Should Parents Be Informed Or Have A Say In What Their Children Learn In School?
INTRODUCTION:
As I write this post, I am also busy packing and getting ready to relocate out of New England at the end of August. I will produce a video blog post for August. However, September and possibly October will be written posts only since it will take me time to set up my audio/visual studio in my new home. Whenever anyone leaves the area, they grew up in and raised their children. It comes with excitement for the new adventure as well as some sadness. My three children live in two different states. It will be great to come back to the New England area to visit and have them come to visit me. The cycle of life in today's society is that many families are separated in different areas for many reasons. I raised my children to believe in following their dreams and do what is best for them. I am very close to my children, and we and Facetime regularly. However, no parent should teach things to their children that they themselves will not follow. I am blessed to have three wonderful children that support me in my decision.
Tonight's topic is a raging controversial topic in today's educational setting. Moreso in the earlier to mid-years of a child's education. Although, in my opinion, this topic should not be limited to age or grade. For what it costs to send even one child to college or a private school, and let's not forget it's your tax dollars that support and pay for public school, you must ask yourself what rights as a parent do you have? Or, do you have any at all? Before I continue in the interest of full transparency, this is not a topic based on science, data, or facts. It is a highly controversial topic based on opinion, and more importantly, common sense. The lawsuits are starting to pile up all over the country by parents that have had enough of what some schools systems and teachers unions making provocative and sexually suggestive reading mandatory at ages parents feel is too young for our youth to understand and process. Now, couple this with the "Critical Race Theory " being taught in schools.
CRITICAL RACE THEORY:
Here is a link to an article explaining exactly what it is. INDY STAR. Believe it or not, Critical Race Theory has slightly different meanings between how it is taught in schools, how it applies to criminology, and methodology. CRT has five components. (courtesy of Wikipedia) While critical race theorists do not all share the same beliefs, the basic tenets of CRT include that racism and disparate racial outcomes result from complex, changing, and often subtle social and institutional dynamics rather than explicit and intentional prejudices on the part of individuals.
Here is a link to a lengthy article by Nicolas Daniel Harlep, M.S.E.D. from the University of Wisconsin. LINK
Now that we have the basics out of the way let's get down to the topic. At this time, it revolves around the Critical Race Theory. The question in this topic applies to anything our children learn in school.
TO THE POINT:
I said earlier that this topic is not science-based or based on facts and data. However, some things are, in fact, true.
College isn't free - Most are paying tuition,
Private Schools are not free - Most are paying tuition,
Public Schools are not free - OUR TAX DOLLARS PAY FOR IT.
Your city or state is obligated by law to provide education to our youth. You DO NOT get a tax break if you send your child to a private school. However, in my opinion, if someone is paying taxes on a service they are not using, they should receive a tax credit, especially after their children are grown and no longer attending public schools. With that said, we all know it does not work that way.
If it did, then those whose children attended public schools would be paying taxes they could never afford to pay. Here is an interesting thought. Isn't that what happens in college? If any of my children were not attending college, I do not have to contribute to any college. Those attending have to pay their own way. Therefore, what is right and what is wrong? Look, we all know the reasoning behind it. By spreading the cost over the entire taxpayer base, it keeps the mil rate down for those towns. However, think about it. Is it fair to those who do not have children to have to share in that cost? That's up to you to decide.
THERE ARE MANY ASPECTS TO LEARNING:
Over a child's time in school and their educational process, many things occur. It is not a matter of only learning didactic materials. As our children grow, they also learn social skills, and they develop not only physically but also mentally and emotionally. Yes, as parents, we all MUST contribute to that learning process, but our educators, school boards, and administrators play an important role in that process. Actually, parents have relied on that participation for decades. We place our trust in the education system. I think everyone would agree that our children knowing and understanding all aspects of our history is important. Principles such as diversity, respect, racial equality, and equality, in general, are important and, I believe, are critical areas that require focusing. Let's face it. Children are not born racists. They learn by what they see, what they hear, and what they experience, and that always starts at home, long before they are of school age.
All these are developmental stages our children experience as they enter and proceed through the educational system. Is it safe to say, and is it safe to assume that everyone would agree that every board of education and every teacher has a certain degree of responsibility in these areas? Of course, they do.
