I
have just returned
from another trip to
Germany and the
Netherlands. This
time, I did not want
to drive myself
through the
countryside, so I
choose to take a
train. Let me tell
you, those folks
know how to do it.
The trains are
clean, fast and most
of all on time. If
yours is scheduled
to leave at 12:02,
then you had better
be on the platform
waiting with your
luggage because the
train will leave at
12:02. Not, 12:03,
the train will leave
at 12:02.
When you are trying
to get to smaller
towns, you get stuck
in various stages of
commuter traffic. On
one run I noticed
that students got on
(where the school
was located) and
rode several miles
to get to where ever
they lived. I asked
them about it and
they told me in very
good English that
they rode the train
both to and from
school each day.
These were ordinary
looking kids, clean
cut for the most
part, joking and
having fun, but
serious about their
studies and eager to
talk. It was evident
that they were
interested in
obtaining a good
education so that
their lives would be
better and they
would have more
opportunities as an
adult.
First off, I was
impressed that these
kids spoke English.
I do not speak
German or any
foreign language, so
they are out in
front on that score.
Secondly, they did
not seem to think
school or learning
was a bore and
should be avoided at
all costs. Quite the
contrary, they
thought an education
was necessary for
their future. They
did not suffer from
any visible forms of
low self esteem. In
fact these kids
looked really good.
Now contrast this
with our system in
the states. At this
time we have
approximately 30
million illiterate
citizens in this
country. This is
roughly 10% of our
total population.
You know a large
number of them
passed through our
school system. My
question is, how did
they graduate if
they could not read
or write? These
people cannot read a
prescription, an
employment
application, or the
instructions on how
to safely use any of
our everyday
appliances without
causing serious
bodily harm to
themselves. I was
thinking about this
being dangerous this
past weekend when I
was trying to fix my
gas barbeque grill.
I can imagine what
might happen if you
could not read how
to properly install
the propane tank and
get the burners to
operate correctly.
This is a disaster
waiting to happen.
No, what we have
done to a lot of our
young folks in this
country is to make
education a four
letter word. We have
bent over backwards
to save the child
from some form of
emotional scarring
that we created
educational
cripples. We have
been telling our
kids that it’s ok to
believe two and two
are five, if that
makes you feel good
about yourself. I
can tell you that
those kids on the
train knew that two
and two added up
to…..and it wasn’t
five
No, we have been
focused on promoting
our kids through the
system so they don’t
have any sense of
learning
deficiencies and
then turning them
out into a world
that does not
tolerate stupidity.
I am saddened by the
‘man on the street’
interviews which
late night talk show
host seem to think
are funny. I think
it is tragic that a
large segment of our
society cannot
identify the leaders
of this country or
what the pressing
political and
economic issues
affecting all of us
are in today’s
world. It isn’t
funny, it’s very
sad.
By not placing an
emphasis on the
importance of an
education, we are
falling further and
further behind kids
in other parts of
the world. Trying to
eliminate
competition in
school games by not
keeping score is no
way to prepare our
youngsters for the
rigors of the modern
day business world.
Not requiring
someone to learn the
course before being
promoted to the next
grade is no way to
turn out a quality
product that is
qualified to compete
in the world market.
Fifty years ago, you
might have been able
to get by…living
in a small town
where it didn’t
matter if you could
read or write, but
with today’s global
economy you need to
read, write and do
math or you’ll be
stuck with a job
vocabulary that
includes phrases
such as … “ You want
to supersize that?”
Our national
do-gooders who cry
out that the
government should
and will protect all
of our innocent
children from the
ravages of a
competitive society
should get out of
their ivory towers
and look around the
world. They aren’t
going to like the
view.
But then I don’t
expect them to
change anything,
this is their idea
in the first place.
The dumbing down of
America, start to
love it, because it
will be with us for
a long, long time.
