[Vision2020] Re: Budget problems in Washington State

[Fiat Lux]

All,

Call me dense, but I still do not understand how a
support group for faculty and staff who are
questioning their sexual orientation or gender
identities will benefit students.   

Mr. Hansen insists, 
"Public schools are required to provide an academic
atmosphere where students do not feel threatened by
virtue of their sex, race, color, or sexual
orientation."  

Well, that's nice, isn't it?  Certainly, all students
should feel safe while they are at school. 
Regrettably there are plenty of mean people in the
world.  It is wise to accept this truth early.    I
submit that students who pick on, threaten, ridicule
or attack other students for being a different sex,
race, color or sexual orientation, too short, too fat,
wearing glasses or whatever, need to be punished
swiftly and decisively.  Problem is, the discipline
system in the public schools is nearly powerless to
employ effective methods these days for fear of claims
of discrimination or abuse or some such nonsense.  If
these disrespectful, disobedient kids got the message
early on that such behavior is unacceptable and will
not be tolerated, social decay might be reversed.  It
is a valuable lesson for children to learn that there
are good choices and bad choices and different
consequences for each.  

All that being said, I believe It is the solemn duty
and incomparable joy of the parents to love and raise
the child(ren) they bring into the world.  A good and
capable parent will set their own needs and desires
aside in order to give their child what it needs to
thrive and develop into the person they are meant to
be.  Good parenting bolsters the self esteem of the
child, so they will have the courage of their
convictions no matter what challenges they meet in the
big bad world.  That is my idealistic expectation.  I
am not stupid enough to believe that it always goes
down that way.   But neither am I foolish enough to
think that the logical solution for the less fortunate
or throw-away kids who don't have decent parents is to
expect the public school system to act as a surrogate
parent.   Burdening the educational system with the
job of the parents is not the answer.  There are
better ways to address the needs of such children.  I
do not have all the answers.  Though demanding more
parental involvement and accountability seems like a
reasonable  place to start. 

In my opinion the paramount goal of our educational
system must be to educate, and educate well.  Public
elementary and secondary schools and universities must
strive to  provide the finest education possible.  It
is only to the detriment of our nation that the focus
is shifted to any other purpose.  

If we do not expect excellence, we will be mired in
mediocrity or worse. 

Dismayed at the state of public "education" today,
Fiat Lux

If you care to understand more about where I am coming
from, please refer to my list serve post earlier this
month titled Some of What's Wrong With American
Schools...
http://mailman.fsr.com/pipermail/vision2020/2005-March/014621.html



		
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