Page Content
Education teaches values of government officials
Dr. Ron Paul is a medical doctor and a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives. He is the author of The School Revolution: A New Answer for Our Broken Education System. Featured here is an excerpt promoting the book on his website (http://www.ronpaul.com).
Opposing infringement on parental control of education and promoting alternatives to government-run schools is a vital task for the liberty movement. When government usurps a parent’s right to control their child’s education, it is inevitable that the child will be taught the values of government officials, rather than of the parents. The result is an education system with a built-in bias toward statism. Over time, government-controlled education can erode the people’s knowledge of, and appreciation for, the benefits of a free society.
“This is why throughout my congressional career I fought against any legislation that infringed on a parent’s right to control their child’s education, especially any legislation that limited a parent’s right to homeschool. Many so-called education experts claim that parents who are not ‘government-certified’ educators cannot provide their children with a quality education. However, the numerous studies showing that homeschooled children out-perform their publicly-educated peers in every academic category show that most parents are more than capable of providing their children with an excellent education.”
Migrant students want credit for learning English
CBC NEWS, October 3, 2013—A group of migrant youth are calling on the B.C. Ministry of Education to give students credit for learning English, the same way native English speakers get credit for learning a foreign language. Under the current system, students in English language learning courses (formerly known as English as a second language courses) do not receive school credits for taking the class. Diego Cardona, 17, is a member of the Fresh Voices Youth Advisory Team, a group of migrant and refugee students who have started an online petition asking the B.C. Ministry of Education to change their current policy. Cardona, who is originally from Colombia and now attends Sir Winston Churchill Secondary, says it’s a matter of fairness. “I guess what we’re trying to address here is the issue of equality ... acknowledging the work that students put into learning a language.” According to the petition, migrant students often graduate later than their counterparts because the lack of credit for ELL courses means they have to make up the credit elsewhere. Cardona says it’s time for that to change “so that when we transition into the regular system, we don’t have to make up 70 or 60 credits, but that we have to make up the 20 credits that we have to take as mandatory courses.“
Calgary teachers’ jobs are more stressful
CBC News, October 4, 2013—According to a new survey of Calgary’s public school teachers, 80 per cent of them feel their jobs are getting more stressful. The survey was conducted by the Calgary local of the Alberta Teachers’ Association in April, just as the teachers, province and school boards were in the midst of hammering out a contract. More than 800 teachers answered the questionnaire. Many of the respondents said large class sizes, reduced prep time and dwindling resources for students with special needs are all making their jobs more stressful, said Frank Bruseker, Calgary local president. “Teachers are feeling their workload is becoming more complex, there are more duties and they don’t see any relief in sight,” he said. “So the teachers are expressing a lot of concern about being able to carry through their work throughout the school year.” Compared to a similar survey three years ago, teachers now seem to be under more pressure, he said. Eighty per cent said they are working more than 50 hours per week. Anecdotally, Bruseker said he has heard of teachers taking sick days because they find the workload too heavy.
Stupid and dangerous
The Canadian Press—A 21-year-old eastern Ontario man is facing a drug charge after a four-year-old showed up at school with cocaine. Provincial police say officers were called to an elementary school in Renfrew, Ontario, after the youngster was found with what appeared to be a lighter. But police say it was actually a concealment device containing cocaine. Investigators say a relative of the child admitted the drugs belonged to him, and he’s been charged with possession. The name of the man and other details were not released to protect the identity of the child.
