*Deep Breath*
We’re about to go somewhere I don’t want to go…here, on this blog. This is not about my blog right now. This is about feeling compelled to do all I can, in this tiny little piece of the world, to speak against what is happening.
It started with a burden to discuss the public school dilemma again. And then research. And then, suspicions heightened and confirmed.
No one wants to hear the “doomsayers”. But what of our country if we continue to sit in the slowly boiling water? Anyone with a brain can read this stuff and compare it to the climate around them and see the truth…if they want to.
Please let your husbands read this too. This will take several days.
In a VERY small nutshell: Social engineers are strategically at work to turn America into a socialist country, at best. Beyond that, almost beyond what Americans are willing to believe, there is a global, one-world agenda bubbling underneath us.
Their agenda includes getting access to children at younger and younger ages in order to start the propaganda, brain-washing them, eroding any shred of absolute moral principles, lowering their intellect and ability to reason, and then, calling anyone who dares to say what I just said a “lunatic”, and so slowly deceiving the entire population that no one will know until the water is boiling. All of it wrapped up in slogans like “no child left behind” and coated with feel-good messages of what’s best for the planet.
NOW…wait a minute–“that’s depressing”, you say. Or, “you’re a conspiracy theorist–a doomsayer”.
Actually, as depressing as all that sounded, it shouldn’t be if you’re willing to listen! I talk about this stuff so deliberately because I think there is tremendous hope for a downward spiraling country. There is hope in the remnant of God’s people, thinking people, not willing to bow to the idols of our day, but willing to say, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!”
Repeatedly throughout biblical history, God would cry out to his people…the people who had turned to idols and were frivolously dancing to the drum of Baal. He would say, “Return to me, and I will bless you…repent, and I will restore you.”
But, I believe we can’t fully turn back unless we know we’ve departed! I know I’m going to get into all kinds of hot water over this…I’ve prayed, debated, talked to myself, and tried to resist this post. I can’t.
I’ll start with the school system, and while that’s probably the biggest weapon, it doesn’t end there. Knowing what I’ve learned about the public school system, not just YOUR system, but the universal system, I simply have to petition Christians to give deep, prayerful consideration of our responsibilities. Read, research, find out, and ask the Lord if we can continue handing over our children to “Caesar”.
Public school is not a neutral place of education; nor is it religiously neutral. In fact, it’s no place at all for education, as knowledge cannot even be accurately defined apart from its Originator.
But a proper education is the LEAST of my worries! The media will keep us focused on that point, but that’s just a distraction.
Charlotte Thomson Iserbyt, author of “The Deliberate Dumbing Down of America”, writes:
“As an American who had spent many years working abroad, I had experienced traveling in and living in socialist countries. When I returned to the United States I realized that America’s transition from a sovereign constitutional republic to a socialist democracy would not come about through warfare (bullets and tanks) but through the implementation and installation of the “system” in all areas of government-federal, state and local.
The brainwashing for acceptance of the “system’s” control would take place in the school-through indoctrination and the use of behavior modification, which comes under so many labels, the most recent labels being Outcome-Based Education, Skinnerian Mastery Learning or Direct Instruction.
In the seventies I and many others waged the war against values clarification, which was later renamed “critical thinking,” which regardless of the label-and there are bound to be many more labels on the horizon-is nothing but pure, unadulterated destruction of absolute values of right and wrong upon which stable and free societies depend and upon which our nation was founded.
Much of this book contains quotes from government documents detailing the real purposes of American education:
* to use the schools to change America from a free, individual nation to a socialist, global “state,” just one of many socialist states which will be subservient to the United Nations Charter, not the United States Constitution;
* to brainwash our children, starting at birth, to reject individualism in favor of collectivism;
* to reject high academic standards in favor of OBE/ISO 1400/90006 egalitarianism;
* to reject truth and absolutes in favor of tolerance, situational ethics and consensus;
* to reject American values in favor of internationalist values (globalism);
* to reject freedom to choose one’s career in favor of the totalitarian K-12 school-to-work/OBE process, aptly named “limited learning for lifelong labor,”7 coordinated through United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization.
Only when all children in public, private and home schools are robotized-and believe as one-will World Government be acceptable to citizens and able to be implemented without firing a shot. The attractive-sounding “choice” proposals will enable the globalist elite to achieve their goal: the robotization (brainwashing) of all Americans in order to gain their acceptance of lifelong education and workforce training-part of the world management system to achieve a new global feudalism.”
From the website: http://www.deliberatedumbingdown.com/index.html
37 comments
I learned a lot about all of this in graduate school, and it is scary! But as you point out, we can’t just bury our heads in the sand. Yes, absolutely, do what you can to spread the word!
Hey, Kelly! Geoff Botkin had at least two hour-long lectures on this very topic during the 2006 History of the World Conference sponsored by Vision Forum. He gives the names of the social engineers who designed our modern-day compulsory schooling and also provides direct quotes from their writings (giving titles so you can look these up yourself). You can get the HOTW conference recordings from visionforum.com. Also note that johntaylorgatto.com is a fabulous source for researching this urgent topic. John Taylor Gatto’s book, The Underground History of American Education, is a must-read for every parent. Thank you for being bold!
This is such a scarey day that we are living in. I wish that everyone would wake up out of their self absorbtion and see how close we are to being a socialist nation. It is also interesting that in the more conservative christian circles we see people being impressed upon to fast and pray for our nation. (one of many examples, The Call) I am concerned though, that we Christians will only be aware of what is going on in our own realm. While learning biblical studies, Christian education,and apologetics we need to be abreast of what is happening in the political world as well. Half the battle is knowning full well who the enemy is. And the enemy is what you pointed out in your post today. And probably what you will be addressing in the days to come. I am looking forward to coming posts on these issues. I only regret that more people can’t get this message.
But don’t you think that God will protect your children, even if they are in public school? Don’t you think His grace also extends to those children in public school, or is it inevitable that they will be brainwashed by the world if they are not homeschooled? I have known families both homeschooled and public schooled who have turned out to be Godly, well-balanced people. I think it has less to do with the way you school and everything to do with God’s grace. Who is to say that a homeschooled child will not completely change their belief system once they hit university? In my opinion, it has more to do with the prayer life of the parents and the foundation they lay for their children than it does with schooling method.
Laura,
Actually, I don’t think grace has anything to do with willfully placing your children under the mentoring, training and teaching of a pagan institution.
Think about your theory from another perspective: “Can’t we send our children into battle and just trust God’s grace to protect them from the bullets?”
Or, “It’s OK that my husbands goes to strip clubs; I trust in God’s grace for his protection.”
Grace CAN abound, yes; but it’s blasphemous to think that because of God’s grace I can ignore my biblical responsibilities to my children.
I don’t think God operates like that AT ALL. I think he holds us responsible for walking in obedience to the best of our ability.
We (Christians) wouldn’t dream of sending our children into a “Satanic” school to be indoctrinated by their agenda; I think the problem is that we don’t believe how sinister the system is. Since they haven’t put up signs blantantly advertising their doctrines of humanism and socialism, we just wave off any warnings. The truth is there for people who want to find it.
And God REQUIRES that we do something with the truth.
Can a homeschooled child turn away from his faith? Of course…how is that relevant? Since there is a possibility of my children turning away from the faith, do I just throw my hands up and abdicate all responsibility?
No..I diligently “train my children IN THE NURTURE AND ADMONITION OF THE LORD”…THEN, I can rest in God’s grace and trust Him for their souls.
Laura,
I forgot to mention…I didn’t exclusively suggest that all children must be homeschooled; that would be another topic. The main issue here is one of the revealing of the detriments of public school.
And yes, the alternatives are hard. But not too hard where our children are concerned…
You said: “Can a homeschooled child turn away from his faith? Of course…how is that relevant? Since there is a possibility of my children turning away from the faith, do I just throw my hands up and abdicate all responsibility?”
This is not what I said at all. All I was trying to say was that homeschool is not necessarily the be-all end-all of protecting our children.
You said: “It’s OK that my husbands goes to strip clubs; I trust in God’s grace for his protection.”
I would not equate public school with a strip club. I don’t think the two things are even close to being the same. I would have compared it more to sending my husband out into the workforce and asking for God’s protection as being the same as sending my kids to school.
You said: “Think about your theory from another perspective: “Can’t we send our children into battle and just trust God’s grace to protect them from the bullets?”
Yes, I do think God’s grace is big enough to protect them from the bullets (whole armour of God?). I think God wants us to raise them for Him, pray for them, but ultimately trust Him to keep them close to His side. Which we both entirely agree with…
You said: “I diligently “train my children IN THE NURTURE AND ADMONITION OF THE LORD”…THEN, I can rest in God’s grace and trust Him for their souls.”
So do most Christian parents who send their kids to public school.
Anyway, I realize this post was more about the evils of public school than an actual homeschool vs. public school debate, but I just wanted to add my two cents.
Kelly, you said in your last comment, “And yes, the alternatives are hard. But not too hard where our children are concerned…” That is when we can rely on God’s grace! When we do all to stand in the ways of the Lord, then the glory and grace of our God will be revealed! Praise the Lord!
Laura,
Your thoughts about public school are not uncommon; I hear about “sending our kids out to be salt and light, trusting in God’s protection” a lot.
But I firmly believe Christian parents are not seeing this for what it is!
First, no where in Scripture are we told that children are ready to be “sent out”, alone into the world…mature adults might handle the warfare if they are grounded and firm, but children are just beginning to be molded and prepared for Great Commission. Their time has not yet come.
Secondly, the above argument aside, can I believe, with what I know about God’s Word, that it is acceptable for me to entrust the teaching, mentoring, training of my children to a BLATANT anti-God institution? To be taught that there is no absolute truth, to be taught that family is what me make it, to be taught that humans are not God’s valued creatures, but just an accident, which changes my entire worldview?
(You may be shocked to find out the questions/counseling/brainwashing going on at even a Kindergarten level, WITHOUT parental knowledge.)
No amount of intensity at home, the few hours that are left, can undo that! God’s grace is the ONLY hope for such a situation, but sadly, most children are falling hard, regardless of their “Christian” upbringing.
(I would add here, concerning grace, I think God sooner demonstrate grace over children whose parents were in an IMPOSSIBLE situation and forced to place them in PS; such as countries with mandatory laws, etc. But to free parents with a choice about who will train our children, the burden falls on us. “To whom much is given, much is required.”)
Again, you are reading into the “homeschool is an end-all”…I never even hinted at that. We are commanded to do ALL we can to raise our children in the fear of the Lord. To me, that doesn’t allow for 8-hour-a-day pagan philosophy.
Laura,
What do you think about this quote, as it relates to the Christian’s responsibility for his children?:
In the Humanist Magazine, Jan./Feb 1983, John Dunphy wrote:
“The battle for mankind’s future must be waged and won in the public school classroom . The classroom must and will become the arena of conflict between the old and the new…the rotting corpse of Christianity and the new faith of humanism.”
That quote is very scary. I will definitely be chewing on that one for a while to come. 🙂 I do believe there is an agenda to rid the nation of Chrisianity, and to achieve this, they will rampage our children (which is terrifying). I believe that as Christian parents it is our God-given duty to raise Godly-minded children. I also really think that our responsibility lies in the prayer of our children and the instruction that goes on in our home; I truly believe that children “falling hard” has more to do with disengaged parents, fathers not stepping up to the plate as heads of the home and mothers leaving the home for careers.
Therefore, I do not think that allowing our children to “face the lions” so to speak has anything to do with lack of responsibility. Ultimately, only God can keep our children anyway, regardless of how we choose to school.
All that being said, my kiddies are only 3 and 1, so I am probably just blowing hot air over here. 🙂
-Laura that was very wise of you to admit that due to the youth of your children you may not have this thing all figured out. When my children were as young as yours I saw things very differently than I do now that they are older. I pray that you will come to realize the truth of what Kelly has written in this post.
-Kelly this is an excellent post I hope you don’t mind if I mention it on my blog. That is really saying alot because I rarely blog. Thank you for having the courage to speak the truth on Generation Cedar!!
Henderson,
I don’t mind at all 😉
I guess I am a little “blurry” and “confused about this entire topic. Some of it was mentioned in a book I read called, “So Much More,” where the Botkin Sisters stated that the schools follow the Marxist Theory – something that I have NEVER heard of before, and was quite baffled about. Is what you are talking about the same or different as The Marxist Theory?
I guess this topic also makes me feel a little “on edge” because I actually work in a public school as an Instructional Assistant – 3 hours a day, 5 days a week, 10 months a year. I work in a Learning Lab (with three other Instructional Assistants) and we help children learn phonics and reading. I have never once thought of my job of helping students learn to read as being Pagan in nature or trying to conform them to a Socialist nature. Also, I don’t see how helping students become better readers is a form of brainwashing. Does this make me a sinner and “Socialist Brainwasher” in the eyes of God????
I am really trying to understand and be open. This idea of public schools enforcing students to think like Socialist is quite new to me, as well as a bit disturbing. I am not sure rather I agree or disagree, mostly because I’m not quite understanding your view point.
. . . Shaking head . . . I am SO confused . . .
Mrs. Lady S.,
I guess my most recent post is timely in light of your comment…many people have never heard of this, which is precisely why I’m “exposing” it.
I will be documenting my assertions over the next few days, so watch closely…there are also lots of articles you can read from on the web.
And, as my recent post explained, I don’t view local educators as all “part of the plan”. Some are just as innocent as the children.
Yikes. That’s scary, scary, scary.
One of the ladies here mentioned that she would not “equate public schools with strip clubs”. I don’t know about all Public Schools, but I know my school was quite the…uh…view, if I may be so simple. To say the least, this made a pure mind quite the challenge for a young, Christian man going through the ravages of puberty.
As a former graduate of a California (yeah, I know!) Public School, I feel qualified to comment heavily here. My Public School experience left me severely lacking. To put a greater context on it, my two brothers and I all attended Private Schools, then Public School. Until I met my wife, I thought that Homeschooler’s were just “those folks”. Even one of my friends was a homeschooled person, but I was rarely reminded.
My parents were dedicated Christians and prayed heavily for my brothers and I. They did as well as any Christian parents could and then some. Yet, the Public Schools granted one of my brothers enough backing that his struggle with sin became a lifestyle of the same. With a lacking church (lacking more in knowledge than in good will) and much misunderstanding regarding the sin of homosexuality, my parents became ill-equipped to combat the propaganda that my brother was getting at school.
As for me, I am a stubborn cuss. My skull is almost as thick as the foundation of my house. So, I held to the tennants of the Christian faith irregardless of what could be proven. But! This does not mean that I did not wrestle needlessly with many of these things. I was an ill-equipped child who was striving to think at the levels of these High School teachers who had their Masters. I struggled, often, to overcome their well-though and well-reasoned arguments. My parents strove to help and understand, but they were ill-equipped as well. By the time I got through school, got home, did my homework, there was barely 1-2 hours in the day for them to counter what my school was doing in 8+.
Now, lest anyone think that my parents were absent, it was not so. My father was a hard working man, God rest his soul. To this day, I refuse to allow anyone to disrespect the sacrifices he made for us. My mother was mostly a stay-at-home mom. The only times I remember her working were when I was really young in Elementary school (and that for maybe 1-2 years of work) and when I was in college and my father took ill. Consequently, most of the times I came home, my mother was there…always asking how my day was.
Additionally, there was a side-effect that happened at the school I attended. The teachers drained me of a desire to know and understand. By the grace of God, I have a passion for learning. But to this day, you can get me to sleep no faster than to place me in a classroom. But, I’ll read books, articles, etc. My teachers overloaded me with homework and didn’t often care to explain how they arrived at the conclusions, leaving me more self-taught than anything. Many of the people I learned alongside would copy someone else’s work or just copy the answers.
When I met my wife, I got introduced to homeschooling. Oh! Where was that for me? I remember my father considering it once. I begged for it. However, he chose not to. Oh the things I could have learned! Instead, I learned (though I have never used these lessons) how to deal drugs, do drugs, and conceal drugs. I got to be verbally abused for believing in such a thing as God. I got to be ostracized from scientific clubs and activities because I was a (dare I say it!) Creationist and (bum-bum-BUM) a Christian!
Whatever you believe about homeschooling, let me ask you this; which is better, learning how to be a good worker, learner, and citizen, or learning how much people hate you because you follow Christ? Which is more valuable, learning to be a well-educated adult who can defend his/her faith or how people mix drinks so they can be drinking alcohol, getting intoxicated, while in class and not get caught?
I also attended a Private School that was scarcely better. The only benefit was a dress code and a religious backing. But, even there I was ostracized because I took the Bible seriously and believed the things God said! Both in my Public and Private School days, debates between me and others were commonplace. Yet, even still, I was ill-equipped. It took me into college and my mid-20’s before I began to understand HOW ill-equipped I was as a child.
To be clear, God has granted me the experiences I have seen. He has used them to shape me into the man I have become (and am becoming). I got a chance to impact many people. I even was a witness that (I found out years later) lead others to Christ. Yet, the experiences I have seen in the Public (and even Private) School are not something I can bear granting unto my children. I love them too much. Should my children ask for these experiences, we will find someway to grant them some of these experiences. Yet, I still cannot release them unto a world (Public Schools) who would much sooner have them be silenced than teach them.
One final note: Kelly has made this point, but I feel I should make it again. Not everyone in the Public Schools (or Private Schools) is a participant in this attack on our children. Instead, many of these teachers and assistants are unaware of what is being done. Some are teaching a subject the best they can, never realizing that the teachers next door are seeking to brainwash the very same children. Some are assisting children with simple tasks like speaking (I was such a kid who stuttered and had a lisp, thankfully the later is gone and the former is under control). Some of these very teachers and assistants are being called to help drive back the tide, take back the schools. To them, I say, do NOT give up! And to those that are simply unaware, I beg of you to take the wake-up call, answer the sound of the alarm and realize what is going on around you! If it weren’t for a few blessed teachers and assistants, I would be a drop-out of the school system. It has been these teachers and assistants that have helped me to find the joy in learning despite the classroom. To those of you who do this, I say, THANK YOU!
Grace and peace,
SJ.
As a graduate of the California Public School system, I can say that equating a stipr club and public school is NOT an exageration! And it has gotten much worse.
The area of CA I live in is actually very conservative, however, a couple of years ago kindergarteners, and first and second graders were asked to answer questions that wouldn’t be asked in most adult circles… grafic, sexual questions.
Maybe Laura lives elsewhere? or maybe her area’s school system isn’t where ours is at adgenda wise? Where CA leads the school systems of other states traditionally have followed!
Start researching now, because this coming election will most likely be a turning point in American History.
Kelly,
I don’t want to get attacked, but what’s so bad about socialists countries? Socialist countries like Sweden have some of the highest standards of living in the world. And while I can see that public schools are certainly anti-God, I they are not pagan or Satanic. The topic of God is generally just avoided– not replaced with an idol or or Satan.
Vera Prince,
Here are the two answers:
“What’s wrong with socialist countries?”
I stated yesterday: “Communism is Socialism in a hurry.” -Lenin
While the idea of socialism may have some nice-sounding rings, it NEVER works…NEVER. Do some research.
And to answer your assertion that to be anti-God is not the same as Satanic, from a Christian perspective, this is not true.
“You cannot love God and love the world. You either love one and hate the other…” or vice versa.
In the world of Christianity, there are two entities: Light and Darkness. Light representing God, and darkness the forces of evil, whose captain is Satan.
There is no middle. Sorry.
Kelly,
I actually did do some research before I posted, to make sure that I understood the topic. I don’t think any government works perfectly, not communism, socialism, and no, not even capitalism. They all have their faults. Some are better than others, but none are perfect. Perhaps that’s because it’s man trying to rule? But those countries, like Sweden, who have implemented socialist government, do seem to enjoy success. While I have read several articles about how Sweden’s government in particular doesn’t work, I don’t think they were completely unbiased. And, likewise, the ones promoting Sweden’s success didn’t seem unbiased either. I think the truth lies more in the middle. I’m not saying that it’s perfect. Absolutely not. I just want to know WHY it’s bad, particularly for America. Why should this frighten me that our children are being indoctrinated in this theory? I’m trying to learn and understand. Perhaps it’s a result of my own education that socialism doesn’t sound that bad.
As to the anti-God attitude, I guess I’m just left with the question of how can we be a nation that offers freedom of religion and not avoid God in schools and the like? I have come across some very anti-God administrators. (I tried to teach a lesson on the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe as allegory.)However, the attitude I was confronted with wasn’t that God wasn’t real or that believing was wrong but that it wasn’t fair to the children of other faiths in our schools. Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist and even atheist children still have rights that have to be respected. So how can we bring God into schools and not limit the right to religious freedom? Should we offer religious freedom? I don’t mean to upset you; I just want to learn more.
PS. Thank you for stopping by my blog.
In a nutshell, socialism is “forced sharing”, which, when the curtains are drawn back ultimately becomes enslavement. Every socialist country eventually becomes communist. It has a 100% failure rate.
Here is a link that briefly uncovers some of the nice-sounding tenets of socialism.
http://www.gongol.com/opinion/2005/whatswrongwithsocialism/
The freedom of religion argument is deep and complicated. As a Christian, I believe the forefathers didn’t intend for us to use “freedom of religion” to turn America into a cess pool of foreign gods. I believe it was to protect the rights of Christianity in their choice of church and worship.
But beyond that, you run into more complicated issues.
Since Creation is not even taught as a competing theory, and evolution is taught as “fact”, when in fact, it is not at all, HUGE problems arise. If children believe their value and worth lies in some cosmic explosion, or some slimy, evoloving substance, their WORTH and the worth of every human drastically declines.
When human worth is drastically declined, it’s easier to implement infantacide (happening now), euthansia (happening now), partial birth abortions, or abortion at all…and the spiraling down into animalistic atrocities continues.
It’s a slippery slope whose end is utter destruction.
Thank you for that website. It was very informational. I know I am challenging you a lot, but it is so I can learn more. You have amazing ideas and conviction. I really respect your dedication and commitment and I am so thankful that you share your thoughts with the blogging world.
Kelly,
Thanks to your posts, I am now researching all of this. While I personally homeschool, I have a question posed by someone I know. As Christians, we must face the reality that not all can homeschool. Having said that, we have a responsibility to help improve the public school system.
Kelly, how would you respond to this statement?
Thanks,
Andrea
That’s a difficult question, because we’ve made such a mess of things, and because we live in a fallen world.
My first impulse is always to encourage Christians to absolutely seek God when approaching, what I believe, is one of the most important decisions humans make.
Based on the blind faith of our spiritual forefathers, the proof that “with God, all things are possible” should still reside with us.
Having said that, many would argue that it is not a homeschool/public school issue, but rather that public school should not be a government-controlled institution. Constitutionally speaking, the government has no authority of the education of our children.
Now the nuts and bolts of how to fix that? Educating ourselves is certainly the first step…I’m trusting someone will come up with a brilliant solution, but for now, I think homeschooling is really it for the Christian parent. (Private school, of course is an option, but that’s another debate 😉
I should restate that I believe homeshcooling is for sure the best option for Christian parents.
Beyond that, there needs to be a solution to solve the government-controlled school situation.
Beyond that, there needs to be a solution to solve the government-controlled school situation.
And what would that solution be? Who will educate the vast majority of Americans if the public school system is abolished? Private schools? What about families who can’t afford to send their children to private schools? Do those children not have the right to an education?
Incidentally, I agree whole-heartedly with Ron Paul that the Federal Department of Education should be dismantled and public schools should be controlled by the individual states. (No Child Left Behind is a load of socialist hogwash that jeopardizes the smart kids without helping the slower ones.) But even state government controlled schools aren’t going to vary much in content from what is currently taught, especially in areas like Evolution vs. Creation “science”, or sex ed.
There are a lot of clanging cymbals about the state of education in this country, but what I’m not seeing is anyone proposing a viable alternative. You have said that homeschooling is the best option for Christians, but there are a lot of citizens of this country who are not Christians. (Not to mention a lot of Christians who, well-intentioned as they are, would do their children a disservice attempting to oversee their education. Why should my ineptitude at math hinder my children’s future prospects?)
So, the question remains, what’s to be done about the fact that America’s education challenges must encompass a much broader spectrum of people than fundamentalist Christians? Or even Christians at all? My guess is that you’re not going to recommend we emulate any of the very successful public education systems in other countries with secular governments?
Lisa, what countries are you referring to?
Vera,
Pretty much anywhere but here, lol. No, seriously, there are a lot of great models in Europe, and of course Japan. Not that they don’t have their weak spots, but I think especially of Germany, where instead of every child being forced onto the college track (which is just unrealistic), like here, those that are more interested in trade are actually trained in skills as well as getting a rounded basic education.
Lisa,
I’m certainly not an expert on the world’s educational systems; but Agenda 21 is a global agenda, which presumes that the same dangers lurk in other countries’ systems as well.
As far as solution goes, obviously that’s a complicated issue, and I don’t have answers. I do know, though, that a solution can’t be found until we know there’s a big enough problem. The urgency then, for now, is to convince the public of the problem. When enough parents get “enoughly concerned”, the solution will come more naturally.
I am aware that homeschooling can’t be the end-all answer for every child and family. But before government education, there were brilliant men and women being educated. It can happen again.
And I can’t resist your reference to “your ineptitude hindering your child’s future”…that’s not a limitation homeschooling forces. Homeschooling affords a limitless scope of educational opportunities, even where parents are deficient. (My oldest has far exceeded my knowledge in certain subjects.)
But before government education, there were brilliant men and women being educated.
Oh, I don’t dispute that. But it was an educational system that favored the wealthy, and that’s never going to fly in this day in age, even among the staunchest of capitalists.
Lisa,
That’s where you are wrong; some of the most brilliant men of history were too poor for a “proper education”…go figure. Which is one more reason I’m such a huge homeschooling fan.
Homeschooling has many faces; one of which is a “bizarre” idea that God created humans so intensely curious, that with a minimal amount of encouragement and exposure to information, they can virtually educate themselves. (Einstein was highly in favor of such an education.)
We don’t believe this (as a nation) because it’s part of the “global brainwashing agenda”!
Even some of your comments reveal the effects of the propaganda we’re given–that “parents are not capable…education can only flourish in the classroom of the experts”. Baloney.
Even some of your comments reveal the effects of the propaganda we’re given
No, my comments reveal a different worldview than yours. If some of my comments line up with what you call “propaganda” it’s not that I’ve swallowed that pill whole; it’s that I’ve thought and come to my own conclusions and just happen to agree. And I never said your, or anyone else’s, decision to homeschool was a wrong decision; just that it’s not a decision my husband and I would ever make for our children.
That’s where you are wrong; some of the most brilliant men of history were too poor for a “proper education”…go figure.
But see, we’re talking about exceptionally brilliant people with IQs that were off the charts. Do average people have that kind of drive? Not typically, or if they are that passionate about one subject, they generally pursue it, and aren’t very rounded individuals. What worked for Einstein doesn’t work for everyone.
But I digress.
What I actually came back to say is that I think maybe the most effective way to begin to tackle the problem of government education in this country (and my reasons for finding it problematic are very different from yours) is to first confront people with the idea that the federal government has no place in education. It’s never occurred to most people that it’s not a Constitutional provision for the federal government. People need to understand that education needs to happen on a smaller scale than the federal government can manage, that different regions of the country have vastly different demographics and values, and that our schools should be managed from the state and local levels, not the central government that is so out of touch with what the people want. Just getting that idea to take hold is mind-blowing enough without getting into things like Agenda 21, which come across as extreme conspiracy theories.
But decentralizing education — that’s the first step, and the key step, toward getting away from socialism creeping into our society.
I hardly think Germany can be used as a “good” example to follow as they have banned homeschooling and take children away from parents or even imprison those who do it. Gee, I wonder why a country would want to ban a form of education that produces the best results? Could it be they are trying to prevent those results? Isn’t that exactly what we’re fearing is happening here? I think so.
Thanks Kelly for standing out there shouting the truth. I for one am eternally grateful for you and your convictions. You are making a difference in this war and I thank you.
I’ve been thinking about the prior models of education myself and history does favor the wealthy and the male. While I am certainly not going to dispute the right of a woman to train her daughter to be a helpful keeper at home, I do believe that a young woman should have a well rounded education that includes arts and sciences, as well as domestic tasks. While some women were well educated, historically women had a lower level of literacy, which would prevent them from educating themselves. I’ve also been exploring previous models and my research has shown that very rarely did parents actually educate their children in the past. The wealthy had nurses, governesses, and tutors do the job. The one exception I’ve found was the transcendentalists of Concord Massachusetts, particularly the daughters of Bronson Alcott (father of Louisa May). Interestingly enough, Alcott was both self taught and a socialist; his daughter Louisa later became a feminist. Outside of the wealthy and the upper middle classes, children often needed to work at a very early age and so most education-formal or at home-was discontinued. How can we use the past to develop a better model of education that is not used to further the aims of the government?
Vera Prince,
As of now, I haven’t even gotten very far in thinking of an alternative, except that I KNOW the government does not need control of public education.
I think you may find more examples of “homeschooled” children from history, even though it may be under the tutelage of someone besides a parent. My point is to prove that being wealthy is not a qualification for learning. Many “poor” children aspired to be brilliant dignataries, scientists, and citizens.
Bottom line? We didn’t destroy the foundations overnight, nor will we repair them in that time.
It has taken years to bend the public mind, it will take years to straighten it.
WW,
I think you’ll find this very amusing:
http://gombojav.blogspot.com/2008/08/how-to-reform-education-system.html
Blessings,
Daja