by Bill Hansmann
A coordinated conservative effort at education reform is long overdue.
I have been reminded of an old axiom that I studiously adhered to during the forty years that I ran my business. It was this: don't bring me a problem without offering a solution. In other words, don't whine and complain about a problem unless you have a better idea.
We have seen a lot of breast-beating and self-flagellation on the part of conservatives over their failure to prevent or slow the indoctrination of the nation's youth by our country's education system. And there is little doubt that conservatives have failed miserably.
Sometimes the losing side in a battle must begrudgingly credit their opponents for a game well played, a battle well fought, or an argument well stated. It's even possible that General Custer found it in himself to silently congratulate the Indians for their superior battle plan as he breathed his dying breath. The progressives have indeed waged an effective strategy against traditional values to date. But unlike Custer, we traditionalists are still alive and fighting.
We recognize that for generations, we have been outfoxed in the battle for the minds of our children. It took a long time to get to the unfortunate place in which we now find ourselves, and it will most likely take a long time to reestablish a semblance of traditional normalcy. We face the additional disadvantage that our foes, the progressive globalists, know of our intent. They will fight us tooth and nail in our battle to restore decency and values to our society. But battle we must, and there shall be no whining henceforth.
First, we must recognize that any attempt to override the damage already done and prevent further erosion of our youths' values must start at the grassroots level. Silence can no longer be any part of the plan. We must let our voices be heard at PTA and school board meetings. If the existing powers do not heed those voices, we must vote them out and replace them with new participants who share our vision.
If
we create a school board and state educational boards of like-minded
individuals dedicated to traditional values, we will have the power to
take on tyrannical teachers' unions. While we recognize most teachers'
dedication and hard work, these unions often serve little 
function
other than as a jobs program for their dues-paying constituency. A good
number of teachers without merit as educators have their jobs
undeservedly protected. That must end. The teaching profession must
emerge as a meritocracy with the students' benefit held as the highest
priority. We will have a voice in choosing the subjects taught our
children and will be able to replace the anti-American and often deviant
curriculum presently in place with more suitable courses.
Second, we must all realize that as parents, our obligation to educate our sons and daughters does not end with putting them on the school bus in the morning and welcoming them back home at the end of the day. We might have the inclination and ability to home school. More likely, we must talk with our children about the things they have been taught at school and make suggestions and corrections when necessary. We cannot sit back and allow the often subversive subject matter to become ingrained in our kids without a challenge.
Third, we must demand school choice. We must insist on both charter schools and the use of vouchers for private schools, allowing parents to provide their children the best education available. We have choices in where we live, what automobiles we drive, and where we buy our groceries. No one would dare tell us we have no choice but to purchase our clothing in one state-selected store. But we all too willingly stand back and allow our educational system to tell us where our children must be educated to partake of taxpayer education dollars. That must end. Competition inevitably improves any product. There is no more important product in our society than the education of our children.
Fourth, we must address the problem of secondary education. It does little good to oversee our kids' elementary and high schooling, only to send them off to college where they are browbeaten and brainwashed by an ultra-leftist faculty. We are not going to change the left-leaning faculties of such places as Harvard and Berkeley. But schools such as Hillsdale College and Liberty University are out there. If we flood those conservative schools with applicants, simple supply and demand will eventually see more like-minded institutions emerge.
Finally, we must realize that the main agenda of many, likely most of our elected officials, is reelection. Let's insist that the price of that reelection is listening to the voices that call for the reforms I have listed and legislation seeking their implementation. If we all join the battle, I feel our fate will be better than General Custer's.
Image: Pixabay
Bill Hansmann
Source: https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2021/02/education_a_way_forward.html
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