Education Reform

It is again time for the annual reform of our educational policies to ensure our children are fit to join the adult world. This wringing of hands is an annual event. We self-flagellate over the poor results of our K-12 institutions of learning. Monumental efforts have been made to improve the education received from No Child Left Behind to continuous testing ensuring progress. The usual suspects are the teachers who are now required to be degreed, certified, and developed. No question there are bad teachers, but they are given a bad rap. It is clear from simple observation that many, if not a majority, of parents are themselves uneducated, uneducable, unconcerned giving only lip service to the idea that their children should have an education. These parents can not put together a grammatically correct sentence, have not one iota of reading material in their residence, and view the world as demonstrated by their favorite TV programs. The only discernible effort made by these parents is to schlep their children to various sporting events from the age of three where they complain to other parents that the coach practices favoritism and their kid doesn't get enough playing time or become irate at a referee or umpire who inspires an emotional tantrum. If parents don't care, the kids won't care, and the teachers will not succeed. It isn't the fault of the teachers. One can attend a school program to immediately realize that the parents and extended family of the children performing view the proceedings little differently than sitting in their living rooms, watching TV, and drinking a beer. During warm-day events such as commencements, a rather important event in the life of a youngster, the audience is dressed for the beach. More importantly, there will be a graduation party where the parents may go so far as to remodel their home; set up a collage of photographs showing their new high school graduate from birth to graduation; and invite all and sundry to celebrate their kids accomplishment. The photo array will exhibit the various athletic endeavors of the new graduate and have the usual stern visual display of the boys and the I'm-so-beautiful attempts of the girls. Whether the child can actually put a sentence together is irrelevant. Not one in ten of these newly graduated scholars are capable of having a conversation with an adult nor form an opinion based upon anything other than what they have been given. It is all rather discouraging if you believe that these children are capable of being educated which most are not.

The Sporting Life

The sporting life from what I can observe consists of schlepping children to and fro from their various athletic endeavors and watching sports on television sitting in an easy chair. Parents begin transporting their children to such things as t-ball and soccer pre-kindergarten. Soon these activities are transcended by soccer, softball, baseball, football, volleyball most or all of which may begin as early as kindergarten. These activities continue through high school with increased intensity as they evolve into school activities as opposed to a collection of parents self-organizing. The purpose of these activities is difficult to ascertain. Most of the urchins engaged in these activities are not athletes, give no indication of ever being athletes, and would be just as happy playing tag on the school grounds. The purpose of these child athletic engagements appears to be for the benefit of the parents. The parents are required to organize these activities, to transport their children to them, wait until finished, and deliver them up again home. It is the opportunity for you, as the parent, to meet other parents with which you have nothing in common and having nothing to talk about. It is also the chance to yell at the coach, grumble that your kid isn't getting enough playing time, complain about the referees, or the best scenario, to get in a fight with a parent of a kid from the other team. And, you take turns in the concession stand so that snacks are available and money is found to finance these activities. This latter is a real treat. By taking your turn in the concession stand the parent is unable to ignore anyone, child or adult, and must, at the minimum, show enthusiasm. Depending upon the parent's endurance, sporting activities for one's children can consume every evening of the week and both days of the weekend. For those who follow this path, their lives most be totally vacuous, without the hint of meaning or interest. Between the children's sporting activities and television sports, such parents live a nearly vicarious existence. It is difficult to know why anyone would want to be acquainted with such people let alone spend time with them. Children are inherently uninteresting and these parents spend a great deal of time successfully emulating their children. It is difficult to believe the children are in the least grateful. Comments of the children would seem to indicate they have some inalienable right to participate in these activities clothed and shoed as expensively as possible with the ever present water bottle at their disposable so they remain properly hydrated. If mediocrity is reached, parents are cajoled into summer camps for the improvement of technique. The expenses mount and vacations are foregone, but the children are happy.