Skip to main content

Yet another failure of our public schools?

We are not taught classes on character qualities and ideals, love and relationships, or even conscious communication in our school systems, miserably at relationships and marriage so it's no wonder why we fail so miserably at relationships and marriage. --Bess O'Connor, Ayurvedic and Holistic Health Practitioner
This quote just made me angry when I read it.  It only lasted for about thirty seconds, but I can get my gorge to rise again just by looking at it.

Really are we to assume that the only place anyone learns anything, especially about life in the real world, is in school?

Maybe the article had something useful to say, but I was too prejudiced by this bit in the introduction that I struggled to keep an open mind.

I guess I still have work to do on acceptance and a non-judgemental attitude.

Comments

  1. Many have unrealistic expectations of what should be taught in our school system.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I get your point, and I'm not so sure about this particular issue; but our schools have been asked to teach more and more as the social sciences have developed new knowledge and insights into these issues even as parents and families are arguably less equipped to teach some of the old-fashioned virtues.

    ReplyDelete
  3. i am just not willing to give the "village" a pass on this. I also think that schools do make an effort to teach about character.

    ReplyDelete
  4. It does seem that those who are not given the instructions at home are the ones saying the school should do it. First of all you teach children by example so get with the program parents. It is also hard for all the working parents to find the time. If they don't make the time, they may end up with children they don't like very much.

    ReplyDelete
  5. And one more thing. The Grandson is always asking me why I am telling him this "stuff." Because one day you will need to know it and I will not be standing beside you that day to tell you. So hear it now. Let it steep and grow inside you and then it will come out on its own.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I tend to believe that children learn more about character and relationships in their family settings. My parent's marriage was one of convenience not love, yet both mom and dad taught us a lot about perseverance and strength.

    I didn't expect my children's teachers to provide life lessons, but rather to encourage them to be the best they could be.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Naw, you don't need an attitude adjustment. You are correct to judge this harshly.
    First, character is taught in school. Any time you have that many bodies in close proximity, you need rules for social conduct. Teachers, at least most, model patience, acceptance, and kindness and encourage perseverance, all valuable character traits. I could go on.
    Secondly, when formal character building curriculum have been adopted, they are invariably challenged by parents who object to "social engineering". "I will tell my children how I want them to think and act!"
    Thirdly, schools even attempt to teach social skills because so many homes are lacking in such expectations. Parents abdicate responsibility, then object when they or their children are "corrected".
    It's a no-win situation for public schools. They do a remarkable job given the circumstances.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I'm not a teacher but I'm always shocked when I hear people voice this opinion. They want the schools to teach all things and be all things and then they strip the schools of every bit of funding they can and then begin talking about doing away with education at the federal level.

    I'm thinking you can teach what you want at school but unless the families are also working on the same goals and supportive of the schools there won't be a lot of success. I think parents should take seriously their job of teaching and guiding their children through life. Supporting good public schools is one of the best investments this country could make. Still doesn't take the place of parents, isn't suppose to take the place of parents.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Actually I remember our school starting to teach character building and conflict management. We had one program called Character Counts that taught 6 Pillars: Trustworthiness; Respect; Responsibility; Fairness; Caring; and Citizenship.

    So yes, I believe schools do try to teach some of this, but it has to be reinforced at home just as Linda says.

    ReplyDelete
  10. It is amazing that people think schools should take over all the roles of parenting. How lazy and dangerous is that?

    ReplyDelete
  11. Both of my daughters teach school. They recently said they think it would be easier if babies were just handed over at birth and schools raised them until they are 18 then they can be returned to their parents.

    ReplyDelete
  12. My children told me that I "cursed them with a conscience".

    ReplyDelete
  13. I do think everything is blamed on the schools or the teachers these days and parents really do need to bear some of the responsibility! Lately I have just seen too many parents who seem to be oblivious of their children!

    ReplyDelete
  14. I see you commenting but you haven't posted on your blog for a while. Hope all is well.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Schools have a duty to make sure that every child is treated equally and encouraged to participate fully . Bullying must not be tolerated ... or ignored .
    But it's unfair to expect them to take care of the whole parenting thing ... and do we really want uniform children ?

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

I appreciate readers' comments so much. You don't even always have to agree with me.

Popular posts from this blog

Updates

 On September 29, I had the closing on my condo. Everything that was not going to the buyers was out and packed in the ABF moving truck which had by the been taken over to the storage units. Don thought it would take him until Wednesday to finish packing the truck with the help of his son. It took him until late Thursday with Chris' help and mine. Kevin was supposed to help load as well but he was in a mountain bike accident and wrecked his shoulder the week before. That added driving him to doctor appointments to my to do list and dong some shopping for him plus jobs around the house that might need two functioning upper limbs.  We stayed with Kevin on Friday night after the closing and then had a suite in an extended stay place for the coming week. This was the worst possible time to have to get a room because the prices balloon during leaf peeping season if you can even find a room at all. But it was close to the storage units where we were working and it was dog friendly. We ju

Wedding

 Don and I drove to South Carolina to attend the wedding of my step-grandson, Will. Will Will and Katie The wedding took place on Dataw Island, a beautiful outdoor ceremony followed by a reception in the country club. We stayed in a tiny cottage in the historic center of Beaufort, rented from Vrbo. Since the wedding was at 5 p.m., we had time to explore the area a bit. I really like the low country scenery and historical charm. Sitting quietly in the curtained gazebo I was visited by multiple cardinals. They came to visit the feeder, not me, but I can always pretend! How I will always remember Will!

Rest In Peace

 In a summer that has been so wet, Sunday was a reprieve. The humidity dropped and the sun came out. It was a day that could have been special ordered by the family of a friend's husband. It was the day they had arranged his celebration of life ceremony set on the shore of Lake Champlain. I was not looking forward to the gathering, even couched as a celebration. This is a family fraught with relationship tensions. It turned out to be a beautiful day and a beautiful ceremony. A Catholic priest gave a brief but meaningful homily and two Air Force members played "Taps" and presented the American flag to my friend. I am not a Christian, but I do know about Christ Consciousness. That priest's word's filled me with such a sense of peace and love. I hope it did the same for the family members and neighbors who attended.