Greetings from the Big Sky Country.
Finally, it’s Spring!
Oh, sure, we’ve had our “spring” days of snow and wind and winter storm watches, but as I’m writing this, the sun is shining and the Weather Service says it will hit 75 degrees today.
So, I am in Spring mode.
For those of you who would prefer to listen to the podcast, just click the player at the top of the page. For the rest of you, keep reading.
NOTE: I started writing this Substack on Monday when it was sunny and 75 degrees. On Wednesday, it snowed.
Welcome to springtime in Montana!
Thank you Mark. And thank you for stopping by to listen.
This is Episode 60 “What Makes You Think They’re Your Kids?”
I can remember when I was taking graduate classes in Education at the University of Montana. One class comes to mind at the moment.
While many people who took education classes were teachers who just wanted the credits so they could move up on the pay scale at their school, this class, Secondary School Administration, was designed for those wanting to become a principal or superintendent.
Training Principal Wannabes
So, we learned really important stuff like …
How to deal with parents who complained about what the school or a teacher was doing, especially if they had very good reasons for their complaints. We were given “tips” — perhaps a better term might be “tricks” — on how to sidetrack those complainers by having them do research, serve on committees, and write reports. The goal was to make them feel listened to and to take a lot of time. The goal was never to deal with the concerns they had, but to keep them busy and make them feel valued until so much time passed, the issue could be ignored, even as the parents could be thanked for their valuable service.
How to conduct teacher evaluations so you didn’t get the staff or the union upset with you. This was an important topic for most of us because as teachers we had been on the receiving end of annual evaluations for years and many of those evaluations weren’t good experiences. We were looking forward to learning how to do teacher evaluations correctly. But the professor had other things in mind. He said everyone wanted to deal with the topic and he was sick and tired of covering the topic. Therefore, he had no intention of spending any class time on the teacher evaluations.
How to get a mill levy passed in an election. We were taught about the importance of the special elections that could be held in Montana, so that even if a mill levy failed in a general election, a special election could be held later on the same mill levy. Usually on that special election the general public didn’t come out — this was back in the days when you had to go to the polling place to vote — and most of the people who showed up were staff members and members of the PTA.
Wouldn’t you have enjoyed being in a class that covered such inspiring topics?
Parents or the Professionals?
I remember one day in that class that the students (remember they were all classroom teachers) shared stories of their difficult encounters with parents. A couple of my classmates expressed real frustration with the parents and what they expected and wanted from the school.
They began to say some very disparaging things about the parents who thought they knew more than the “professional educators” (them) on what should be said and done in the classroom.
I have to admit that I joined that “conversation” and shared my opinion that the parents probably did know more than we teachers about what and how to teach their children.
My comments were not well received.
What to do with the parents?
One of my classmates said he got really upset with parents who did not believe in evolution and believed that something called “God” created the world. He said that it would be best if the state took the children from those “terrible”, “close-minded”, “anti-science” parents.
The class ended before I could get involved with that discussion, but I wanted to talk with my classmate about his comments.
My goal was to share some of the intellectual and scientific problems with the Theory of Evolution so he could understand why some people don’t support it. Now I am very gentle when I discuss controversial topics with people, but I didn’t get very far with this individual.
It was obvious within less than a minute of talking with him that he didn’t have any understanding of The Theory of Evolution. I couldn’t talk science with him because he didn’t know the science.
He believed evolution was true because … well, he was told it was true … and so it had to be true. And anyone who didn’t believe it was true shouldn’t be allowed to raise children.
Period.
It was not a pleasant or productive discussion.
What was really sad, however, was that he was on the road to becoming a school administrator.
I should note that this event took place almost 40 years ago.
They’re coming to take you away
Things have changed considerably over the last few decades.
In today’s world, many “professional educators” feel that if parents don’t believe in what the schools want to teach, the parents are wrong1, and the children should be taken away from their parents.
If parents don’t want their children taught to be racists through things like “The 1619 Project” or “Critical Race Theory”2, they are obviously white supremacists and possibly terrorists. Perhaps they should be arrested on the spot by the FBI. They certainly shouldn’t be allowed to raise children.
If parents don’t want their children to be coerced into becoming another gender and getting drugs and surgeries to bring about that transition, parents should not even be told what is happening. They obviously are sexist homophobes, and don’t have any right to interfere with what the “professional educators” know is best.
We could go on and talk about grooming children and drag shows in schools, but if you don’t want your children exposed to those things, then you are the problem that must be dealt with.
The American educational system is in desperate need of fixing.
But I don’t think it can be fixed. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.
I think the only hope is to go to a system (such as vouchers) where the parents (who know more than the professional educators) choose where they want their children to be taught.
But in the meantime, pray for our students throughout this country who are being taught destructive ideas and skills.
Perhaps God will fix what we have shown that we are unable to fix.
I’ve included links to some items I found interesting recently. You might want to check them out.
“Scientific consensus — a manufactured construct” by Maryanne Demase, PhD. An interesting article arguing that consensus and science really don’t go together.
“Micro-Aggression and Cancel Culture” by Robert Malone, MD, MS.
“UNC Doctors Slam ‘Hurtful’ Surgeon Who Denounced Affirmative Action In Medical Schools” by Kenny Xu. An argument that doctors should be selected on the basis of their merit and not their skin color, gender, or religion.
Before I go I’d like to share a blessing with you from the Old Testament.
“May the Lord bless and protect you; may the Lord’s face radiate with joy because of you; may he be gracious to you, show you his favor, and give you his peace.”
Numbers 6:24-26 (The Living Bible)
Until next time … be the reason someone smiles today!
https://justthenews.com/government/congress/dem-rep-says-parent-oversight-education-putting-patients-charge-their-own
https://www.theblaze.com/news/critical-theory-is-the-framework-used-to-train-teachers.
060 “What Makes You Think They’re Your Kids?”