And speaking of cultures changing…
Writing by treason on Tuesday, 26 of June , 2007 at 2:15 pm
“Among the interesting people encountered by my wife and me, during some recent vacation travel, were a small group of adolescent boys from a Navajo reservation. They were being led on a bicycle tour by a couple of white men, one of whom was apparently their teacher on the reservation.
The Navajo youngsters were bright and cheerful lads, so I was surprised when someone asked them in what state Pittsburgh was located and none of them knew. Then they were offered a clue that it was in the same state as Philadelphia but they didn’t know where Philadelphia was either.
These Navajo boys seemed too bright not to have learned such things if they had been taught the basics. They also seemed too positive to be the kinds of kids who refused to learn.
The most likely explanation was that they were being taught other things, things considered ‘relevant’ to their life and culture on the reservation.”
– Thomas Sowell, NRO
Don’t get me started. I quote Sowell here for two reasons. One: I just adore the guy. And two: He’s written something that people should read. Both Liberals and Conservatives — and teachers, especially. Sowell makes the point that “no culture can stand still.” It’s a double-edged sword, change, but it’s inevitable. He and his wife were concerned that these boys were being taught inside the prism of their particular culture, as citizens of a Navajo reservation – not as citizens of a larger world: America.
And if you’re a globalist, why stop there? These kids aren’t only citizens of this country, they’re citizens of the world. Depending on how we fund NASA, maybe even citizens of the universe. But it appears their teachers don’t see it that way.
Sowell sees this as an attempt by the multi-cultis to maintain a particular culture. “But any culture,” says Sowell, “whether in or out of the mainstream, is not just a badge of identity or a museum piece to be admired by others.”
“A culture is a tool for serving the many practical purposes of life, from making a living to curing diseases. As a tool, it has to change with the ever-changing tasks that confront every culture as time goes on…
Unfortunately, in this age of ‘multiculturalism,’ there are too many outsiders who want all sorts of cultures to be frozen where they are, preserved like museum exhibits.
Worse yet, too many multiculturalists want many groups to cling to their historic grievances, if not be defined by them.
But among the many ways that various groups around the world have advanced from poverty to prosperity, nursing historic grievances does not have a promising track record — except for those who make a career out of keeping grievances alive.
The youngsters we saw deserve better than that.”
I remember when I was doing my student teaching back in the early 1980s. I was horrified that so many teenagers – 16 to 18 years old – hadn’t yet grasped simple concepts and were, for all intents and purposes, marginally illiterate. It was frustrating because a lot of these kids were sharp and had potential, but for too long they were left to just make their way through the system, mediocre at best.
It was explained to me that 1) the other teachers did not want to see these kids the following year, and 2) I shouldn’t worry about them because “they will be taken care of.” I asked for clarification. Give them a “D” if you must, I was told, but these kids have to pass. They have to be moved through. Don’t fret – they’ll be fine. The girls will get married and have kids – someone will take care of them. The boys… they’ll manage, too. Someone will take care of them.
Who?, I asked. The taxpayers? Isn’t the point of education to prepare them for the world out there? To teach them that there is more for them out there? Life isn’t just their little town in Northern California. There’s a whole world of possibilities. Shouldn’t they be equipped to make a choice, not just be forced to settle? Shouldn’t the objective be to learn as much as possible?
No, not really. For a few, perhaps. Yes, some will go to college, some will succeed. But not every kid wants that. Some will be fine just doing what they’re expected to do. They’ll be fine. They’ll be happy. Don’t worry about them. They’ll be taken care of. Change your records and make them Ds. Understand?
Yes. Yes, I understood that these teachers were making a choice on behalf of their students. I understood everything at that point. And that’s why my teaching credential’s still in a drawer, unused, after twenty-five years.
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