Conservatives have long opposed federally regulated public schools on the grounds that it requires the redistribution of wealth via taxation and removes control over what is taught from parents and local communities. Over the years we have witnessed the softening of the curriculum causing a decline in test scores and the academic competency of children across the board. Common Core has introduced bizarre and convoluted steps into simple arithmetic and spelling has been replaced with phonics in many schools as computing systems can do the spelling for us.
But the problems with public school go far beyond the softening of the curriculum…it has to do with a pervasive culture of authoritarianism and political correctness that has children feeling trapped in a boring and suffocating environment where obedience and arbitrary memorization come before the needs of the child. Here are 11 ways the federally controlled public school system is failing yet another generation.
- Self Defense against Bullies is Prohibited
When children are assaulted and harassed by bullies, they are not allowed to defend themselves. This shouldn’t be a problem, except faculties often will do nothing to defend bullied children either, instead waiting for evidence of the bullying to come forth. This leaves children feeling unsafe and uncared for while the bullying is allowed to go on unabated.
- Children Have no Say
In a system that often disregards the experience of a child who doesn’t fit in, or whose needs aren’t being met, the child often feels like a prisoner in a bad situation over which he has little to no control.
- Students Come Last
Students are seen as assets, especially in large schools. Schools focus on the business of running a school, looking for growth and efficiency rather than spending resources to improve education and the student experience.
- Bloated Bureaucracy
American schools spend an inordinate amount of money on teacher compensation. This leads to an excess of careerism, which tends to place student interests last.
- Children Being Taught State-ism
Children are taught to obey, first and foremost. Kids whose insight and talent leads them to find fault with the teaching or with the system frequently get silenced or berated for their inquisitiveness. The lesson most kids learn is that you do what you’re told, whether it’s right or wrong. Personal responsibility is replaced with an emphasis on obedience.
- No Marketable Skills are Taught
Children are not taught a trade. The best students learn to read, write, and can perform basic mathematics- but no skills are taught that will make them competitive in the marketplace. For that, they have to go on to college.
- Banning Books
Books have been banned for reasons of political correctness, regardless of their historical or literary significance. This teaches children that even for canonized literature obedience to the state comes before artistic merit and quality content.
- One Size Fits all Curricula
With very little focus on the individual student, children are crammed into a single curriculum to which all are expected to perform equally. The respect for the individual- the basis of Western law and morality- takes a back seat.
- Lack of Finance Education
On graduation, it is the rare student who knows how to balance a checking account. Children are not taught how to manage money, they do not understand the concept of investing, and are ignorant to the art and science of business.
- Rewarding Obedience before Competence
While this has long been an issue, it’s become a problem of the first order as teachers force children to learn the Common Core version of math. Common Core imposed numerous unnecessary steps into simple problems which leave students baffled. Children who are bright enough to realize there is a simpler and more reliable way to complete a simple math problem are marked down, even if they got the right answer.
- Overpowered Unions
Teachers unions amount to a form of cronyism, where faculty members protect each other even at the expense of students. The Us vs Them mentality that results in this prison-like environment has teachers treating children more like inmates. This is especially so when a child has a grievance against a teacher. The union protects itself by protecting those who represent it.
With public school systems in such dire straits, it’s no wonder wages are declining while workers scramble to keep progressively worse jobs. When people grow up having learned that authority is to be obeyed, who will be left to stand up when leaders who speak down to them the way teachers speak down to students continue to send jobs overseas?
~ American Liberty Report
