As I have been following the debate regarding public education and Common Core, one of my great worries is what kind of education will my grand kids receive? Not only as in who will teach them, but who will they believe?
When kids start going to school, they are subjected to someone else telling them how to act, what to believe, and what to not believe, 8 hours a day for 12+ years.
Parents rely on their surrounding network of family, friends, church, and community to support them in what they teach their children, and that support helps to instill in their children that it's not just some dumb idea from Dad & Mom, but a belief system held by everyone. The problem is, however, is that extremely divergent and contrary belief systems are taking over our communities and schools. Parents not only no longer have that arena as part of their support network, but it is now actively engaged in turning children against their parents and promoting dogma and methods so as to block parental influence.
Even something as simple as first grade math is being used as the first step in turning kids against their parents. With the new Common Core math, which is the stupidest way of teaching math in the world, parents are being told to not help their kids with their homework, because it's just too complicated for the parents. Kids are told that the only person they should seek help from is the teacher, and the idea is being put out there that the teacher's methods are the only right way to do the math, and the only right way to get the right answer. First grade. If this is the message kids are receiving in first grade, that their parents are too dumb to do first grade math, then how easy is it going to be to convince these kids for the rest of their lives that the right answers are only found at school and from their teachers, who are being fed a curriculum full of political agendas and goals? These kids are going to forever think that whatever their parents try to teach them must not be correct, because after all, they are too stupid to even do first grade math.
I want my grand kids to know that no matter where they go to get their education from K-12, that the #1 people with all of the right answers for anything that matters, are first, God and His Living Prophet, second, your parents. After that, anyone who supports the first and second are more likely to be leading you in the right direction. Teachers, government agencies, and anyone who tries to turn you against your parents' teachings, do not love you like your parents do, and do not have the God-given rights that your parents do, to care for you and teach you. Their opinions and methods are theirs, and they do not have the right to tell you that your parents are wrong. You did not arrive here on Earth by some fluke of nature, meant to benefit the government or play into someone's twisted ideas of kids belonging to society. You were sent to your parents, formed from their genes through God's miracles, blessed with intelligence, and a conscience, and the ability to choose how you will live. Your parents were granted, directly from God through your birth to them, the right to decide how you should be raised and what you should be taught. Whoever your parents choose to teach you is beholden to your parents to teach according to your parents' dictates, not the other way around. There are numerous scriptures where parents are told that it is their responsibility to make sure their children are taught properly. Some people in high places in the government are trying to say that parents are required to listen to the government, and they are trying to make laws that parents must educate their children the way the government says. This is wrong, and hopefully there will be a surge in parental opposition that will get such over-reaching control out of the government's hands.
Some of the great debate with the changing education environment is whether kids of Christian families should stay in public schools, where God is no longer allowed, or whether parents should seek avenues of education that will support their values. By taking Christian kids out of public school, that leaves the other vast numbers of kids who are left in those public spaces, devoid of any Godly influence at all. It protects our kids from those bad influences, but then how will there be hope of any good influence coming about in those places? On the other side of the argument, are those who say that good Christians everywhere should not only keep their kids in public schools, but should be actively uniting and fighting for our kids' rights to openly practice and discuss Christian principles and values in school. The question is, will the kids be strong enough to withstand all of the adults' intimidation tactics and influence? If it were just high school, I would say that kids who have been raised with righteous teachings and taught how to argue against evil throughout their lives would have no problem in standing up to those who might oppose them. But how hard can a first grader argue to his teacher that the promotion of gay marriage is wrong? How well can a 9 year old stand up in a sex-education class and tell the teachers and students that abstaining from sex until marriage is the safest and best option? How hard will it be for parents to deal with the idea that the school can provide condoms, abortions, and a medical clinic where the parent is not allowed to know or have any opportunity to discuss any related problems their child may be going through? (I certainly hope that my grand kids will always feel safe in sharing sensitive problems with their parents or a caring family member rather than trying to solve them on their own or through outsiders who really don't love them).
These will be tough decision for my kids to make regarding the best avenues for seeking out good teachers for their kids. I pray that they will pray.... that we all will pray.... for the right answers to come. I pray that we can get good leaders into government positions who can help bring back better influences in our nation. And I pray that my grand kids will always ask questions of their parents, and ask them about anything they are being taught anywhere, so that there can always be open dialogue about why people think differently, and why God's ways will lead to better understanding and a better life.
Four points I want to impress on my grand kids, which I never considered that important until now:
1. Becoming a teacher or administrator in the highest levels of education is important. Our children are currently being led astray because there were people who recognized the opportunity to lead a generation from the cradle, and they steered their careers directly into education for the purpose of gaining control of the young minds of our nation. The only hope we have of turning that around is to get people of high moral fiber into the university-level education systems where they can help drive policies and ideas in education. If you have any interest at all in teaching and education, set your sights to the highest levels where you can be a leader in getting the current garbage out of our schools.
2. Our political system is hurting as well. If you have any talent for leadership, get involved in your schools from a young age to lead any groups that interest you. Learn how to engage people and set your sights to be a leader in civic responsibilities and more. We need moral leaders.
3. Even if teaching or politics do not interest you, pursue your passions to the highest level possible, where you are in positions of influence and where people have a respect for your thoughts and ideas. This can be tricky, because you have to be humble, approachable, and likable while always holding to your values. Never try to be arrogant or manipulative in pushing your ideas, as that will surely backfire and turn people away.
4. Different is good..... sometimes it can be difficult to be different in school because you think that you are supposed to be like all the other kids, but it is the one who marches to his own drum, dresses to impress in an over-the-top good way, or in some way stands out from the crowd who goes on to do big things. I have been watching documentaries about a singer names Elvis Presley lately. He grew up dirt poor, and his family lived in the housing projects, or worse, when he was a child. But he had what was most important... parents who loved him and taught him how to be respectful and took him to church and exposed him to all kinds of music. He was sometimes teased at school for wearing dress slacks with suit jackets when all the other kids wore jeans and t-shirts, and he was teased about his hair style, but within 3 years of graduating from high school he became the greatest influence in a music revolution that lives on to this day. Even after he became famous there were some who tried to disparage him and say he was evil because his music was having such a huge impact. All those who knew Elvis though, always spoke of the humble, generous, and respectful man he was. His love for his mother could bring him to tears. Always keep your values, but don't be afraid to follow your dreams in the biggest way possible. Be a leader who stays grounded to family values.
