In response to Billionaires vs. Our Kids (May 21-27), or more to the point, an extension on what has been stated. Since 1974 when President Richard Nixon created the U.S. Department of Education, the country has steadily lost it prominence in the field of education and educating our kids. Why? It is because of all the politicians, special interest groups and bureaucrats that have made education policies based on their own interests and not the interest of the children or the learning process.
At least 85 percent of all educators, teachers, in nursery to 12th grade do a fabulous job in the class rooms around the country. The problem is administrators don’t hold children, parents, teachers’ unions and federal and state bureaucrats accountable to their responsibility to educating our kids.
Curriculums are created by former educators, out of a classroom setting for 30-plus years, bureaucrats and teachers’ unions in the halls of our legislative bodies and not in the local school district.
Years ago, local school districts, that is, school boards and PTAs, determined what was good for the local students. Schools focused on the three R’s: Reading, wRiting and aRithmetic. We also taught civics, geography and history. We gave some learners an opportunity to earn a good living with trade schooling.
What did that produce in the USA? Men on the moon, new inventions including today’s new technologies. We did not produce carbon copies where everyone thinks and speaks the same as the rest of the world. We excelled over worldwide production and inventions.
I hope we wake up the silent and uninformed majority that proper and great education does not produce success for everyone. Hard work, perseverance and opportunities in education or a skilled trade lead to good wages in a field that one can excel and then can produce other opportunities for themselves and others.
Henry Teja
