”
No, but I’ve studied military history.
‘Ret. Admiral Heinlein suggested a governmental reform or two that might lead things in the direction you mention, and even outlined a proposed *History and Moral Philosophy* course somewhat similar in some respects but very different in others from the fairly boring Government and Civics classes I attended in the early 1960s.’
Actually, I’ve given education reform a lot of thought. We need something that 3/4 of state governments agree on.
One thing to help represent the military viewpoint would be to empower veterans who have seen action to vote for a debate planner who can mandate fair ‘web conferencing’ debates [no coordinator, just a timer]. Each professor, congress critter, and judge could be mandated to no more than one annual debate by someone invited by the veterans’ debate planner [funded by voluntary contributions].
‘But including the history behind many of the governmental foundations takes much of the boring right out of the classroom.’
Right. History is exciting [even scary and horrifying] from a military viewpoint.
I’ve also worked on another mandate — that certain movie clips be required viewing unless the child has a parental slip — such as from Pearl Harbor, Saving Private Ryan, Sergeant York, etc.
I also wrote another suggestion — a cyber-based de-centralization of education with options to educate children with computer game technology as well as videos, with each church allowed to work out its own [though muslims would need to be a little careful the way I suggest it].
My suggestions might have shocked a few people. Never checked for feedback:
Our Nation’s Future, part 1 [education] vanity
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/3290790/posts
You might want to offer your own ideas or input: