Some noteworthy examples of the disintegration of the education system in America recently came to my attention. These examples make me grateful that I finished public school years ago and solidify my belief that should I ever have kids, they will go to private schools.
First, I will start with examples from the Orange County Register showing how schools are dividing kids and discouraging anything American. Here is a link to the entire Op-Ed:
http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/opinion/homepage/article_1640753.php
Now, where to begin? The assembly that separates the students into ethnic groups..I just do not see how this helps anything, especially in such a diverse state as California. These kids need to learn to coexist and to work together and interact, because in the real world they will have to do just that in order to survive. This "division" mentality boggles my mind, kids at younger ages are already prone to prejudice and hatred from inside and outside of their own communities. Segregating them by skin color/ethnicity will only serve to further the divide between races.
The examples given of the French student who was pushed into the African-American group and the Hispanic student who doesn't speak Spanish thrust into a group where English wasn't spoken much, they are just ridiculous. What did those students get out of these assemblies? My own view of California not withstanding, this is just another pea brained idea. Why actually deal with important issues in the schools when you can just add more walls dividing the youth?
Mr. Aaron Hanscom, the writer of that piece, says it best when he opines:
"But what is more disrespectful and condescending than deciding to hold separate pep rallies for students of different ethnicities?"
I am at least thankful that Mr. Hanscom, who is a substitute teacher for the LA School District, sees the problem. Hopefully, with someone inside the system speaking out changes can be made, but we shall have to wait and see.
Th unfortunate part is that this belief seems to be shared across at least the southern portion of California. The teacher in that LA area school who again uses tired phrasing that "The U.S. is the immigrant, not us" just gets me all riled up. You want to get technical? Fine, then none of the Mexicans are true inhabitants either. The American Indians were here first, and even they migrated from Asia across the Bering land bridge centuries ago.
There is nothing wrong with having students learn about where they come from, that is not the issue here. The issue, to me, is widening the gulf that separates the different ethnic groups and that will have disastrous consequences down the road.
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Now, the Los Angeles charter school listed in that article, La Academia Semillas Del Pueblo, has the LOWEST test scores in the state...even lower than the much-maligned LA Unified School District. That charter school also receives assistance from such groups as MECha...
[the following is from http://www.mayorno.com/WhoIsMecha.html ]
***The acronym MEChA stands for "Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan." or "Chicano Student Movement of Aztlan."
MEChA is an Hispanic separatist organization that encourages anti-American activities and civil disobedience. The radical members of MEChA who refer to themselves as "Mechistas," romanticize Mexican claims to the "lost Territories" of the Southwestern United States -- a Chicano country called Aztlan. In its national constitution, MEChA calls for self-determination by its members to liberate Aztlan. MEChA's national constitution starts out: "Chicano and Chicana students of Aztlán must take upon themselves the responsibilities to promote Chicanismo within the community, politicizing our Raza with an emphasis on indigenous consciousness to continue the struggle for the self-determination of the Chicano people for the purpose of liberating Aztlán."***
So, we have a separatist group supporting a PUBLIC,TAXPAYER FUNDED school in Los Angeles. This school does not teach the students, as evidenced by the low test scores. So, one can ask, where is the accountability? Why is this man, Mr. Aguilar, and the school allowed to just basically be a tool for him so promote his views (and the views of groups like MECha) at taxpayer expense?
This is, I am sure, but one example of what is happening in our public school system. And, sadly, it is but one of many things glaringly wrong with public education.
First, I will start with examples from the Orange County Register showing how schools are dividing kids and discouraging anything American. Here is a link to the entire Op-Ed:
http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/opinion/homepage/article_1640753.php
Now, where to begin? The assembly that separates the students into ethnic groups..I just do not see how this helps anything, especially in such a diverse state as California. These kids need to learn to coexist and to work together and interact, because in the real world they will have to do just that in order to survive. This "division" mentality boggles my mind, kids at younger ages are already prone to prejudice and hatred from inside and outside of their own communities. Segregating them by skin color/ethnicity will only serve to further the divide between races.
The examples given of the French student who was pushed into the African-American group and the Hispanic student who doesn't speak Spanish thrust into a group where English wasn't spoken much, they are just ridiculous. What did those students get out of these assemblies? My own view of California not withstanding, this is just another pea brained idea. Why actually deal with important issues in the schools when you can just add more walls dividing the youth?
Mr. Aaron Hanscom, the writer of that piece, says it best when he opines:
"But what is more disrespectful and condescending than deciding to hold separate pep rallies for students of different ethnicities?"
I am at least thankful that Mr. Hanscom, who is a substitute teacher for the LA School District, sees the problem. Hopefully, with someone inside the system speaking out changes can be made, but we shall have to wait and see.
Th unfortunate part is that this belief seems to be shared across at least the southern portion of California. The teacher in that LA area school who again uses tired phrasing that "The U.S. is the immigrant, not us" just gets me all riled up. You want to get technical? Fine, then none of the Mexicans are true inhabitants either. The American Indians were here first, and even they migrated from Asia across the Bering land bridge centuries ago.
There is nothing wrong with having students learn about where they come from, that is not the issue here. The issue, to me, is widening the gulf that separates the different ethnic groups and that will have disastrous consequences down the road.
*************************************
Now, the Los Angeles charter school listed in that article, La Academia Semillas Del Pueblo, has the LOWEST test scores in the state...even lower than the much-maligned LA Unified School District. That charter school also receives assistance from such groups as MECha...
[the following is from http://www.mayorno.com/WhoIsMecha.html ]
***The acronym MEChA stands for "Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan." or "Chicano Student Movement of Aztlan."
MEChA is an Hispanic separatist organization that encourages anti-American activities and civil disobedience. The radical members of MEChA who refer to themselves as "Mechistas," romanticize Mexican claims to the "lost Territories" of the Southwestern United States -- a Chicano country called Aztlan. In its national constitution, MEChA calls for self-determination by its members to liberate Aztlan. MEChA's national constitution starts out: "Chicano and Chicana students of Aztlán must take upon themselves the responsibilities to promote Chicanismo within the community, politicizing our Raza with an emphasis on indigenous consciousness to continue the struggle for the self-determination of the Chicano people for the purpose of liberating Aztlán."***
So, we have a separatist group supporting a PUBLIC,TAXPAYER FUNDED school in Los Angeles. This school does not teach the students, as evidenced by the low test scores. So, one can ask, where is the accountability? Why is this man, Mr. Aguilar, and the school allowed to just basically be a tool for him so promote his views (and the views of groups like MECha) at taxpayer expense?
This is, I am sure, but one example of what is happening in our public school system. And, sadly, it is but one of many things glaringly wrong with public education.
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