Our local radio station went to “the man in the street” yesterday, the Fourth of July, Independence Day, to ask passers-by what they knew about their country’s history.
Not much.
Among the pearls of wisdom let fall by respondents were these. The first words of the Declaration of Independence are, “Oh, say, can you see?” We won our independence in the year 1800–or 1846, or 1492, or 1900, depending on whom you ask. We fought for our freedom against “Europe.” The Declaration of Independence was written by “I don’t know.”
Immediately following this segment was a paid announcement by the state teachers’ union, bragging about the fantastic education the kiddies are getting in the public schools and exhorting the public not to tolerate any budget cuts in education–budgets the lion’s share of which goes to salary and pensions.
Hmmm… Think we’re getting our money’s worth?
Pathetic, and the adults I hear on TV are no better. I have been advocating home schooling for over 20 years and so far, one family has taken action. Most say they are not qualified, both parents have to work and don’t have time, etc. etc. We are losing a whole generation.
Actually, I think those “men in the street” were all adults–and I betcha almost all of them had been to what we laughingly call “college”.
Probably right. I once read a report by a chemical engineer and the spelling had errors as well as the sentence structure. How on earth did he ever get to the position he had?!
That’s painful. Public school education is a scam.
It’s about indoctrination these days, more than ever. Even when I was in grade school, they were working hard to make me into a good little liberal. I’ve always had a sense of when I was being manipulated, so I was always skeptical, but it was going on even in the fifties and sixties.
Thinking of several people I’ve known who were in public education, the one trait that seems to tie them together is a rush to defensiveness the moment there is any disagreement. This seems to be a common behavior in the children educated in this system.