Phew, the debate rages on. I have to admit that when I first decided to write about Sarah Palin, I never expected it to turn into a huge debate like this. It kinda makes my stomach hurt in all honesty. I get all tied up in knots and impassioned as I read comments and other blogs. Our country is so obviously divided with seemingly little common ground. The whole thing makes me sad and makes me feel very very small and insignificant. Yet, here I am again today posting on these issues that, I feel, need hashing out.
Yesterday and anonymous commenter asked me point blank how I would fix our broken systems. This is partially what got me all tied in knots. I see problems. Real problems. However, I don't even hope to be able to come up with all of the solutions to domestic policy problems on my blog. I do have some specific ideas though, and beyond that, a common theme that I think would help solve some of these problems.
The school system is an especially easy subject for me to speak on because I've witnessed so much of what is wrong about it. The school system was by no means perfect when I went through myself, but it has taken a major turn for the worse. One thing that No Child Left Behind focuses on is the problem of passing children along to the next grade before they have learned what this grade offers. The institution of the testing regulations in order to receive federal funding has not solved this problem, and it has not improved the learning that students are receiving. Instead, schools and school districts are trying to wrap themselves around the tests, focusing on them, hammering on them, squeezing them to try to get a little much needed funding out.
Also yesterday, Karin mentioned that she agreed with me that public schools for the most part aren't doing their job, and that she put much of the blame on the schools themselves and the parents. I'll agree that some responsibility falls with the schools and parents, but there's also a problem with the one-size-fits-all education that NCLB puts forth. The tests are not good measures of what the kids know. The schools then tailor teaching more and more toward the test. The kids find no spark in learning. It's a vicious cycle, and I think a large part of the problem stems from NCLB being a huge band aid that didn't deal with the root cause of the problem.
In the case of education, there are many root causes that need to be dealt with one by one. One example, is the problem of students not being sparked to learn in the classroom. There are a number of solutions to this problem including using different teaching methods (Montessori would be a great start), transitioning from a traditional classroom setting to one that would be more conducive to different learning styles, allowing more creativity from students, and getting parents more involved in the learning process. I don't think that there is necessarily one solution to the problem. However, I don't think that the problems in the schools can be fixed with legislation alone, because I don't see this as a problem of legislation. Sure, the NCLB act is flawed...I'll make no excuses to cover that up, but any legislation that was put in place to fix everything would be flawed.
I was talking to my dad today and he was sharing some insights that he had gained from his philosophy class this week. I'm not even going to try to quote him, but he was saying that they recently were studying the work of a certain Buddhist. This man gave a rather succinct description of karma. And here is my clunky paraphrase.
Karma is not a system of punishment and rewards that is rained down by God who is judging every move we make. Instead, Karma is a system of laws that is stable and unchanging. Therefore, if x happens then y will happen. If x doesn't happen then y will not happen. If x happens then y will fail to happen. If x fails to happen then y will happen. At this point I feel like I should be solving a theorem from geometry and say...Therefore, since x and y are parallel, the angle of intersection with z must be 33 degrees. But I digress. There were a few other versions of the formula that I'm not remembering at the moment. I promise I'm not throwing in philosophical mumbo-jumbo for no good reason. I see a real connection here, so stick with me.
In order to truly fix what ails our society (including the schools) it's important to be able to figure out those relationships of causation between the choices that we (as a society and as individuals) make and choose our path from there. My dad's epiphany was that once we clearly view a relationship of causation and see the path that one must take, that taking that path is an act of compassion.
The only way that I know to find the relationship of causation is through meditation. There are lots of ways, but all of them include pure and honest introspection. It's not easy for any of us to look inside see how our actions are affecting the world around us. My larger point in the last post was that without knowing it, many of us are taking stances that are causing suffering to others. True charity asks nothing in return. As a society we tend to forget that the innocent babe of today is the 4th grader of tomorrow and the unwed welfare mother of the future. Punishing someone for not being what our society considers to be a hard worker is punishing them for becoming who our society has turned them into.
Whether we want to admit it or not, a failure of one person in the world is a failure of all of us.
Well, that’s a relief
5 hours ago
7 comments:
Just another reason I do not send my kids to public schools.
"Whether we want to admit it or not, a failure of one person in the world is a failure of all of us."
Very true! Hence we are in the position we are in currently--just my 2cents of course!
Very well said MamaSense.
I, like many other parents, can't afford to send my children to private school. So my husband and I do our best to live in an area where the school districts are the highest in the state. That's the best we can do and I feel blessed that we can even do that. Many parents can't simply move to a different neighborhood/state or send their kids to private schools.
Many white people have chosen to avoid dealing with minorities by putting their children in private schools. Is there prejudice in this? or is it simply doing what is best for their children?
Our children have always attended public schools when they were not being homeschooled.
Many white people have chosen to avoid dealing with minorities by putting their children in private schools. Is there prejudice in this? or is it simply doing what is best for their children?
actually the Catholic schools in our area are more diversified than the public schools.
I had a child in the public schools but when they attempted to teach him things I did not agree with and when I noticed that they taught everyone at the same level--to heck with those kids that are bored in the class because the stuff is so easy (ya now) I decided that a private school and one that is in line with my morals/values/education standards etc. was a better option for the child. Let me mention that this school has been a top tanked Public School in my state for years!
It is becoming clear from the comments that private schools and public schools are not equal. It is also clear that dealing with the inequality of the schools is important to some people and not important to others. Addressing why some people do not care about the inequality is a first step in resolving the problem.
Equality cannot be legislated. Change comes from within.
Of course they are not equal, duh! I don't think anybody said they are. In most cases Private schools do more with less $$ compare to PS, why? And to say if you send your kids to a PS you are racist is insulting ! I bet a majority of parents like myself send our kids to PS because it is a better education/ more in line with our morals/values etc.
If a parent is gonna pay for something and not get a write off, they are more apt to play a bigger role in what is going on with their kids. I know this is true for PS parents as well, but really lets be honest, most PS parents feel that it is the SCHOOLS JOB to educate their kids!
I look at our PS here in town. You see the same faces at Back to School Night/ Parent -teacher conferences etc. year after year. what kind of message does that send teachers/kids?
Jagatguru Khalsa is doing a lot accusing of racism and other things. It sounds like he has some of his own issues and predjudices. I too can't believe that you said people send their kids to private schools to get away from minorities!!!!! OH MY GOODNESS!!!!
I attended a public high school that was very diverse but still a great school. Minorities aren't the problem. Just as Tommy stated last post he has every nationality in his inner city school.
I also can't believe you stated that Christian organizations turn away those that don't believe like them. If you talk to those organization I do believe they would be offended by that statement.
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