by American Citizen

Created on: March 27, 2009

Failure in a pervasive system - such as national education - probably cannot be pinned down to a single source. National education isn't like a desktop computer with faulty code, or faulty wiring, an overwhelmed internet connection, or an unplugged monitor. It's difficult to isolate a source of success or failure. But it'll be fun to try!

I find it rather disturbing to read so many arguments that the schools are not responsible for instilling morals and values. This doesn't make any sense to me whatsoever. If morals and values have no place in the school system, then is it OK if criminal masterminds and thugs work in classrooms or administration? There is a distinction between moral and religious values. Morals govern how we live on earth. Religious values concern where we hope to go when we leave earth. What's more (and I thought this was common knowledge), children learn ALL the time. Whether they are reading books or just listening to adults converse or watching TV, their minds are processing the information. What is moral value? Knowing the difference between right and wrong. So if they are in an environment where moral values have no place, what are they learning?

It may (or may not) be appropriate for a public school to teach morals or ethical values. However, faculty engaging the student body should act ethically. As examples of good behavior, they are showing the students what good behavior looks like.

What concerns me most about the failure of public schools is that we are not calling them what they actually are. The word "school" implies education and learning. Geography has been taken off the table (nobody should know where they are?). History is being removed (those who forget or don't know their history are doomed to repeat it). The arts are being eroded (what's wrong with creating?). The study of non-industrialized agriculture and basic human reproduction are under attack (do we not need to know how to survive as a species?).

We're constantly being reminded that we need to excel in math and science. As if that's it. As if there's nothing else worth knowing because nothing else is competitive or economically viable. "1984" and "Fahrenheit 451" are serious possibilities with dumbness like that. So what would be a more appropriate name? How about mandatory govt-sponsored political correctness indoctrination centers.

If children and teens are rebelling against these centers, please pay attention to them. They know something's wrong. Maybe they don't want

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