The Center Of The Universe

Sitting on the county school board for 12 years I had an opportunity to look at how we educate children in our country. In our state less than half of the children are scoring at or above grade level in math and reading. The education leadership, trying to improve results, is constantly changing the curriculum, teacher training, technology, the tests, teacher evaluations, etc., in pursuit of the academic Holy Grail that will improve performance. And they are spending loads of money in the process.

What I realized early on is the curriculum, the teachers, their training and the testing were all good enough and have been good enough for decades now. The reason for flat lining results hasn’t been faulty academics. The problem is much deeper than that.

The key to successful teaching is having a student who is prepared to accept a lesson and parents at home doing their part in their child’s education. Due to the breakdown of the family and what our culture is feeding our children in the wake of this parental vacuum, it is getting harder and harder to educate a child in this country.

Look at what the media, Hollywood, TV are feeding our children: 4-letter words, only the nerds study, transgenderism, party 24-7, violence, gambling, the “just do it” mentality, kill and be killed video games. I have long said our society is collectively suffering from mental illness and I think this is one of the reasons why. Filling kids minds and hearts with this crap is not conducive to educating them in math, reading and science.

One of the grave problems I see developing in our children, and the school system has greatly contributed to it, is what I call the “I’m the center of the universe syndrome”. We tell our children they are the center of the universe, beit with the awards schools give them to the media telling every kid he is “very special”. When they become adults and find out they aren’t so special working at the plant or standing in a line of 1,000 to get on a reality TV show, it is quite disappointing.

Look at the result of this with the selfie rage. Click here. This article describes it as a mental illness. Kids are told they are the center of the universe, they really aren’t so many just take pictures of themselves all day having to tell themselves, yes I’m special, yes I’m the most pretty, yes I’m this, yes I’m that.

You are special and my and your mom’s eyes and those who know you personally, but you won’t be special in the eyes of anyone else unless you earn it, and prove to them you are exceptional. Just showing up is not going to do it kido. That is a challenge, I know, and it is a bit cruel, but that is reality and our children (future adults) will have to make it on their own.