Yes! 🙌 my kids charter school does all these things and it’s awesome- the effect it has on the whole community not just the students. It’s re-engaging parents, youth and broader community in the ongoing conversations about what it means to be a good citizen. How can we each contribute? Gratitude, responsibility respect and innovation can all work together. 🇺🇸🙏🏻🕊️🙌
I should add that this is a school with over 60% minority (mostly working class Hispanic) and the patriotism taught is balanced- never an assumption of a perfect nation or a nation that doesn’t have a lot of work ahead to truly exemplify its creeds. I’ve been impressed with the handling of difficult subject matter such as slavery and Jim Crow (in 8th grade) and the emphasis on logic, debate skills and making well reasoned arguments. That such a school has flourished for over 30 years and has an enormous wait list while operating with 30% less taxpayer funding as compared with a non-charter public school is testament that our education system can be redeemed.
All so very true. We become the people we learn from, ideally our parents, teachers, the societal examples in our lives. We can learn the positive, the negative, or just very little.
Love this !!!! In the schools where I’ve taught - deep blue city - there are tons of gay pride flags, tons of Black Lives Matter flags and tons of black power flags but zero American flags. I can’t imagine the Pledge of Allegiance even being recognized by the kids. I could say more but I will leave it at: it’s even worse than you think.
No offense intended, but I have heard that sentiment so many times that I just have to say… kids can’t think critically without information upon which to base thoughts. Memorizing facts and details is still important. Otherwise, we just pass sentiments and snippets back and forth. I say this as a retired educator who is still involved in grade school and high school classrooms. I’m not pleased with what I see and hear. The lack of depth of thought and insight is appalling. We need teachers who demand excellence and keep the bar high… kids may not reach the top of that bar, but they will surely gain more than with lowered expectations. I regret that I didn’t require my students to memorize more important American documents … it wasn’t in vogue then, and I succumbed to the trends of the day… sadly.
Without an understanding of how blessed we are to be citizens in America-and what it cost-there is no rational basis for critical thinking in children. Foundational knowledge of America is lacking, and it sadly shows.
Growing up in north Florida, I had a similar experience, especially with the space shuttle and the flag. It was instilled in us that the flag does not touch the ground. These are unifying rituals that bind us to the values of the nation as well to each other. Rituals are important for coming of age and social cohesion. Having secular ones that unite us across various cultures and beliefs is obviously important, as we can see now.
Yes! 🙌 my kids charter school does all these things and it’s awesome- the effect it has on the whole community not just the students. It’s re-engaging parents, youth and broader community in the ongoing conversations about what it means to be a good citizen. How can we each contribute? Gratitude, responsibility respect and innovation can all work together. 🇺🇸🙏🏻🕊️🙌
I should add that this is a school with over 60% minority (mostly working class Hispanic) and the patriotism taught is balanced- never an assumption of a perfect nation or a nation that doesn’t have a lot of work ahead to truly exemplify its creeds. I’ve been impressed with the handling of difficult subject matter such as slavery and Jim Crow (in 8th grade) and the emphasis on logic, debate skills and making well reasoned arguments. That such a school has flourished for over 30 years and has an enormous wait list while operating with 30% less taxpayer funding as compared with a non-charter public school is testament that our education system can be redeemed.
So glad to hear this!
School boards and teachers unions have failed America.
Schools have failed America
All so very true. We become the people we learn from, ideally our parents, teachers, the societal examples in our lives. We can learn the positive, the negative, or just very little.
Love this !!!! In the schools where I’ve taught - deep blue city - there are tons of gay pride flags, tons of Black Lives Matter flags and tons of black power flags but zero American flags. I can’t imagine the Pledge of Allegiance even being recognized by the kids. I could say more but I will leave it at: it’s even worse than you think.
Great column applicable to all countries and societies.
Well, there’s nothing wrong with patriotism, what you’re proposing is to replace leftist propaganda with patriotic propaganda.
Neither is good
We need to eliminate recitation and memorization and replace it with critical thinking skills
No offense intended, but I have heard that sentiment so many times that I just have to say… kids can’t think critically without information upon which to base thoughts. Memorizing facts and details is still important. Otherwise, we just pass sentiments and snippets back and forth. I say this as a retired educator who is still involved in grade school and high school classrooms. I’m not pleased with what I see and hear. The lack of depth of thought and insight is appalling. We need teachers who demand excellence and keep the bar high… kids may not reach the top of that bar, but they will surely gain more than with lowered expectations. I regret that I didn’t require my students to memorize more important American documents … it wasn’t in vogue then, and I succumbed to the trends of the day… sadly.
Without an understanding of how blessed we are to be citizens in America-and what it cost-there is no rational basis for critical thinking in children. Foundational knowledge of America is lacking, and it sadly shows.
I agree with that. And any way that we can combat wokeism, feninism, and Marxism is a blessing for everyone.
Absolutely!!
None of it should ever have stopped!!
Thank you for this 🙏🏻
We’d have to fire every teacher and burn education schools to the ground.
As they say at Hillsdale, “Let’s get started!”
Just kidding.
Growing up in north Florida, I had a similar experience, especially with the space shuttle and the flag. It was instilled in us that the flag does not touch the ground. These are unifying rituals that bind us to the values of the nation as well to each other. Rituals are important for coming of age and social cohesion. Having secular ones that unite us across various cultures and beliefs is obviously important, as we can see now.
My wife knows all the anthem of every service. And that melts my heart ❣️
“Fifty! Nifty! United States from 13 original colonies…” 🎶
I will now have this song in my head for the rest of the day!