The other day we directed you to an article in Brussels Journal that details how the Socialist Utopian state of Belgium is using intrusive laws to dictate UN values to individuals who want to home-school their children. As it turns out, the forced intrusion of socialist/UN values into homes is more widespread than it originally appeared:
For over fifteen years we have been struggeling here in Switzerland and the situation is getting worse. The whole battle is about the non-declared statist ideology. Whoever has a different opinion than the states’ bureaucrats is publicly denounced as intolerant, reactionary, traditionalist or whatever, while the bureaucrats force their illogical, misleading and hidden socialist views. Unfortunately the press is mostly on their side.
More @ Celestial Junk
Update from the Comments ~ Postscript says:
Socialism is as much a religion as Christianity or any other mode of philosophical thought. The liberal-left would like to have us believe that they hold no philosophy on life, only a pure and uninfluenced centrist thought (ha, ha, ha).
Critical thinking is a key foundation to ‘free’ thought, but we will never escape from our own philosophies. It is an innate human quality to communicate through our own world view. In this way, I have no problem with schools that are exclusively Christian, Secularist or whatever. If you can find the bodies to support the type of doctrine you preach – then (for the most part) so be it. The problem comes when the State says, “This is what you must do. This is what you must teach. Your children must attend.” I believe for the Socialists and liberal-left, they fear the concept of those with conservative viewpoints forming centers of education because they know the majority of the worldview is to the Right, like it or not. It (Conservatism) is the view that many do not live up to, but they want for their children.
More from the Comments: By Me No Dhimmi
The victim (word used correctly) parents were well-educated. The father trained as a lawyer; the mother is a former university lecturer. We would need, of course, to have all the bio info forwarded to our resident arbiter, David Brown, to make sure that their alma maters weren’t 2nd or 3rd or 4th rate, but let’s take it as read for the moment, that they are well-educated, pending David Brown’s analysis and report to the appropriate ministries.
The home school population, albeit small, has doubled in a short period of time, suggesting to David Brown, our resident arbiter, that the parents have gone mad.
The “authorities” are naturally worried about career stability, not about children. It need not be debated that they aren’t the slightest bit concerned about the children, tho’ it has to be admitted that they are quite expert at using the spectre of “children at risk” to advance their agendas (a kind of ideological child pornography it always seems to me).
A certificate is required to be signed by the parents containing the laughably vague phrase “respecting … the fundamental human rights and the cultural values of the child itself and of others”. Read that vacant, vacuous phrase again and gasp! Orwellian doesn’t quite cover it.
Here’s the thing: the inspectors will make the decision as to the level of compliance to that vague bureauspeak. If they sign two reports the home-schooling is banned and the parents are subject to criminal prosecution if they don’t comply.
I have some experience with securities regulation (the receiving end). In BC, a new act was proposed containing all kinds of clauses with phrases like “what a reasonable person would expect”. We need not spent a lot of time wondering who the “reasonable” party would be in a dispute. The “authorities” thought (and even stated so in public) that the narrow tightly worded rules allowed bad characters to do bad stuff while still being technically compliant. They were pushing for the easy, lazy route: make the rules so general that they could simply decide that anything they didn’t like was non-compliant.
Now that’s “scary” (word used correctly).
Given there is no Canadian team in World Cup Soccer the country I am routing for is the country where my advocacy work began more than 40 years ago. This quote (in terms of Canada) reminds me of the score of yesterday’s match that saw England and Sweden draw.
I forgot to mention Hargreave on the England team is a Canadian.
Cjunk,
The “State” can’t give in to every special interest group. If they did there would be anarchy. There’s nothing wrong with children being taught in an environment that has an ideology other than that of their parents.
If a parents way of thinking is that great it should stand the test of being challenged. Parents should welcome opposing views so that real discussions can occur around the dinner table.
Closing yourself off to new ideas is the first step to dullness as well as a perception that you’re a bovine dolt.
David Brown, I have an opposing view,YOU, I beleive it’s a parents right to instill their own values in thier OWN children, school is for learning math science english, the playground’s for social interaction.When the kids go off to university they will get enough “progressive” ideas there. Bovine Dolt? Name calling eh? Can I just say then, you’re a JackAss!
David Brown
I agree that the state can not give in to every special interest group. It just seems to give into the SMALL ones that sceam the loudest and shrillest.
Where’s Me No Dhimmi he makes so much better sense than me or Dave Brown.
Butcher,
Where am I name calling? I merely stated in general terms any person who closes themselves off to new ideas might be perceived as a bovine dolt. Calling me a ‘jackass’ because of that makes no sense whatsoever.
Maybe check out the Real Estate section of your local newspaper and see if there’s any uninhabited islands for sale that you can move your family to.
David
There is nothing wrong with adults discussing opposing viewpoints about our society. In fact, I agree with you that it’s healthy.
The problem lies with our children. In order for our kids to benefit from an educational system, they must listen to and respect their teachers. When the teachers sprinkle their socialist drivel throughout the science and math lessons, how do you teach children to ignore it? How do you teach a 10 year-old that he or she must believe what the teacher says about English, but not about England?
Another point is that parents don’t always know about all the little things that are part of the indoctrination process in schools. I always encouraged dialog with my kids about their studies but I don’t think, for a moment, that I heard about every little tidbit that their teachers passed on during the day.
Kids are, by nature, impressionable and, as a parent, it’s your responsibility to make sure that they respect their teachers. Teachers know very well that this also makes them excellent targets to pass along their political views. As an example, When I once asked my son about his day, he informed me that they had been given a speech by the local federal Liberal candidate. When I asked about the content of the speech, I was told it was primarily about how liberal ideas were superior to conservative ideas.
“Was the local Conservative MP present to debate those views?”
“No. It was just the one guy”
Is that the type of “real discussion” to which you refer? How much other rhetoric were my sons subjected to that I never heard about?
David Brown, the point of the article is that European governments have already given in to a special interest group. Socialists.
Many Europeans (and a majority of Canadians) strongly object to socialism and would prefer that its teachings not be forced down the throats of children too young to know they are being propagandized, not taught.
And Roy R makes more sense still. Dave Brown has a closed mind when it comes to what problems there could be in the education system because he never experienced them when his children were in school. How hard he looked in the best interests of his children is another issue.
I think that a number of you need to go back and reread the Brussels Journal articles. A basic tenet of a liberal democracy is that we can believe as we wish, as long as it does not harm others. Without this, there is NO liberal democracy.
The EU states are trying to impose on these families “socialist” values. This has nothing to do with academics or even basic religious or other teaching. It has to do with taking children and literally altering their value structure to reflect that of the state; not of the family. This has nothing to do with families that foment hate, it has everything to do with state sponsered mono-think.
Imagine that the Canadian NDP or American DNC insisted that their political values were taught in school and even in home-schooling. Now that is what is going on here. I suggest very strongly that some of you folks have missed the gravity of this case. Would you allow, the NDP, the GOP, the DNC, or the CPC, to insist that their definition of “values” be taught to your children? In this case, it’s UN values as “dictated” by bureaucrats who are unelected.
By the way: NO NAME CALLING PLEASE
Sorry Rob for calling you Roy my finger went down on the keyboard instead of up perhaps it was soemthing to do with the name Rob Roy being stored in my brain from my school days.
“The “State” can’t give in to every special interest group”
WTF? That’s one of Leftism’s top 10 rules.
So why is it that less than 2% of the population can vehemently, militarily PREACH and ram down our throats their own ideology?
http://www.townhall.com/opinion/columns/KevinMcCullough/2006/06/18/201655.html
Rob R – thanks for your post. Very good.
David Brown – you are assuming that the ‘new ideas’ are unbiased, are not dogma, are not opinion preaching, but are simply ‘theories to be debated’. This is quite naive of you.
We are not discussing whether or not the child is being exposed to a list of different modes of political organization, to different forms of social norms. We are talking about evaluative preaching, which provides one viewpoint as superior to another. Just as Rob pointed out.
Children ought to be taught the basics in reading, math, science – and critical thinking. Children and many, many adults, don’t have the critical thinking skills to actually conclude that a viewpoint being presented by an authority figure is – ungrounded, biased, and filled with fallacies. That is – they can’t evaluate the view.
Therefore, this situation isn’t as simple as you describe -it isn’t just a ‘different view’. It’s being offered as Truth, by an Authority Figure.
How dare a school have a political partisan come to a school, to preach dogma to children? Remember, children can’t evaluate whether or not the opinions expressed are valid. All they know, is that they must listen to an elder, to an authority, and accept what he says. How dare a school do this?
Are parents supposed to be constantly monitoring the school to prevent such intrusive preaching?
With regard to the bureaucratic interference in our schools, here and in Europe, that’s the left mentality, which is basically bureaucratic, which sees itself as engendering a socially engineered utopia, and which insists on all citizens following this engineered nonsense. Now there’s an example of a rejection of diversity.
Rob R,
Your post makes a lot of sense and the examples are very good.
The local CPC, NDP, Greens, etc., should have been given equal time. As they weren’t, what action did you or other like-minded parents undertake?
Sadly most people in this situation think complaining is the only method and are frustrated to the the point of isolationism when they’re not satisfied with the results (of complaining).
My suggestion is get to know other parents, go to meetings, make yourself and views known to others, start a concerned parents group and become a respected watchdog of the system. You’ll be amazed how much you can by working within.
I think everyone should just relax. Your children are a thousand times more influenced by their parents for better and/or worse than any outside force.
Usually, there is a mixed result because parents become parents without knowing what they are getting in to. In spite of our failings the children turn out pretty well.
The highest predictor of success in children is the success of their parents. If you can look into a mirror and like what you see then chances are that you will like what you see in your children as well.
Home schooling here is growing and for the most part seems to be a positive thing. Between bullying, extreme political correctness, lack of discipline, etc. a lot of parents not in the finacially elite SES are simply beside themselves as to how to educate their children. The numbers really are not significant enough to create any kind of upsetness within the public school system or society at large.
For some 25 years now, the provincial governments have allowed the influx of private/charter schools. The numbers here are significant and becoming increasinly so in terms of upsetting the social fabric of this country.
Where there used to be a handful, now there are something like 85 of these schools in Calgary alone and many of these are no longer small schools. It has been nothing other than outsourcing of education to avoid such things as building repair and maintenence, new schools, and the paying of union wages to teachers. Yes, all of these things have been accomplished but in terms of what it is doing to the social fabric of this country is just beginning to become apparent.
Having many students attending all of their formative years out of the usual and diverse Protestant/Catholic school systems is taking its toll. One of the leading schools in Calgary just picked by the Fraser Institute has Spanish and Mandarin mandated. Despite the many billions of dollars spent by the federal gov’t to promote French, French is losing ground to other languages outside of Quebec and some parts of Ontario/Atlantic provinces. Many of our brightest and best are taking sciences plus keeping one (perhaps 2) languages other than French.
The socialization of cultures is very much minimized during school hours with all of these separate schools/ideologies in place – not to mention out of school activities as well. In the name of multiculturalism this has been allowed to happen but really – how does all of this promote understanding/empathy/tolerance of cultures other than one’s own. It has little chance of accomplishing the goals that MC was initally designed to promote.
Now we have a foreign radical “scholar” wanting to come TO to address some 2000 youth. You can bet that the location (if it happens at all) will not be a Protestant or Catholic school. Monte S. has another dilemma on his hands – does he allow this guy into Canada or not.
Most of these schools are organized around a homogenious religious faith and employ staff accordingly. While they must follow at least a good part of the usual school cirriculum, of course they can underpin it with whatever religious background fits the school. Some of these schools are based on academic eliteness with private tuitions of 8-10 thousand dollars per student per year not being uncommon. Check the rankings of all the schools (according to the Fraser Institute) and see how many of the upper level ones have anything close to the per centage of ESL/or Emotionally/Behaviourly disturbed students that by law, the Public Protestent school must take in. It is at the point where some of these private/charter schools are even paying over and above the going union wage plus perks for teachers. Because of the homogeniety within the parent group, discipline is not a factor. When they first started appearing, the rate of pay was about 2/3 the going rate with few perks attached.
No – I don’t see home schooling as a problem at all. Rather the explosion of private charter schools will be much greater factor in terms of promoting elitism and intolerance.
steve d: Your sentiments are correct, but only partially so. You are trivializing something that is reprehensible in the context of liberal democracy. As an educator, and one who penned this post, I know that children are incredibly malleable politically; especially in highschool. Their parents have great influence over who they are as “characters”, but the political influence of parents is limited unless parents actively become involved in deprograming the massive socialist indoctrination that goes on in schools. I could write a book just from my own personal experiences of how socialism is “taught” to our children in Canada. Most parents don’t have a clue.
The case in the EU takes it one step further, where a handful of families pose such a threat to the socialist indoctrination-nazis that they see fit to prosecute. Just think about it steve… you of all people, who is as opinioned as the rest of us would never tolerate a conservative coming into your home and evaluating it for conservative values. And then, removing your children to a state school because you weren’t conservative enough.
Just consider for moment the “threat” felt by the socialists, if they are this aggressive against a handful of parents. Like I said, “Shades of Stalin”
Kate, YOU have to put a stop to the TROLLs AND the FEEDERS. Together they will destroy your great WERK.
For those wondering where all this Bullshit from the UN originated, look up our own, Oak Lake MB., MAURICE STRONG. Absolutely SCARY.
no, david brown, I disagree with your suggestion of ‘equal time for all views’. You are ignoring the dogmatic preaching of the teachers. The solution is – no political ideology in the classroom. Just the basics.
You are equally ignoring that students don’t have the critical facility to evaluate preaching from charming or uncharming authorities. They’ll go for the charming one, regardless of what he says.
And boy, do those kids need teaching in the basics. I see it all the time. The average university level student can’t spell, can’t organize an essay, can’t think through a logical path from cause to effect, doesn’t know simple statistics such as the mean, mode, median. And hasn’t a clue about critical thinking.
But, they sure know that the US is evil, that our health care is ‘the best in the world’, they can blithly assert that people in developing countries ‘ought’ to be paid 20.00 an hour (ignoring that the average wage is 50 cents an hour and if you inserted that 20.00 you’d set up a life-span of two days for your workers)..on and on. The ignorance and naive opinions of these students is astounding. And, it came from our schools and our MSM.
steved – how do you know that all children are ‘engineered’ primarily by their parents and uninfluenced by their school, their peers, the media? Please provide proof.
Please provide statistical proof – and not just one study – of the correlation between success of parents and success of child. What do you mean by success? We aren’t talking about economic success; we are talking about mental perspective. Is Jack Layton a success in your viewpoint?
calgary clipper – I’m against our Canadian bilingualism. Quite frankly, that school that is teaching mandarin and Spanish is correct; it is enabling those students to be economically functional in our modern world – which means enabling them to deal with China and with the southern US and Mexico.
French? What good is that? Remember, we in Canada have created a mandarin class, a CLOSED group of francophones in the Ottawa-Montreal corridor who dominate all the unelected positions in the Ottawa gov’t – the deputy ministers, the judges, the staff. Closed. Even if you learn your French in Calgary, you can’t get in.
But, if you learn Mandarin and Spanish, then, economically, you have a powerful tool. I see nothing wrong with these schools. They have developed because the public school, with its socialist state engineering, is failing to meet the needs of parents and children.
The imam from England has nothing to do with schooling.
I for one am tired of the spam filter blocking out a comment even if I type in the text of a link instead of hotlinking it.
What’s up with that?
How are we supposed to back up a point with evidence if we can’t even site an article?
Sheesh.
Doug, I’m guest blogging while Kate is out of town and don’t know how to answer your question. Can you try something like
3w.blahblah.com
and see what happens?
Doug: I’m helping out with Kathy, I’ll try to stay on top of it, but I can’t be glued to the monitor checking each post. Sorry about the inconvenience, but if SPAM wasn’t such a problem, we wouldn’t have this problem.
ET,
Well put, but isn’t that were we adults learned our political dogma from…charming politicians or our parents.
I agree, no political or religious preaching in the classroom. That’s why we as parents have to be aware and vigilant.
If you keep a child religion free then chances are they won’t be interested in politics and will not accept elders or adults in positions of power as influential.
The EU approach is an appalling attempt at ideological indoctrination. In my view, the availability of home schooling or independent schools is essential to nurture diversity of thought. We have made every effort to shield our children from the mono-dimensional union-think that dominates government-run schools. Look at the main opponents of school choice and they tend to be unionists and big government ideologues.
I agree that success breeds success. Successful poeple are succesful for a reason, and they tend to pass this on, whether genetically or through assimilation of work ethic, etc. But another part of it, from what I have seen and experienced, is successful management of their children’s education (in the braoder sense). For example, I observed that all math-computer science female Ph.D.’s I encountered all engaged in years of gymnastics or advanced dance–movement being the common factor. This accorded with developmental studies on the importance of movement as cognitive building blocks and the importance of cross-pattern movement. Seein ghte research on the natural advantages of boys in math, we focussed our daughter’s early activities on gymnastics, dance and balance-oriented cross-pattern activities. We also chose an independent school, for two reasons, mainly. One, the government schools would no accomodate the fact our daughter entered grade one at a grade seven reading level–independent schools do. Second, government schools adopt a “drill-and-kill” aversion to skills development in math. As a math major and a reader of biographies of mathematicians, I know this to be stupid, but it is an understandable implication of socialist/union thinking, which is averse to the concept of mastery that can only be assessed by other masters (as opposed to “objective” criteria, such as seniority). We chose an independent school that understands the master-apprentice aspect of learning and the need for skill development in math, as a prerequisite for advanced functionality in math. Now, for the past couple of years she has finished in the top 1%-tile of math competitions (over 10,000 competitors). Looking at the list of students and schools in the top 1%, you get an idea of where the better math education takes place. Now, I suppose my daughter will be successful in math. Should I attempt this solely to the fact I was successful in math (and, I like to think, more generally), or perhaps her success is in a significant measure due to the fact I applied my skills that made me as successful as I am to making sure she will be successful.
As for diversity and community values, the children at our daughter’s school do far more community work (as part of the school program) than do childrne in government schools (as part of the program). There is also ample ethnic diversity–successful people come in all colours–only a racist would think otherwise.
David Brown said:
“If you keep a child religion free then chances are they won’t be interested in politics and will not accept elders or adults in positions of power as influential.”
Wow! Please explain that one. I’d like to take you on, but I’m not sure you meant it as it came out.
I see the Liberal daycare ‘plan’ as just an extension of the current ‘education system’ we have in place. The kids are churned out as cookie cutter children–not one thought between them. My kids went to a community school where the priority was to think rather than to learn by rote. They have succeeded in a world where it is difficult–because they are dealing with the robotic product of government education.
I have homeschooled also–and followed those parts of the curriculum that were acceptable for thinking people–therefore we dwelled on math and science as the social aspects were ridiculous. No thinking person would want that garbage taught to their children.
Government education is a failed experiment–we see it all around us every day–and no one lifts a finger to change it–unions etc. have a stranglehold on the whole system–and the union mentality is front and centre. When we moved to Ontario my son was expected to walk out with the teachers when they went on strike–he didn’t–those kids that didn’t were thanked by the principal–and I removed my son and we finished his highschool at home–without so much as a nod from the system. It is so obvious that the education system is there for those running it, not the students that have to wade through the garbage.
Rob R still makes the most sense. David Brown seems to believe that when parents have come across problems in the schools whether they be problems associated with indoctrination or whatever, that they don’t try anything and everything to problem solve and make things right. I can assure him from my experience of supporting children in the aftermath of parents trying to correct problems they do, sometimes they make a difference, sometimes they don’t. However, the times they do not are the occasions where children can get hurt and that hurt can last a lifetime.
Steve D has stated previously that he sent his children to private school. Home schooling is but one step removed from private school. Think of it as the ultimate private school.
There would be little difference in banning private schools additionally. You made the choice to shell out your money for a school for your kids. Can you square that circle or are you blowing out your ass again?
enough
David Brown has no problem with public schools as long as it advocates his ideology. If it was rightwing, advocated religion then it would be a different story.
enough
Debris,
Let’s take it 1 step at a time.
Think of the advantages and disadvantages of being religion free.
A Christian might say, how awful those poor dears are going straight to hell and will never see the face of God.
I see it differently, there’s plenty of time once they’ve reached a certain age of reason for them to find God and religion…to find it on their own terms and in way that they feel the love of God and not fear or blind obedience. They then grow up in a way were they feel powerful and in control of their own destiny. Once they get the idea that their parents want them to grow up strong and fearless a very real mutual respect is realized. Outside influences are eliminated and good judgement and decision making set in.
how ironic that b hoax aware calls for the dismissal of anyone who doesn’t support his/her point of view.
enough,
About as far away from the truth as you can get.
I wouldn’t mind it all if my kids went to a rigthist conservative school…I did.
I’d welcome the opportunity to work on the inside to promote my views and lack of belief…just as I do here (and you do as well).
…. sometimes those problems can last a lifetime…. Regardless of it being more than a decade ago, I still can’t get the death by hanging (thought to be suicide) of a grade 8 student out of my head and the problems I know his parents were trying to problem solve with the school for several years without success.
enopugh,
I support the availability of home-schooling as a choice. The parent (usually) as teacher has an emotional connection that is a great advantage to teaching and home schooling has produced amazing students, such as to become a favoured entry category at Harvard, for example. Nonetheless, there are important differences between home school and an independent school with a diversity of teachers. A home-schooled child gets one teacher for the most part. This can be empowering or limiting, depending on that person. At an independent school, a child will be exposed to many teachers of different viewpoints, personalities and techical approaches to education. Encountering the right teacher could inspire a trajectory to great achievement; encountering an uninspiring teacher (wrong style for that student) is generally offset by exposure to more suitable teachers. Accordingly, if one considers risk diversification to be important, then one could well favour independent schools while being sceptical of home-schooling.
David Brown: First, let me state that I am an agnostic; so I don’t support any one religious belief.
Having said that, I agree that in theory what you state sounds great, but things seldom work that way. Children who don’t have a religious background are just as prone to grasp at demigods as are those who have religion. The secular socialist tendancy to do so should make that clear.
Furthermore, socialism is a religion. It is based on theories that need “faith” to believe in; as they are often not reality based. Socialist Utopianism, is definately a religion, as it is all about faith-based belief structures.
I think that what is required is that schools and curricula foster critical thinking.
Now ask yourself why critical thinking theory is not taught in public schools. Why would the socialists who dominate the writing of school curricula not ensure critical thinking be a standard. One of the great (socialist) thinkers, Carl Sagan, set out very concrete critical thinking criteria in Demon Haunted World, yet his own fans in education are loath to implement them.
Critical Thinking skills serve to debunk much of what is pushed as “ethics” or “social training” in schools. Socialist teachers would be literally raped intellectually by students if kids were taught critical thinking.
So you see, religion is not just about Christianity… it’s about any faith based belief structure; one of which is Socialist Utopianism. Show me a school that fosters critical thinking, and I’ll suggest that every child attend it.
I’ll agree with you completely, if you can demonstrate to me that critical thinking is a foundation of public school education.
Thanks, Anne. You’re very kind, regardless of your typing accuracy.
I feel I have a lot of insight into this topic because, as well as having two boys in high school, my girlfriend is working on a Master’s in university. While my girlfriend has “come over from the dark side”, she feels that she has to keep her more conservative viewpoints to herself, at school. Apparently, anyone who thinks that free post-secondary education for everyone is a frightful concept will be shouted down and ostricized.
What do I do about it? Mostly, I talk. I debate topics with my girlfiend in front of my boys. I urge my boys to get involved in these debates. We discuss the merits of, say, free education and then I present my view of where such a plan would lead, in time.
In short, I teach my kids CRITICAL thinking. Yes, they have to show respect for elders and, especially for their teachers. Yes, they have to listen. No, they do not have to accept everything they hear as a truth, They are encouraged to question their teachers, albeit in a respectful manner.
This, of course, is easier now that they are 16 years old. When they were 10 and coming home and telling me that they didn’t learn anything today because the teacher’s say they don’t get paid enough because the schoolboard trustees are bad people who want them to strike in order to save some money…….OK, so I, myself, missed the day they taught the evils of run-on sentences…
Both the socialists and the UN oppose home schooling and so dose the leftist group the National Education Association they want all kids sent to schools to be tuaght the so called wonders of communism which claim to support the people and workers then kill them all
Debris,
I certainly agree with critical thinking…mental activities that are clear, precise, and purposeful are exremely important.
However, as public schools don’t teach or promote critical thinking, how do you go about achieving the skills of this process?
My only answer is for parents to organize and lobby the Minister of Education relentlessly until this important concept is implemented.
BTW… a high school teacher once told me I wasn’t their to learn facts but to learn how to think. Doesn’t sound like much of a socialist to me.
btw, I know what you’re all thinking:
“How can that guy be old enough to have teeen-age kids and still have a girlfriend in university?”
The simple truth is that I’m old but very, very HOT.
david brown – I agree with debris trail. I’m an atheist; I’ve made a decision to reject faith-based ideologies. And that includes the socialist ideology, which is also a faith-based, utopian perspective.
Above all, what is required, is basic training in logic and critical thinking. Logic would include the necessity for a primary axiom and a case example. Logic would include a linear path from cause to effect – and the understanding of intervening causes, of accident.
I always took my students through a simple triadic set of Relations: is the Relation Necessary? Or only Probable? Or, just Accidental. Just giving them this basic set provided them with a tool to ‘stand back’ and critique assertions claimed by various authorities.
And, took them through simple stats – such as the pompous assertion that ‘80% of the people surveyed thought such and such’. Then, we’d explore the interesting fact that only 10 people were surveyed. And, those ten were all friends. And the questions were biased..
Even a minimum set of basic critical thinking skills will provide young people with the strength to fend off some of the emotive sludge flung at them by the socialist engineers.
Rob R,
Misuse of commas as well.
Just pulling your leg.
I forgot to mention that parents like yourself are the other source to learn critical thinking.
I find it interesting that David speaks of becoming a bovine dolt if you don’t open yourself up to new ideas. Are you open to the idea that home schooling may be better for some kids, or are you becoming a bovine dolt? Have you thought that many home schoolers were open to the idea of public education, did careful research, consideration, and then decided that it didn’t suit them? I went to public school, as did most of my home schooling colleagues. We know the benefits as well as the disadvantages. If you think that any child comes through the public school system without religion, you are in denial. The religion is humanism, and the lessons are well learned and hammered home constantly.
Who is asking the society to conform to a single ideology, home schoolers or the public education system? I knew that the public education system was not going to conform to my beliefs, not that I thought it ought, so I made my choice to educate my children in a way that they are able to be challenged. I didn’t think I should force my views on the public school system. If you think that means that my family and I are not involved in our community (even the school system) and that they don’t live in the world, you are naive. They are subjected to liberal idiocy every time we allow them some television time, every time my daughter attends speech therapy and every time we have dinner with my liberal parents. What parent can raise their child in a vacuum?
You are the one who is being narrow minded by not recognizing the rights of others. Where is the open liberal dialogue? Where is the acceptance? Where is the love they show criminals and trees and abortionists (not that I’m making any kind of moral judgement, heaven forbid)? Do you not agree that home schoolers at least deserve as much love as criminals? I thought not. That’s why I home school. I don’t think the school system cares as much about my children learning as much as they care about instilling liberal ideologies.
enough
I was not afraid as many of you are of putting my child in amongst the ‘conservative elite’. Yes, she was influenced. I knew she would be. But then I gave her the other side. So now she has seen and heard both sides. She will digest it over the next several years and at some point she will settle somewhere in the middle. I was not afraid of the indoctrination because it is part of her world, the indocrination and conservatism. She will be better for having heard and lived with both sides of the ideological debate. She is conservative now but in a sensitive ‘red tory’ way. She is better for having experienced conservatism up close and personal. We are closer than ever because she respects my allowing her to really see for herself.
ET,
Good stuff…the world needs more teachers like you.
David,
Having scoured counteless statements/prospectuses from independent and government schools, I noticed they ALL say they teach thinking skills. The question is how do they purport to go about the task. The red flag here is when they say you are not there to learn facts. Sorry, but critical thinking requires a mastery of relevant facts–otherwise it is not critical thinking.
sickofdalibs,
As I’m a liberal and your sick of me I don’t know what I can say or do to appease you…So I won’t try.
First off, the NDP in Saskatchewan are/were trying exactly what was alluded to here in previous comments as the Socialist-State influence to education. The recent creation by the CBC (Liberal dogma) and NDP to produce a movie about Tommy Douglas (filled with historical errors) to be distributed in schools is a prime example. As I side note, I get such a kick out of liberal ideologists claiming their philosophies come without coercion.
I agree with Debris Trail (DT) regarding the fallacy of ‘religion free’ education. As DT stated, Socialism is as much a religion as Christianity or any other mode of philosophical thought. The liberal-left would like to have us believe that they hold no philosophy on life, only a pure and uninfluenced centrist thought (ha, ha, ha).
Critical thinking is a key foundation to ‘free’ thought, but we will never escape from our own philosophies. It is an innate human quality to communicate through our own world view. In this way, I have no problem with schools that are exclusively Christian, Secularist or whatever. If you can find the bodies to support the type of doctrine you preach – then (for the most part) so be it. The problem comes when the State says, “This is what you must do. This is what you must teach. Your children must attend.” I believe for the Socialists and liberal-left, they fear the concept of those with conservative viewpoints forming centers of education because they know the majority of the worldview is to the Right, like it or not. It (Conservatism) is the view that many do not live up to, but they want for their children.
Let’s not be too critical of David for the “bovine dolt” comment.
I’m sure he actually meant “devine colt”. I’m just not sure if it’s a firearms reference or an Indianna football thing……..
murray,
The definition of critical thinking is a little complex but my understanding is that part of it involves distinguishing facts from opinions.
So in that case I stand corrected.
Thank you