Education
by Ron Beatty
ronbeatty@sbcglobal.net

Exclusive to TLE

I'm sitting here this Thanksgiving morning, thinking over a discussion I had with one of the hosts of our weekly on line freedom conference (6 PM PT, network76.com) Also, I am angry, no, more than angry, at the actions of a principal in California who refused to allow a teacher to give children a copy of the Declaration of Independence, since it mentions god.

As some of you know, one of my 'hot buttons' is education, especially in the field of history. How in the world can children learn our history and heritage, if misguided administrators insist on excising one (or more) of the most important single items of history in the name of political correctness?

I am not a well-educated man, in the conventional sense. I was graduated from high school, and nine years later, went back to school, obtaining an Associates Degree in Data Processing. (This was long enough ago that the state of the art computer system was an IBM 34, with 256K RAM.) Other than that, I have no real formal education, except for classes in law as required for the profession I followed at that time. Almost all of my knowledge and education comes from an insatiable curiousity and a burning desire to learn, aided and abetted by a childhood spent moving around the world, following a service (USN) father. Therefore, I had a chance to see different cultures, to learn that the world does not share American viewpoints on many major issues.

Ladies and gentlemen, if you love your children, do not leave them in public schools, unless you have absolutely no choice. If that is the case, make sure you instill in them a love of learning for its own sake. Spend time with them, reading, instead of watching the television or letting them spend all their time playing video games.

The public school system is not doing its job. Rather, it is doing it too well. Our public schools are not teaching our children, but that is not the purpose of the schools. Surprised I would say that? Don't be. Our schools have as their primary purpose indoctrinating our children in socialist obedience. Take a look sometime at some of the textbooks that are used in our schools. Many of them do not include a complete text of the Bill of Rights. Also, look at the lesson plans of the teachers. Is Patrick Henry's famous speech to the Virginia Legislature covered? If not, why not? Are our children taught that the War of Northern Aggression was all about slavery, or are they taught that there were myriad causes of that war, with slavery only a very minor issue, until near the end? Are they taught that the 'great emancipator' used a small army of slaves to remodel and refurbish the White House?

Are our children taught logic and history and philosophy? Are they taught how to analyze problems effectively, wtihout preconceptions? Are our children taught the immense number of connections between history, religion, sociology, geography, and science?

Are our children taught why our Founders rebelled against England? Are they taught how tyrants come to power, so they can recognize the signs and take action against such, when or if it occurs? Are they taught why free enterprise is the most efficient economic system, with the greatest benefit for the greatest number, over the long run?

Are our children taught how to read? How to obtain information that is freely available, in almost any public library, or on the internet? How to evaluate the data they recieve, so they can assign a value to it, integrate it into their world view?

Do the teachers really teach, or are they just passing along regurgitated crap, going along with the system? How many of them make learning fun, so that the children temporarily in their care want to learn? How many school administrators are petty tyrants, abusing their authority and office? For example, refusing to allow a teacher to give children a copy of the Declaration of Independence, because it mentions god? Or perhaps suspending a high spirited young girl for the stated reason that she does cartwheels? (the real reason was that the school administrator involved in this one said the girl was 'defying authority') Defying authority? Isn't that one of the reasons this country was founded? Washington defied improperly used authority. Jefferson defied improperly used authority. Martin Luther defied improperly used authority. Martin Luther King defied improperly used authority. Jim Bowie, David Crockett, and a host of others, they all became heroes for defying improperly used authority.

Do the research. Learn the facts. Check out John Taylor Gatto's website (http://www.johntaylorgatto.com/). Never, ever take my unsupported word for anything, and still less the word of any government or media official. Remember, you and only you are responsible for your own safety and freedom. No one else can make you free. You have to do it yourself.

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