The Nightmare We Call Our Schools ... by Alan Caruba

The Nightmare We Call Our Schools
By Alan Caruba
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A friend of mine recently wrote to me saying, “My wife is retiring in June after thirty years of teaching. A high school degree means nothing. No Child Left Behind is an even bigger joke. It is a scary situation that could lead us to third world status, but we are prepared for that since we already teach English as a second language.”

I remember my Father, the son of Italian immigrants, telling me how, when he entered kindergarten in the early years of the last century, the teacher paired him with a boy who spoke both English and Italian. That was how he learned to speak English. He was not considered special, the school was full of immigrant’s children and they were expected to pick up English as best they could and as fast as they could. Later, my Father worked his way through New York University and became the youngest person at the time to pass the exam to become a Certified Public Account.

The difference between my Father’s era—and mine at mid-century—and the children in today’s schools is that there were subjects we were expected to master and grades reflected actual achievement.

Today’s schools reflect the opening quote from a friend of mine, a fellow with a master’s degree in education who tried his hand at teaching and discovered that his school was a jungle of incompetent teachers, indifferent administrators, and a majority of students for whom the expectation of good behavior and a dedication to learning was laughable. And his school was every public school.

That explains why Dr. Renato C. Nicolai, Ed.D, with forty years of teaching elementary and middle school as well as being an administrator in California schools, sat down and wrote “The Nightmare That is Public Education: An Expose of What Really Happens in Public Schools” ($17.95, iUniverse). I recommend this book to parents so that the blinders can fall from their eyes and especially to teachers who still have a desire to actually teach.

“I believe teachers and principals work in school systems throughout the United States that are ineffective, poorly administered, and broken,” says Dr. Nicholai. He cited six “myths” the public is spoon-fed to keep them in the dark.

The Money Myth—“Schools perform poorly because they need more money.”

The Special Ed Myth—“Special education programs burden public schools, hindering their academic performance.”

The Myth of Helplessness—“Social problems like poverty cause students to fail; schools are helpless to prevent it.”

The Class Size Myth—“Schools should reduce class sizes; small classes would produce big improvements.”

The Certification Myth—“Certified or more experienced teachers are substantially more effective.”

The Teacher Pay Myth—“Teachers are badly underpaid.”

Politically conservative parents have an even greater problem with today’s schools that are totally in the grip of unions with a demonstrative leftist agenda. “The terms multiculturalism, modernism, diversity, secular humanism, individual self-expression, moral relativism, and political correctness identify the secular-progressive,” writes Dr. Nicholai.

“When these terms are discussed with praise and commitment, you know you’re on the trail of persons who believe that traditional values, rights, and responsibilities are old-fashioned and out of step with modern thought.”

“Public schools are havens for liberal thought and practice. Secondary teachers are generally far left, left, or left-leaning.” The greatest complaint of parents with children in today’s school is that they are factories for indoctrination of values that run contrary to their own “old-fashioned” views.

It is doubtful still that parents have any idea how bad the situation is in their local schools, even if their children attend those in prosperous suburbs. Dr. Nicholai simply says they have been hoodwinked. Everyone participates from the students to the teachers to the administrators.

“Actually, at most public high schools, chaos is just under the surface of the daily routine, with cops on campus and administrators supervising before and after school, during passing periods, and at lunches and recesses, with walkie-talkies and cell phones.”

Not exactly the description of a serene, safe environment in which to learn or teach anything.

We as a nation have known about this as far back as 1983 when the National Commission on Excellence in Education issued its report, “A Nation at Risk.” Here we are, twenty-five years later, and the situation is infinitely worse. At a current average cost of $9,200 per student, an increase of 69% over 1980 per-pupil spending, taxpayers are spending more and getting worse results.

Alan Caruba writes a weekly column posted on the Internet site of The National Anxiety Center, http://www.anxietycenter.com/. He blogs at http://factsnotfantasy.blogspot.com/.

© Alan Caruba, May 2008

Filed under:

education

Senator Ted Kennedy

Senator Ted Kennedy
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Growing up, I was the recipient of many “pearls of wisdom” from my mother, which I instantly ignored. But… as I sat before the keyboard trying to think of something nice to say about Senator Ted Kennedy… and finding (not to my surprise, I might add) that I simply had nothing nice to say about the man, I remembered the admonition from my mother many, many, years ago. It went something like this: “If you can’t say something nice about somebody… don’t say anything at all.” So I am going to follow my mother’s advice (For once in my life!) in this space, which is dedicated to Ted Kennedy. I’ll say nothing. Here it is:





















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Longstreet

Filed under:
conservative+Kennedy

The Death of Conservatism in America?

The Death of Conservatism in America?

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The Republican Party is in such deep trouble that its leaders have been talking about “re-branding” the party. Apparently, what I suspected about the leadership in the GOP is correct. They have lost all desire to stand and fight! They have thrown in the towel and quit!

Look, those of us who are proud to call ourselves Reagan Republicans are no longer welcome in the GOP. Why? Well, we don’t lie down and roll over for the democrats for one thing. We tend to fight for what we believe in, for another. We don’t want to see the United States of America overrun by a flood of illegal immigrants through the open border to the south. And… well, you get the picture.

Yes, there is a definite “split” in the GOP. The current leaders of the party are showing that all too familiar bent to “compromise”… to give in… to the democrats rather than stand up for the principles of conservatism.

You know, when the GOP overlooked the lesson of republican losses in November of 2006, I mis-read it as the party leadership not “understanding” the message sent by conservatives voters who stayed home to allow the democrats to rack up big wins in the Congress. I was wrong. The party leadership did not mis-read that “lesson”. They understood it… all too well. But… they decided to turn the tables on conservatives and deliberately do nothing to change their ways and stop their turn away from conservation. Not only did the party leaders not turn back to conservatism, a proven winner in national elections, they, instead, embraced liberalism!

The Republican Party is no place for a true conservative. We were tolerated, and only just, after we grew strong enough to win the Congress for the party in 1994.

I have a theory. My theory is that Republican leadership has no desire to “lead”. See… when you lead you are out front, you take the heat, and the hits, from those who oppose your policies. Unfortunately, republican leadership could not take the strain of leadership and they folded like a cheap suit! It was embarrassing for conservatives who had worked tirelessly to put them in the position of power and leadership in the government of the US. Now, they are back where they want to be, in second place, eating the dust of the socialist who bill themselves as Democrats and look at republicans of all stripes as something to scrape off the bottom of their shoes.

Conservatives in the Republican Party are persona non-grata! We are not wanted. And I have become convinced that conservatives who stay in the Republican Party are setting themselves up for more and more abuse at the hands of the GOP leadership, including the current Republican candidate for President of the US.

The GOP has backhanded its conservative base and no longer deserves our support. It will not have my support.

Conservatives have no hope of re-taking the leadership of the GOP. Those days are gone as surely as is Ronald Reagan. The moderate/liberal republicans are in charge… again… and they have effectively slammed the door on conservatism. There is no room for conservative ideas, any longer, in the GOP.

There is something repugnant to me about being an “Independent”. Independents tend to get thrown in with democrats and moderates. I am certainly not a democrat and by no stretch of the imagination can I be referred to as “moderate”. Here in North Carolina, once cannot register as an “Independent”. One registers as “Unaffiliated”. It would appear that is what I am about to do.

Conservatives need their own party. I mean a conservative party for conservatives. In as much as America now has TWO LIBERAL political parties, it seems to me that at least ONE conservative party is needed!

Why are conservatives so afraid of creating their own party? Why haven’t we done it already? What is the hold-up? We have been driven from the two ruling parties of the US government and we have no place to call home. How in hell can we ever expect to have any say in the direction the US takes if we do not have a political party as a base of operations?

It seems to me, Conservatives owe it to the American people to give them a clear-cut choice between the socialists, who call themselves Democrats, and a Conservative Party. As it stands today, the Republican Party is certainly not providing that choice. BOTH the major political parties have swung left. The democrats have embraced more and more of the Marxist/Socialist agenda and the republicans have embraced more and more of the old liberal democrat agenda. As I said above America is left today with TWO leftist political parties. There is no clear-cut choice for the American voter. No wonder the American electorate is confused! No wonder my state has set a record this year for voters registering, and re-registering, as “Unaffiliated” voters! A conservative party in America would fill that need.

If America continues along the path she is headed today America will wind up, and very soon, as effete, as toothless, and as impotent as any of the European socialist ”weenie” nations in the European Union. What a dreadful thought! Yet, that is where we are headed as a nation. Some would say we have arrived, already!

Longstreet

© Longstreet, 2008

Filed under:

conservative+politics+party

It’s NOT the Oil Companies “Gouging” at the Pumps!

It’s NOT the Oil Companies “Gouging” at the Pumps!

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I don’t expect this article to be very popular with readers… but here goes:

It is NOT the oil companies gouging you and me at the gas pumps. No, not by a long shot! The real culprit is environmental regulations. We have our own oil, but the “greenies” will not allow us to extract it and refine it and get it onto the market. All those ridiculous environmental regulations do nothing but insure our dependence on foreign oil. As long as they stand the US will continue to have war after war in the Middle East, and elsewhere, to maintain the “free flow of oil”. THAT is an unpleasant truth Americans don’t want to deal with. But there it is.

There is an article by Brian P. Simpson we recommend you read. Mr. Simpson is an assistant professor of economics in the School of Business and Management at National University in San Diego and the author of the book "Markets Don't Fail". The article we recommend is titled: “Who’s to Blame for the High Gas Prices” published in the April 11th, 2005 edition of SignsonSanDiego.com. You’ll find it at:

http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20050411/news_mz1e11simpso.html

But… how about those per gallon prices? By far the largest chunk of those per gallon prices is courtesy of the US Government AND your state government. They are taxes!

Federal tax on a gallon of gasoline is 18.4 cents per gallon. Here, in North Carolina, state tax on a gallon of gasoline is 26.6 cents per gallon and the same on diesel fuel… plus 0.25-cents per gallon inspection tax. The rate increased 2 cents per gallon from 24.6 cents per gallon to 26.6 cents per gallon on 1/1/05. It consists of a 17.5 cents per gallon flat rate… plus a variable rate of 9.1 cents per gallon wholesale component based on a 7% average wholesale price component based on prices from 4/1/04 to 9/30/04 (the average price for that period was 130.34 cents per gallon).
(Courtesy of: http://www.gaspricewatch.com/usgastaxes.asp )

You can find the break down for your state at www.gaspricewatch.com as well. You might want to take a look.

I came across an article by J.B. Williamson, a few days, ago titled: “Who is "gouging" Whom at the Pumps?” . We recommend you read it. You’ll find it at:

http://www.jb-williams.com/4-25-06.htm

Another article by Mr. Williams, over at “Newsbull.com ”, is worth your while, as well. It is titled: “When Gasoline Reaches $5.00 per Gallon...Thank Liberals!” You’ll find it at:

http://www.newsbull.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=61272

Another interesting and telling point is this: ““Since 1981 when refineries operated at 69% of their capacity, the number of refineries in the U.S. has dropped from 324 to 153.” These troubling statistics are from an article titled: “U.S. government to blame for high gas prices” at:

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=46228

In the same article Marilyn Barnewall goes on to list the refinery closings: “According to the Energy Information Administration, in 1995, Indian Refining in Lawrenceville, IL, Cyril Petrochemical Corp. in Cyril, OK, Powerine Oil Co. in Santa Fe Springs, CA, Sunland Refining Corp. in Bakersfield, CA, and Caribbean Petroleum Corp. in San Juan, Puerto Rico were closed.

In 1996, Tosco in Marcus Hook, PA was closed. So, too, were Barrett Refining Corp. in Custer, OK, Laketon Refining. In Laketon, IN, Total Petroleum, Inc. in Arkansas City, KS, Arcadia Refining. & Mktg. in Lisbon, LA, Barrett Refining. Corp. in Vicksburg, MS and Intermountain Refining. Co., Fredonia, AZ.

In 1997, Gold Line Refining. LTD in Lake Charles, LA was closed. So, too, were Canal Refining Company and Pacific Refining Company in Hercules, CA.

In 1998, Gold Line Refining Ltd. Of Jennings, LA was closed. So, too, were Petrolite Corp., Kilgore, TX; Shell Oil Co., Odessa, TX; Pride Refining, Inc., Abilene, TX, and Sound Refining, Inc., Tacoma, WA.

In 1999, TPI Petroleum, Inc., of Alma, MI was closed.

In 2000, Pennzoil of Roseville, PA, Berry Petroleum of Stephens, AK, and Chevron of Richmond Beach, WA were closed.

In 2001, Premcor of Blue Island, IL was closed.”

Ms. Barnewall goes on to point out that: “The total loss of 830 thousand barrels per day of refined oil was lost with these closings.”

Now, this is not some "nut” making these claims. Marilyn Barnewall is the Author of several banking texts, she has written extensively for the American Banker, Bank Marketing Magazine, and was U.S. consulting editor for Private Banker International (Lafferty Publications, London/Dublin). Barnewall, in 1978, was the first female to be named vice president in charge of a major loan and deposit portfolio at Denver’s largest bank. She started the nation’s first private bank, resigned to start her own firm and consulted for banks of all sizes in America and other countries. In June 1992, Forbes dubbed Barnewall “the dean of American private banking.”

(From: http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=46228)

Now… here’s the thing: the big oil companies do not set the price for oil or for the gasoline you buy at the gas pump. Nope! The price is set by commodity traders all over the world… but most likely in London, Tokyo, and in New York. Ben Stein in his article entitled “Who's to Blame for High Oil and Gas Prices?” says: “Oil is a world commodity like tin or copper or rubber or coffee. The price is set by traders anticipating supply and demand”. You’ll find Mr. Stein’s article at:

http://finance.yahoo.com/expert/article/yourlife/2973

Now, look… I get as angry as the next guy when I pull up to the pumps and see gasoline selling for $4.00.9 a gallon (as I did a day or two ago). But the anger we American motorists feel should be directed at the source of the problem and stop blaming the closest target at hand, the service station owners and the oil companies.

I have been careful in this tome to give you sources from which you can gain additional information. Some of you will. Others will not bother to click the mouse a few times and enlighten yourselves as to the true culprits of the high gasoline prices at the pump.

There is no oil crisis! The “problem” we are having with the prices at the pump is artificial, created through the joint efforts of the government and the commodity traders all over the world.

The Congress can haul the oil company execs up to those Kangaroo Courts called “Congressional Hearings” all they want… and it will do absolutely nothing to ease the price crunch…. nor create another single drop of oil. Nothing. If, on the other hand, Congress was serious about lowering the gas prices, they would back off the freeze on extracting the oil from ANWR, from the outer continental shelf of the US, ease environmental restrictions and regulations so that our own oil could be had (and this includes the shale oil available in this country). And while they were at it, they would ease the environmental restrictions on oil companies, themselves, and encourage them to build as many refineries as they need to put more gasoline on the market.

Is Congress going to do that? No! Not until the American people get mad enough to forced them to do it. Congress is held in the iron grip of the socialist left and that includes the “Greenies”. As long as it remains that way there will be no room for “common sense” in the government of the US., and gas prices at the pump will continue their upward climb.

There is no end in sight to the high gas prices. None of the three candidates for President is inclined to show the “backbone” needed to get this artificially created problem handled.

If you think it is bad now… wait ‘til cold weather next winter and people begin to freeze to death, in their cold homes, because they cannot afford the price of heating fuel to heat their homes!

America elected a socialist Congress in 2006 and is set to elect a Marxist/Socialist as President... or a Democrat running as a Republican for President. The choice of either one will do absolutely nothing to reduce the “Pain at the Pump” nor the sky rocketing food prices.

Maybe it is time for those “Angry White American Men” we hear the Left complaining about so much, to show themselves and put that anger to good use… for the sake of the country.

Longstreet

© Commentary copyrighted by Longstreet May 2008

Filed under:

conservative+Oil+Gouging

ACLU vs Christianity

(First posted in July of 2005)

ACLU vs Christianity

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So now the ACLU has sued the state of North Carolina over using a Bible as the sole source of the Holy Scriptures.

You can immediately see the problem with that… if you are a Christian, that is. The problem, from the standpoint of a Christian, is simply this… the Bible IS the sole source of the Holy Scriptures! The acceptance of any other collection of inspirational verses, as Holy Scripture, is a sin for those of the Christian faith.

If a Moslem, or a Hindu, for instance, wishes NOT to swear on a Bible, here in North Carolina, … he or she can simple “affirm” they will testify to the truth. That is acceptable in this state. The same option is offered for those chosen for jury duty. Many Christians feel that “swearing on the Bible” is a sin. For those, the State offers the “affirmation”.

There is something very wrong about this lawsuit. It is blatantly anti-Christian.

I simply do not believe this lawsuit by the ACLU, against North Carolina, is about the right to swear on your chosen “Holy Scriptures”. No, it has become clear to those of the Judea-Christian faith, in the United States, over the past few years, that the ACLU is bent on destroying any, and all, vestiges of the Jewish faith and/or the Christian faith in America.

Why does the ACLU hate us so much? Why do they see us as a threat so potent that they feel they must destroy us? Because, the Judeo-Christian religion IS a threat to the ACLU. Christians are anti-Socialist and anti-Communist. Christians are the natural enemy of the ACLU. And they know it. They have been coming after us since their founding in 1920. Many of the founders of the ACLU were members of, or had association with, the Communist Party of the USA. It would seem their goals have changed little since their founding. They still never miss a chance to strike out at Christian activity anywhere in the US. It leads one to believe their purpose is to eradicate the Christian religion in the USA. They have made a grand start.

Here is what the noted Communist Joseph Stalin said: “America, is like a healthy body and its resistance is threefold: its patriotism, its morality, and its spiritual life. If we can undermine these three areas, America will collapse from within.”

Today, as in the past, we see the ACLU attacking America’s Patriotism, America’s Morality and America’s Spiritual Life. A coincidence? It would be a stretch to convince one’s self that it is.

The ACLU does not just dislike Christians… they hate us! As Christians, we are their chief enemy. Yet many professed Christians hold membership in the ACLU. How can this be? Even the Romans had no help from the early Christians in their campaign to destroy Christianity. But the ACLU does have it… in spades! Our “liberal churches” have opened the door for their own destruction and are actively aiding in the campaign against the “Faith of our Fathers”… the Judeo-Christian faith.

Here in North Carolina they have struck another blow against the Jew and the Christian. The war to eradicate Christianity, in the US, is as real today as it was during the day of Nero in ancient Rome. Only, the ACLU has replaced the lions in today’s coliseum.

The war rages, between good and evil, as it has since Eden. However, I have read The Book, and the Christians win!

Longstreet

Filed under:

Conservative+Socialist+Communist+Christian+Church+Religion+ACLU

© Commentary by Longstreet copyrighted, 2005