I reached into a drawer the other day and there was a copy of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence- a cold shot of terror went to my heart - the left is trying to undermine these documents. The question in my heart was "WILL THEY SUCCEED?!!"
I talk to people about this all the time they say " I know". Thank goodness they know, but what will we do about it? We hear about these eminent domain cases ALL THE TIME , where people's land is taken from them for any bizarre reason the government wants to come up with "There might be a frog that could live here someday", or "We don't like you reaching your property on an ATV"- whatever they like- and they condemn the property and offer the people some pittance of what the land is worth. Often times the people go to great expense to try to fight in court- but often they lose. The courts are controlled by the left as is the media and the schools. All in the name of "fairness" or "helping the poor" or "being progressive".
One judge can get away with making the most unfair , unfounded decisions. One family in Massachusetts had their daughter taken from them by a judge who did not care that Boston's Children's Hospital made a diagnosis opposed to Tuft's University Hospital in TWELVE HOURS. He/she remanded custody of the child to the Children's Hospital at the behest of social services who again would not question the change in diagnosis. The child is now paralyzed and the parents can only visit her once a week on supervised visits!! The father had to act against the judge to go to the media and plead for help- he is under a GAG ORDER NOT TO SPEAK ABOUT WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO HIS FAMILY!! The government bureaucracy rules supreme.
The other day, famously, the Federal Communications Commission tried to put out a program to monitor news rooms. The propaganda was just too transparent - why did they want to monitor news rooms? Oh, they needed to monitor news rooms to "Make sure they were being fair to the poor". The cover for the government control is always the poor, or fairness, the 21st century or saving the environment or some other benign excuse that they think they can get away with.
Federal bureaucrats come up with the standards - like Common Core in our schools or eminent domain or freedom of the press, and the people are left in hamstrung desperation- their will and voice is neutered- they can't do anything.
The National Security Administration does its dirty work- collecting information on ALL innocent Americans- and yet when there is an obvious threat like Major Hassan or Benghazi on SEPTEMBER ELEVENTH - they are completely ineffectual. Why are they really collecting all this information? It's certainly not stopping terrorism!!
We all just hope to stay under the radar from a bureaucracy that can take our property, our families and our lives at any whim . A federal bureaucracy that is now running everything- including our schools. This bureaucracy is now intent on getting rid of the one thing that still stands in their way- our United States Constitution and the Declaration of Independence that defines and protects our freedoms. This bureaucracy from the left wants to rewrite the Constitution to give them more power and their plan is to use our children to drive these agendas.
As I saw that Declaration of Independence and the Constitution I felt helpless and afraid. I remembered that everyday in school when I was young we would salute the flag and sing "MY COUNTRY TIS OF THEE, SWEET LAND OF LIBERTY, TO THEE I SING. LAND WHERE MY FATHERS DIED, LAND OF THE PILGRIMS PRIDE, FROM EVERY MOUNTAIN SIDE, LET FREEDOM RING". When did these words become a joke? When did they become something to be jeered at by our non-patriots of the left ?
Our children are being propagandized in school in a captive audience - and we are very proud when they are able to stand up. We are being propagandized everyday- yes, they really do need to monitor news rooms to make sure the news is fair to the poor (yeah right)!! We, as grownups, need to protect our children by standing up to propaganda too.
The group "People for the American Way" wants you to believe the American way is not freedom and independence but slavery to government and forced redistribution. Propaganda and teaching methods for propaganda are called the "21st century". The leftist protestors are "Taking America Back". Back from what- from freedom to tyranny? Freedom from religion is now not having any. Morals are controlling and government intrusion in every minute of your life is just "keeping you safe".
America is being taken over from within and the American people must stop it. In Ukraine the people have taken to the streets- in America the grownups just need to stop listening to all the propaganda. A majority of the people can get sex and propaganda out of our schools. We can demand that our elected representatives get rid of all these departments and bureaucratic employees. Downsize the government and take your lives back. Start thinking for yourselves and put the propaganda artists out- MY COUNTRY TIS OF THEE!!
Saturday, 22 February 2014
Monday, 17 February 2014
WHAT HAS HAPPENED?!!
As a conservative, it is somewhat bemusing to see our new liberal friends in the Common Core struggle be amazed that their country is "no longer the country I grew up in"! Why, there is corporate and Federal collusion!! YOU THINK?? You mean when the government gets too big and has too much power bad things like corruption and collusion happen?? Glad to see our liberal friends FINALLY waking up to this reality.
This is a rare moment in America these days, libertarians and conservatives and liberals alike, are all against Common Core. Mark Naison, cofounder of BATS (Bad Ass Teachers- an organization of teachers against Common Core which now has over 38,000 members), is a liberal activist that has suddenly been woken up. He was doing a little history program with kids in the Bronx and suddenly- there was no time for his program - or recess or art or anything- the kids had to spend all their time preparing for the high stakes Federal Achievement Tests!!
I listened with great relief to Mark Naison's speech- our friends on the left finally get that we our losing our freedom and local control- that there is something very wrong in our country. Mark sees the reign of terror and stress that is being brought down on our teachers. I've realized for a long time that our teachers are being bullied- right under the eyes of all these "anti-bullying" programs (see "Knowing, Doing, B E L I E V I N G"). I brought this up at a recent Helena School District Budget Committee meeting. Students are individuals and SO ARE THE TEACHERS!! As I pointed out to the board members- would you like someone to come into your house and tell you what to say and how to act with your children?
What Mark Naison realizes is that all this comes down on the children. Teachers under stress will not be good teachers. Teachers that can not teach in their own teaching style will be false and ineffective.We now have a Federal Educational Dictatorship - complete with master teachers, forced collaboration, data collecting, and Federal Tests with open ended questions that follow how children think- not just if they know the information!!
WHAT HAS HAPPENED?!! Federal bureaucrats who are not educators ( Marc Tucker), used YOUR MONEY to BRIBE the states and get them to fall in line with Common Core. The total going to the testing companies alone is $360,000,000. Pearson (going under many pseudonyms these days- like being called McGraw Hill and so on) is making a fortune rewriting all the textbooks for Common Core. Bill Gates has poured in $173,000,000. I remember the slimy guy getting all the Montana data sharing contracts. The joint legislative committee gave him all the time in the world to present- there were no competitors allowed to present and I know the Helena contracts are going to this firm- probably the rest of the state too. Follow the money. WHAT HAS HAPPENED?!! Government got too big- and with big government comes control and corruption. Our forefathers were very wise men and they gave us a constitution to protect us from just this situation. They gave us a constitution to limit government and protect our freedoms.
Finally the people on the left are realizing what it feels like to be sneered at and treated with contempt. Finally they are realizing that the message from the left that all Tea Party activists and conservatives are narrow minded and ignorant may not actually be true. Finally they see the elitists trying to protect their money and their power grab. WHAT IS HAPPENING? MAYBE WE WILL SAVE AMERICA BY CHANGING WHAT HAS HAPPENED INTO WHAT WILL BE HAPPENING TO GET OUR FREEDOM BACK.
This is a rare moment in America these days, libertarians and conservatives and liberals alike, are all against Common Core. Mark Naison, cofounder of BATS (Bad Ass Teachers- an organization of teachers against Common Core which now has over 38,000 members), is a liberal activist that has suddenly been woken up. He was doing a little history program with kids in the Bronx and suddenly- there was no time for his program - or recess or art or anything- the kids had to spend all their time preparing for the high stakes Federal Achievement Tests!!
I listened with great relief to Mark Naison's speech- our friends on the left finally get that we our losing our freedom and local control- that there is something very wrong in our country. Mark sees the reign of terror and stress that is being brought down on our teachers. I've realized for a long time that our teachers are being bullied- right under the eyes of all these "anti-bullying" programs (see "Knowing, Doing, B E L I E V I N G"). I brought this up at a recent Helena School District Budget Committee meeting. Students are individuals and SO ARE THE TEACHERS!! As I pointed out to the board members- would you like someone to come into your house and tell you what to say and how to act with your children?
What Mark Naison realizes is that all this comes down on the children. Teachers under stress will not be good teachers. Teachers that can not teach in their own teaching style will be false and ineffective.We now have a Federal Educational Dictatorship - complete with master teachers, forced collaboration, data collecting, and Federal Tests with open ended questions that follow how children think- not just if they know the information!!
WHAT HAS HAPPENED?!! Federal bureaucrats who are not educators ( Marc Tucker), used YOUR MONEY to BRIBE the states and get them to fall in line with Common Core. The total going to the testing companies alone is $360,000,000. Pearson (going under many pseudonyms these days- like being called McGraw Hill and so on) is making a fortune rewriting all the textbooks for Common Core. Bill Gates has poured in $173,000,000. I remember the slimy guy getting all the Montana data sharing contracts. The joint legislative committee gave him all the time in the world to present- there were no competitors allowed to present and I know the Helena contracts are going to this firm- probably the rest of the state too. Follow the money. WHAT HAS HAPPENED?!! Government got too big- and with big government comes control and corruption. Our forefathers were very wise men and they gave us a constitution to protect us from just this situation. They gave us a constitution to limit government and protect our freedoms.
Finally the people on the left are realizing what it feels like to be sneered at and treated with contempt. Finally they are realizing that the message from the left that all Tea Party activists and conservatives are narrow minded and ignorant may not actually be true. Finally they see the elitists trying to protect their money and their power grab. WHAT IS HAPPENING? MAYBE WE WILL SAVE AMERICA BY CHANGING WHAT HAS HAPPENED INTO WHAT WILL BE HAPPENING TO GET OUR FREEDOM BACK.
Thursday, 6 February 2014
THE HAND THAT ROCKS THE CRADLE
I saw a disgusting display of corrupt government at the ELG ( Education and Local Governance Interim Committee) in Helena on Monday. The public sat for FOUR HOURS while the MTSBA ( Montana School Boards Association) brought forth their" caucuses" to lobby for a funding bill (SB175 which passed last session). The MTSBA LIVES ON TAXPAYER DOLLARS!! That's right- they get their money from YOU. They take dues from the school boards- from money YOU gave to the school districts to run the schools. Then they lobby and lock you out. Does this sound right to you? They say the world is run by those who show up- well we're showing up and what has been going on behind our backs has not been pretty.
MTSBA president Steve Meloy stood there like a king- calling up his witnesses for FOUR HOURS!! One of his lobbyists ( school trustees and superintendents!) turned back to him and said "Oh, I forgot to mention the bonds like you told me". Steve got red faced and laughed " You're not supposed to say that!" he whispered. Then, as soon as he was able, he got up and lied and said he hadn't coached or coordinated what they were supposed to say!! Hmm- there was no diversity in the comments- all listed as much as they could that they had gotten with the extra funding (no accounting so who knows if that's how the money was really spent- Helena school district said they were hiring counselors with the extra money- they aren't counselors they're social workers and they hired them INSTEAD of certified school psychologists- so personnel is now hired with "extra" money??) They were all 100% behind Common Core though most of them appeared not to even REALLY know what the Common Core Standards are- they hadn't read them. Oh- and the bonds- gee- just give them the money and more bonding authority- it's so inconvenient to have a vote of the taxpayers for bonds (though they would NEVER SAY THE WORD TAXPAYER!!) and they want to just spend the money any way they want.
FINALLY - the public was allowed to speak- people from across the state spoke almost to a person against Common Core- very succinctly and with real life examples like student work and math papers. When the newspaper came out it called SB175 a "reform" bill- IN THE HEADLINE- and only gave the testimony of all these "notable" superintendents and trustees- the public testimony against Common Core from across the state was COMPLETELY IGNORED!! All the reading public knows is that SB175 is a "reform" bill- word used to make you think it is reforming education- making it better!! And then of course that "all" the school administrators and trustees think it's wonderful- and all the "good" things they were able to do with the money!!
Then came the kicker-at the break I was told by a legislator that the legislature has no control over curriculum- the State Board has total control and the legislature can't do a thing about it!! An appointed board has control over what is taught to our children and our elected representatives have NO VOICE!! They've been to court twice and the courts just say the legislature has to do what this appointed board of nine tells them to do!! SERIOUSLY?? Your vote means nothing- the easily controlled State Board will mandate the curriculum that ROCKS THE CRADLE.
The left worked this all out in the 70's- taking power from the legislature and giving it to regulatory boards like the Montana Board of Education, that they can control. There is no need for this intermediary board- the legislature should pass laws and the Office of Public Instruction should be charged with implementing them- end of story. I always did wonder about all this "training" that goes on in Russia. Who does the training and what is it all about? I guess Bill Clinton could tell you because he went there with his Rhodes Scholarship for a year- so did Obama's mentor Frank Marshall Davis. Maybe these communist trainers taught all these people how to undermine the vote of the people by having boards established. Appointed boards- easy to control who gets on them and to rotate their terms so that if there is a conservative governor elected the liberals stay on until he is gone and they always maintain a majority. Very easy to just get these nine controllable people (hand picked for this) to vote for just ANYTHING the left wants.
Larry Arn the president of Hillsdale College notes that these regulatory boards are at the heart of America's choice about how they will be governed. Regulations by unelected boards are not the will of the people, nor are they succinct and understandable, nor can they be CHANGED by the will of the people. TIME TO GET RID OF THE BOARDS AMERICA. In Montana it will take amending that horrid constitution that the counter culture left was able to not pass- but cheat to pass- in 1972. We can do it and we will do it- America- it's time to start ROCKING THE CRADLE OF YOUR OWN BABIES!!
MTSBA president Steve Meloy stood there like a king- calling up his witnesses for FOUR HOURS!! One of his lobbyists ( school trustees and superintendents!) turned back to him and said "Oh, I forgot to mention the bonds like you told me". Steve got red faced and laughed " You're not supposed to say that!" he whispered. Then, as soon as he was able, he got up and lied and said he hadn't coached or coordinated what they were supposed to say!! Hmm- there was no diversity in the comments- all listed as much as they could that they had gotten with the extra funding (no accounting so who knows if that's how the money was really spent- Helena school district said they were hiring counselors with the extra money- they aren't counselors they're social workers and they hired them INSTEAD of certified school psychologists- so personnel is now hired with "extra" money??) They were all 100% behind Common Core though most of them appeared not to even REALLY know what the Common Core Standards are- they hadn't read them. Oh- and the bonds- gee- just give them the money and more bonding authority- it's so inconvenient to have a vote of the taxpayers for bonds (though they would NEVER SAY THE WORD TAXPAYER!!) and they want to just spend the money any way they want.
FINALLY - the public was allowed to speak- people from across the state spoke almost to a person against Common Core- very succinctly and with real life examples like student work and math papers. When the newspaper came out it called SB175 a "reform" bill- IN THE HEADLINE- and only gave the testimony of all these "notable" superintendents and trustees- the public testimony against Common Core from across the state was COMPLETELY IGNORED!! All the reading public knows is that SB175 is a "reform" bill- word used to make you think it is reforming education- making it better!! And then of course that "all" the school administrators and trustees think it's wonderful- and all the "good" things they were able to do with the money!!
Then came the kicker-at the break I was told by a legislator that the legislature has no control over curriculum- the State Board has total control and the legislature can't do a thing about it!! An appointed board has control over what is taught to our children and our elected representatives have NO VOICE!! They've been to court twice and the courts just say the legislature has to do what this appointed board of nine tells them to do!! SERIOUSLY?? Your vote means nothing- the easily controlled State Board will mandate the curriculum that ROCKS THE CRADLE.
The left worked this all out in the 70's- taking power from the legislature and giving it to regulatory boards like the Montana Board of Education, that they can control. There is no need for this intermediary board- the legislature should pass laws and the Office of Public Instruction should be charged with implementing them- end of story. I always did wonder about all this "training" that goes on in Russia. Who does the training and what is it all about? I guess Bill Clinton could tell you because he went there with his Rhodes Scholarship for a year- so did Obama's mentor Frank Marshall Davis. Maybe these communist trainers taught all these people how to undermine the vote of the people by having boards established. Appointed boards- easy to control who gets on them and to rotate their terms so that if there is a conservative governor elected the liberals stay on until he is gone and they always maintain a majority. Very easy to just get these nine controllable people (hand picked for this) to vote for just ANYTHING the left wants.
Larry Arn the president of Hillsdale College notes that these regulatory boards are at the heart of America's choice about how they will be governed. Regulations by unelected boards are not the will of the people, nor are they succinct and understandable, nor can they be CHANGED by the will of the people. TIME TO GET RID OF THE BOARDS AMERICA. In Montana it will take amending that horrid constitution that the counter culture left was able to not pass- but cheat to pass- in 1972. We can do it and we will do it- America- it's time to start ROCKING THE CRADLE OF YOUR OWN BABIES!!
Sunday, 2 February 2014
ADDICTION!!
Did you see the parents from Utah whose kids got their lunches taken away because their parents hadn't paid, on the news the other night? What did you think about that? Certainly the school could have had a better plan- like just having the kids call home and say they didn't have a lunch that day- not serving them and then taking it away!! But- how about the parents? Whose responsibility is it to feed their children? Is it your responsibility? Is it my responsibility? NO - the answer is it is the PARENTS RESPONSIBILITY TO FEED THEIR CHILDREN!! But these parents have been indoctrinated, though they don't realize it, to believe that they aren't REALLY entirely responsible for their own children. They were outraged at the school - and looking for sympathy from the viewing audience!! It never even occurred to them that they are LAZY AND IRRESPONSIBLE !! Well, gee- it would take some effort and planning to go to the store each week and purchase food for lunches and then to prepare lunches for the children EVERY DAY ! It's so much easier to just LET THE SCHOOL TAKE CARE OF IT ! But, because the parents have been INDOCTRINATED TO IRRESPONSIBLE LAZINESS - they don't even recognize what they are not doing, and instead hold others responsible for what they should be doing themselves. This is the ADDICTION OF MARXISM. Everyone is a victim who NEEDS TO BE DEPENDENT.
Well, what about afterschool daycare? It's so much easier to just have the school do it- you don't have to find a good provider and transport your children. What about healthcare? Gee, if the school will do it you don't even have to find a good doctor and get off of work to get the child to the appointments. What a deal!! Now the schools want to take children as young as three years old!! What a deal- you don't have to pay for daycare- the taxpayers will just take care of it!! Yeah- what a deal. There's no downside here is there??
Well, whatever the government gives the government controls. They will decide WHAT AND HOW MUCH YOUR CHILDREN WILL EAT. They will decide HOW YOUR THREE YEAR OLD WILL BE RAISED. They will decide WHAT HEALTHCARE YOUR CHILD WILL GET. They will take over parenting and decide WHAT YOUR CHILD'S VALUES WILL BE. They will decide WHAT ACTIVITIES ARE APPROPRIATE FOR YOUR CHILD AFTER SCHOOL. Eventually they will drive other providers out of business and you will do and pay whatever the government decides. The government can then take away anything they give as well- rendering you dependent on the government's every whim. Your control over your life and your children will be lost because of your ADDICTION to government.
Americans should not compromise with this indoctrination of dependency and sloth- they should stand up proud with their ideas of freedom from government overreach and oppression. They should stand for the proud independent Americans that would rather pay their own bills today instead of paying the bills of others forever. We can have a proud industrious America where people work and invest for their futures instead of driving the government into ever more debt and leaving it to their children. We can have an America where our children inherit prosperity and strength and their parents retirement accounts when they pass, instead of having to pay for tragic ponzi schemes that are putting our country in peril.
One of the churches here in town has an add that says believing in Christ is just like making a wish when you throw a coin into a wishing well!! THAT'S ONE OF THE MOST RIDICULOUS THINGS I HAVE EVER HEARD!! NO, church is not all about YOU and what your are wishing for!! Church is about CONSCIENCE and MORAL RESPONSIBILITY and LOVE OF CHRIST. It's about living for something more than what your daily desires are. It's about your soul- your salvation and redemption.
Life is hard and will never be a panacea. Life is struggle for all of us. It is so easy for the left to sell ambrosia- just come along with us and we will pay your bills. Don't worry about a conscience- YOU AREN'T RESPONSIBLE- YOU ARE A VICTIM!! It's way past time for America to shake off these Marxist charlatans and turn to our true selves who know what our responsibilities are. It's time to start rebuilding America with people who have pride, respect and integrity. It's time to take back our lives
and our children. Shake off the ADDICTION America- it's a slow boat to hell.
Well, what about afterschool daycare? It's so much easier to just have the school do it- you don't have to find a good provider and transport your children. What about healthcare? Gee, if the school will do it you don't even have to find a good doctor and get off of work to get the child to the appointments. What a deal!! Now the schools want to take children as young as three years old!! What a deal- you don't have to pay for daycare- the taxpayers will just take care of it!! Yeah- what a deal. There's no downside here is there??
Well, whatever the government gives the government controls. They will decide WHAT AND HOW MUCH YOUR CHILDREN WILL EAT. They will decide HOW YOUR THREE YEAR OLD WILL BE RAISED. They will decide WHAT HEALTHCARE YOUR CHILD WILL GET. They will take over parenting and decide WHAT YOUR CHILD'S VALUES WILL BE. They will decide WHAT ACTIVITIES ARE APPROPRIATE FOR YOUR CHILD AFTER SCHOOL. Eventually they will drive other providers out of business and you will do and pay whatever the government decides. The government can then take away anything they give as well- rendering you dependent on the government's every whim. Your control over your life and your children will be lost because of your ADDICTION to government.
Americans should not compromise with this indoctrination of dependency and sloth- they should stand up proud with their ideas of freedom from government overreach and oppression. They should stand for the proud independent Americans that would rather pay their own bills today instead of paying the bills of others forever. We can have a proud industrious America where people work and invest for their futures instead of driving the government into ever more debt and leaving it to their children. We can have an America where our children inherit prosperity and strength and their parents retirement accounts when they pass, instead of having to pay for tragic ponzi schemes that are putting our country in peril.
One of the churches here in town has an add that says believing in Christ is just like making a wish when you throw a coin into a wishing well!! THAT'S ONE OF THE MOST RIDICULOUS THINGS I HAVE EVER HEARD!! NO, church is not all about YOU and what your are wishing for!! Church is about CONSCIENCE and MORAL RESPONSIBILITY and LOVE OF CHRIST. It's about living for something more than what your daily desires are. It's about your soul- your salvation and redemption.
Life is hard and will never be a panacea. Life is struggle for all of us. It is so easy for the left to sell ambrosia- just come along with us and we will pay your bills. Don't worry about a conscience- YOU AREN'T RESPONSIBLE- YOU ARE A VICTIM!! It's way past time for America to shake off these Marxist charlatans and turn to our true selves who know what our responsibilities are. It's time to start rebuilding America with people who have pride, respect and integrity. It's time to take back our lives
and our children. Shake off the ADDICTION America- it's a slow boat to hell.
Friday, 24 January 2014
Knowing Doing B EL I E V I N G !!
KNOWING, DOING ,B E L I E V I N G--does this sound like indoctrination to you?No one should be FORCED to BELIEVE anything.This all sounds like the Hitler youth camps to me- you better get on board and BELIEVE- no dissent accepted! Our Helena teachers are being forced to buy that they need to COLLABORATE to be a good teacher. Their students are not their students- they belong to the whole school ( unless of course there is failure- then it must be the TEACHER'S FAULT AND HE/SHE WILL NEED REMEDIATION BY HER PRINCIPAL AND THE COLLABORATION TEAM!!). I looked up the bio on these two "geniuses" that thought up all this garbage and was not surprised to learn that Robert Eaker is a professor of "educational leadership" in Tennessee and his partner in crime, Janet Keating, is a deputy superintendent of schools in Washington. I guess it's not a great secret that Doctorates in Education are a JOKE. Administrators in Education are, for the most part, especially these days, scared rabbits that are puppets for higher authority and do no thinking on their own at all. Case in point- our superintendent here in Helena who has a doctorate in education, parroted the old stand by "Kids just don't need to learn so much today because they can look it up!", at a recent board meeting. It took a member of the audience, namely me, to point out to him that just because you look something up doesn't mean you know it! I pointed out (as readers of my blog already know) that he couldn't read an article on astrophysics and understand it because he doesn't know astrophysics- voila- more information being available our students need more of a foundation of knowledge than ever!!Kent doesn't even need to do the KNOWING and DOING- he just B E L I E V E S WHATEVER the bureaucrats tell him!! He just looked at me sheepishly and we moved on.
I don't know exactly how Keating and Eaker got on this train to success-making them the divine arbiters of what all educators must B E L I E V E, probably a lot of kissing up to Washington bureaucrats- but it's not by a lot of hard data and research. It certainly can't be common sense that brings these two to their great pinnacle of greatness that allows them to dictate to school districts and teachers across the nation. Teachers are individuals, as we all are. They have their own ways of doing things as we all do. No two parents parent exactly the same way and no two teachers teach exactly the same way. The best teaching happens, as I think we all know, when teachers are allowed to teach in their own style. We all had great teachers- and they were independent- not cowed by a collaborative group. As far as students belonging to EVERYBODY - One person is responsible for the learning in that classroom and it is the teacher. Opening the teacher up to "collaboration" that she/he may or may not want, brings on the bossy types, the kiss up to the principal types, that are in everybody else's business- and in my experience- usually aren't doing all that well with their own business. Hey NEA (the teachers "association") start earning your dues- what ever happened to the old academic freedom you used to SCREAM about?
Teachers have ALWAYS collaborated on some level, as all workers do- they give each other ideas and share materials and consult on problems. BUT- FORCED COLLABORATION IS FALSE AND INVASIVE AND TIME CONSUMING. Teachers are EDUCATED AND TRAINED PROFESSIONALS- they don't need these money mongering nobody's from out of state putting them in a Hitler straight jacket of vapid teaching ideas. Some teachers do struggle, and it IS in the principal's job description to offer help, though most of them can't teach themselves. The union has a negotiated agreement that protects teachers in these circumstances ,"planned improvement plans"- but the last thing that's going to make a good teacher is every teacher getting in on the act- they should be working on their own classrooms.
In the end this sounds like a lot of make work and hype that will try to force teachers to do things they don't want or need to do ,and will not improve education- but will deter the good educator from getting his/ her work done. The students are the ones that suffer from this. Like Bill Spady (Outcomes based education of the 90's) Eaker and Keating will have their money and be far down the road when all of this is deemed a failure. What bothers me most is the B E L I E V I N G part- maybe we could get some liberals in a forced environment and train them to KNOW conservativism- they would practice DOING common sense and then they would be forced to
B E L I E V E in it!!
I don't know exactly how Keating and Eaker got on this train to success-making them the divine arbiters of what all educators must B E L I E V E, probably a lot of kissing up to Washington bureaucrats- but it's not by a lot of hard data and research. It certainly can't be common sense that brings these two to their great pinnacle of greatness that allows them to dictate to school districts and teachers across the nation. Teachers are individuals, as we all are. They have their own ways of doing things as we all do. No two parents parent exactly the same way and no two teachers teach exactly the same way. The best teaching happens, as I think we all know, when teachers are allowed to teach in their own style. We all had great teachers- and they were independent- not cowed by a collaborative group. As far as students belonging to EVERYBODY - One person is responsible for the learning in that classroom and it is the teacher. Opening the teacher up to "collaboration" that she/he may or may not want, brings on the bossy types, the kiss up to the principal types, that are in everybody else's business- and in my experience- usually aren't doing all that well with their own business. Hey NEA (the teachers "association") start earning your dues- what ever happened to the old academic freedom you used to SCREAM about?
Teachers have ALWAYS collaborated on some level, as all workers do- they give each other ideas and share materials and consult on problems. BUT- FORCED COLLABORATION IS FALSE AND INVASIVE AND TIME CONSUMING. Teachers are EDUCATED AND TRAINED PROFESSIONALS- they don't need these money mongering nobody's from out of state putting them in a Hitler straight jacket of vapid teaching ideas. Some teachers do struggle, and it IS in the principal's job description to offer help, though most of them can't teach themselves. The union has a negotiated agreement that protects teachers in these circumstances ,"planned improvement plans"- but the last thing that's going to make a good teacher is every teacher getting in on the act- they should be working on their own classrooms.
In the end this sounds like a lot of make work and hype that will try to force teachers to do things they don't want or need to do ,and will not improve education- but will deter the good educator from getting his/ her work done. The students are the ones that suffer from this. Like Bill Spady (Outcomes based education of the 90's) Eaker and Keating will have their money and be far down the road when all of this is deemed a failure. What bothers me most is the B E L I E V I N G part- maybe we could get some liberals in a forced environment and train them to KNOW conservativism- they would practice DOING common sense and then they would be forced to
B E L I E V E in it!!
Wednesday, 15 January 2014
DOWN RIGHT DANGEROUS!!
Did you know that not using our schools to propagandize our students against the Constitution Of The United States is DOWN RIGHT DANGEROUS!! Yes indeed!! In our new Common Core Language Arts Document that was passed UNANIMOUSLY by our school board here in Helena, in the Reading Informational Text band, ENGLISH TEACHERS, will be guiding their high school ENGLISH students to "delineate and EVALUATE the reasoning in seminal U.S. texts.." they will "Analyze .. U.S. documents -including the DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE, THE PREAMBLE TO THE CONSTITUTION, THE BILL OF RIGHTS... for their themes, purposes and RHETORICAL FEATURES". Meanwhile under these same learner targets, they will also be determining the credibility of an author and recognizing when an author introduces irrelevant evidences, false statements, and or fallacious reasoning. They will also "determine how the time period and point of view of an author affects his/ her perspective on a theme or concept". You don't think these ultra leftists are suggesting to our youngsters that our founding documents are old fashioned and need to be updated do you? Do you think they would do such a dastardly thing? I do. In fact I think that is their whole purpose in creating these standards. They are hoping that within a generation they can have a population of Americans that will be calling to replace our Constitution. I have never witnessed nor heard of such treachery in this country before. And just think, even after I read the document for them, that they did not read, our school board VOTED UNANIMOUSLY FOR TREACHERY!!!
I was told by one Don Pogreba (this is the high school english teacher with the blog who has people sending in rights to be added to our Constitution), that it was DOWN RIGHT DANGEROUS TO SUGGEST THAT SIXTEEN AND SEVENTEEN YEAR OLD STUDENTS SHOULDN'T TEAR APART AND CRITICIZE OUR NATIONAL DOCUMENTS!!! Yes indeed, why should our children learn loyalty and respect for the documents that built this nation? Seventeen year olds have the experience and background and knowledge to question the writings of our founders don't they? Their knowledge is the same as Thomas Jefferson who knew Greek and Latin and studied the classics in their original form isn't it? They know enough world history and law to hold court on our founders don't they? I question whether even the teacher, who is not a History teacher, and is not accredited by the state to teach our national documents, has the authority to tear these documents apart.
The Common Core starts propagandizing children in Kindergarten- making them believe that their opinions are as good as anyone else's ,even the teacher! In FIRST GRADE they will be telling what evidence the author presents to support the points in a text. Before they can even read they will be expressing their opinions and comparing full texts. Naturally by the time they are a teenager they will feel that all of their opinions have value and they know more than any author. The truth is this - OPINIONS OF CHILDREN WHO DO NOT HAVE KNOWLEDGE ARE NOT VALID- a five year old may have an opinion on what time he wants to go to bed- but bedtime is determined by his parents because they are OLDER, they are MORE MATURE, they HAVE MORE EXPERIENCE and they HAVE MORE KNOWLEDGE. These informational learner targets are not age appropriate for six year old children, but the people who wrote Common Core are intent on fashioning little individuals that will tear down our national documents and think it is THEIR IDEA.
Children can be used, and they are being used in the Common Core. The Common Core advocates pretend that "Gee, all we are doing is developing critical thinking skills-- gee whiz" yeah right . As Joe Wurzelbacker said, "Liberal Democrats wouldn't know a 'higher education standard' if it hit them in the face."Besides, don't you have to wonder why students have to do their critical thinking on our constitution? Couldn't they use some other material to practice on? Common Core advocates say teachers can pick their own materials to teach- why can't they pick their own critical thinking material when it comes to the constitution? Why is the constitution specifically named in the learner targets?
I could have named this blog TYRANNY AND BLASPHEMY because when the paper came out today the Language Arts Curriculum was praised and only the advocates got their testimony in the paper. I might as well have saved my energy and time- my testimony was completely ignored. Sometimes you feel like you're a freight train fighting an incoming ocean tide- but I don't get discouraged as they would love for all of us to do- I fight on because I know that freight train will find higher ground eventually- after all - the Communists started in back rooms and basements and look where they are now-- in the White House!!
I was told by one Don Pogreba (this is the high school english teacher with the blog who has people sending in rights to be added to our Constitution), that it was DOWN RIGHT DANGEROUS TO SUGGEST THAT SIXTEEN AND SEVENTEEN YEAR OLD STUDENTS SHOULDN'T TEAR APART AND CRITICIZE OUR NATIONAL DOCUMENTS!!! Yes indeed, why should our children learn loyalty and respect for the documents that built this nation? Seventeen year olds have the experience and background and knowledge to question the writings of our founders don't they? Their knowledge is the same as Thomas Jefferson who knew Greek and Latin and studied the classics in their original form isn't it? They know enough world history and law to hold court on our founders don't they? I question whether even the teacher, who is not a History teacher, and is not accredited by the state to teach our national documents, has the authority to tear these documents apart.
The Common Core starts propagandizing children in Kindergarten- making them believe that their opinions are as good as anyone else's ,even the teacher! In FIRST GRADE they will be telling what evidence the author presents to support the points in a text. Before they can even read they will be expressing their opinions and comparing full texts. Naturally by the time they are a teenager they will feel that all of their opinions have value and they know more than any author. The truth is this - OPINIONS OF CHILDREN WHO DO NOT HAVE KNOWLEDGE ARE NOT VALID- a five year old may have an opinion on what time he wants to go to bed- but bedtime is determined by his parents because they are OLDER, they are MORE MATURE, they HAVE MORE EXPERIENCE and they HAVE MORE KNOWLEDGE. These informational learner targets are not age appropriate for six year old children, but the people who wrote Common Core are intent on fashioning little individuals that will tear down our national documents and think it is THEIR IDEA.
Children can be used, and they are being used in the Common Core. The Common Core advocates pretend that "Gee, all we are doing is developing critical thinking skills-- gee whiz" yeah right . As Joe Wurzelbacker said, "Liberal Democrats wouldn't know a 'higher education standard' if it hit them in the face."Besides, don't you have to wonder why students have to do their critical thinking on our constitution? Couldn't they use some other material to practice on? Common Core advocates say teachers can pick their own materials to teach- why can't they pick their own critical thinking material when it comes to the constitution? Why is the constitution specifically named in the learner targets?
I could have named this blog TYRANNY AND BLASPHEMY because when the paper came out today the Language Arts Curriculum was praised and only the advocates got their testimony in the paper. I might as well have saved my energy and time- my testimony was completely ignored. Sometimes you feel like you're a freight train fighting an incoming ocean tide- but I don't get discouraged as they would love for all of us to do- I fight on because I know that freight train will find higher ground eventually- after all - the Communists started in back rooms and basements and look where they are now-- in the White House!!
Saturday, 4 January 2014
SCREAMING IN THE WIND
The conservatives are trying so hard to say something and they just aren't being heard- THEY ARE SCREAMING IN THE WIND. The so called "progressives" trot out their same garbage over and over and call it new. No one pays attention to the fact that their ideas are failures and have been failures for fifty years. No one listens to the fact that liberal ideas have DESTROYED public morals, public schools, government respect and integrity, and the public debt. The "progressives" ask the conservatives what their ideas are but when they answer the "progressives" are deaf and blind-they just won't hear them- the conservatives are SCREAMING IN THE WIND that our colleges are broken, our government institutions are broken. The conservatives are SCREAMING IN THE WIND that THERE ARE BETTER IDEAS, IDEAS THAT WORK AND HAVE BEEN PROVEN TO WORK. Conservatives are SCREAMING IN THE WIND as they try to get the press to recognize the failures of the liberal establishment, failures of liberal programs, lies and corruption. The press doesn't care, won't do investigative reporting, and is happy to be the shill for every liberal that knocks on their door. The newspapers that are going broke may want to think of this- MAYBE PEOPLE DON'T BUY THEIR PAPERS BECAUSE THERE IS NO NEWS THERE- EVERYONE ALREADY KNOWS WHAT THEY WILL SAY AND WHAT THEIR PROPAGANDA WILL BE.
It is astonishing that people have reported corruption in government agencies- like the census bureau workers being forced to misreport labor statistics so that Obama could get elected- and the press just lets it go- lets it die- won't investigate. The press is complicit in letting this country die - letting corruption thrive and kill. Complicit in destroying freedom.
Good schools? Good schools are not hard to create- although the liberals make it harder and harder to educate youngsters who have no respect, no morals,no self discipline and an entitlement attitude. If liberals really wanted to educate instead of social engineer for the new socialist world order, they could educate- it's not rocket science. You see, time spent doing community service and learning about sex and doing art with the artist in resident, and exercising in class, and group projects, and snacks, and the bully program and the drug program and the endangered species program and all the other programs that have children not studying academics, is time spent not learning the foundation of information they need to become educated. It's really that simple. We all know what works. The KIPP Academies are the most successful in the nation - even according to Christopher Lohse of the Chief State School Officers Association. Direct instruction works- gee what a novelty.
Conservatives try to say- we built a successful nation- why are you dismissing everything that works?- But they are SCREAMING IN THE WIND- the liberals close their eyes and cover their ears- nothing was said!! Conservatives try to point out that colleges are failing us- our teachers are not trained well- not well educated- not experts in their field- but the liberals hum a tune -" I can't hear you!!" The conservatives are SCREAMING IN THE WIND! The liberals come back with MORE of the same old free school failed ideas and call them new- the conservatives say " Where is your research, your data?"- the liberals hum a tune " I can't hear you!". A Montessori teacher who raised both of her boys through the Montessori program was asked by a school board member if she would do it again- she wouldn't answer. We've had PUBLIC Montessori in Helena for 20 years and there is no data to prove that it has accomplished anything good - and yet it goes on and teachers in regular classes are pressured to do the Montessori mess.
The schools that sent us to the moon and built this nation are called "factory" schools. Children were trained to succeed in the workforce and that was "bad" according to liberals. And yet, the liberals call their new Common Core program "college and career ready". They want to bring the workforce into the classroom with their "School to Work" programs. School to Work programs take children from the task at hand- learning to read and write and do math so that they can SUCCEED in the world. Even more importantly, children need to learn to be "rugged individuals"- that's the work ethic that gets you out of bed in the morning and won't let you give up when the going gets tough. The ethic that creates motivation and hard work and self respect. You Teach that ethic by having children be RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR OWN WORK. You teach that ethic by showing children that their parents have it when they make their breakfast and their lunch for them. You teach that ethic by showing children that hard work is REWARDED and they do not go to school to be entertained.
Nothing was ever perfect in "factory" schools but they built a great nation. Good schools today will focus on what worked and incrementally improve what didn't. New technologies certainly can have good use (at times) in the classroom. Colleges must quit letting professors teach their politics and instead make them teach GOOD teaching practices that are known to work. Colleges should prepare teachers to be experts in what they teach - real experts- Language Arts teachers that really know the classics and genres of literature- as well as grammar and syntax- and have the ability to organize a classroom and deliver GOOD instruction. A united effort to make our schools and our country SUCCEED will definitely work. Failed pie in the sky ideas of socialism need to be discarded. QUIT TRYING TO SOCIAL ENGINEER OUR CHILDREN AND INSTEAD GIVE THEM AN EDUCATION. TAKE YOUR HANDS OFF YOUR EARS AND HEAR THIS- CONSERVATIVES ARE TIRED OF SCREAMING IN THE WIND!!!
It is astonishing that people have reported corruption in government agencies- like the census bureau workers being forced to misreport labor statistics so that Obama could get elected- and the press just lets it go- lets it die- won't investigate. The press is complicit in letting this country die - letting corruption thrive and kill. Complicit in destroying freedom.
Good schools? Good schools are not hard to create- although the liberals make it harder and harder to educate youngsters who have no respect, no morals,no self discipline and an entitlement attitude. If liberals really wanted to educate instead of social engineer for the new socialist world order, they could educate- it's not rocket science. You see, time spent doing community service and learning about sex and doing art with the artist in resident, and exercising in class, and group projects, and snacks, and the bully program and the drug program and the endangered species program and all the other programs that have children not studying academics, is time spent not learning the foundation of information they need to become educated. It's really that simple. We all know what works. The KIPP Academies are the most successful in the nation - even according to Christopher Lohse of the Chief State School Officers Association. Direct instruction works- gee what a novelty.
Conservatives try to say- we built a successful nation- why are you dismissing everything that works?- But they are SCREAMING IN THE WIND- the liberals close their eyes and cover their ears- nothing was said!! Conservatives try to point out that colleges are failing us- our teachers are not trained well- not well educated- not experts in their field- but the liberals hum a tune -" I can't hear you!!" The conservatives are SCREAMING IN THE WIND! The liberals come back with MORE of the same old free school failed ideas and call them new- the conservatives say " Where is your research, your data?"- the liberals hum a tune " I can't hear you!". A Montessori teacher who raised both of her boys through the Montessori program was asked by a school board member if she would do it again- she wouldn't answer. We've had PUBLIC Montessori in Helena for 20 years and there is no data to prove that it has accomplished anything good - and yet it goes on and teachers in regular classes are pressured to do the Montessori mess.
The schools that sent us to the moon and built this nation are called "factory" schools. Children were trained to succeed in the workforce and that was "bad" according to liberals. And yet, the liberals call their new Common Core program "college and career ready". They want to bring the workforce into the classroom with their "School to Work" programs. School to Work programs take children from the task at hand- learning to read and write and do math so that they can SUCCEED in the world. Even more importantly, children need to learn to be "rugged individuals"- that's the work ethic that gets you out of bed in the morning and won't let you give up when the going gets tough. The ethic that creates motivation and hard work and self respect. You Teach that ethic by having children be RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR OWN WORK. You teach that ethic by showing children that their parents have it when they make their breakfast and their lunch for them. You teach that ethic by showing children that hard work is REWARDED and they do not go to school to be entertained.
Nothing was ever perfect in "factory" schools but they built a great nation. Good schools today will focus on what worked and incrementally improve what didn't. New technologies certainly can have good use (at times) in the classroom. Colleges must quit letting professors teach their politics and instead make them teach GOOD teaching practices that are known to work. Colleges should prepare teachers to be experts in what they teach - real experts- Language Arts teachers that really know the classics and genres of literature- as well as grammar and syntax- and have the ability to organize a classroom and deliver GOOD instruction. A united effort to make our schools and our country SUCCEED will definitely work. Failed pie in the sky ideas of socialism need to be discarded. QUIT TRYING TO SOCIAL ENGINEER OUR CHILDREN AND INSTEAD GIVE THEM AN EDUCATION. TAKE YOUR HANDS OFF YOUR EARS AND HEAR THIS- CONSERVATIVES ARE TIRED OF SCREAMING IN THE WIND!!!
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