It's for the children

For the children. For as long as I can remember being old enough to be concerned about politics, I remember hearing what these people were doing "for the children" and what his opponent was doing "to the children". The surprise was always, no matter what had been done "to" them, children kept showing up everywhere, happy, playful, seemingly ignorant of the horrors being done to them. Conversely, for all the programs and pro-active measures taken "for" the children, they kept turning into groups of surly, arrogant, uneducated teen agers.

Now let me take this opportunity to say 4 things. First, The Partnership for a Drug Free America would be 10,000 times more effective if it's members and directors weren't the same people that allow drug companies to push their products on television every 8 minutes. Second, you cannot argue against drug use if you EVER attended a college, university, or institute of higher learning in this country. Third, children will continue to survive, sometimes even thrive, no matter what is done "to" or "for" them. Fourth and finally, if you believe that politicians have an ounce of concern for that demographic of under 18 year olds that cannot vote, you have lost the ability to tell reality from fantasy.

At some point in our history, governmental figures discovered that non-informed, non-intelligent people were easier to control, influence, and lead , much like sheep, than were smart, savvy, and sensible people. Each year, schools graduate hundreds of illiterate children into society, and then bemoan the fact that fewer and fewer teachers are available each academic year. Colleges and Universities are categorized for whichever side of the political fence the majority of professors lean. As the cost of "education" rises unchecked, the gap between the "smart" upperclass and the "dumb" working class grows. Thousands of brilliant minds are stifled and fade into obscurity each year because their financial situation dictates that they enter the work force right out of High School and not even dream of going to college.

Recently, a trend has developed in schools across the country that focuses not on performance, but effort. It doesn't reward thought and hard work, but promotes effort and effect. It happened about the same time as "Political Correctness" swept the nation. When being "retarded" morphed into "mentally understimulated", when "lazy" morphed into "unmotivated", and "goofing off" became "ADHD". Now, before you all comment, telling me how your perfect lil angel has ADHD and it has been such a struggle, THINK. If you are over 30, you remember school. We didn't HAVE ADHD, we got busted in our butts for "not paying attention". There wasn't "hyperactive disorder", you sat your ass down and sat still during school. And if you got a report card, there were A's, B's, C's, D's and F's. Yes, an F meant you FAILED. You didn't make a passing grade, you didn't advance to the next level in that subject until you DID score a passing grade. Somewhere along the way A's and F's got replaced with 1's and 4's. There is no "failure", only "needs to try harder". North Carolina has a "No Child Left Behind" program which has a policy of no child, no matter what his or her competency level, cannot be held back more than ONE time between kindergarten and 3rd grade, 4th grade to 7th grade, 8th grade to graduation. So, even if you don't know how to read, they'll reward your effort, and advance you right out into the workforce, where you can work at McDonald's, where the registers have pictures instead of words.
Recently I was reading a news report on the impact of "cyber classrooms" on a Colorado county school system. When the Superintendant was interviewed he made a statement to the effect " Whenever I lose 2 children from the school, that is 20,000 dollars walking out the door." What I find disconcerting was that he didn't once mention that he would be pleased if the students did well, that some students learn better one-on-one than in a classroom enviroment. No, his concern was the loss of MONEY to the school the children were in. And that is what I think it has boiled down to. We have ineffectual elected officials in school boards across the country that are wholeselling childrens futures to some Educator's Union for a bottom line like a business. Education has become a production line process where the few that are lazy or bored get placed with the students that have real learning disabilities and zip through the system only to find at age 18 they have no real life options. We, the adults, some parents, some not, some educators, and some working in and around schools, see this and do nothing. Because we can't and to do anything would mean "bucking the System'. Taking on the local soccer Moms in the PTA and telling them that it's not about "feelings" it's about "results". It should be "education" not "regurgitation". Teach people to think for themselves and you will see things in this country change.