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Show 8A Emery County Progress Castle Dale, Utah Tuesday August 14, 2001 C OMMENTARY Woctiiinriis By DOUG PATTON The philosophy of the classroom in one Generation will U the philosophy of government in the next -- Ahraham Lincoln A nationwide sun ey commissioned hv the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation recently asked 1.020 youngsters between the ages of 12 and 17 a series of 10 fourth grade lccl history questions. The results are not at all surprisingtothoseof us w ho believe the only solution left for American education is to scrap the current system altogether and rebuild it on a completely different premise. Consider the following: 10 HTcent did not know that ( ieorge Washington w as the first president. 17 percent did not know that there were Li original colonies. - LI percent did not know that the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence on duly -- -- 4, 1770. - Nearly one in four did not know who fou gilt in the Ci il War; Li percent thought it was the I nited States andLngland. - Nearly one-thir- Francis Scott d didn't know that Americas Key wrote national anthem, The Danner." To make matters worse, the questions were multiple-choicthereby givingthe students a one in four chance of guessingthc right answer. I would bet good money that these same children could recite all the currently fashionable, politically correct, environmental extremist propaganda. A recent John Stossel piece for ABC proved that, with virtually every' child in a class of youngpublic school students spout-ingth- e party line on global warming. What can we expect from a government organization totally dominated by the largest, richest, most liberal union in the history of the country? The National Education Star-Spangl- e, werirainnieirati EdlioeatiSoira ff Association exists for the purpose of promoting its radical, left wing agenda, and that agenda is affirting the educat ion of our children. Consider: The NLA hehees in abortion. They call it "reproductive freedom, of course, but the union is radically promoting it through all nine months of pregnancy. Not content to encourage that terrible right, they also believe that our tax dollars should pay for it. Fifteen-year-ol- d girls may not know that Janies Madison is the father of our Constitution, but they have been brainwashed to believe that whoever w rote that dusty old document intended that they should have the right to kill their unborn children. The NKA believes in the radical homosexual agendq. They call it "diversity, but the truth is that the union is promoting an agenda of perversion to children tooyoungto even understand sex of any kind. In the name of tolerance," our public schools have been turned into propaganda centers for the sensitivity training" of innocent children. If the NKA has its way, high school boys may not know the meaningof the words nature and natures Cod, but after years of misinformation about gay role models, they know that sodomy is a normal, healthy, alternative lifestyle. The NEA is adamantly opposed to parental choice in education. Knowing that they have failed to provide a good fundamental education for our children, they use their vast wealth to pro-aliorti- support politicians (almost exclusively liberal Democrats) who will block any meaningful program of school choice. So frightened of competition is the NEA that they have called for a ban on the sale of any empty public school building if it is to be used as a private or religious school. The NEA labels as extremists any parent who criticizes public schools, especially on religious grounds. State affiliates of the NEA have held seminars on how to deal with critics from what they call the radical right, the extremist right, or fundamentalists. Public school children have never been told that the Founders were religious men who feared and revered God. If they had, they might think our nation was founded by extremists. The NEA is not an educational organization. They are a radical political organization cloaked in the disguise of education. The union takes stands on issues that have nothingto do with education. Some of their current resolutions include support for a nuclear freeze, statehood for Washington, DC, and a world court. For too long, public education in America has been reminiscent of the story of The Emperors New Clothes, wherein everyone knew that the emperor was naked, but no one would say so. For too long, the National Education Association has had a stranglehold on the heritage of America. For too long, our children have been victims of government y education. (Patton is a freelance col twin ist who has served as a speech writer and policy advisor to federal, state and local candidates and elected officials.) HOMEMADE Work Together to Resolve Differences By PAULA WELLNITZ How long has it been since you checked out the rules in your family? How long since all members had the chance to name all the family rules she can . think of? Because family life is dynamic -each grows older, has different outside experi- - ences rules may get ignored, changed or understood differently. A sit dowm session with all family members to see what rules each is operating under could prove enlightening. Oh you may say. Thats why you do that or maybe Thats why Im not heard. CONFUSED We Could All Use a Spokesperson By JAMES L. DAVIS Wouldnt it be great if each of us had our own, personal spokesperson? Somebody dressed in a snappy suit who would answer the day to day questions of what w'ere doingand why it isnt what we are supposed to be doing. And as long as we have our own spokesperson, we might as well have our own TV channel, the equivalent of for the ordinary citizen. That way we could an look in on say, Uncle Georges channel and there, standingbefore a podium would be a smartly dressed young man or woman who would field questions from reporters about Uncle George. Reporter; What exactly arc Uncle Georges plans for the day?" Spokesperson: It being Saturday, Untie George plans to spend the majority of the day on the reclincr, followed by a late afternoon nap." Reporter; There have been rumors that Uncle Georges wife has , repeatedly asked for his assistance with yard work. Care to comment? Spokesperson: do not field 1 questions based on rumors. Reporter: There have also been complaints by neighbors of Uncle George that his yard is becoming an eyesore. Does he plan on addressing this problem? Spokesperson: Uncle George plans to meet with his advisors in the very near future and lay out a plan to aggressively and decisively deal with this problem. 1 have no further comments on this subject. Next question. Yes, I think life would be much better by far if we all had our own spokesperson. That would leave us free to live a much happier, more fulfilling life without being bombarded by other peoples expectations of us. We could show up for a few photo ops and perhaps a soundbite from time to time, but when it comes to explaining our actions, defer to our spokesperson. Come to think of it, havinga spokesperson would be ideal for children as well. Parent: Why is your room so filthy? Johnny: Uhhmm. Spokesperson: Johnny has had a very full schedule, with summer vacation, video games and sleeping until noon. But the issue of the messy room is high on his priority list and will be dealt with aggressively as soon as he returns from his camping trip. Parent: There are strange sounds and smells coming from beneath his bed. Is there something growing under there? Spokesperson: I cannot confirm nor deny the possibility of a under Johnnys bed. This is something that will be looked into forthwith and we will hold a press conference as soon as we have any more information on the subject. Parent: I want that room cleaned life-for- m Once you have found out what rules everyone is operating under, all of you can sort out which ones really need to be and why. Or there may be new andor better ones that could be agreed upon. To what extent have the children grown to where they still need limits and promptings in some areas of life, but have a sense of what is the courteous, caring things to do, are cognizant of needs and take care of them? To w'hat extent are some things, rather than rules, simply agreed upon scheduling? Each may take responsibility but has to know w'hen to do it in relation to other people or happenings. Whether you continue to need rules covering all areqs or not, those the family agrees on should be clearly understood by all. Those rules should be helping each to grow (not just children). All should have had a. say in setting them. In the process does everyone feel free to express his or her feelings and thoughts about the rules? Are these heard and accepted by all as that persons valid position for that moment? Then having recognized the. feelings and ideas of each, can all of you work together to resolve the differences of opinion to enable ' setting of rules agreed upon by all? This process can be carried on in j" some way by families with children " of all ages. Parents would gradually ' need to be less prominent in the process as the children grow older. ' LETTER TO THE EDITOR A Visit to the Fair Im writing this because of my visit to the Emery County Fkir. I went to see the exhibits and to cheek the photos I had entered (I look forward to entering my photos every year). I was very disappointed because there were only a few photos entered. Year before last, there were several panels full of pictures. Last year the number of pictures dropped. Sadly, this year only 27 were entered. Peach Days in Ferron will be here soon. Lets show everyone we can i.; support the fair and the wonderful people that went to the trouble to make it happen. Get your photos and-- ' crafts ready and enter them for your own and everyone elses enjoyment. Lets show them what weve got. Florence Jacobsen -- , Emery up right now. Spokesperson: Im sorry, but schcdulingconflicts make that impossible. I have nothing further to say regardingthis subject. Next question. At which point I suppose the spokesperson would be bludgeoned to death by the parent, so perhaps a spokesperson isnt the best idea for a child. Maybe spokespersons should remain in the realm of politicians and big business. They usually have more explaining to do anyway. Letters to the editor shotHd focus on public . issues rather than private personalities or entities. All submissions must be verified . , . prior to publication., . The Emery County Progress reserves the right to edit letters not only to satisfy space constraints;'1 ; but potential liability concerns. Vr- 'i : - 4. A 5 |