Is Education Broken?
| I realize that this discussion may open a can of worms, but you know what? I think it needs to be opened. Too many things are going on in education that are very disturbing and it began many years ago.First, prayer was taken out of school. I remember learning scripture in elementary school. Now if you pray out loud you can lose your job. If you talk about your faith you are labeled narrow minded and a bigot.Second, they took discipline out of school. No longer can a child be spanked. If fact, spanking is frowned upon even at home (even though the Bible endorses it). I realize there are exceptions at some schools and some homes, but let’s admit that the majority seems to have bought into Spocking instead of spanking.
So, how is that working for us? Not so good. Teachers are burning out and frustrated. Educators are looking for a magic wand to get control of their classes, but it seems to have settled for controlled chaos, and our kids are paying the price. We are graduating kids who have no direction and a sense of entitlement. Don’t get me wrong, I know there are many good kids who are grounded and don’t feel like the world owes them everything, but I think they are the minority. Add to this the fact that school systems seem focused on testing vs. the student, and we are on the proverbial cliff. Educators have to prepare kids for “the test.” Everything hinges on this, and it starts in 3rd grade! Guys, this is freaking out the little kids and nobody seems to care or notice. It is what it is, I guess. By the way, as an observation: when anyone says, “It is what it is” it is generally not a good thing. I have heard that in California they have now allowed kids who are confused about their gender to go to the bathroom and locker room of the opposite sex. Really? What parent in their right mind would allow their daughter to be in a school where boys were allowed in their rest rooms and locker rooms??? Do you really want your young girls changing clothes in front of young boys? What are they thinking out there? Just this week I was in a pep rally at a middle school here in Texas. It has been a long time since I have been to a pep rally, and I had forgot how loud they were. What really disturbed me was the dance routine that the cheerleaders did. These are 7th and 8th grade girls. It started out innocently enough, but then they started some hip movements that were sensual. We are talking about kids here…young kids! There were about a hundred boys on the football team sitting in front of me. You should have heard some of the comments coming from them. It was not good. Then there was a comedy skit done by some of the kids and one of the boys started twerking. Good grief. I was watching the faces of the teachers and they were staring in disbelief just like me. I pray that we wake up as a country. Kids are not better off without God. They are not better off without discipline. They are not better off being allowed into the rest rooms and locker rooms of the opposite sex, nor are they are better off being taught to dance provocative dance moves. Will somebody in authority wake up and smell the coffee here? I pray that Christians who are grounded in their faith will step up and take key roles in education. We need them to be teachers, principals, administrators, and superintendents. I pray it is not too late for our kids. They are our future, and frankly, that concerns me. Shalom! Dan Skognes |