An Ol’ Broad’s Ramblings
Archive for Education
It’s About Liberty!
I came across a ‘letter to the editor” on the Detroit Free Press this morning that hits on some good point of the Tea Party folks, and naturally, some of the responses show the absolute ignorance of many on the left. Go, check it out, and let me know…..is this ignorance an epidemic, or is there some hope for the clueless?
On the same topic, there was this column, from Lee Harris, on Gov Monitor:
The phrase “Wal-Mart Hippies” is certainly attention-getting, as was no doubt intended. After all, who would suspect that there lurked a secret affinity between the carefree flower children of late ’60s and the hard-working folks who shop at Wal-Mart?
The two groups would seem a study in antithesis. The flower children of the ’60s put flowers in gun barrels and chanted sweet songs of peace. At Wal-Mart people buy guns to put bullets in and use them to shoot cute and cuddly animals. Hippies scorned work and lived in idleness.
The Wal-Mart shopper often works two jobs just to squeeze by. Flower children listened to acid rock. The folks at Wal-Mart adore Country and Western. Hippies celebrated free love. The people who fill the aisles of Wal-Mart marry, settle down, and raise families—often quite large ones. The hippies grooved on Zen or chanted Hare Krishna. The Wal-Mart crowd happily keeps Jesus at the wheel. Flower children opposed war. The Wal-Mart shopper sends off sons and daughters to fight them.
But Brooks is not really comparing the Tea Party movement to the hippie movement of the ’60s. Instead, he is comparing it to the New Left of the same decade. In one respect he appears to have made an honest mistake.
In his mind, the New Left and the hippie movement have strangely merged. Members of the New Left “went to Woodstock”—didn’t they? Actually, no, they didn’t. We should not confuse the carefree, frolicking hippie movement of that era with the mirthless and dour New Left of the same period. Hippies were whimsical spirits. The New Lefties were mirthless zealots. Hippies smoked pot and had fun. New Lefties read Lenin and plotted revolution. New Lefties regarded hippies as frivolous and fatuous. Hippies looked on New Lefties as the ultimate downers.
If read Brook’s column, you must ask yourself…..DOES THIS MORON EVER LEAVE NEW YORK?
Being of the dope-smoking, peace and love, generation, I can tell you, there are HUGE differences between those who actually shop at Wally World, and those who walked around barefoot, with flowers in their greasy hair, smelling like horse dung, hitch hiking all around the country, spreading the “word” of sex, drugs and rock n’ roll. Amazing….some of us actually GREW UP! Reality will do that to ya!
This “new left”, in my personal opinion, are the red headed step children of those who came before. While my generation talked about changing the world, for the better in some ways, with all kinds of flowery bs, this bunch wants to actually change the world by destroying anything that is good and positive within the human experience. And that will just NOT do!
LOSER?
Uh….so, this so called ‘teacher’ of 12 years, is trying to relate to his students by calling them “LOSER”?????? Let’s say this assjack graduated at age 24, that would make him, roughly, in the 36 year old age range? Is this jerk suppose to be a grown up, in a position of authority? Giving guidance to 6th graders? And you mean to tell me that some ‘parents’ are actually defending this low life, scum sucking, son of bottom feeder? The only LOSER I see in this whole thing is that moron collecting taxpayer funds!
Glenn Beck – 03/08/10
Constitution Refresher Course
I attended one of these courses not all that long ago. I HIGHLY recommend, if you are any where near the area of Somerville, TN……GO! Learn! Refresh your mind! The Constitution is one of the documents that should be taught in our schools, but isn’t. This is our history, our foundation, why we are a REPUBLIC, not a democracy, warts and all. Shouldn’t we ALL know it? Isn’t it our right? Our DUTY? In the proper context, not the clap trap and liberal babble?
In case ya can’t see it:
Date: 13 March 2010 (That’s this coming Saturday.)
Time: 10:00 am – 4:00 pm (I wouldn’t count on getting out of there by four though. Reason? So much to learn, many excellent questions get asked, and answered! Although, he does try on the time. 
)
Where: Somerville, Tennessee (Fayette County), Community Room on the Square (Never been there, can’t help ya!)
UPDATE: Got an address! The Community Room is 106 Market Street, the square is right on US 64 in the middle of Fayette County.
HIGHLY recommended! Mr. Rounds is one smart cookie. Oh, and take a copy of the U.S. Constitution with you, although, they might have a few to pass out. And give a donation, if you can. He’s doing all this on his own dime!
Indoctrinating Future Government Slaves
If you are a parent, grandparent, great grandparent…. If you care all ALL about ‘the children’…..and their future…. WATCH THESE VIDEOS!
Then watch them again with your children, and grandchildren. Find out what they are really being ‘taught’!
Some Things Are NOT “Right”
A College Degree Is Not A Human Right!
by J. D. Longstreet
Whether you want to admit it or not, there are some people who have absolutely no business going to college.
Back in the day, there were “trade schools.” There were schools where certain trades were taught. If a young person wanted to be, oh, say, an auto mechanic, the school would teach them the fundamentals and depending upon the school, much, much, more. It set the student on a path, in his or her young life that would ensure them a trade from which they could make a living, support a family, and contribute to their community. Trade schools were GOOD things.
Diversity Divides
Our New LGBTQIA Center
by Mike Adams
Just a snippet:
Indeed, there are so many state employees out of work I think we should show the film Toast after we show the film Milk. The least we can do for our unemployed-in-the-name-of-diversity is to kiss them after we have screwed them in the name of tolerance and inclusion. A film named after their fate would be a nice tribute. Plus, we could have a fund-raiser for domestic violence since it has been on the rise in the wake of recent layoffs!
It is no surprise that Rosemary DePaolo stated publicly that she wanted UNC-Wilmington to be the North Carolina equivalent of William and Mary. But there’s no way that will ever happen.
At William and Mary a left wing president came in and removed the cross from the chapel and replaced it with the Sex Workers Art Show. The alums got angry and the president was, for lack of a better word, toast.
At UNC-Wilmington the DePaolo administration has yanked Christmas off our tree and Good Friday off our calendar. In its place we have a new queer resource center or, should I say, queer new resource center.
Yet, unlike many others in this state, DePaolo still has a job. Pardon the straight white English but we ain’t no William and Mary. We’re just a bunch of sissies.
Read the entire column here.
The state of the economy in this country, contrary to what the administration keeps saying, is not so terrific. Your average person is finding it harder and harder to make ends meet. Toss in a couple of kids in college, and you can find yourself asking why you had kids? Kids aren’t cheap to raise. You have to feed, clothe and put a roof over their heads, too.
So, little Johnny wants to go to college. First, did you save up for the kid’s education? Or are you expecting the government to provide financial aid. You DO know where that financial comes from, right? Yes, there are scholarships out there, provided by private enterprises, but the vast majority will apply for student loans, of some sort. Your kid probably isn’t going to get a sports or academic scholarship, unless he is extremely good at sports, or VERY smart. Don’t count on it though. And remember, those scholarships aren’t really free either.
One thing to point out, concerning the sports scholarships. Have you ever heard some of the college basketball players speak? Do they not teach English in college anymore? Criminy! And don’t even get me started on the NBA players who rode to prominence on a college scholarship!
You’ve raised your child, hopefully, with common sense values. You know, little things like honor, trust, perhaps even a good work ethic. Some of those things that you might find through your faith. Then, you send him off to college, to get an education. Instead, what you get is a kid who becomes confused by the atmosphere he’s been thrown into, and sadly, dragged down in a never ending propaganda machine.
Dr. Mike has described one of the BIGGEST problems parents, and society in general, has been facing for a very long time. Instead of getting a useful education, students are being ‘diversified’. Come on. Let’s hear it. I KNOW it’s coming!
Diversity doesn’t teach you to perform brain surgery, speak well, or even create a work of art. It just divides. We are all different, so gee, let’s point out the major differences and call it “good”. /snark
I had always thought the purpose of an education was to actually, well, to be educated. Shouldn’t kids be taught to think for themselves, reason out issues, find the truth in history, the sciences, etc? Instead, they are being taught to think what their professors think, and will be soundly thrashed for daring to dispute the ideology. Since when does an algebraic formula become a rant on the Iraq war? 
No matter how you stack it up, 2+2 does not equal “capitalism is bad”, “conservatives don’t care about people”, “the Founding Fathers were evil white men”, or “homosexuality is normal”.
I’m starting to wonder if, perhaps, parents shouldn’t be embarrassed at spending their money to send their kids to state run “institutions of higher learning”?
And while we’re at it….just where the “White Studies” or “Heterosexual and Proud” departments? Or the center for “I Not a Feminazi”?
Democrats, Unions, and The Economy
Political Litmus Test: Bluest States Spilling The Most Red Ink
Want to know which states are in the worst financial condition? One telling indicator that might not immediately come to mind is whether most of its citizens identify themselves as Democrats.
The five states in the worst financial condition–Illinois, New York, Connecticut, California and New Jersey–are all among the bluest of blue states. The five most fiscally fit states are more of a mix. Three–Utah, Nebraska and Texas–boast Republican majorities and two–New Hampshire and Virginia–skew Democratic.
The financial ranking of the states is part of a recent Forbes report on the Global Debt Bomb. The political affiliation data was compiled in a 2009 poll of 350,000 adults by Gallup Daily.
Tennessee is ranked #13. I’m hoping we’ll at least head into the top 10 in the not too distant future. An FYI for my Wisconsin friends, that state is ranked #41. I’m surprised the state actually ranks that high considering it’s wholly owned by some fairly powerful unions.
Why do Democratic states appear to be struggling more than Republican ones? It comes down to stronger unions and a larger appetite for public programs, according to Kent Redfield, professor emeritus of political studies and public affairs at the University of Illinois’ Center for State Policy and Leadership.
For those of you who still don’t get it, unions are screwing up, not just the states, but the whole flippin’ country!
“Because workers of the world unite, it’s not just a slogan anymore.” – Andy Stern, SEIU President
One of Obama’s best buddies quoting Karl Marx. Isn’t that nice. And quite telling, don’t you think?
Educational Day!
Today, instead of getting the laundry finished, I headed off to ’school’! Well, more like a refresher course….on the U.S. Constitution. I’ve read this most important document many times, and for the most part, I understand it quite well. The Founders said what they meant, and meant what they said. If you haven’t read it lately, do so very soon, while we still have one.
I was quite surprised to find that some of the people who attended today, were unfamiliar with a lot of the historical aspects of our country, and what led up to our actual founding. I guess when you grow up in a city that was established in 1610, you tend to learn a LOT of history that evidently isn’t taught in other states, whether you want to or not.
I might share some of my notes at a later time, but this evening, my brain is pretty much fried, not to mention I should at least get that load out of the dryer and folded……or not.
A huge THANK YOU to Hal for coming to Savannah to share his knowledge, and to Jerry for bringing him. Piece of advice….if you live in Tennessee, and you hear about the refresher course….GO! Make sure you learn your rights, and they do NOT come from the government.
Idiocy in Media
Newsweek’s Fineman: GOP Has ‘Terrible Record’ on Race; ‘Pretty Much Everybody’ Favors Dems
If you really want to get into a discussion of race relations and racial sensitivity, then the Republicans are going to lose. They don’t want to fight the battles politically here in Washington over the next few weeks or whenever on that basis, because they’re going to lose. They have a terrible record. Barack Obama got 96 percent of the African-American vote 2008. I was at the Republican convention in St. Paul. There were precious few African-Americans there, certainly not very visible. It’s not a big part of the Republican agenda. And fair-minded people are going to look at it and say, “Well, if you really want to have this discussion, well, then, the Republicans are going to lose whatever Harry Reid might have said to the guys who wrote that book.”
Read the rest here.
This clown is suppose to be a journalist? Really? Wow. How ignorant do you have to be not to look at facts before spewing your left wing BULLSH*T?
The Democrats are the most racist bunch of hacks I’ve ever seen in my life. Obviously, they don’t believe a black American is capable of achieving success on merit, so they must provide taxpayer funds to ‘make sure there is a level playing field’. They have made sure that generations of black Americans are dependent on the government for their sustenance. They have created a voter block that believes the government is suppose to take care of them, so the gimme mentality prevails.
On the other side of the issue, we have another group of people who don’t look at the color of a person’s skin, and automatically thinks they can’t succeed on their own. This group of people looks past color and takes in the character of an individual. When you provide the tools for success, and fail to use them, who’s failure is it? If you work hard to succeed, no matter your background, heritage, or race, then odds are, you will succeed. Will you have mansions, big cars, etc.? Well, if that’s what you call succeeding, then you have my sympathy. What a sad way to base success. If you provide for your family, have those things you need, instead of concentrating on what you want, you will always be a success.
“Give a man a fish; you have fed him for today. Teach a man to fish; and you have fed him for a lifetime.”
Since public schools have stop teaching accurate history, lowered the bar, and generally indoctrinate to the Dem/lib/socialist way of thinking, or lack there of, it’s not really surprising when you read such an ignorant statement as that spewed by Fineman.
Are there racists in the GOP? Probably, even though I’ve never met any. I have, however, met plenty of Democrat racists. I did grow up in the South, after all.
Dumbing Down
AMERICANS DON’T KNOW nearly as much about U.S. history as they think they know. But their knowledge of popular culture is off the charts.
A new survey released this month by the nonprofit, nonpartisan American Revolution Center (ARC) of Philadelphia indicated that 80 percent of adult Americans (and 94 percent of those aged 18 to 49) were able to link the late pop star Michael Jackson to his signature songs “Beat It” and “Billie Jean.” But only slightly over half could identify James Madison as the Father of the U.S. Constitution.
Furthermore, even though “tea parties” have become a popular form of political dissent in recent months, only 12 percent could correctly identify the most important repercussion of the Boston Tea Party of 1773. That was the provoking of Parliament into enacting the Coercive Acts, which strengthened American resistance and led to convening of the First Continental Congress. Most respondents incorrectly answered on this multiple-choice test that the Tea Party resulted in repeal of the tax on tea.
Asked before taking the test to grade their historical knowledge, only 3 percent gave themselves an “F.” But 83 percent flunked, meaning they could not correctly answer more than 16 of the 27 questions.
Perhaps adults have forgotten some of the history they learned in school long ago. But the prospect of their children becoming a better-informed generation is not bright.
The study of traditional U.S. history has declined since the Vietnam era due to such divergent factors as a crowded curriculum, the spread of a separatist band of multiculturalism, and the governmental focus on testing reading and math skills to the exclusion of history and other essential elements of the liberal arts.
In the interest of reviving the discipline, organizations of the nation’s leading history scholars have repeatedly called on public school systems to require history teachers to have majored in history in college; however, no state teacher certification boards do so, and the best evidence is that relatively few history teachers have majored in history.
Read the rest here.
We have sunk to this sad state of affairs because no one was actually watching the hen house, and the fox has taken over. Perhaps if schools actually taught the REAL history of this country’s founding, we wouldn’t have so many ignorant people voting for those who would destroy her. For schools not to require a history major to teach history just boggles the mind. It seems that schools these days would prefer for our children to be ignorant, rather than informed.
“Educator” Violates 1st Amendment
College Instructor Compares Crucifix to Swastika
Eastfield College is accused of suppressing the religious expression of students after a ceramics instructor compared the crucifix to a swastika and refused to allow students to create religious symbols.
“Unfortunately, not everyone has the Christmas spirit or even a basic understanding of religious freedom,” Kelly Shackelford, chief counsel of Liberty Legal Institute, said in a statement. “The government cannot ban crosses and religious symbols.”
The controversy involves retired auto worker Joe Mitchell and Eastfield Community College in Mesquite, TX. Since 2006 he has been enrolled in a non-credit ceramics class comprised mostly of retirees. During the spring class, Mitchell made a number of crosses for friends and fellow parishoners at his church, St. Bernard of Clairvaux Catholic Church.
That’s when he ran into trouble. According to court documents obtained by FOX News Radio, a memorandum was sent to students forbidding them from creating any religious items including Christmas or Easter-related items.
“The making of such pieces at Eastfield College demeans the goals of the ceramic program at EFC,” stated a memo written by James Watral, chair of the ceramic program.
No, what this moron has done demeans the faith of millions.
“Ms. Blackhurst then asked Mr. Mitchell if he considered a swastika offensive. He responded, ‘Of course.’ She then proceeded to compare the cross to a swastika. She stated that many individuals view the cross as an offensive symbol in the same way that many people are offended by swastikas, and that his crosses would therefore not be fired by the department.”
Well, let’s take a look, shall we?
Here, we have the results of the followers of the swastika:
Now, let’s see what that other ‘offensive’ symbol represents: 
“I felt humiliated and that my spirituality was being demeaned,” Mitchell said in a written statement. “The whole point of art is to express who you are.”
“It appears the Eastfield College art department has no room in the inn for artistic religious expression such as that of Michelangelo or Leonardo da Vinci; hopefully they will change their mind,” said Hiram Sasser, director of litigation at Liberty Legal Institute.
Don’t think there is an agenda in schools, especially colleges, big and small? Think again. This is a perfect example. Evidently, this so called instructor is totally clueless. I’m sure Christ will forgive her for being a complete assjack, and He’ll also forgive me for calling her such.
Petition To The President
Dear Mr. President:
As a citizen of the United States of America I respectfully request and demand that you immediately fire Kevin Jennings from the post of Safe Schools Czar. Mr. Jennings’ long history of promoting a radical homosexual agenda in the schools is completely inappropriate and I object to my children being subjected to this. Furthermore, it has recently been reported that the group Mr. Jennings founded (GLSEN) is promoting books for schoolchildren containing some of the most explicit and vile sexual content imaginable. Please remove this man from your administration and stop exposing our children to such inappropriate material.
PLEASE GO SIGN THIS PETITION! It really IS “for the sake of the children”!
H/T: Texas Fred’s
Your Tax Dollars Hard At Work
Columbus schools tapped stimulus for room rentals
Columbus City Schools have more than 120 buildings designed for teaching.
But in a three-day effort to teach its teachers, the district is renting banquet halls, high-end hotels and conference centers — using almost $145,000 in federal grant dollars.
Teach teachers what? Didn’t they spend a few years in school to learn to teach their subject of choice?
The district will pay up to $8,000 to rent Villa Milano, a marble-clad banquet hall with enough “classic elegance” that “you will think you have been transported to a romantic Italian Villa,” according to the hall’s Web site.
Other sites include: the Hyatt Regency ($23,000); the Greater Columbus Convention Center and the Hyatt on Capitol Square ($25,000 each); the Quest Business and Conference Center at Polaris ($17,000); and the Aladdin Temple near Easton ($12,500).
The district will pay the speakers more than $1.4 million in federal stimulus money, part of $64.2 million that Columbus schools have been awarded from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
One company, the International Center for Leadership in Education, will receive $468,258.
Sheridan WorldWise, a company run by former Columbus school board President Dave Dobos, will collect $84,500 to give several presentations. He will talk about the college-admissions process and the SAT and ACT exams, while other WorldWise-affiliated speakers will talk on other subjects.
These people have never heard of renting chairs to put in rooms where the desks may be too small? There are no Holiday Inns in Columbus? Days Inn? (emphasis mine)
Norris said the federal government encourages districts to use Title I money for professional development to improve student achievement and school-leader effectiveness.
You mean they are using hard earned tax dollars to indoctrinate the indoctrinators?
Schools will shut down as all district educators attend the workshops, the first one this Wednesday. The other two will take place in February and May.
Ever wonder why there are so many kids running around during weekdays in recent years? Well, this is why! Teachers can’t be bothered to go in on a Saturday. If this stuff was so important, then they could take a Saturday out of their lives to attend these things.
The district received 245 proposals from those interested in leading training sessions, with 33 individuals or organizations winning work. The speakers were selected by the district’s various curriculum departments, Norris said. Asked whether the newly renovated South or East high schools — with auditoriums, cafeterias, gymnasiums capable of seating hundreds, with scores of adjacent classrooms — couldn’t have substituted for the Hyatt and the like, Superintendent Gene Harris said no.
Well, of course not! Why use all that money to buy supplies for the students, like say, maybe….TEXT BOOKS? Aren’t there under privileged students who need simple basics, like a backpack filled with essentials for school?
A proposal for the district to convert an aging building at the Fort Hayes campus into a 2,500-seat theater might help reduce the need to rent outside space in the future, Harris said. The hall would be used for student theatrical productions and staff meetings. The school board voted 6-1 to table the theater proposal last week.
Of course it was. Ya know why? Cuz it makes too much bloomin’ sense!
William Bainbridge, chief executive officer of SchoolMatch, a Dayton-based educational-research firm, agreed with Harris that because of the layout, acoustics and lighting in some schools, they might not be best place to hold a conference.
“I don’t know that they need the Hyatt,” he added.
Gee, y’think!?!?
Public Education Fails Our Children
The American Public School System is a Failure
by J.D. Longstreet
I was en route to someplace, or other, a few mornings ago, when I had to stop my truck for a school bus to load some reluctant students.
As I sat, waiting on those youngsters to board, I thought how unfortunate they are. They were being transported, “free”, to a “free” public school for a “free” education. Of course, that depends on how, exactly, you define “free”. But a “free education” is for another article another time. I am more interested… no… maybe the word should be… “concerned”, or even”troubled”… by the quality of the education or children are receiving in our existing school public school system today in America.
For the few short minutes I sat there, I thought back to an article I wrote some years ago about this very thing. Later, when I returned to my office, I rambled through my files until I discovered it, read it through, and saw that nothing much had changed. So, I have decided to post it here today.
This piece was written back in March of 2005. Now that I have two grand kids in the system I speak of here, believe me when I tell you I am very troubled by the quality of the education I am afraid they will receive.
Here is what I wrote back in 2005:
Read the entire post here.
I’ve made no bones how I feel about the current public education system. I don’t see a need to stop now. One of the worst things that ever happened to the entire system was being take over by socialistic unions. Now, teachers don’t have to actually teach to get paid. They just need to promote an agenda, and they’re set for life.
When you stop and think about it, it’s rather mind boggling that I got a better education that those who graduated from high school even 10 years after me. (Yes, I went to college, but didn’t finish.) It’s also rather disconcerting that I know more about many things than today’s college graduates (The future of our country? God help us!). I was taught the importance of being able to spell and to read, with comprehension. I was taught grammar, punctuation, etc. I know how to add, subtract, multiply and divide, without a calculator. I learned the history of our nation, an the history of the world, without the “America is evil” commentary. We learned the good, and the bad.
Please, go read J.D.’s post. He’s got some REAL good ideas. No, the answer is NOT to throw more money at the problem. We’ve seen how well that works with lower and lower test scores. Ask yourself why home schooled kids do better than those in the public system. Wonder why the majority of them are better behaved, more mature, and coherent when they speak.
