For a few years now I have had the pleasure of driving across the country as a professional truck driver. With this profession there is a lot of time to think and discuss a very wide range of topics from politics to personal relationships, with family and friends.
However the topic that has really been on my mind has to do with my daughter. She is about to finish 2nd grade, and move on to 3rd. I have been asking myself what does the future hold for her. Will she go onto college, or not. What opportunities will be available to her?
Which got me thinking not only about her, but also her generation. Are we raising a generation that will take the bull by the horns, or sit idly by and watch the world on their IPads? In today’s society of social media, and instant gratification, are we teaching them to be drones of the masses? To never use common sense, to only follow what is politically correct instead of ethically correct. To never raise their voices when they have a good idea for fear of being shouted down. Is this what we are teaching our children? When did this start? And is it too late to fix?
For me I had a hard time in school and often found it boring. Not to say that I didn’t learn anything, just to say that the subject matter was too easy for me. There was no challenge to it. And there was no incentive at that time for me to stand up and tell the teaching staff what my problem was. But now that I am a father, and hearing today from my daughter, that all she learned today was boring stuff, I have found my incentive. I don’t want what I went through in my younger years to be repeated for my daughter.
Now I hear a lot of talk about the education problems, like the lack of funding, how the test scores are lower than they have been in the past. Or even how the public schools are broken. And then I hear about programs that will fix it like common core, or no child left behind, school choice, and vouchers. Followed by all the down sides of these programs. Once again followed by what the problems are. And the cycle repeats over and over again. When does it stop? When does the adult generation take a step back and realize, that their responsibility is not to the here and now but to what is next to come.
After doing a little reading I came across this quote.
“A nation under a well regulated government, should permit none to remain uninstructed. It is monarchical and aristocratical government only that requires ignorance for its support.
Thomas Paine, Rights of Man, 1792”
I have read this over quite a few times over the past week, and every time I read it I can’t help but think that our forefathers really did see the huge endeavor they were leaving for all the generation’s that were to follow. They might have not been saints, but they really did think long and hard about what they were doing. And what they were going to leave behind. However the really sad thing is, I can’t tell if we are doing the same. With our country the way it is, where policymaking is based on right wing or left wing ideologies and not on what is best for our children. I tend to be afraid of where we are heading.
In a world that is threaten with radical ideology, and uncertainty. Making sure that the next generation can stand on their own feet, have bold and innovative ideas. Should be our first concern. Now I’m not saying that the solutions which have been put forward are unsuitable. They all have some merit. But we must do more. The concept of doing just enough to get by, which seems to be how our school system works, should not be a goal. We have to show these next generations if they want something, they will have to work for it. And making mistakes along the way is just as important as getting it right the first time. Not everyone needs to come in first. Sometimes it’s the one who comes in at the end who sees what needs to be changed.
“If parents pass enthusiasm along to their children, they will leave them an estate of incalculable value.”
Thomas Edison
Once again looking to the past I have found another kernel of wisdom. The schools are not the only ones to blame, nor is the government. Learning starts at home, by both parents. And in the family’s that have only one parent to raise a child it is doubly important that it starts there. How a child develops his or her personality, demeanor, and problem solving skills is directly related to what they learn at home. So the schools should incorporate this into how they will teach a child. A one size fit all attitude to teaching will not succeed as we are seeing now. As the old saying goes, it take a village to raise a child.
Now the naysayers might blow this off with redirect saying that this will cost too much, or that the schools are not equipped to do this. And they may be right. However, I say, what is the cost if we don’t do this? Or at least debate this. Where will we be if we let this continue, without exploring every avenue? Are we really ready to give up on the youth of this great nation, so that the people who are in power can make blanket policy and stay where they are without someone to question them?
So I came across a story while listening to #MegynKelly on #foxnews and almost lost my mind about what I was hearing. Here is a boy who decided in middle school that he no longer wanted to be a boy, but instead wanted to be a girl. And the parents went along with this. Even going as far as giving him hormone therapy. Now call me old-fashioned, but this seems to be a little much. I mean how does a child who is just starting purity know what they want. I’m sorry but if my daughter of nines years old comes up to me and tells me that she was ment to be a boy, I’m not going to go and rush over to my doctor asking him to start her on hormone therapy. Are you kidding me. That’s just nuts. And in my opinion the parents and the doctor’s that prescribed this course of action should be questioned. And that’s not even the best part about this whole mess. A high school in Illinois might lose its federal funding by the end of the month, per order by president Obama. If they don’t let this child use the girls locker room with no restrictions. REALLY! That’s just what I want in public schools. Boys getting changed in the girls locker room, and the other way around. Now from what I understand the school has bent over backwards to accommodate this student. And I give them props for that. But there is a line as to how far they should go. And I believe they have come to that line. And if the president thinks this is ok, I wonder how he would feel if this was going on is the school his daughter’s attend. Would he allow this? This is the link to the article. Illinois district must give full locker room access to transgender student, rules DOE
truckers views from the road 