Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Government skools and edgamacation

Being a product of government skools, I can safely say that they are pretty worthless. Of all the things I learned while attending elementary school (like going to the bathroom pollutes the Earth), middle school (FDR's New Deal saved America), and High School (there is no real morality), it was, for the most part, worthless. The only thing I credit them for is giving me the ability to read, write, and do mathematics. In fact, mathematics is the only subject in government skools that is devoid of secular reasoning, although that may have changed.

To be honest, the only real education I received was in my last couple years of High School when I enrolled in the International Baccalaureate program, a kind of Advanced Placement course. I learned a lot about Chemistry, History, Literature, and Mathematics during those two years and I carried with me to college a substantial amount of college credit.

The mere fact that colleges require a foundation of courses is probably a testament to how bad government skool education really is. When you have to go and re-learn the same crap the first two years of college when you really should be focusing on your major and hence, your career training tells me that government skools suck big time.

More to the point, because government skools are tied to the government, they are limited by what they are not allowed to do. For example, any government skool system that attempts to promote abstinence in sex education is immediately targeted by the ACLU or other similar groups as promoting a Christian agenda. Despite the absurdity of the claim, most government skool systems would rather not open that can of worms. Nevermind that abstinence, when properly practiced, would prevent more teenage pregnancies, prevent the spread of STDs among young people, which can ruin the rest of their long lives, and lead to better mental health. The mere fact that it can be tied to the Bible makes it the establishment of religion in the minds of a few who enjoy suing the skool.

Now I do believe that the ACLU can serve a good purpose sometimes, but most of the time they and their ilk are nothing more than a bunch of whiny, tight-assed, secular Socialists. But they are the ones who are responsible for the lack of a moral teaching in government skools. By teaching morality, a government skool is establishing religion in their minds (which proves my earlier blog post that morality comes from a higher being and not from human nature).

As for me? Well, I hope that my wife and I will be able to homeschool our children. The fact is, you cannot just put kids of the same age into the same room and expect them all to learn everything they need to learn at the same rate. Everyone has a different educational need and learns differently. I learn new things through action, not through studying. Yet the emphasis on studying through high school and college was so strong that I felt like I was committing a mortal sin. But time after time, I proved that studying doesn't work for me as I was able to pass many exams with minimal studying. It's not that I was stupid or didn't learn anything. It's just that things had to be demonstrated to me and not read to me. I can't read through a mathematics book and learn it that way. I have to sit down and do it. Likewise with physics and other sciences.

This is probably the main reason why I want any children I have to be homeschooled. The other reason is that I can teach my children about religion and morality without having to undo what is being taught to them in school. I never was so upset or offended as when my youngest brother said that there is no such thing as absolute truth. He never got that from my parents, both of whom are true believers, nor did he get that notion from me. I can safely say that he got that foolish and disastrous notion from the secular government skool he attends.

So while it may be financially satisfying to send your kids to experience learning in a collectivized environment, I find the notion to be troubling to say the least.

Oh, and please don't tell me that my kids will be socially inept. Not all social activities that go on in government skools are beneficial to a child's mental health. Regardless of what you think, the Columbine shootings started with bullying. While their actions are reprehensible and should not be repeated, the fact is that they were bullied only served to foster the resentment that culminated in that heinous act. I'm not saying I want to shelter my potential children from social harm, I'm merely pointing out that not all social interaction is good for a child, especially repeated bullying.

The bottom line is that government skools do not meet the needs and desires I have for any children I may have education-wise. And I'm tired of looking to the government for solutions to anything.