Frustration

So...I'm watching a repeat of Oprah in which they are discussing the deplorable state of education in America. I totally agree there's a lot wrong with education. There are issues of equity and resources. There are crappy teachers. I completely understand the issue.

But.

There has been no discussion of parental responsibility and societal responsibility.

Society: our kids see all kinds of things that take away from education. Play video games all the time. Watch t.v. . What's a book? Why not become famous and you don't have to do anything. Money will just magically appear.

When I was a kid, if my parents got a call from a teacher for a discipline problem (which I don't think ever happened) it was all on me. "Mhari, why did you do what you did? No t.v.. No phone...no other activities, you're grounded for 6 months" (okay...only a slight exaggeration). The response I get now is more like, "Ms. Dubh, why are you picking on my child?"

I kid you not, I had a parent one time tell me, "Well, I tell Sonny that if he gets in trouble at school, he won't get in more trouble at home."

Are you s#$tting me? Seriously? Oh no, no no no.....If you're getting in trouble at school you sure as shootin' need to get grounded at home. Otherwise there is no expectation of respect for school.

I've felt undercut again and again by parents who put too much importance on sports and other things and school comes in a distant second or third or even fourth.

I understand that education is in crisis. They showed students not being able to name the first 5 presidents. Well of course not. That's not what's tested. That's not knowledge that students are supposed to have for the standardized test that teachers are supposed to prepare them for.

sigh. I don't know how to fix things. oh....If I ran the world