You Don't Say...The Government Schools

By Fred Gielow
for eco-logic/Powerhouse

February 15, 2006

I spent some time recently talking to a high school social studies teacher. Jean (not her real name) has taught in Pennsylvania and Virginia, and is appalled at the conditions that exist in the government schools. She has also taught at the college level.

She told me most of her time is spent trying to maintain order. Little time is available for actual teaching. She described one incident when she volunteered to help another teacher with her unruly class. Six teachers were necessary to keep order, and assist with an experiment the students were working on. When the kids returned to their seats to write up results, one husky fellow nudged her, and pointed to her wedding ring. "That yours?" he inquired. "If I want, I can have it," he said. [Quotes are hypothetical, based on Jean's comments.]

Realizing she had been threatened, Jean reported the exchange to the class teacher, who brushed it off. "Don't worry about it," she said. Jean reported it to the case worker, who responded, "Oh, it's nothing." Jean reported it to the principal, who exclaimed, "That sort of thing happens all the time; don't pay any attention." When she reported the incident to one of the two policemen assigned to the school (they're on duty whenever school is in session, and actually have an office in the school), the particulars were dutifully written down, but no further action was taken.

Jean told me the "bad" kids set the tone of each class. They talk back to the teachers, are disobedient, and constantly disrupt class proceedings. They use improper English, sometimes disgusting language, and won't tolerate being corrected. Teachers are restrained in what they can and cannot do, so the students rule.

Jean said the faculty lounge sounds like a Democrat rally. Everyone there (except Jean) reinforces in the others that George Bush is an idiot, conservatives are dangerous and are ruining the country, and we must immediately evacuate our troops from Iraq. Moreover, these and other anti-American "ideas" are constant fodder in daily classroom discussions.

Many of us fear that supporters of Islam in far-away countries are teaching generations of their children to hate America, to view the U.S. as evil, and to wish for its demise. It would appear that many members of the NEA are working toward the same goal.

Can this great country withstand the incessant hate-America propaganda blitz that our government grade-school and highschool students must presently endure? We'll see.

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Fred Gielow is the author of "You Don't Say," and is involved in property rights activities at: www.youdontsay.org.