Arnold shouldn't be alone on this one
There I was, sitting in my physical therapists
office waiting for my appointment. With a few minutes on my hands I picked up
the recent copy of Business Week (May 2, 2005 issue) and I began to
read.
Apparently, California and the national teachers organizations are a-buzz over a new plan that Governor Schwarzenneger has on the plate. It seems that "The Governator" is more than a bit disappointed about the current educational system and it's failures for the students of California.
To make a long story short, the Governor wants to implement a plan that would extend tenure (to five years) and tie performance evaluations to - oh God, dare I say it - the teachers performance!
According to the article, which is available at Business Week Online, Schwarzenneger argues that "the only way to improve schools is to reward good teachers and penalize or fire bad ones."
I have to say that on the surface this sounds reasonable to me. After all, don't we all want our children to receive a proper education? Don't we all want our children to grow up and become responsible members of society? Don't we all want our children to be able to speak clearly, to convey their thoughts in writing, to get good jobs, to excel?
I would think that we would all agree that these things are important. But, there is a problem.
One argument is that once you begin down this road, teachers who know that the success of their students will mean they themselves will succeed, will begin to teach to the test. I believe that this is a valid concern. However, I also believe that schools are not turning out well educated students. And the problem isn't just in the elementary system.
This problem appears to grow exponentially as students continue their education. Consider the higher educational institutions - what use to be called the Hallowed Halls.
In what was once considered an avenue to grow mentally and an opportunity to excel, college institutions are now a punching bag of liberal jokes. They have gone so far left one must consider whether it's time to institute a separation of politics and education. I find it particularly humorous that in a college course in which the primary text is entitled "Contemporary Moral Problems" the students were not allowed to raise the issue of religion. However, one doesn't have to venture far to find no end of anti-republican rhetoric.
Not too long ago, as I was continuing my education in one of the local colleges, we had a president who has having problems in the area of truthfulness and fidelity. During this entire fiasco, not a single flyer, poster or comment on the situation was to be seen, not a single comment to be heard. However, following that administration we found ourselves in a different situation, with a new administration and in the midst of a war that many on both sides argue virtues and pitfalls. But in this educational facility, not a day went by that I didn't notice some inflammatory posting about our new administration. What shocked me was that typically it was on the doors of the offices of the colleges professors.
It wasn't the first time that liberal leaning in the halls of higher education caught my attention. One of my more recent college classes was on the topic of modern writing. Ok, so I don't always apply what I learn, but given the need I could. What struck me about this course was the assignment topics. From the first day until the last each assigned topic (different for each student) was fanatically pro-liberal. Such topics as The Argument For Abortion; The Modern Gay Society; The Problem With Capital Punishment.
When I approached the professor with my request to write a paper on the topic of Pornography she was all for it, until she discovered my position. I felt that what ever consenting adults wanted to do with their time, money, and digital cameras was no one else's business (especially the governments). It took some convincing, and the first couple of drafts were, well almost awash of red ink but in the end I think I did pretty well. I believe I would have gotten a better grade had I taken the Anti-Pornographic view. And this is my point.
When did college become more about extreme Liberal indoctrination and less about education. When did the base grades become more about pushing bodies through than actually educating them? And why are so many people fighting this one? Do we really want a bunch of liberal lemmings running around screaming about how everyone should give their money to someone else? Did they ever think that money has to be earned before it can be given away? I actually had one person of higher education tell me once that I needed to pay my fair share. I explained that I had no problem paying my "Fair Share" if my "Share was Fair" which, in a scaled tax environment - it certainly was not.
Do we really want a nation indoctrinated with the beliefs of Marxism and Communism? (From each according to his abilities - to each according to his needs, for example a scaled tax system).
I have no doubt that, on a philosophical level Communism is wonderful. Everyone produces, no one lacks, no one goes without the necessities of life. If only life were so easy. But the fact of the matter is, life is not purely philosophical. Life is not an exercise and people are born to struggle, people have to dig and scratch and fight to make a living and that will never change.
Another fact of the matter is that without desire, life does not improve and this is where we get the niceties of life. Desire, or greed for a lack of a better term, gave us computers, the internet, cars, airplanes, trains, shipping, telephones, cell phones, television, all manner industry including medical advances that could not and would not have occurred in a communistic society where everyone simply goes to work to do their job day in and day out without any hope of raising their standard of living.
And isn't giving your children a better standard of living what is really important? Don't you want your children to have an easier, and better life than you? Isn't it time for us to improve education and eliminate the indoctrination ...... for the children?
Apparently, California and the national teachers organizations are a-buzz over a new plan that Governor Schwarzenneger has on the plate. It seems that "The Governator" is more than a bit disappointed about the current educational system and it's failures for the students of California.
To make a long story short, the Governor wants to implement a plan that would extend tenure (to five years) and tie performance evaluations to - oh God, dare I say it - the teachers performance!
According to the article, which is available at Business Week Online, Schwarzenneger argues that "the only way to improve schools is to reward good teachers and penalize or fire bad ones."
I have to say that on the surface this sounds reasonable to me. After all, don't we all want our children to receive a proper education? Don't we all want our children to grow up and become responsible members of society? Don't we all want our children to be able to speak clearly, to convey their thoughts in writing, to get good jobs, to excel?
I would think that we would all agree that these things are important. But, there is a problem.
One argument is that once you begin down this road, teachers who know that the success of their students will mean they themselves will succeed, will begin to teach to the test. I believe that this is a valid concern. However, I also believe that schools are not turning out well educated students. And the problem isn't just in the elementary system.
This problem appears to grow exponentially as students continue their education. Consider the higher educational institutions - what use to be called the Hallowed Halls.
In what was once considered an avenue to grow mentally and an opportunity to excel, college institutions are now a punching bag of liberal jokes. They have gone so far left one must consider whether it's time to institute a separation of politics and education. I find it particularly humorous that in a college course in which the primary text is entitled "Contemporary Moral Problems" the students were not allowed to raise the issue of religion. However, one doesn't have to venture far to find no end of anti-republican rhetoric.
Not too long ago, as I was continuing my education in one of the local colleges, we had a president who has having problems in the area of truthfulness and fidelity. During this entire fiasco, not a single flyer, poster or comment on the situation was to be seen, not a single comment to be heard. However, following that administration we found ourselves in a different situation, with a new administration and in the midst of a war that many on both sides argue virtues and pitfalls. But in this educational facility, not a day went by that I didn't notice some inflammatory posting about our new administration. What shocked me was that typically it was on the doors of the offices of the colleges professors.
It wasn't the first time that liberal leaning in the halls of higher education caught my attention. One of my more recent college classes was on the topic of modern writing. Ok, so I don't always apply what I learn, but given the need I could. What struck me about this course was the assignment topics. From the first day until the last each assigned topic (different for each student) was fanatically pro-liberal. Such topics as The Argument For Abortion; The Modern Gay Society; The Problem With Capital Punishment.
When I approached the professor with my request to write a paper on the topic of Pornography she was all for it, until she discovered my position. I felt that what ever consenting adults wanted to do with their time, money, and digital cameras was no one else's business (especially the governments). It took some convincing, and the first couple of drafts were, well almost awash of red ink but in the end I think I did pretty well. I believe I would have gotten a better grade had I taken the Anti-Pornographic view. And this is my point.
When did college become more about extreme Liberal indoctrination and less about education. When did the base grades become more about pushing bodies through than actually educating them? And why are so many people fighting this one? Do we really want a bunch of liberal lemmings running around screaming about how everyone should give their money to someone else? Did they ever think that money has to be earned before it can be given away? I actually had one person of higher education tell me once that I needed to pay my fair share. I explained that I had no problem paying my "Fair Share" if my "Share was Fair" which, in a scaled tax environment - it certainly was not.
Do we really want a nation indoctrinated with the beliefs of Marxism and Communism? (From each according to his abilities - to each according to his needs, for example a scaled tax system).
I have no doubt that, on a philosophical level Communism is wonderful. Everyone produces, no one lacks, no one goes without the necessities of life. If only life were so easy. But the fact of the matter is, life is not purely philosophical. Life is not an exercise and people are born to struggle, people have to dig and scratch and fight to make a living and that will never change.
Another fact of the matter is that without desire, life does not improve and this is where we get the niceties of life. Desire, or greed for a lack of a better term, gave us computers, the internet, cars, airplanes, trains, shipping, telephones, cell phones, television, all manner industry including medical advances that could not and would not have occurred in a communistic society where everyone simply goes to work to do their job day in and day out without any hope of raising their standard of living.
And isn't giving your children a better standard of living what is really important? Don't you want your children to have an easier, and better life than you? Isn't it time for us to improve education and eliminate the indoctrination ...... for the children?
Posted: Mon - May 2, 2005 at 08:56 PM If this blog entry was of use to you, why not show your appreciation by donating to support the site? Just click on the MAKE A DONATION button on the right hand side of the page! It's all handled by PAYPAL.
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Published On: Aug 30, 2006 06:55 AM
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Published On: Aug 30, 2006 06:55 AM