Education – Trojan Horse of Liberals

[rtwngAvngr]

http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2002/3/11/123015.shtml

Education – Trojan Horse of Liberals

G. Russell Evans
Captain, U.S. Coast Guard (Ret.)
Tuesday, March 19, 2002
Our president wants "no child left behind." He campaigned on it, promised it and now plans on it as a priority of the nation.

Splendid! The most important part of this wonderful goal, however, is what the child is taught – especially since taxpayers pay and since the vast majority of people, polls show, favor basic studies, old-fashioned Americanism, and character and honor, instead of so much social sciences and situational ethics.

Open the Gates

But unfortunately, in so many cases, basic studies, basic Americanism and character are not what our youngsters are getting.

More and more, our progressive educational system has become a sort of Trojan horse, used to open the gates to the army of internationalists and other zealots so they can spread their gospel of the "new age of collectivism," to quote the 1934 National Education Association (NEA) Report of the Commission on Social Studies,

Jimmy Carter Again

Let us thank Jimmy Carter for this Trojan horse, bred and groomed by the NEA, assuring federal domination of our public schools and universities through the Carter-created Department of Education – a quid pro quo for the NEA vote that helped Carter become president. President Carter gave the NEA a powerful federal voice.

The NEA was founded in 1857 by a group of 43 educators, grew to 2,000 members by the year 1900 and today boasts of over 2 million dues-paying union members – with political and educational clout.

By 1960, the NEA was requiring teachers to join or lose their jobs. NEA's progressive educators were preparing textbooks and teaching materials featuring social sciences and neglecting core subjects such as math, history, English, science and student behavior.

The NEA's influence on the thinking and values of our children is profound. History books are modified to exclude religious references and the great accomplishments of many American heroes, such as George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Robert E. Lee and Henry Ford.

Warriors for Islam

At this critical time of the War on Terrorism, when American values should top school agendas, Superintendent Peggy Green of the Byron Union Schools of Oakland, Calif., is teaching seventh-graders about Islam – role-playing as "Warriors for Islam," dressing like Muslims and studying the Koran, with nothing about the Muslim terrorists dedicated to destroying the "Great Satan," in obedience to their god Allah, who commands in Surah 2:193 of the Koran: "Kill them until ... the religion is Allah."

Imagine the uproar if the children role-played the crucifixion of Jesus. The ACLU and Barry Lynn would be in apoplectic fits.

Top Universities Too

Anti-war demonstrators marched and howled at the College of William and Mary just before the Christmas break. With media support, they screamed obscenities about America's "terrorist" bombing of Afghanistan before going home to Mommy and Daddy for fresh infusions of expense money, sometimes $30,000 per year for education.

Yale is in a class by itself. There, Muslim Chaplain Zaid Shaki warns that "Muslims cannot accept the existing order in America," but didn't say when Muslims would be leaving. Even so, Yale may now allow the ROTC back, since "it's a more dangerous world." Yalies were going to the University of Connecticut for ROTC, three hours roundtrip.

Taxpayers Pay Professors

At the University of South Florida, Prof. Sami AI-Arian tells students, "Allah curses Christians and Jews," adding, "Let us damn America." He raises money for terrorist groups. American taxpayers pay his salary. He, in turn, teaches their children.

Senior professors at many American universities give "expert commentary" for TV documentaries, with scurrilous lies such as:

* the U.S. was at fault for the Cold War and the Soviets were the victims;
* the U.S. was the aggressor in World War II, with "racist, anti-Asian imperialism";
* modern Americans reject our Founding Fathers as "slave-owning white males."
Liberal Intellectuals

NEA collectivism largely dominates our educational system. Liberal intellectuals can be a problem. An example is the Oxford/Harvard-educated Michael Kinsley, editor of Slate magazine and former arrogant co-host of CNN's "Crossfire" TV show.

Apparently, his academic credentials give him carte blanche to write frequent "highbrow" op-ed pieces in the liberal press where he can talk down to peon readers and enlighten us.

Kinsley, always the critical writer but not a very good sport about his "superiority," in a recent New York Times column called conservative best-selling books "barely books at all [but] sloppy stews of tired anecdote ... bought for comfort, not intellectual challenge."

Brave rhetoric for a man who, himself, has not had a best seller but never lacks clever rhetoric for those who have.

But author Bernard Goldberg has the last laugh after Kinsley called Goldberg's best seller "Bias" (Regnery, 2002) "dumb." Lo and behold, there goes President Bush across the White House lawn with a copy of "Bias" – exposed to the world!

Intellectuals like Kinsley and other "superiors" may slander our popular president as "dumb," too – but "the source it comes from" is what really matters because, after all, it's mostly the doings of that Trojan horse of long ago.

 

[TN_Independent]

Originally posted by rtwngAvngr
http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2002/3/11/123015.shtml

Our president wants "no child left behind." He campaigned on it, promised it and now plans on it as a priority of the nation.

A soundbite-getting program that is not workable. I'm gonna have to propose that GW and his crew could have been a sight more realistic where this is concerned.

Splendid! The most important part of this wonderful goal, however, is what the child is taught – especially since taxpayers pay and since the vast majority of people, polls show, favor basic studies, old-fashioned Americanism, and character and honor, instead of so much social sciences and situational ethics.

Open the Gates

But unfortunately, in so many cases, basic studies, basic Americanism and character are not what our youngsters are getting.

Vague, blanket statements such as these are so lacking in substance. I have been in education for many years and I can count on one hand the incidents I have witnessed that have been school-sanctioned that I would classify in this category.

More and more, our progressive educational system has become a sort of Trojan horse, used to open the gates to the army of internationalists and other zealots so they can spread their gospel of the "new age of collectivism," to quote the 1934 National Education Association (NEA) Report of the Commission on Social Studies,

Jimmy Carter Again

Let us thank Jimmy Carter for this Trojan horse, bred and groomed by the NEA, assuring federal domination of our public schools and universities through the Carter-created Department of Education – a quid pro quo for the NEA vote that helped Carter become president. President Carter gave the NEA a powerful federal voice.

The NEA was founded in 1857 by a group of 43 educators, grew to 2,000 members by the year 1900 and today boasts of over 2 million dues-paying union members – with political and educational clout.

By 1960, the NEA was requiring teachers to join or lose their jobs. NEA's progressive educators were preparing textbooks and teaching materials featuring social sciences and neglecting core subjects such as math, history, English, science and student behavior.

The NEA's influence on the thinking and values of our children is profound. History books are modified to exclude religious references and the great accomplishments of many American heroes, such as George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Robert E. Lee and Henry Ford.

I am a member of NEA. I am a member for one reason, basically. They provide liability insurance for teachers against whom lawsuits are brought. While I have never had any sort of problem, it would only take one allegation (even if it were false) to bankrupt my family and leave us destitute. For this reason I joined the NEA.

While I join the NEA for the security, I do not have a problem with those folks who are politically active within the organization. Every American has a right, nay, even a responsibility to stand up for what they believe is right. If these folks are doing that, more power to 'em - whether I agree with them or not.

As for the history books being modified to exclude information, does the author really believe that these things are the sole work of the NEA? Would we have prayer in school without the NEA? Would the Ten Commandments be posted in schools except for the NEA? To blame the NEA for things that they really aren't responsible for only tends to make the author's remaining statements more suspect. Was the NEA responsible for the south losing the flag? for the Ten Commandments being removed from courthouses?

At this critical time of the War on Terrorism, when American values should top school agendas, Superintendent Peggy Green of the Byron Union Schools of Oakland, Calif., is teaching seventh-graders about Islam – role-playing as "Warriors for Islam," dressing like Muslims and studying the Koran, with nothing about the Muslim terrorists dedicated to destroying the "Great Satan," in obedience to their god Allah, who commands in Surah 2:193 of the Koran: "Kill them until ... the religion is Allah."

Imagine the uproar if the children role-played the crucifixion of Jesus. The ACLU and Barry Lynn would be in apoplectic fits.

Top Universities Too

Anti-war demonstrators marched and howled at the College of William and Mary just before the Christmas break. With media support, they screamed obscenities about America's "terrorist" bombing of Afghanistan before going home to Mommy and Daddy for fresh infusions of expense money, sometimes $30,000 per year for education.

Yale is in a class by itself. There, Muslim Chaplain Zaid Shaki warns that "Muslims cannot accept the existing order in America," but didn't say when Muslims would be leaving. Even so, Yale may now allow the ROTC back, since "it's a more dangerous world." Yalies were going to the University of Connecticut for ROTC, three hours roundtrip.

Taxpayers Pay Professors

At the University of South Florida, Prof. Sami AI-Arian tells students, "Allah curses Christians and Jews," adding, "Let us damn America." He raises money for terrorist groups. American taxpayers pay his salary. He, in turn, teaches their children.

Senior professors at many American universities give "expert commentary" for TV documentaries, with scurrilous lies such as:

* the U.S. was at fault for the Cold War and the Soviets were the victims;
* the U.S. was the aggressor in World War II, with "racist, anti-Asian imperialism";
* modern Americans reject our Founding Fathers as "slave-owning white males."

Each of these incidents is despicable, deplorable, unexcusable. They are, though, extreme cases and not indicative of the actual educational system as a whole. Again, having taught in the public schools for over 20 years, I can actually attest to the fact that I've personally witnessed nothing along these lines in my educational history.

There are most definitely liberals who influence the educational system in this country. They are not, though, the major problem with the system, in my opinion. The problems with the educational system are many - some simple and some quite complex, but very few are simply <i>liberal</i> or <i>conservative</i> problems.

Are there things about our educational system that need changing? Absolutely. Is it working like it should? Absolutely not! Would I make drastic changes if I were given the authority to control the system? No doubt about it.

It is not the NEA's fault, though, that our educational system is in the shape it is. At least, it is not totally their fault. They must share the blame. There is, however, plenty of blame to go around and many who deserve to share in it, I would propose.

If you want to discuss, debate, or argue education, I'm all for it. I would suggest that we do it concerning the more realisitic, everyday types of educational problems that are keeping the system from working to its fullest.

 

[rtwngAvngr]

Do you just need more funding?



The problem is the attitude of the libs who run the whole thing. They blame parents; they blame society.

I understand you guys get put in a position where doing a good job would mean failing people and making them actually work and not accepting the social explanation of why they should be held to a different standard, but doing so would be unpopular with higher ups who only look at numbers. I'm sure social promotion is encouraged just so the system looks good, but ultimately this will be the downfall of society.


So, do I need to start ANOTHER thread to continue this conversation?

 

[rtwngAvngr]

So what DO you need? More funding?

 

[rtwngAvngr]

I'm not blaming the nea for removal of commandments or the other symbolic issues you mention. I'm blaming them for the failure of the school system.

About you being forced to join the NEA for insurance: Maybe this country needs to reign in the litigious nature of our society through tort reform. Maybe civil rights activists who look to sue innocent people to make points should be reigned in.

 

[TN_Independent]

Originally posted by rtwngAvngr
Do you just need more funding?



The problem is the attitude of the libs who run the whole thing. They blame parents; they blame society.

I understand you guys get put in a position where doing a good job would mean failing people and making them actually work and not accepting the social explanation of why they should be held to a different standard, but doing so would be unpopular with higher ups who only look at numbers. I'm sure social promotion is encouraged just so the system looks good, but ultimately this will be the downfall of society.


So, do I need to start ANOTHER thread to continue this conversation?

Ok, here goes.....

I guess one of the differences between you and I is that I don't blame the "liberals" for all of the things I see wrong with the world today. In fact, I would venture to guess that there are mandates which cause educational problems which were put in place by conservatives. In fact, I'd guarantee it. "No child left behind" is one that comes to mind.

But, more to the point; throwing money at education is not the answer. While it is true that higher pay for teachers would attract more of the brighter students into the field of teaching, it would not in itself solve the problems. Also, funding special programs and buying more equipment will not cure all of the ills that ail us.

You mention the fact that teachers blame the parents.... My friend, let me tell you, it MUST begin at home. I am a prime example of that. I am living proof.

I have a wonderful education - a degree in electrical engineering and in secondary education as well - but I would probably not have graduated high school had it not been for my mom and dad. You see, while I now understand that education is one of the most important things in life, at that age I did not.

One of the best things my dad every did for me - maybe the best thing - was whip my ass for making a C on my grade card in science when I was a sixth grader. You see, had he let that C slide, I'd have gone for two. Had two slid, I'd have tried three. Pretty soon I would have attempted to make a D. Had he allowed it, I'd have been down to D's and F's in no time - and I'd have been tickled to death with 'em, too.

You cannot teach someone who doesn't want to learn. Most teenagers don't see the benefit in it, so it is not important to them. Parents MUST, in those cases, make it important to them. If not, I have no chance of teaching them.

There is no such thing a mandatory education. It is a misnomer. It does not exist. There is mandatory attendance, but not mandatory education.

Next post you wanna talk about the catch-22 of higher pay for teachers?

Isn't this fun?

 

[TN_Independent]

Next, my views on grading scales.

My personal answer is that each child should be required to pass a competency test at the end of each grade level. If they don't pass the competency test, they don't move on - even if they've got their drivers' license in elementary school (how could they get a driver's license without being literate?).

That said, you couldn't simply start that tomorrow. There are students who are illiterate in every grade level (sometimes social promotion, sometimes not). I just don't see it as right to suddenly expect these people to be able to do things that they are not capable of doing. This is a program that would require "phasing in".

The problem is this: not all children are equal - at least not when it comes to being educable from a traditional standpoint. We need, in this country, to recognize that not every kid is college trainable. It simply ain't never gonna happen. We would do well, I think, to adopt the European idea of different types of education: college, technical, and vocational. It must start at much earlier grades than high school, though. By then, many of our kids are lost. Its too late for them.

It would be akin to throwing you underwater, with a method of breathing, and asking you to survive. Is that a liberal viewpoint? Maybe. But it is accurate. It is not the kids fault that the system is flawed and he is not getting training that he's capable of handling and which will benefit him.

My father, who was an educator for 30 years, once said that with many kids the educational system as we now have it makes them into welfare cases instead of taxpayers. With that, I would have to agree.

 

[NewGuy]

The system is broken and will only get worse.

As with any military or government program, if the budget does not use up all the money, it is not matched nor increased the following year. As such, the "system" is reuqired to always have problems and dependencies. Add people with their own political agendas, constantly updated cirriculum (because of error correction and agendas) and you have a system sloppy at best, and terrible at worst.

There is only one solution for anyone to fix this sort of an issue as with any other similar government issue.

On a national scale, it would be called a revolution : The active disconnection and refusal to participate in the system while recreating a new one.

In the case of education it would be called home schooling. -Which, by the way, has proven more effective beyond any doubt. The problem is that parents don't want to take responsibility for it and the "system" sees the writing on the wall of their own demise if it succeeds.

In any case, this is the ultimate solution. A child's mind is too important to trust to a collective of corruption with inefficient use of their time and poor educational resources.

 

[rtwngAvngr]

Yeah. You're not a lib. You're cool. Is the NEA behind you on the "more funding isn't the answer" POV?

As for as involving family, to me it seems educators feel it's their duty to undo the the "negative effects" of parents who seek to impart "non socialist values".

And I remember all too clearly in the 92' election the way the libs derided family values.

Check out this article by one of these educator.

http://www.mediafamily.org/activitiesandquizzes/janhandout.shtml
INTRODUCTION

In 1987, I developed a seminar for parents entitled "Designer Kids." Based on my experiences both as a psychologist and as a parent of three children, I had a growing concern about the effects of excess competition and consumerism on America’s children. The seminars dealt with those effects. At the urging of many of those who attended the seminars, I converted the content of the presentation into a book by the same title, which was published by Deaconess Press in 1990.

__ In the four years since the appearance of that book, I have had the opportunity to make many more presentations across the country to groups of parents, educators, and other professionals who work with youth. Several things have become very clear in gathering after gathering. No matter where I have gone, and without exception, I have heard a great deal of concern about the seeming lack of positive values in America’s children. Whether I was talking with parents who spoke to me at PTA meetings or participants on radio call-in shows, the theme was (and continues to be) the same: a widespread concern that America’s children are in trouble.

__ While parents and educators have expressed their anxieties, they have also expressed feelings of helplessness and confusion. Many feel isolated and alone as they try to turn back a river of cultural forces that they sense are hostile to the healthy development of children. At the same time, they fear that there is nothing they can do that will make a difference.

__ I have heard that phrase – "there’s nothing you can do" – many times over the past seven years. I have heard it spoken by parents who are concerned about their children’s welfare, yet feel their actions don’t make a dent in the forces working against them. In spite of their frustration, however, they desperately want to do something!

__ As I have talked with these parents, I have been struck by how much consensus there is among them as to the important values children must learn. I have also been struck by the fact that the set of values they identify is not the one that is supported in our larger society.

__ This dichotomy between private and societal values has become clearer in meeting after meeting, and I have begun using it as the basis for a new seminar. Once again, at the urging of parents and educators, I have decided to convert the substance of the seminar, along with the discussions I’ve had with parents and other concerned adults, into a book.

__ While I believe our children are in trouble because of what we, as a society, have taught them (and have failed to teach them), I also believe that there is reason for hope. My optimism is based on my interactions with so many adults who have not forgotten what values are essential for healthy children. Those values have not been forgotten, but they have become lost in a larger, anonymous society where a different set of values has been promoted – a set that is designed to raise profits, not children.

__ The good news is that since America’s adults largely agree on the healthy values our children should learn, we can not only take responsibility for teaching them to our children, but can do so in practical and effective ways. We can exert our right to influence the voices of our larger society so that profit is unseated as the great motivator and the welfare of our children becomes the primary concern once again.

__ The growing awareness of violence in our society, especially among children, seems to be finally waking us up. However, it would be a mistake to think that violence is the only problem. It isn’t. It is a tragic symptom of an underlying crisis that involves an entire set of values being taught to our children. We will only begin to make progress when we see the whole problem for what it is. Violence grabs the headlines, but violence itself is a result of a society that promotes selfishness, greed, and instant gratification.

__ While we must do whatever we can to curb the epidemic of violence, we must also recognize that we won’t be successful until we being to reprioritize our values as a society and once again take our responsibility to our children seriously.

__ It is my hope that this book will make a contribution to that undertaking. Parents and other concerned adults can make a difference; this book will show how. The first step is to become fully aware of what we are facing

I fully believe you to be a minority in the field of educators, tn_indy.

And of course the phasing in of actual standards will have to be done. The standards part is conservative, the phasing part is not liberal, but simply pragmatic. Though I wouldn't be opposed to the immediate imposition of strict standards and just letting the thing grind to a halt. Maybe then people would wake up to the horror of what's going on.

 

[rtwngAvngr]

Originally posted by NewGuy
The system is broken and will only get worse.

As with any military or government program, if the budget does not use up all the money, it is not matched nor increased the following year. As such, the "system" is reuqired to always have problems and dependencies. Add people with their own political agendas, constantly updated cirriculum (because of error correction and agendas) and you have a system sloppy at best, and terrible at worst.

There is only one solution for anyone to fix this sort of an issue as with any other similar government issue.

On a national scale, it would be called a revolution : The active disconnection and refusal to participate in the system while recreating a new one.

In the case of education it would be called home schooling. -Which, by the way, has proven more effective beyond any doubt. The problem is that parents don't want to take responsibility for it and the "system" sees the writing on the wall of their own demise if it succeeds.

In any case, this is the ultimate solution. A child's mind is too important to trust to a collective of corruption with inefficient use of their time and poor educational resources.

 

[TN_Independent]

Originally posted by rtwngAvngr
I fully believe you to be a minority in the field of educators, tn_indy.

You might be surprised, rtwng.

I teach in a school with 2000 students, and over 100 teaching professionals. I would conservatively estimate that 60% of them would agree with almost everything I've posted on this thread - and I'd wager that the number would be much higher than that.

Another problem with the educational system, you see, is that educators are not setting policy and standards in many instances. Education is the only profession that I know of where standards and policies are set by folks not trained to do so.

Anyone can serve on a board of education, and the simple truth is that not everyone understands the needs and workings of the educational system. Unless you've actually been involved in teaching, you cannot fully appreciate what it involves. Trust me, I know.

I once served under a principal who had never been in the classroom. He was horrid. He had no understanding of the policies and procedures he implemented and how they would affect the education in the school.

People who set educational standards and policies should be people who are trained in education and who have been "in the trenches" and understand how it works.

 

[rtwngAvngr]

Originally posted by TN_Independent
You might be surprised, rtwng.

I teach in a school with 2000 students, and over 100 teaching professionals. I would conservatively estimate that 60% of them would agree with almost everything I've posted on this thread - and I'd wager that the number would be much higher than that.

Another problem with the educational system, you see, is that educators are not setting policy and standards in many instances. Education is the only profession that I know of where standards and policies are set by folks not trained to do so.

Anyone can serve on a board of education, and the simple truth is that not everyone understands the needs and workings of the educational system. Unless you've actually been involved in teaching, you cannot fully appreciate what it involves. Trust me, I know.

I once served under a principal who had never been in the classroom. He was horrid. He had no understanding of the policies and procedures he implemented and how they would affect the education in the school.

People who set educational standards and policies should be people who are trained in education and who have been "in the trenches" and understand how it works.

Well, you guys need to rise up then, because the socialist libs in the NEA are ruining the system. I will help you write propaganda if you wish.