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September 20, 2007

Language Is Culture

Just whose interests do the "educators" think they are serving?

Some Oregon high schools are adopting Mexico's public school curriculum to help educate Spanish-speaking students with textbooks, an online Web site, DVDs and CDs provided free by Mexico to teach math, science and even U.S. history.

The Oregon Department of Education and Mexico's Secretariat of Public Education are discussing aligning their curricula so courses will be valid in both countries.

... "Students come to us with such complex issues," said Tim King, director of Clackamas Middle College and Clackamas Web Academy, where a virtual course using Mexico's learning materials got started this week.

"We've had to change in order to fit into each school scene, become more complex and open ourselves up to new situations."

What the hell.

I mean, what the hell!

Which country do school kids in Oregon supposedly swear allegiance too? It's obvious where the Administrators' feelings lie. How can these kids possibly ever be expected to become Americans if they are taught this way?

Posted by Mr. Bingley at September 20, 2007 06:39 PM

Comments

Western Oregon is pretty not part of the United States any more; western Washington is only slightly better, but only because a significant chunk of the economy is dependent upon the military. There are isolated pockets of normalcy, but they are getting harder to spot.

East of the Cascades is a different matter, by and large.

Posted by: The_Real_JeffS at September 20, 2007 07:04 PM

Seems to me that free people should not be required to swear allegiance at all.

If a country can't convince people to be allegiant, it's probably for a reason.

I think this is another example of why we should get rid of public schools. If we allow people to spend their money on the school they choose rather than the one that uses government guns to determine its curricula, we'd have 90% of the countries contentious issues resolved. Additionally, almost every school will concentrate on educating in English and in solid subjects, not social science project subjects.

There, I said it.

Posted by: Skyler at September 21, 2007 12:20 AM

At the very least we should get rid of the Department of Education.

Posted by: Gunslinger at September 21, 2007 06:56 AM

Sorry, Skyler, but I have to disagree. First, reciting the Pledge is a civic ritual that in a small but useful way ties us together and for one moment in the day has people focus on the nation as a whole as opposed to their own little section and lives.

I would suggest that if "we can't convince people to be allegiant" it's because they've gotten too goddamned spoiled and lost in their libertarian-it's-all-about-me fantasy lands and forgotten the sacrifices made that got them there.

I think you are completely wrong, in fact you couldn't be more wrong, in blaming the existence of public schools for this. Allowing every school district to completely go their own way would lead to total chaos and accelerate the balkanization of this country. Schools in heavily non-english speaking populations would go completely to that language; schools in artsy concerned communities would focus solely on social feel good 'concerns' and 'community activism'. Every community would turn inward and gaze at its own navel and chase after the frenzy du jour. A complete disaster.

The answer is not to get rid of public schools but rather to enforce upon them, and yes through them, something along the lines of the following:

1) english is the official language of the united states
2) to succeed in the united states you must know english
3) you want to succeed in the us because in spite of its numerous warts and faults it is the best goddamned country in the world, and you know this because you or a relatively recent ancestor went through a hell of a lot of difficulties to get here from somewhere else
4) to succeed you must be able to think clearly, write clearly and add clearly; you must do this, not some 'group' or 'team' and certainly not some agency for you
5) you will be praised when you succeed and have your errors pointed out to you so you can correct them when you fail
6) and you will fail, so buck up and learn how to pick yourself up

Posted by: Mr. Bingley at September 21, 2007 08:57 AM

I feel no need for a civic ritual. I love my country, I don't feel a need to demonstrate that love, and I damned sure won't be coerced to do it.

Actually, history has shown us that the balkanization is worse when the government controls schools. When parents pay for schools, they have a strong tendency to insist that their children learn subjects that help them succeed. This means parents have historically favored liberal educations (not the political liberal) and to learn English and American history, etc. Children will not succeed learning Spanish only.

It's only when the government gets involved that schools are free to push the agendas of the balkanizers. Remember in California for many years hispanic children were forbidden to learn English despite the howls of protests from parents. That's where your balkanizing comes from.

Posted by: Skyler at September 21, 2007 09:36 AM

Forget it, Jake - it's Oregon...

Posted by: mojo at September 21, 2007 10:13 AM