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.
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.
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.
Wonderful recommendations and memories. Not growing up in Florida, the teachers wheeled a TV on a large stand into the classroom so we could watch in real time the launching of rockets and the splashdown of the capsules. Those were special and very memorable days in school.
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.
Happy to say that my first grade grandson’s public school just did a production called American Symbols… started with the Pledge, and it included My Country Tis of Thee and ended with a really rousing rendition of It’s a Grand ol Flag!! Kids were having such fun and I was thrilled. Gives me hope.
Exactly Ellen--as a retired tracher, and school board member --more of the classics should be taught..also more history. As you say, information is needed to learn how to think critically. Snippets, sound bites , 15 second posts all form the bad habit of too quickly grabbing a catch phrase.
Highest compliment coming from one who values great discussions in his science classroom at Cornell! I just read some of your Substack discussions… wow! It’s humbling for me to see such intelligence and factual knowledge and discussion.
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!
Beautiful! and most heartening for this octagenarian whose main concern is the world my grandchildren--and your chidren, Voice of Ruth, will live in.
School boards and teachers unions have failed America.
Most especialy the too powerfu teacher's unions.
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.
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.
Schools have failed America
Maybe part of the probllem is locally? more parents should take a more active role intheir children's schools.
Dear Jenna,
Wonderful recommendations and memories. Not growing up in Florida, the teachers wheeled a TV on a large stand into the classroom so we could watch in real time the launching of rockets and the splashdown of the capsules. Those were special and very memorable days in school.
Thanks,
randy
Great column applicable to all countries and societies.
Absolutely!!
None of it should ever have stopped!!
Thank you for this 🙏🏻
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.
Its a grand old flag
Its a high flying flag
And forever in peace
May it wave
Its the emblem of
The land I Love
The Home of
The Free and the Brave
And half the country would choke on the words
Happy to say that my first grade grandson’s public school just did a production called American Symbols… started with the Pledge, and it included My Country Tis of Thee and ended with a really rousing rendition of It’s a Grand ol Flag!! Kids were having such fun and I was thrilled. Gives me hope.
Btw… I’m honored to have you reply as I always enjoy your comments on TFP!
You are very kind
Exactly Ellen--as a retired tracher, and school board member --more of the classics should be taught..also more history. As you say, information is needed to learn how to think critically. Snippets, sound bites , 15 second posts all form the bad habit of too quickly grabbing a catch phrase.
Agreed!
Highest compliment coming from one who values great discussions in his science classroom at Cornell! I just read some of your Substack discussions… wow! It’s humbling for me to see such intelligence and factual knowledge and discussion.
Dear Ellen,
I see that you are a history teacher. I take a historical approach to teaching everything. I think that it is the best way to understand science.
Here are my lecture notes: http://labs.plantbio.cornell.edu/wayne/pdfs/completeSpring2026LightandLifenotes.pdf
thanks,
randy
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.
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.
This is awesome! In my opinion, if our country is to have a hope for the future, it must follow this prescription.
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!
Me too! 😂😂
💯
This is obedience school for animals.
Pavlovian conditioning.
How does it differ from the Mao's Little Red Book or Hitler's Third Reich?