Show I the Teachers I Mothers of America Amanda Hughes Associate Editor VERY day we hear how E EVERY Americas America's educational system is failing and for forthe forthe forthe the most part it is true The reason education is failing however is not solely beI because because be be- I cause government and teachers are inadequate This failure is a symptom of the deterioration of the basic family unit Americas America's youth have been labeled by American and foreign intellectuals as the country of student apathy and ignorance America is better known in other countries for our entertainment rather than our high academic achieve achieve- ments Germany and Japan are striving for academic excellence and leaving America by the wayside Why again is our educational educational educational system failing What is the fundamental reason that students are muddling through high school without learning anything anything anything any any- thing Are their minds on other things What do most Americans do in the evening evening evening eve eve- ning American family entertainment revolves around the television set This involves no conversation conversation conversation conversa conversa- tion or thought It just fills up time and the space in their heads How often does a parent check to see if a achild achild achild child is doing her homework How often does a parent spend time talking with or reading to toa a child and stimulating his thoughts The percentage of working working working work work- ing mothers has dramatically dramatically dramatically cally increased in recent years and children are often left neglected Reading and exploring the outdoors is a great way to stimulate genuine thought and creative thinking in a child This I. I creates a desire to learn when I Most older people asked will explain how fruitful and adventurous t i their childhoods were I Their days were spent with other children and people playing games fishing exploring exploring exploring ex ex- ex- ex reading inventing inventing inventing invent invent- 1 ing etc Their minds were 11 the only limit This was more prevalent years ago I before television because our older people did not have entertainment wrapped up in a little box I Most children now now will pick over over- anything anything anything any any- thing that is educational Quality time in American horn homes es is scarce Parents expect teachers to educate their children in everything from history to hygiene A local teacher teather I spoke with was appalled out how dirty American children were She is originally from the Philippines Philippines Philip Philip- pines where children childr n do donot donot donot not have running water yet they come to school clean Ironically one of the most affluent countries in inthe inthe inthe the world America America has dirty children Many children are not only being neglected intellectually intellectually intellectually intel intel- but physically They expect the schools to supply lunch for sure and breakfast would be nice I Did you know that elementary elementary elementary elemen- elemen I tary schools supply I children with hair cuts and clothes Teachers have b become come the psychiatrists the mentors mentors mentors men men- tors the the moralists I Mothers of America Our society has become too dependent on American government Parents need to take responsibility for their own children to re-establish re a strength in the basic family unit I I 01 c J. J l lr a t r l 4 j m i I 06 t f v v vV u V r l I i 1 1 t 1 t r r V I 1 i f t tL L |