| "If I had to choose, I'd rather the | | | | peer-group therapy. The curriculum is |
| state feed and clothe my children than | | | | designed as a feel-good exercise, not a |
| let it educate them." -- Iowa grain | | | | learning path. The children know they |
| dealer, Max Belz. | | | | are being cheated. The parents are being |
| "School security" is an oxymoron. | | | | conned. |
| Despite what school officials might say, | | | | 7. Drug-Free Zone? The schools recommend |
| no one is safe in public schools. I'm | | | | Ritalin and other mind-altering drugs to |
| not talking about mad shooters. The | | | | kids who are anxious, stressed and |
| primary attack on children comes from | | | | bored, even for the very young. Who |
| within the schools, not from outside, | | | | would call that a safe practice? The |
| and it is constant. It comes from the | | | | drug companies are on an aggressive |
| poorly educated staff, the boring | | | | program to "diagnose" children's |
| classes, the academic mediocrity, the | | | | "disabilities" in order to sell their |
| distrust, the coercion, the bullying, | | | | wares on a national scale. If the |
| the unfair rules and restrictions. | | | | schools will drug our children for |
| Together, those create the culture, the | | | | behavior, what won't they do to them? |
| climate of frustration and anger. In | | | | 8. Integrity? Honor? Virtue? No chance. |
| turn, that causes some people to commit | | | | The system's culture is corrupt, |
| the violence -- often extreme. Public | | | | dishonest and self-serving. The |
| school makes everyone its victim. | | | | employees constantly seek "respect" and |
| Consider the following: | | | | yet, they are the ones who do not |
| 1. Violence is an ever-present | | | | respect either the children or their |
| possibility. Bullying is a natural | | | | parents. They are the ones who start the |
| result when humans are trapped against | | | | school wars, by violating the wishes of |
| their wills. Anyone serious about doing | | | | parents for their children. |
| harm cannot not be stopped. Also, the | | | | 9. Financial responsibility? |
| more schools become armed fortresses, | | | | Accountability? Not a chance. Management |
| the less educational they are. | | | | by crisis is the norm. Waste is the |
| 2. Civil rights? In public schools, | | | | rule. The system uses every trick to |
| there are none, either for children or | | | | take more money from taxpayers in order |
| their parents. Federal District Judge | | | | to enlarge itself. For example, smaller |
| Melinda Harmon ruled, "When you drop | | | | classes means more hiring, not better |
| your kids off at Public School, you lose | | | | instruction. |
| your civil rights." | | | | 10. Local control? There's no such |
| 3. Freedom from coercion? Are you | | | | thing. Public school is a state and |
| kidding? Coercion is the bread and | | | | federal system. The local school board |
| butter of government school. We hear | | | | and the administrators are puppets of |
| from some school employees that schools | | | | the legislature, the bureaucracy and the |
| are "democratic," and yet any teacher or | | | | teachers' union. There is no autonomy. |
| parent will tell you from experience | | | | There is no accountability. |
| that they are petty and dictatorial. | | | | There is no safety of any kind in public |
| 4. Freedom from verbal assault? Sorry. | | | | schools for children or their families. |
| Taunting and harassment are part of | | | | What permeates the schools in fact is |
| public school's pecking order -- the | | | | insecurity and fear. The problem is |
| result of forcing people together into | | | | government control. The answer is local |
| ugly impersonal, insensitive | | | | control, possibly by establishing a |
| institutions. | | | | "charter district." That would eliminate |
| 5. Academic security? Ha! Look at the | | | | the teacher union and burdensome state |
| records of any state. Only about thirty | | | | mandates. Let anyone who can teach |
| percent of students are even at grade | | | | apply. Let teachers and parents control |
| level according to state standardized | | | | what goes on and most of the corruption |
| tests. There are no goals or academic | | | | would end. Where there's no compulsion |
| standards whatsoever. The basic skills | | | | there's no resistance. Where there's no |
| are virtually ignored. Dumbing down | | | | coercion, there's no rage, and |
| appears to be the guiding principle. | | | | contentment increases. Happy, free and |
| 6. Emotional safety? Students are at the | | | | responsible people don't harm each |
| mercy of psychological conditioning and | | | | other. |