HELP! WE’VE FALLEN AND WE CAN’T GET UP!
I am a retired teacher. Now is the time to gently fade into the sunset. I have no skin in this thing called American Education, Yes, my grandchildren will be products of it. Yes, my ability to evaporate into the oxygen-deprived generic state of mind is my right. After all I gave 46 years to this teaching career. From Civics 101 class, I rely on the checks and balances installed in this great country. So it stands to reason our three branches of government will insure American Education is not shredded and disintegrated into a debacle of race baiting, gender denying and the extinguishing of free thought and speech.
Checks and balances? Not really. The judicial branch uses its power to legislate. Failed socialistic ideologies are served up by the legislative branch. And the executive branch? With each news cycle, this arm of the government is issuing monarchial edicts. Checks and balances have given way to chaos and confusion. Help! We have fallen and cannot seem to rise above this mobocracy.
In my book “Rescue the Teacher, Save the Child!” I write about the transformation of education, especially in the retention of teachers. Whereas retaining good teachers should always be paramount, our educational system is fast becoming the playground of woke experimentations on our children. We simply cannot remain passive and allow our children to succumb to the extreme environment they are currently facing. Today I will address two groups of people who must not feel threatened by this mob mentality. The time is now to address the downward spiral of American Education.
Middle and High School Students receive the first nod to initiate the conversation for change. Yes, you are a captured audience in your classrooms. But if you feel uncomfortable with the subject matter or a teacher’s bias, it’s time to speak up. If your integrity, based on religious, moral, or even your gut, feels attacked, do NOT remain silent. Treating teachers with respect when questioning subject matter or bias should be the only procedure. Blind-sided confrontations never net positive results. But cowering in silence under the guise that teachers always operate fairly is not the answer. A good teacher expects questions and even constructive criticism. A poor teacher becomes belligerent and closed to compromise if subject matter or bias is questioned. Let that be your guide.
Parents receive the next nod to launch a dialogue of educational transformation. Our 21st century culture proves fast paced and sometimes void of quality family time. Parents find themselves in a mad rush to procure the most and best of everything for their children. Finding a quick fix for their unhappy child, whether depressed or oppressed by his classroom requirements, is pointless. For the first time, virtual classrooms allowed parents to watch and hear what was being programmed into their innocent children. Having parents in the room during school virtual sessions became such an affront to teachers that some districts banned parents from being a part of the online classroom. Such was the case in Tennessee where the Tennessee Star reported August 15, 2020: Parents of students who attend Rutherford County Schools (RCS) must agree not to monitor their child’s online classroom sessions. Officials at all county schools are asking parents to sign forms agreeing not to watch these virtual classes. What are school districts afraid of? Parents must never be removed from the decisions of their children’s education. Read that again, especially if you are a parent. If you notice your child feeling uncomfortable and avoiding a teacher’s assignment, it is your right and responsibility to investigate. If you find negligence, demand a conversation with the teacher and administration. Better yet enlist many parents of like minds to stand with you. A principal once told me that if 90 parents write 90 emails of complaints, he didn’t feel compelled to activate any inquiry. However if 90 parents set up a meeting and they all showed up (perhaps including the press), he knew change would be mandated.
With this radical change in American education, students, and parents need to empower one another. The platitude of “putting kids first” weaves itself through most curriculum discussions. Let’s make sure this clever caption is not a mere rubber stamp found on most school district’s websites. The future of this country lies in the next generation as they journey through their first 12-13 years of public school education. Turning a blind eye and a deaf ear can no longer be the response of conscientious citizens.