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AmericanProtest.net > Weekly Column |
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Create Counter-Schoolsby Wayne Boettcher In the early days of the United States local communities were the primary administrators of public schools. They usually hired teachers based on their education, ability to discipline, their integrity and church attendance. The local school board would purchase textbooks and help maintain the school building. People would be shocked back then to think that the federal government could dictate what could be taught, as is often the case in today's United States. Healthy competition helped schools maintain quality and excellence in education, with none of the Soviet style sameness of today's public education facilities. Now in Tucson, Arizona the principle of local education innovation has been reborn. A local school district took a bold step to bring classes not usually seen to the community. What kind of classes would be so bold, one might wonder? Refutation of evolution hoaxes, perhaps? Abstinence? How to maintain strong morals and ethics in a morally relative world? Rigidly accurate Western History? None of these, I'm afraid. The Tucson Unified School District (TUSD) chose a Marxist, racist propaganda campaign to disseminate under the guise of education! Rumors of the secretive "ethnic studies" Raza/Chicano program had long been discussed in Tucson yet few knew what was really happening in these classes. It has long been said that racist principles of groups like MEChA (Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán) and LA RAZA (The Race) were expounded. But that was hard to prove because a list of TUSD ethnic study class material has never been easily available. And some say the most radical concepts are brought out mainly in class lectures. Finally an incontrovertible witness blew the whistle on the program in a shocking Tucson Citizen guest column. With concise, well written points former TUSD teacher John Ward explained how he was assigned to teach history in the ethnics study program, or at least be a "teacher of record" who would assign grades until some of the non-accredited instructors could gain accreditation. He observed the radical agenda of the Raza studies staff and attempted to express concerns but was labeled a racist. When Ward pointed out he is Hispanic, he was then called a "sellout" - in Spanish, of course. Whenever anyone including parents or school employees complains about "ethnic studies" curriculum they are also labeled as racist and subjected to ad holmium attacks. Fearful of losing their jobs, most TUSD employees opposing the program prefer to remain quiet. Raza based studies have fanatical proponents in the TUSD administration, with school board members and even with some state and federal legislators. John Ward's editorial didn't mention it but it's fairly obvious that students of ethnic studies classes in Tucson have also been used as shock troops for Marxist rallies and marches supporting illegal immigration. The radical events have been filled with TUSD high school students who were told to walk out of class by activists and some teachers. The illegal school-ditching plan was so successful that too many parents complained, however. TUSD finally clamped down on the practice and the last march was pitifully under-populated compared to previous events. Local schools initiating extra learning programs is a good idea. But this particular program is awful. Parents and taxpayers are protesting, but what about those students who already took the class? Many were brainwashed into all sorts of strange ideas about American History and Marxism. What can be done to help these and future innocent victims? You can't just demand the schools retrain the students or even stop teaching nonsense. If some citizens elect a school board that allows public education facilities to disseminate radical propaganda there is little other citizens can do besides voting them out at the next election. There is the parental option of pulling their children out of the public school, even though their taxes still pay for it. But many parents won't take their children out, because they can't afford private school. Also lots of people don't understand or don't have resources for home schooling. But perhaps there is a way to stem the tide, by competition with better education. I propose "Counter-Schools," in the form of volunteer summer school classes. Retired conservative schoolteachers (and other educated retirees and/or homemakers with similar knowledge and teaching skill) can hold summer classes where real American History could be taught to counter La Raza revisionist history and racism. Public, church or non-profit buildings could be utilized as a place to hold classes. A non-profit organization can be set up and donations gathered to support the "Counter-School." Donations of prizes for students who pass these classes can also be garnered. Many parents would leap at the chance to send their children there, and some would volunteer to help. For parents who work in the daytime a night class could be held as well where they can volunteer. This would be beneficial even for students who didn't attend the ethnic studies. They need help to counter the secondhand propaganda spread by the students who did take the class. (Part of Marxist training is how to be an activist.) Volunteer summer school classes to counter public school propaganda needn't stop with American History and Political Science. As previously mentioned, evolution hoax refutation science would be a fantastic study subject as well as an "ethics and morals" class to counter moral relativism taught in public schools. Simple concepts of what's normally considered right and wrong could be discussed, as well as how people sometimes have differing opinions on the subject. How to resist excessive violence and pornography in entertainment media is a good subject for high school students. Speaking of media, a news media bias understanding class would certainly be interesting. And there's a whole realm of basic education for public school students to catch up on, such as remedial phonics reading courses and math lessons. In the age of information technology we have golden opportunities to pass on incredible amounts of knowledge to our young people during their critically important middle school and high school years. This should be sufficient incentive to create Counter-Schools. If enough radical rhetoric, fuzzy thinking and junk science is countered in this generation, then perhaps when they come of age this super-educated group will be wise enough to elect school boards who are more interested in education than propaganda. In any case, it is incumbent upon all citizens to stand up for our young people in America! Wayne Boettcher is the head of AmericanProtest.net Related Links: |
