Intolerable situations eventually collapse of their own weight

Perhaps this is how the world has always been, and things now are about the same. Yet many of the now old time American generations see things as a pendulum swinging, and things are out of balance and getting ready to swing back, we hope. Only time will tell. And being America, one hopes the vote predominates as the process of choice. The alternatives like civil war and revolution are too banana republic for us, I think. And there are so many alternatives for this free people and others. We can move, as in leave California or Utah or Atlanta or Iraq. Some may be refugees, some others are just voting with their pocket book and feet. Most think of themselves as being forced out because of local circumstances.

The issue which gets my dander up is our children’s education. Now that is a vital national interest. And as much as it hurts to say, those who think our children have been dumbed-down have a point. Just seeing kids trying to make change in a fast food place is a painfully disappointing process. Thank goodness there are many exceptions, and one must thank the parents and local school systems who have made it so. Good on them! And I suspect many are public educated, so double good on them! And for those who are private school educated or home school educated, good on them, too. The astute reader of this post might deduce the theme. The theme is educating our children to benefit them and our society.

One number I cannot find reliably is the percentage of public school teachers who send their children into the very school system they work in. That number in my mind is more reliable an indicator of the local school system than any other indicator. I suspect most of these teachers send their kids to local public schools. Nobody wants their kids to be dumbed-down.

The other thing I cannot figure out is the true effectiveness of teachers unions, a relatively recent phenomenon in American history. I acknowledge they have been effective in enhancing the pay and benefits of their members, and think the unions have accelerated the methods of education promoted by academia and the unions. What I cannot figure out is how well the union leaders will do if times get hard. Will the tilt be towards the union, or the children?

The question is more profound on second thought. Much has been said about the political power of school unions, and I think most opinions are about right. Union agendas are often not citizens agendas, or local and above agendas. And that the unions can influence the votes of local citizens by skillfully funded voter machinations is pretty much industry standard these days. Rather the question is and should be, why do we vote in those who maintain this terrible situation where our children cannot vote and seem to take second fiddle.

The real question is simple. Is the local public school system an adult jobs program or a children’s education program?

The present day ways to beat the present system are also simple. School vouchers are one. Voting in those local leaders who will make public education work as a local and national imperative are another. Emigrating to a better place is another.

Inaction is the last choice. When the present intolerable situation collapses, then we will take what results. One hopes it does not get that far, but our children’s education is a big deal. Lord hope it be the local vote that decides.