My Suggestions To Improve The Public School System | Eastern North Carolina Now

   It has been said that if education doesn't solve a problem, then it is a problem. And if the educated cannot solve problems, then they are the “problems”.

   The problem right now is that education – public education, particularly - isn’t solving some of the problems that we have right now – to truly educate our next generations, to instill a sense of patriotism and love of country, to prepare our children for college and for life in general, to offer them the option of learning a trade (to fill the great voids that we have), to teach them the importance of hard work and pride in one’s work, and very importantly, the basic skills to work at a job without having gone to college.

   Sadly, at least in the South, the large community schools are organized like a factory of the late 19th century - top down, command control management, a system designed to stifle creativity and independent intellectual growth. Schools today seem more focused on setting our next generations of college students, community members, and fellow citizens on a path of social change rather than provide them with a robust, solid, sound and basic education (like the education provided back in the 1950’s – 1970’s).

   We, as a collection of state citizens and in general as Americans, need to fix the public school system. We need to transform it back to one of “education” and not indoctrination or one of social counseling,

   Here are several suggestions that I believe would help greatly to improve the public school system:

• Stop Viewing Students as Numbers (they are individuals)
• Get Rid of Common Core
• Do Not Accept Federal Funding for Anything related to the Instruction of Content Material in the Classroom. (the US DOE is unconstitutional; federal spending on education is unconstitutional, per Article I, Section 8). Education is the responsibility of each State, starting with the state legislature
• Get Back to the Basic Education System of Math, Science, Reading, Writing, History, Social Studies, etc (“a robust sound, basic education” system)
• Get Rid of Non-Value-Added school policies and doctrines (such as CRT, SEL, gender identity, gender fluidity, transgenderism, the LBGTQ agenda, panorama surveys, alternative sex education, pornography and inappropriate themes in required reading and in school libraries)
• Prohibit the Influence of Teacher Unions and National Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in the local public education systems
• Give Homework (homework gives children the best opportunity to absorb and practice the day’s lessons)
• Pay More Attention to Parents and Their Concerns
• Teachers and Administrators Must NEVER Counsel Students About Their Sexual Identity or Bring Up the “Pronoun” Policy (This is a psychological issue that is best and responsibly left to the parents, professional counselors, doctors, and the church)
• Teachers and Administrators Must Not Address or Discuss the “Transgender” or “Gender Identity” Issue to Students (Such issues naturally conflict with what they learn in Biology regarding biological/ genetic genders and will only serve to confuse them)
• Adopt a Parents’ Bill of Rights (memorializing their rights as parents as it relates to the education of their children; refer to my suggestion at forloveofgodandcountry.com)
• Evaluate Teachers Often (make sure they are good, are dedicated, understand how to educate, and are effective)
• Less Meaningless Tests (Stop “teaching to the tests”); teach students how to think and learn for themselves (No memorization)
• Eliminate Standardized Tests (?)
• Offer Classes to Prepare Students for Real Life (such as balancing a check book, understanding simple contracts, etc.)
• Offer a “Trade School” Option During High School for those students who have no plans to go to college
• Teachers Must Never Make Any Student Feel Superior or Inferior (no “White Supremacy” or “Racism/Discrimination based on skin color)
• Raise Standards for Teachers
• Reward Outstanding Teachers (including with pay raises and bonuses)
• When Hiring Teachers, Make Sure There is Diversity of Thought (We stress diversity and inclusion so often these days yet when it comes to views and opinions, there is so little of it. We need conservatism back in the public school system)
• No Politics or Controversial Topics Should Be Addressed and/or Discussed in the Public School System (unless there is a specific course, such as Debate, that would allow such material)
• Each Day in the Public School System MUST Begin With a Moment of Silence and The Pledge to the American Flag (Schools have an obligation to foster and emphasize love of country and patriotism)
• Put Decisions Regarding Curriculum in the Hands of the Community
• Find Funding So That the County Can Hire Safety Officers for the Schools, or Ask for Veterans to Volunteer
• Have the Local Boards of Education Conduct Random Un-announced Visits of County Public School Classrooms
• There is to be no emphasis or promotion of racism in the school system. If there is to be a policy to guide children on how to view and treat one another, then it should be “The Golden Rule.” (“Let racism die the death it deserves.”)
• Make Lessons More Engaging and Relevant (relate lessons to real life, as much as possible)

   Businessman Robert Kiyosaki has commented: “I am concerned that too many people are focused too much on money and not on their greatest wealth, which is their education. If people are prepared to be flexible, keep an open mind and learn, they will grow richer and richer through the changes. If they think money will solve the problems, I am afraid those people will have a rough ride. Intelligence solves problems and produces money. Money without intelligence is money soon gone.”

   In one of his articles, “The Objective of Education is Learning, Not Teaching,” author Russell Ackoff  wrote: “Traditional education focuses on teaching, not learning. It incorrectly assumes that for every ounce of teaching there is an ounce of learning by those who are taught. However, most of what we learn before, during, and after attending schools is learned without its being taught to us. A child learns such fundamental things as how to walk, talk, eat, dress, and so on without being taught these things. Adults learn most of what they use at work or at leisure while at work or leisure. Most of what is taught in classroom settings is forgotten, and much or what is remembered is irrelevant.” (Ackoff is the author of several books on education ).

References:

Diane Rufino, “A Parents’ Bill of Rights: What Every Parent is Entitled To,” ForLoveofGodandCountry’s blog, March 2022.  Referenced at:  forloveofgodandcountry.com   

Derrick Wilburn addresses School Board of Education - youtube.com