“GIVE ME A SMART IDIOT OVER
A STUPID GENIUS ANY DAY.”
Samuel Goldwyn
I have had some who believe that I am against teachers. Even though I have many friends that are teachers and a god daughter that is a PHD in education and teaches grade school.
So the impression that I am against teachers is a misnomer. I rail against bad teachers, bad administrators, bad policies, and deliberate transition of education into indoctrination.
This also applies to parents who allow their children to become the boss and become their weapon against those who insist that the kids learn and behave. There is a good comparison chart for how parents treated the kids of the depression and now. Every parent should read that comparison and take it to heart.
I was asked about my education the other day and my answer was that I have college credits floating around everywhere but consider myself lucky that I did not get a degree and allowed walls to be put up that limits my ability to study and think.
I also did not have 30 years of student loan debt to worry about. In fact I treasure the experiences that I have for many years of doing work in a large area that covers a lot of subjects. I have had some of the best jobs in the world and worked with some great people. And learned from a lot of people who had some interesting life experiences. Things you do not get in a class room.
I have railed against the promotion of Common Core and even had a lady from the State call me and explained that Kansas new curriculum was not Common Core. And then read an article from a Kansas Universities Alumni Magazine honoring one of the graduates who was now the Superintendent of the states largest district. They honored her for adopting the new Kansas Common Core Standards in her system successfully. So much for truth in the state education system.
I may have alluded to this before, but I had a Kansas resident who had never heard of the Bloody Benders the other day. She did not remember it being taught in school. Even though at least two grades are required to teach Kansas History in K-12.
The farm that the Benders did their murderous work is being sold and the newspaper article, I am sure, has taken many by surprise. Eleven victims were dug up in the orchard after the family disappeared. but in 1872 & 73 there were a lot of people who were moving west that disappeared. There is a neighboring property that the owners believe that there may more graves not found on that place. It is also not know what the final number of people murdered were. Some bodies were buried seven feet deep.
Fields can be tilled and never have the deep graves be found. It would take a huge effort to investigate. That may never be done. In fact there are many people who don’t care.
It drives me forward to uncover more stories of Kansas and Kansans so there is a chance that the people and happenings do not get lost especially for people like me who do care.
So expect me to still keep the awareness up about teaching that does not live up to a good standard.
There is an old saying that goes ‘Them that can, do. those who can’t, teach.’ That is a really cynical statement. But just enough truth to keep it alive. I wish it could die out. I know there are those who are trying to disprove it everyday.
