Communism for kids
Any parent with a child in a public school has
likely discovered our education system is little more than a means by which
liberals indoctrinate children with socialist ideology.
If this seems a radical assertion, I assure you it is
not. In fact, examples abound indicating its accuracy.
Take the "community box," for instance. How
many elementary school kids across the country show up the first day of school,
only to have their brand-new supplies pilfered by their teacher and thrown into
one big box, to be distributed henceforth as said teacher sees fit? (Karl Marx
also had very little regard for private property rights.)
Or how about
"cooperative learning" methods of instruction? I use quotation marks
to point out how impossible it usually is to get kids to cooperate or learn
when they sit in groups a pencil length from their neighbors. But if a teacher
is blessed with darling little angels who would never think of misbehaving,
students who have "more" knowledge are regularly expected to help
those with "less." (How does that saying go again? "From each
according to his ability.")
Ever heard of social promotion? This egalitarian
concept is standard procedure at most public schools, where students are
promoted from one grade to the next regardless of academic aptitude. It
practically takes an act of Congress to retain failing students these days,
lest we give them the impression they are responsible for their
accomplishments.
These are not isolated examples, nor are this short list
exhaustive. This is business-as-usual in many American public schools. But as
ridiculous as these concepts are, one would think some ideas would be beyond
the pale. Not anymore.
According to a WorldNet Daily report, California
schools have been barred from informing parents if their children leave school
grounds "to receive certain confidential medical services that include
abortion, AIDS treatment and psychological analysis, according to an opinion
issued by the office of state Attorney General Bill Lockyer."
It may come as a surprise, but it's not altogether
uncommon for high schools to allow students -- namely, seniors -- to leave
campus for various reasons during the normal school day without informing the
front office -- say, at lunch time or to attend local college courses. But I
would bet my lunch money parents are made aware of any such policies.
Make no mistake, this decree handed down by Attorney
General Lockyer is not some unambiguous legal maneuver to protect the public
school if it loses track of a student, or to safeguard a student's
doctor-patient privilege.
To the contrary, Mr. Lockyer is announcing his intent
to protect organizations like teachers' unions and Planned Parenthood, who have
resisted efforts to require parental notification policies for medical
procedures like abortions.
Think about this for a second. If California's attorney
general gets away with this absurd policy, your kid's geometry teacher
essentially has more right to know your child is pregnant -- or has contracted
HIV, or is potentially suicidal -- than you do. And how is a "medical
service" still confidential if someone other than a doctor and patient is
aware of it?
In plain English, it isn't. But this hasn't stopped
school officials and liberal lawyers from assuming they know better than
parents what's best for their own kids.
It is irrefutable there are many outstanding teachers,
and still more who are appalled by the actions of people like Bill Lockyer. But
alas, this has not prevented public school districts from believing they have
the right to act tyrannically, even if usurping authority from abusive or
irresponsible parents generates policies that apply equally to the vast
majority who are not abusive or irresponsible.
In the "perfect" society, there is no private
property because everything belongs to the state (or the "village,"
in Hillary Clinton's mind) -- even your children.
It is a sad day in public education when teachers and
administrators -- who so adamantly proclaim their love for "the
children" -- would even consider actively deceiving parents by concealing
matters that pose such clear emotional burdens to youngsters.
What's worse, we're not even talking about forcing
schools to report such distressing information, as we do if they suspect child
abuse. We're talking about encouraging, even requiring, schools to
intentionally withhold vital student health information from parents even if
the parents ask for it.
Public schools can't even take students on field trips
or hand out Tylenol without consent of a parent or guardian, but if they want
to toss out condoms and, apparently, schedule abortions for teenagers, why,
that's just not our business.
If this doesn't convince you that parents practically
forfeit all control over their kids upon subjecting them to the draconian
fancies of today's state "education" facilities, nothing will.
TREVOR BOTHWELL
Trevor Bothwell is editor of The Right Report.com.
as of 3-2005