Is it really this bad?

I read a post from a college-level writing teacher that stunned me. The entry was part of a piece entitled "'Before and after' – stories of life-changing events that shaped peoples' lives." He (or she) wrote as follows:

"[I]t might well be this semester's papers turned in by students. I teach writing at the university level, and the papers were SO awful and so many students SO apathetic that I just can't even imagine doing this job anymore.

"I can point to one single paper that broke me. I actually had a real breakdown and spent last week in a crisis stabilization unit. It is TERRIFYING to watch education ebb like this, and to see students not participating in their own lives. I do not expect people to love writing, but at least be *present* in your own head! The entire system is dumbing down, which means that the American people are dumbing down too."

Okay, having to enter a crisis stabilization unit over poor writing seems a bit extreme; but still, I have to ask: Is it really this bad? Obviously we're aware the quality of public education has been declining for years – it's why we homeschooled our girls, after all – but is it to the point where college students are essentially illiterate? What are educators doing through decades of education to produce such "terrifying" results? I'm not in the trenches, so I don't see it.

Is the English language so reviled that no one teaches its usage anymore? Those with teaching experience, please chime in. Is it really this bad? And if so, why?

Sad but true

Reader Fred sent this. I guess I'd call it an UN-chuckle du jour.

Ya think...?

Here's a little bit of crazy for you.

It seems the Los Angeles school district decided to "put iPads in the hands of over 650,000 students to give them the most advanced learning tools available in an effort to boost their interest in academics"... all this to the tune of -- wait for it -- A BILLION DOLLARS.

And what was the result of this expensive high-tech infusion? Unsurprisingly, "the $1 billion plan is taking some heat after students in the nation's second-largest school district cracked the tablets’ security settings to forgo reading, writing and ‘rithmetic and instead post on Facebook and play games during class time."

To their credit, "School officials... quickly confiscated the iPads and went to work improving the security settings." No word of removing the iPads, just "improving the security settings."

Y'know, there's something to be said for the old-fashioned way of learning things. How on earth did our parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, etc. -- arguably the most literate generations in history -- ever learn without iPads? Just askin'.

Stressed out kids?

A reader named Kymber sent me a fascinating article from the UK Daily Mail on how one fifth of British children suffer from 'school phobia' but half of parents are unaware of the problem.

Here are the highlights:

• Children aged five to six and 10 to 11 most likely to suffer from the condition
• Results in children not wanting to attend school due to emotional distress
• Sufferers often fake illnesses on school mornings or suffer genuine stress
• Being bullied was the most common trigger of the phobia, claim parents

It's well-known that stress affects a child's ability to learn, so stress from whatever causes (whether it's bullying, family problems, physical appearance, school size) will impair academic advancement.

I doubt the problem is any better in the U.S. I clearly remember hating junior high school (as it was called at the time) due to the teasing and harassment I got. Things were better in high school because I became friends with the librarians and they used to let me work the counter as well as hide out in the librarian's workroom during my lunch hour. I knew I didn't have things too badly -- bullying wasn't tolerated then as it is today -- but the unpleasant memories still linger.

It's impossible to eliminate bullying or other school stresses. They're just part of the school culture. What's the solution, besides removing the child from school? I have no idea.

I just feel sorry for these poor children who must stress their childhoods away.

Sex education, home-style

Lately I’ve been following an online discussion between progressives and conservatives on the subject of abortions for teens. The argument of the progressives (besides the idea that abortion should be fully-funded and allowable at any time, for any reason) is that we need eternal sex education for our young people. “We need effective, very effective sex education at early ages mandatory for all,” wrote one woman. “Ask a lot of 14 to 16 year old (fertile) females what can cause pregnancy and you will get some bizarre answers. Free condoms and birth control pills, free use of RU 486 and effective sex education and that will nearly eliminate unwanted pregnancies.”

Putting aside the dangerous concept of mandatory progressive one-size-fits-all sex education for children starting at “early ages,” this comment got me thinking: Our daughters are 14 and 16, right in the “fertile” age group this woman mentions. And since they’re homeschooled, they’ve never had “sex education” per se. Certainly they’ve never learned the finer points of using condoms, birth control pills, RU 486, or other methods of controlling fertility. And needless to say they’ve never darkened the door of Planned Parenthood. (See how deprived our girls are?)

But since they were three years old and noticed the antics of Mr. Rooster with the hens, they’ve never been unclear about the connection between mating and babies.

In this information age, how on earth can any teen be ignorant about the connection between sex and pregnancy? While I agree there are some bizarre myths floating around on the issue of under what conditions a pregnancy can occur, I don’t know that anyone who has even the mildest connection with the Real World who cannot grasp the correlation that pregnancy is always caused by sex (in one form or another).

I don’t blame teen pregnancy on (just) ignorance; I blame teen pregnancy on a lack of self-control. For every teen who thinks, “It can’t happen to me” when faced with the possibility of an unwanted pregnancy after irresponsible sex, there are other teens who think, “I’d better not do this” before they have irresponsible sex, and then don’t have to worry about pregnancy at all. The former are NOT practicing self-control. The latter ARE.

As I see it, that’s one of the advantages of homeschooling. Nearly all homeschooling parents teach their children sex education by osmosis because they teach their children self-control. They generally teach their children right and wrong, rather than, “If it feels right, then do it.”

Without the constant exposure to a peer culture that encourages and rewards a lack of self-control ("Oooh, you stud! You scored last night!"), homeschooled kids tend to hang around both adults and other (homeschooled) peers who understand that self-control is one of the most critical qualities to acquire in order to live a decent life.

So what kind of sex education do homeschoolers receive? In all likelihood, homeschooled kids are going to see intimacy taking place within the proper context (i.e., two married and committed parents). They’ll also take note of the damage to individuals, families, and society when sex happens outside the proper context. They’ll learn that, while birth control has its place, its place is not unlimited and uncontrolled sex while single (especially while under age).

With all the discussions about what young people “should” be learning in sex education, a logical question to ask is: what’s more effective? Learning self-control and the proper time and place for intimacy (i.e. marriage) despite a body full of raging hormones? Or learning about all the tricks of the trade to have baby-free sex wherever and whenever they want?

Which options will promote happiness and stability on a long-term basis?

In short, I believe that learning true sex education (which includes self-control) would virtually eliminate the need for any of the services offered by places like Planned Parenthood.

But of course, this assumes that parents are stepping up to the plate and teaching their teens real sex education.

Your thoughts?

Trained to identify resistors

If anyone -- anyone! -- has ever questioned the public school system, you must watch this video clip.

This clip features an interview with Charlotte Iserbyt, who served as senior policy adviser in the Office of Educational Research and Improvement (U.S. Dept of Ed) in the first Reagan administration. What she saw there caused her to become a whistleblower and ultimately to write the book The Deliberate Dumbing Down of America [full disclosure: haven't read it].

During interview, she relates how she had access to all the documents for the "restructuring" of not only American education, but global education. She was trained to "identify the resistors" (to the sex ed/drug ed/alcohol ed/suicide ed/death ed programs) and try and get them to join.

During some in-service training while on her local school board in Maine, she was given a thick manual called "Innovations to Education: A Change Agent's Guide" which gave specific and deliberate instructions on how to "con the Christians" and others who were upset with what the schools were trying to do, and how to "bring them over to your side."

All of this "change agent" training was (and still is) funded by the U.S. Office of Education, with funding starting in about the late 1960s. She described how "facilitators" would come to school districts to train teachers. And teachers throughout the years had to undergo constant training and re-training, along with sensitivity training to "break their values" so there is no right and no wrong.

Ms. Iserbyt mentions Dr. Benjamin Bloom, whom she describes as "the most important behavioral psychologist ever to live" after Pavlov and Skinner, as the one who implemented this system in the United States. She paraphrases his "blatant" beliefs: "The purpose of education is to change the thoughts, actions, and feelings of students" and how he defines good teaching as "challenging the students' fixed beliefs" in order to effect change. She describes how he could "take a student from here to there -- from a belief in God or his country or whatever to being an atheist and not believing in his country in one hour. They bring about the attitude and values change through the emotions of the child.

So what are your thoughts on this? Is Mr. Iserbyt a conspiracy nut or is she accurate in what she says she witnessed while in the Department of Education? Does anyone have any more information on this?

(Still no regrets that we chose to homeschool...)

Prom night

So it seems certain high schools are putting some rules in effect about prom dresses... specifically, trying to curtail skanky clothes.

"Schools from Connecticut to Arizona are responding to risqué prom dresses with elaborate dress codes," notes a Wall Street Journal article. "Prom fashion in some stores goes way beyond plunging necklines and hiked-up hems to include low-slung backs, thigh-high slits and midriff-bearing cutouts."

Interestingly, a not-uncommon criticism of homeschooling is the argument of "Awww, but they'll miss the prom!" (An example of what they're missing can be seen here.) Now it seems public schools are belatedly recognizing the prom trend has gotten uglier and uglier in recent years.

Some schools are pro-actively trying to forestall skanky prom fashions by giving Power-Point presentations, posting photos in school hallways, and printing up brochures about what constitutes unacceptable styles. In some schools, "students have to sign a document acknowledging they will abide by the dress code or be turned away at the door."

So what are some of the unacceptable prom fashions schools are trying to discourage? Take a gander:

(Notice the zipper down the butt...)

It may not work, but I applaud the schools for trying to uphold some sort of standards.

Now, here's another minor thing I happen to notice in this article on the same issue, in discussing the types of prom dresses which are considered acceptable:

"It seems kind of petty," Cindi Lee, an Algebra teacher at Southmore High School outside Oklahoma City, told the Journal, "but we really do want them to understand we are holding them to a high standard." Administrators at the school have put together a twelve-page power-point presentation with close-cropped images to show students exactly what the rules are. "Words don't mean much to them," says Lee. Other schools are using posters and illustrated handouts.

Words don't mean much to them...

Let's hear it for the high academic standards in our nation.

Oops

Seems this sign got Tweeted all over the place.

To be fair this was an honest misteak, and everyone involved saw the humor of the situation. Read the article here.

Report card

Here's a cartoon a friend sent.

Resignation Letter

Some time ago, in response to a WND column entitled Another Year, Another Failure, I received an email from a gentleman named Harry who related an extraordinary story. I asked permission to post his email as well as some supporting information.
_____________________________

I always enjoy your commentary and can relate somewhat directly to the problem of the teacher in Chicago who is being charged with "weapons violations" for showing tools to a second grade class.

In my case, and to give you a little history, I retired from design research and after being bored for a year took a job in the local school district serving hot lunches to little kids. It was perhaps more fun than my career. But even though I had three very good performance reviews, an excellent working relationship with the kitchen staff and certainly had a good rapport with the kids, I was threatened with disciplinary action up to and including termination because I had the insipid gall to defend the word "Christmas" and other such indiscretions.

A teacher distributed a survey around the school asking for thoughts on the establishment of certain activities: A bowling team, a bus trip to Boston for shopping, a theater trip, etc. The thing that got me in hot water was the part of the survey that asked where should we have the "Winter Holiday" party: Should the "Winter Holiday party be at the school? Should the "Winter Holiday party be at a local restaurant? Should the "Winter Holiday" party be ...?, etc. I got out my black marker, crossed out "Winter Holiday" and wrote Christmas. In the comment section I wrote a very pointed opinion about the issue saying in effect that I thought it was a shame that this school saw fit to minimize or eliminate a part of our culture and heritage that has been with us for many, many years just so we wouldn't offend someone. I also made a remark about "weak-kneed" administrators who didn't have the courage to stand up to this nonsense.

I also discovered a new oxymoron: Tolerant Liberal. The HR director in another meeting with me actually said in so many words that unless I was a politician or a school board member I should, in effect, keep my mouth shut. The fact that I told school officials that I would not apologize for anything I said really got their shorts in a twist.

I had already signed a new contract for the following year but as time went on the situation became untenable. It was right near the end of the school year and the day, the DAY after school ended for the summer, I received a letter explaining that if my disrespectful behavior continued I would be subject to further disciplinary action up to and including termination.

That did it! I decided that I was working there because I wanted to and not because I had to. So, I spent the next two weeks composing my letter of resignation: two pages and single spaced, where I lambasted them for all this idiocy. I had it read by educated friends for their input and suggestions and whether I was taking the right approach. They all felt the letter was well written and to the point. [NOTE: Letter copied below.] So I mailed it and in response I got a letter accepting my resignation and wishing me well in my future endeavors. How nice of them!

In my professional life I have taught at the university level, I taught kindergarten while in graduate school and over the years have developed a very negative opinion of our educational system. Are we doomed as a nation or is there a solution? Closing down the Department of Education, abolishing tenure and eliminating a lot of professorial deadwood might be a way to start. Just thought I would pass this on.
_____________________________________

Here is the instigating document, ironically called a "Joy and Celebration Survey." (I blocked out a name.) (Click to enlarge.)

(For clarity, his comments at the bottom read, "Comment -- It is time that this idiocy and weak-kneed attitude of school administrators is questioned and acted on. Christmas is an important and valued part of our culture and heritage and should not be treated so indifferently or out of fear of offending someone. You are in America! Act like it! Merry Christmas!"
__________________________________________

Here is the resulting disciplinary letter he received (click to enlarge):

__________________________________________

Here is a copy of Harry's resignation letter:

Dear [name deleted],

This letter is to inform you of my decision to resign my position at [name deleted] School.

I find it quite interesting and unfortunate how a situation can be allowed to deteriorate because of fragile egos. I also find it interesting how my job can be put on the line because of my personal views and comments on issues that are not unique to [name deleted] School, but are of concern to many across the U.S. and, at the same time, for my excellent job performance review of May 12th of this year to be totally ignored. It makes me think that there is a distorted sense of values in play here. At this stage in my life I will not allow myself to be intimidated and scolded like a little child, especially by people considerably younger than I am. Management by intimidation is unprofessional and wrong and I will not tolerate it. I will not allow myself to be manipulated by signing something I feel is inaccurate. “Disrespectful Behavior”? That really should be explained further as it seems to relate more to my job performance than my views. If there was any disrespect floating around it certainly did not come from me. “Discomfort with my responses”? I guess nobody has ever confronted or challenged school officials before and they are at a loss as to how to handle it. But if these are the ways that challenges are met and handled at [name deleted] School, then perhaps they should look inward for resolution.

Other issues are the Halloween problem and my supposed comment to [name deleted] that I truly believe never happened. This could have been reliance by [name deleted] on second or third hand information or made up, as was the insinuation that I criticized the President at some point. Also the anonymous survey where the comment I made in defense of Christmas so upset some people that they were determined to find the source. Having done that they had the gall to confront me with it. That was bullying, intimidation and a violation of my privacy which probably could easily be determined by legal counsel. And for [name deleted] to say that I am intolerant is unconscionable. When [name deleted] mentioned my “emailing the world” about the talent show problem I was disappointed that you did not interject the fact that it was your suggestion that I also email your boss after offering me your support. What was that all about? In another instance I remember the presentation the kids put on the Friday before spring vacation. I found it appalling that several got up and recited little speeches about global warming and related issues. I wasn’t listening to kids, I was hearing little programmed robots that have been taught what to think and not how to think. I learned in graduate school almost 40 years ago that education was beginning to spiral downhill and, in so many words, I told [name deleted] that in our first meeting. She quickly said it was getting better. Of course I disagreed. Apparently we don’t read the same books.

And when it comes to the murals in the hallway I thought it was a wonderful project, especially with all the kids participating. I could have taken issue with that too but chose not to. I came to work one morning and saw several people working on the tiles and talked with one to get an understanding of the project. Nice conversation, until I made a suggestion that got brushed off without so much as a “thanks for your input”. I thought it would be nice to have next to the murals a chart listing all the kids names, their grade and the code that would allow them to find their particular tile in the several hundred that comprised the murals. My reasoning was that each child should get individual recognition for their work and also be able to show their parents the tile when they visit the school. I was told it was a “school project” and that everyone from the “school” participated. Apparently the “individual” is not important but the “group” is.

A short time after the murals were finished I happened to see one of the third graders in the hall. She was heading for the library with a cart of books and I asked her about the mural and where her tile was. She told me the code number. I committed that to memory and next morning I brought in my camera and took a picture of her tile. I went on the computer at home and made a print of it complete with all the pertinent information about school, grade and her name. I then gave it to her for her birthday, so at least one student got recognition. These are the kinds of things I am concerned about and justifiably so. This was a time to pat the kids on the back and I don’t believe it was forthcoming.

John Dewey, an educational philosopher, has been quoted as saying “Children who know how to think for themselves spoil the harmony of the collective society which is coming, where everyone is interdependent”. I could never be a disciple of John Dewey because he, as an educator many years ago, set American education on a path that is not working in the best interests of this country. In a different era, Alexis de Tocqueville, a French political philosopher in his Democracy in America said “The citizens are led insensibly, and perhaps against their will, daily to give up fresh portions of their individual independence to the government, and those same men who from time to time have upset a throne and trampled kings beneath their feet bend without resistance to the slightest wishes of some government clerk”. It was individuality and entrepreneurialism that made this such a wonderful country and it is gradually being decimated by an ideology that no one in education wants to admit exists. I have taught at the university level and continue to be disturbed at the “product” that higher education is producing. These newly minted “teachers” over the years have been saturating K-12 with an ideology that is preventing kids from understanding where they came from and who they are as Americans and watering down our culture and heritage with “diversity” and “multiculturalism”. American history, if it’s taught at all, utilizes textbooks that are revised, rewritten and misleading in their facts and downplays American exceptionalism. And if I were to go to the school library I would almost be willing to bet that I would also find a book entitled “Heather Has Two Mommies”. There are some very unfortunate agendas working their way into school curriculums at lower and lower grades. If I had any power I would shut down the Department of Education and break up the NEA for the corrupting influences that they are. I know I am digressing here and getting away from the issue at hand. But I just wanted to give you some insight.

I want you to know that I have the utmost respect for [name deleted] and can not see burdening her with my continued employment knowing that I would be going through the year with a large target on my back. I believe it would create a very untenable situation for her and be a source of unnecessary stress. Although I loved my job and certainly loved being around the kids I prefer not to be part of an institution that is drifting away little by little from all the positive American traditions and values that are so important in life, and to me.

Sincerely,
Harry S.
__________________________________________

The reason I took such pains to post this issue is because it so beautifully illustrates the (cough) "tolerance" and (cough) "diversity" in the public school system. Clearly employees can only be tolerant of one side of an issue, and diversity must never include traditional viewpoints.

My thanks to Harry for supplying this information.

Some rules of life

This has been a frequently-circulated list of things kids won't learn in school, often incorrectly attributed to Bill Gates. In fact, this list was written by Charles Sykes and is part of 50 rules he put together.

I thought these were worth repeating, especially in light of the yahoos involved in Occupy Wall Street.
____________________________

1. Life is not fair. Get used to it. The average teen-ager uses the phrase, "It's not fair" 8.6 times a day. You got it from your parents, who said it so often you decided they must be the most idealistic generation ever. When they started hearing it from their own kids, they realised Rule No. 1.

2. The real world won't care as much about your self-esteem as much as your school does. It'll expect you to accomplish something before you feel good about yourself. This may come as a shock. Usually, when inflated self-esteem meets reality, kids complain it's not fair. (See Rule No. 1)

3. Sorry, you won't make $40,000 a year right out of high school. And you won't be a vice president or have a car phone either. You may even have to wear a uniform that doesn't have a Gap label.

4. If you think your teacher is tough, wait 'til you get a boss. He doesn't have tenure, so he tends to be a bit edgier. When you screw up, he's not going to ask you how you feel about it.

5. Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your grand-parents had a different word of burger flipping. They called it opportunity. They weren't embarrassed making minimum wage either. They would have been embarrassed to sit around talking about Kurt Cobain all weekend.

6. It's not your parents' fault. If you screw up, you are responsible. This is the flip side of "It's my life," and "You're not the boss of me," and other eloquent proclamations of your generation. When you turn 18, it's on your dime. Don't whine about it, or you'll sound like a baby boomer.

7. Before you were born your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way paying your bills, cleaning up your room and listening to you tell them how idealistic you are. And by the way, before you save the rain forest from the blood-sucking parasites of your parents' generation, try delousing the closet in your bedroom.

8. Your school may have done away with winners and losers. Life hasn't. In some schools, they'll give you as many times as you want to get the right answer. Failing grades have been abolished and class valedictorians scrapped, lest anyone's feelings be hurt. Effort is as important as results. This, of course, bears not the slightest resemblance to anything in real life. (See Rule No. 1, Rule No. 2 and Rule No. 4)

9. Life is not divided into semesters, and you don't get summers off. Not even Easter break. They expect you to show up every day. For eight hours. And you don't get a new life every 10 weeks. It just goes on and on. While we're at it, very few jobs are interesting in fostering your self-expression or helping you find yourself. Fewer still lead to self-realization. (See Rule No. 1 and Rule No. 2.)

10. Television is not real life. Your life is not a sitcom. Your problems will not all be solved in 30 minutes, minus time for commercials. In real life, people actually have to leave the coffee shop to go to jobs. Your friends will not be as perky or pliable as Jennifer Aniston.

11. Be nice to nerds. You may end up working for them. We all could.

12. Smoking does not make you look cool. It makes you look moronic. Next time you're out cruising, watch an 11-year-old with a butt in his mouth. That's what you look like to anyone over 20. Ditto for "expressing yourself" with purple hair and/or pierced body parts.

13. You are not immortal. (See Rule No. 12.) If you are under the impression that living fast, dying young and leaving a beautiful corpse is romantic, you obviously haven't seen one of your peers at room temperature lately.

14. Enjoy this while you can. Sure parents are a pain, school's a bother, and life is depressing. But someday you'll realise how wonderful it as to be a kid. Maybe you should start now.

Will "curse you" work instead?

Just when you think things can't possibly get any loopier, you can now get docked in a school classroom for saying "Bless you!" after someone sneezes. Read the article here.

The Vacaville, CA teacher says the practice is "disrespectful and disruptive." Oh, and docking a kid 25 points for being courteous isn't?

The teacher says the policy has nothing to do with religion (yeah right) but says the phrase is "just a outdated practice and disrupts class time."

Let me see... start the stopwatch... "Bless you!" Elapsed time: one second. Oooh, pretty disruptive. Not to mention disrespectful.

The article notes, "After parents complained about students losing points...[the teacher] decided to stop the practice." However he says he will "just find another way to discipline" students for saying "bless you" in class. Sounds vindictive to me.

Among the comments that followed the article:

• I am a committed atheist and strive to sweep fairytales and superstitions from my classroom. But I would never countenance such intolerance. It appears that the teacher is the one who is displaying contempt, intolerance and simple bad manners to children.

• That's what wrong with public schools. They spend more time denying our heritage than teaching it. FIRE HIM!!!!

• When students meet him outside the classroom such as passing him in the hall "Bless You" should become the standard greeting from ALL students towards this particular teacher.

And people wonder why we homeschool....

Rebuttal to socialization

Here is a reader who took exception to my views on socialization regarding homeschoolers. I welcome feedback on this.
_____________________________

This column was extremely offensive. The irony is that you actually end up supporting arguments for public schools and what you refer to as "socialization. Driving your children past a local high school for the "Weekly Freak Show." Through your lens, young people -- people you have never talked with -- should be judged by the clothes they wear. If they wear clothes you don't like they are "freaks," and you are teaching your daugthers to label people freaks because of what they wear, not by who they are. If your children were in public school, they would socialize with all kinds of young people -- some with different views, some with different hair styles, some with different religions, etc -- but all worthy of respect, not judgement. My daugther is on her way to dental school, graduating with a 3.9 GPA. Wore all different types of clothes in high school. One student of mine has tatoos over most of her upper body. Not my thing, but she graduated college with a 3.8, graduate school with a 4.0 and now works with refugee communities. Boy, what a freak.

I would write more, but I am truly horrified with this column and the quickness to judge and generalize.

Rebuttal to homeschoolers

Last night I received a lengthy and thoughtful rebuttal from a Christian public schoolteacher regarding the column I just posted called Lazy Homeschoolers.  Rather than letting the comment languish unseen, I thought I'd bring it to the forefront.
______________________

Good Evening. I read this post because someone on Facebook linked this article to their page, and I just wanted to give my opinion of the article. I am hoping that since you open your comment section to the public that you are in favor of all comments, even if they don't mirror your own.

First of all, I have to say that the article was offensive as a product of the American public schools, as an educator in public schools, and most of all as a Christian. Here are my reasons:

As a product of public schools, I can assure you that I have never been brainwashed by "atheist indoctrination" as the original writer, Ron Strom, assumes, nor do I know any fellow public-schoolers that have been. In fact, many of my teachers in school made it very clear to me that were Christians. Every once in a while, we were taught other religions alongside Christianity, but it was always taught as strictly informational and never invitational (which I found it very interesting to learn about these other religions, especially since I have since met people practicing these religions and it is much easier for me to talk to them about my religion when I am not completely ignorant about theirs). In 9th grade, we were briefly taught about the theory of evolution, which is another concept that students need to know about (and make the decision for themselves about what they think about it) if they ever want to be involved in a scientific field (how much credibility would a Creationist have if they had never heard of evolution? none). Other than these two instances, I don't remember any other controversial teachings in my K - 12 schooling. I think it is insulting to my parents, who certainly raised me in a Deuteronomy 6:7 kind of way. They sent me to public school because they knew that a teacher, who went to college for their specific subject area, could teach me calculus, physics, literature, and history better than they could (this is not an attack on parents who homeschool, it is just the opinion of my parents). They did not ever have to "deprogram" me of what I was taught at school because they taught me to find out things for myself, and if I didn't agree with something that I learned at school, they encouraged me to study it for myself and find out what the Bible said about that subject. They did a great job of bringing me up in the "nurture and admonition of the Lord." It seems as though the Wife of Noble Character in Proverbs 31 did a fine job of bringing up her children as well, even though she was planting a vineyard, trading, sewing, making and selling linen garments. Her husband was busy taking his seat among the elders of the land, so it doesn't seem that they had the time to be the only teachers in their childrens' lives.

As an educator in the American public schools, I can absolutely assure you that I (nor my co-workers) participate in "atheistic indoctrination" of our students. We would get fired. I can also assure you that, as a math teacher, I have never even imagined giving math problems about cocaine or chopped up body parts (as a previous comment stated). Now, I understand that not every teacher is perfect, and some teachers probably do not need to be teachers. I've also met a few inadequate parents that homeschool their children, but I certainly don't write blogs grouping ALL homeschool parents together and accusing them all of doing a lousy job. Please understand that when you copy a story such as this one, you are talking about millions of INDIVIDUALS that spend most of their waking hours caring for, loving, teaching, and planning for their students (some of which don't get that standard of care at their own homes). If you would like, I can send you information about how you can visit my classroom in order to form your own opinions about my teaching and what students are learning in my classroom. Until then, please do not judge me, my profession, and the product of my profession until you actually know what happens in my classroom.

As a Christian, this article offends me because if all of the Christians take their children out of public schools (as it suggests), who will tell the children left in public school about Jesus? I really wish you could see what a difference some of my students make in the lives of others by being in public schools and telling others of their faith. Jesus spent his time on earth eating with sinners, and in Mark 2:17, He says, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." Shouldn't we do the same? I completely agree with your (and Mr. Strom's) idea that we are to provide our children with "spiritual instruction." But, how are our children to be "witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" if they are only around other Christians? I also think that it is belittling to my religion that you and Mr. Strom assume that Christians won't be strong enough to stand up to this "cultural swamp." 1 John 5:4 says, "for everyone born of God overcomes the world." I am not suggesting that every child should just be thrown into the world and hope that things turn out okay. I am suggesting that if a child/teen has a firm foundation in Jesus Christ, then sometimes they need to be among the sinners, sharing their faith.

I just don't understand where these children are going to live and work in which they will be constantly sheltered from "pop culture" and "peer pressure?" I'm glad that I was able to experience these things while growing up because it helps me know how to handle them now that I face them in even stronger proportions as an adult.

Thank you for your time.

Letter from a liberal

There's a very nice polite liberal reader who emails me his opinions from time to time. I don't know why he thinks I'll alter my views based on his arguments, but he's always charming and I can't take offense.

In response to this weekend's column on public schools, he wrote the following:

Hello Patrice! I think you've been misled by too much conservative propaganda. Our public schools, whatever their faults, aren't these horrible, evil, wicked Godless places where kids are being taught to be gay, to hate Christianity, and to be promiscuous etc.

If anything, the REAL indoctrination is by so many conservative religious parents who homeschool their kids. I'm sure this doesn't apply to you and your kids, but many of these homeschooled kids are being brainwashed by their parents to be intolerant of gay people, intolerant of others who don't share the religious beliefs they are being taught, and to be appallingly narrow-minded and self-righteous.

I'm not opposed to Christianity per se, and I don't condemn any one merely for being a Christian. I myself am a non-observant secular Jew, but not an atheist. And many unfortunate children in America are being taught creationist lies and have been hoodwinked into thinking that the world is actually just 6,000 years old, was created in six days, that human beings co-existed with dinosaurs and that Adam and Eve, the garden of Eden, a talking serpent, and Noah and the ark actually existed. These people are just characters in an ancient allegory. They are no more historical figures than Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy.

And there is absolutely NO conflict between evolution and belief in God. None whatsoever. People who think that learning about Darwin and evolution in school will turn their kids into a bunch of Godless communists, sexual deviants, and "moral relativists" (what a ridiculous term, there's no such thing!), are not thinking clearly.

The notion that you can only be moral and good if you believe in the literal interpretation of the Bible, and are Bible-believing, born again Christian, is one of the most idiotic notions in human history.

If people want to be Bible-believing, born again Christians, that's their right. But they have absolutely no monopoly of truth and morality. Our public schools are places for teaching, not preaching.

If right-wingers got their way, they would turn our schools into places of religious indoctrination. That's not what they were meant to be.

Best regards, Robert

I replied as follows:

Hi Robert:

Well actually....they are. Public schools are nothing more than change agents. Don't believe me? Try expressing a conservative Christian opinion or wearing an anti-abortion T-shirt and see where it gets you. So much for "diversity" of thought.

The funny thing is, I have a dear (and liberal) friend in Portland who couldn't have kids, so she and her husband adopted a girl from Guatemala. Now this kid is six, and suddenly Wendy is deeply concerned by...all the liberal propaganda rampant in the Portland public schools. And she's a liberal, too!

It is the RIGHT of all parents to "indoctrinate" their children according to their beliefs. If you want your kids to believe Gaia is a alive and you should worship it, fine. If you want your kids to believe Jesus is the Savior of the world, fine. If you want your kids to believe in creationism, fine. Whatever your views to the contrary, someone else does NOT have the RIGHT to indoctrinate MY kids into THEIR beliefs.

And so I will continue to homeschool our kids.

Besides, the public schools around us seriously suck...(smile).

Cheers,
Patrice

More ammunition for homeschoolers

This came off the Dr. Laura website.
_________________________

All my life I have wanted to be a high school teacher. Now, going on 60, after having given my working life to another industry that ended up tanking, I am finally taking my teacher certification. But with all that I see going on these days, I am having second thoughts. Kids these days are slutty, violent, use filthy language, disrespectful, and spoiled rotten. They get computers in kindergarten, cell phones in second grade, iPods in 3rd grade, new cars at 15, trips to Aruba for high school graduation. They get allowances bigger than many of my paychecks. They get drunk and sleep around in junior high school. How can someone possibly communicate with them? It just can't be done. And when a teacher tries to discipline a student, she finds herself called in for disciplinary action by HER superiors or gets slapped with a lawsuit by t he miffed student's parents, or gets trashed on Facebook or somewhere else. There is no backup from the administration, as well classes are getting bigger and bigger, 30-40-45 students in a class, and social promotion without work completion is the norm rather than the exception. My daughter, now in her 30's, tells me I would not fit in a high school (or elementary school) these days. I am redirecting to adult education, GED or ESL. But in order to get there I have to do one year mentoring and practice teaching on the high school level. I'm going to do it - even if it takes going into a closet to cry at the end of the day. I have a lifetime of experience to give, but no one, not administration, broken-down fellow teachers, or kids cares any more. I will do my year, and then get out. It's very sad. There is no solution. I just don't get it. How did we fall so fast? What solution is there?

C.

Another reason to homeschool...

Homeschooling means we never have to deal with lunatics like Safe Schools Czar Kevin Jennings.

I’m sorry, but my beautiful daughters don’t deserve to be exposed to this kind of ugliness.

Teacher in the trenches

Sometimes people want to blame all the ills and evils of public education on teachers. Sometimes teachers are part and parcel of the problem, but many (possibly most?) times they're not. Here's a letter I received from one such person:

I was very interested in some of your comments on homeschooling. For several years, I home-schooled my four children until going through a (very unwanted) divorce. Since I was going to have to work, I thought it would be better to put the two still at home into public school. The difference between the older two who were completely homeschooled, and the two who had to go into public school is very apparent, especially in respect for education and in respect for others.

I know there were a lot more factors at play than the difference in education. They moved from a stable family to a broken home, older sister went to college, older brother moved out to get away from Dad – all in the space of about a year. And it is also true that they are the children of two people, so I am not the only influence on them. But I spend part of every day sick to my stomach at the decisions I have made, or that have been made for me. Have I ruined their lives by the decisions I have made?

After having trouble finding any kind of financially rewarding work in the area where I live, having no retirement savings, etc. I decided to go back to school. Since I had always loved school, had taught a couple of years in small religious schools, and had homeschool experience, I majored in Elementary Education, thinking that was something I would love, and that I would be able to save most of my pay toward retirement. I now question the wisdom of this decision. The school settings I go into are appalling. How can I conscientiously do the things I am required to do as a public school teacher? To say nothing of put up with what teachers have to put up with?

The wild and untamable students rule the schools and form district policy. In the local school district, rather than do whatever it takes to control students, the teachers and principals are being forced to allow more and more behavior to go unpunished. ‘Referrals’ numbers are supposed to come down, and statistics are more important than the students, so... It takes the kids about two days to realize that they can get by with today what they could not get by with in the past. Bullying, disrespect, and violence run the schools. I have seen veteran teachers so frustrated they hop up and down in anger, or just quit trying and sit in a chair.

The students who are in school to learn are left completely unprotected and untaught. Under the guise of a free and equal education for everyone, no one is getting a challenging and rewarding education, and no one is physically or emotionally safe, ever. The focus of daily activity, conversation, faculty/staff meetings, principal meetings, school board meetings is the students who are out of control. The blame ends up in the laps of the classroom teachers.

In the typical local public school classroom I do not use anything I learned at the College of Education. The training I need is for how to do crowd control at a state prison without the support of the warden. The teachers have been left hanging in the wind and the kids are in control. In many cases these kids have the full support of their parents! It is not uncommon for a teacher to be cursed for trying to ‘tell a child what to do.’

I have direct experience in several of the local schools. It is the exception rather than the rule to find a teacher who, with the support of her principal, is making her classroom a safe haven where no bad behavior is tolerated, and learning takes place in a loving, peaceful environment. I know of only one in the entire school district. I am sure she has no idea she is basically homeschooling 30 students!

Now I am graduated (with plenty of gray hair), wondering how to find a job in the middle of years of massive education cuts under our governor who touts herself as an “education governor.” I’m fearful I have taken the wrong path, and am in debt for nothing. I still love education, and genuinely like working with children of all ages, but am feeling hopeless about American education as an institution.

If you made it all the way through my venting session, I really appreciate it! Thanks for being a spot of sanity in the midst of craziness!