THE AMERICAN PATRIOTIC CLUB
RANT

I teach in a very large inner-city high school that is populated literally by students from all over the world. As in any large school, there exists a myriad of activities and organizations to keep the students busy and interested after classes end for the day. I discovered that many of our students remain in the building availing themselves of these extracurricular activities until 6 or 7 pm. It’s safer than their neighborhoods. Here they needn’t worry about stray bullets, drive-by shootings, or gang initiations.

I considered getting involved and obtained a list of clubs, some active and some dormant, to see what was available. The list included the French Club, the Spanish Club, the Italian Club, the Caribbean Club, and the Latin American Club. It went on to name, among others, the Arab-American Club, the Multicultural Club, the Celebrate Diversity Club, and the Multi-National Club. For some reason the list troubled me but I couldn’t quite get a handle on it. There seemed to be something off, something askew, but I couldn’t pin it down. It struck me rather suddenly and then came into perfect focus: clear as the proverbial bell; sharp as the crack from a 30/06 during hunting season! In this American high school, in an American city, in an American state, all cultures, ethnicities, races, groups, sub-groups , and more are celebrated, honored, extolled, applauded, and cheered. All, that is, but the AMERICAN CULTURE! All, that is but the AMERICAN EXPERIENCE AND ITS MAGNIFICENT CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE PROGRESS OF HUMAN-KIND!!

I thought that something should be done about this. The fact that America was not the focus of any of the school’s extracurricular activities troubled me deeply. At a meeting with the principal, I suggested creating the American Patriotic Club and informed him that I’d be glad to spend the necessary time and effort. He gave me a severely constipated glare, looked at me like I’d just sprouted a second head, and was speaking in “tongues.” He rejected the idea out-of-hand, explaining that it was ridiculous, uncalled for, and that our foreign-born students would resent it. He stated that our home-grown kids would never go for it, muttered something about “xenophobic assholes,” and stomped away.

This reminded me of an incident I’d heard about in a neighboring state. Construction had just been completed on one of those large warehouse-like box stores, although the name escapes me, and the grand-opening had been set. The construction crew had performed the traditional “topping off” ceremony. For the uninitiated, that means the union guys, a steamfitter, some electricians, and carpenters, raised an American flag on the roof. Since Christmas was also approaching, they set up a small tree as well. The manager, a refugee from some God-awful hovel in some third-world shit-hole of a nation, ordered the flag and tree removed. The crew, more than just a little perturbed, demanded an explanation. He told them that America’s national symbol and the “religious” tree would offend too many of his patrons and he had them taken down. Here’s a little free advice that just might save you some pain. KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE BEFORE YOU OPEN YOUR BIG MOUTH! The flag and tree were both, of course, replaced and the hapless and loose-lipped manager had to take some unintended time off from work. Something about personal injuries and a flight of stairs: go figure.

Hoping that the principal’s negative reaction to the concept of emphasizing American patriotism and extolling this nation’s virtues was an aberration, I began calling high schools in all the city’s five boroughs. Nope – not one of them had any clubs, programs, curricula, etc. celebrating America: everybody else, sure, just not America! I got the same results from Long Island and upstate schools. I began to ask students directly if they’d be interested in joining my proposed club. I polled my own classes, other classes, and students in the hallways. I took it to the lunch room and even to the detention rooms. The reactions were universally negative, highly anti-American, and thoroughly worrisome. “Why would I do somethin’ like that? This country sucks!”, one kid opined. “You got to be jokin’,” quipped another, “America ain’t my country!” Another student, born and raised in America – well, Brooklyn anyway – chimed in with, “thass whack! America ain’t nothin’! America ain’t all that!!”

True, these are only but a few anecdotal examples but to catalogue them all would require too much space. Suffice it to say that they were negative in the extreme and displayed an unmistakable anti-Americanism: this from people living in my country. I was now more than merely troubled, more than just concerned. I was truly fearful for the survival of America – fearful for its future. Yeah, I know, I know. You think I’m some kind of paranoid jack-ass who needs to get out more or at least get a life. I’m probably making a mountain out of a mole-hill, right?

You think so, Skippy? Let me tell ya somethin’, Sport. For those of you who believe I’m overreacting, it’s time you extricated your heads from your collective anuses, looked around you, and prepared yourselves for the world of shit that’s just over the fucking horizon!! For a nation to survive, to grow, to prosper a love of country must exist. A sense of patriotism must flourish. Pride in the country’s past achievements is what leads to a sense of hope and optimism for its future! A sense of patriotism leads to a sense of national self-confidence. It leads to a unity of purpose and a willingness to sacrifice for the betterment of future generations of Americans. Without patriotism there is no nation, but instead just a place. Without patriotism there is no national glue to bind the country together. The various and disparate groups within seek their own limited self-interest because the national interest has been discarded. Can you say BALKANIZATION?!?

You think it can’t happen here? Open your eyes and smell the shit – uh, I mean coffee. In New York City, it’s already begun. Our national days of remembrance are virtually ignored. Need proof? Take the Independence Day Parade; it’s a joke compared to what it used to be. Attendance is down to a meager few as opposed to the masses of proud Americans that used to come out and celebrate our nation’s founding. The same is true for Memorial and Veteran’s Day observances when literally millions of Americans honored our fallen heroes for their sacrifice in defense of the country.

What captures the Big Apple’s attention now? How about the Puerto Rican Day Parade followed by the Dominican Day Parade. Next we have the Columbus Day Parade, the Caribbean Day Parade, and the Polaski Day Parade. We must not leave out the Mexican Day Parade, the Haitian Day Parade, or the – well, you get my drift. How about this for an idea? I’ll introduce a bill in the New York City Council to authorize and officially sanction the first annual AMERICAN DAY PARADE!! I’d no sooner get the words out of my mouth before the politically correct, diversity, and multi-cultural storm troopers labeled me both racist and jingoist! They’d haul my sorry ass away to the reeducation camps where I’d “learn” sensitivity. I’d be instructed in the beauties of multi-culturalism and diversity. I’d learn about the wonderful “mosaic” that is America in the 21st Century. “But,” you say, “we are a nation of immigrants. It’s always been that way! It is our multi-culturalism and diversity that makes this such a great nation!”

BULLSHIT, BULLSHIT, and BULLSHIT to the Nth degree!!! Political correctness, multi-culturalism, and diversity are destroying this once great nation!! LISTEN THE FUCK UP!! We are not a nation of immigrants! When we become a nation of immigrants this country’s done, all gone, finished! We have always been a nation of AMERICANS whose origins were simply elsewhere! Can we all say ASSIMILATION?!? Without assimilation, the process of becoming Americanized, we will indeed become a nation of immigrants! For hundreds of years, the goal of foreigners coming to this country was to become full-fledged, bona-fide Americans and nothing else! You’ve perhaps heard of the melting pot theory? Well here’s a news flash for you: it’s not a theory! It works, or it has until fairly recently.

The difference between today’s immigrants and those of yore is that they had an overwhelming, unbridled, and desperate desire to become Americans, not merely to live in America!! They did not want to become Irish-Americans, German-Americans, Italian-Americans, Polish-Americans or any other fucking thing! Theodore Roosevelt got it right when back in 1907 he said there is no room in this country for hyphenated Americans. You’re either an American or you’re not!! Tragically, this seems no longer to be the case. Far too many foreigners coming to this country are content to remain just that: foreigners who simply live here but owe their allegiance to some other nation. The more this is allowed to continue, the sooner the death of the United States!!

Instead of celebrating everyone else’s culture, why don’t we try something really different, really radical? How about celebrating the AMERICAN CULTURE for a freaking change!?! I’m so damned sick and tired of hearing that America has no real culture of its own, but rather has been somehow slapped together by adopting elements of the various cultures represented in this country by those who came from somewhere else. CRAP! NONSENSE!! INFURIATING!!! America has a distinct culture shaped and molded over the past quarter-millennium or so by its unique heritage, institutions, and place in history. When necessary that culture has been nurtured by the blood of – you got it – PATRIOTS: people who loved this country, were willing to defend it, and yes, die for it if needs be! Look around you, Chief. Not much of that left, is there?

The American culture rests solidly on three crucial elements. The first is freedom, tremendous freedom, much more so than any other place in history and that still remains the case. As long as the responsibilities concomitant with that freedom are adhered to, Americans are free to do as they please and follow their dreams. Unlike so many other places in the world, Americans are virtually free even from fear. The second pillar of the American culture is opportunity – unbridled opportunity! The only things preventing people, all people, from realizing their fondest hopes, their wildest dreams are the limitations they place on themselves. Beyond that, there is nothing an individual can’t accomplish in this great nation! The third aspect of the American culture has always been assimilation. While we are NOT a nation of immigrants, we certainly are a nation peopled by the many millions who came from far away.

Past groups used to assimilate as quickly as possible in order to take full advantage of all this country offers. They relished the thought, the challenge, and the opportunity of becoming Americans. Without a robust assimilation process, the distinct American culture we have constructed will, in fact, crumble. Without a driving, all-consuming desire on the part of newcomers to become Americans, our culture will be destroyed, and so too our country.

Without assimilation, the concept of American Exceptionalism, a cultural trait that is uniquely American, will whither and die. America has always been both exceptional and an exception. The United States has since its inception always been the exception to thousands of years of tyranny, fear, and hopelessness. Before July 4, 1776, the people of the world were held under the yoke of their rulers and masters. Life became a matter of obedience or death. Freedom existed for no one, anywhere. America served as the example that many would later follow and still do. Our Revolution inspired others all over the world and still does for those who want to break the chains of centuries upon centuries of despotism, tyranny, and fear. Since its beginning, this country has been the hope of humanity. In addition to being an exception, America is truly exceptional. It is not just a place, but also an idea and an ideal. Here, the most ordinary people can accomplish the most extraordinary things. It happens constantly. (Note the Limbaughism here. One must always give credit where credit is due). Here the human spirit can truly be set free and individual potential can be realized like no other place on earth or in history.

For our unique American culture to continue, to further the ideal of American Exceptionalism, a full measure of patriotism must be restored. There must be a love of country and a willingness to defend it. Patriotism used to be the prevailing sentiment in this country but that seems to be waning – no, make that plummeting. And no, patriotism does not mean blind obedience or allegiance. One of the truly exceptional aspects of this nation’s history, unlike most others, is that we have the capacity to not only recognize past mistakes but to rectify them. I give you, for example, slavery. It existed, it was wrong, and it’s gone! I give you the 13th, 14th, 15th, and 19th Amendments (no, you look ‘em up!). I give you the Civil Rights Movement. Truly great nations, like truly great people, recognize their flaws and move to correct them as quickly as possible.

Unless patriotism is once again actually taught to children by their parents and reinforced in the schools, it will continue to wane. All that the younger generations will learn are the relatively few mistakes this nation has made over the past 230 years compared to the tremendous numbers of accomplishments and contributions America has given the world. As Larry Schweikart and Michael Allen so eloquently stated in A Patriot’s History of the United States, “What is most amazing and refreshing is that the past usually speaks for itself. The evidence is there for telling the great story of the American past honestly – with flaws, absolutely, with shortcomings, most definitely. But we think that an honest evaluation of the history of the United States must begin and end with the recognition that, compared to any other nation, America’s past is a bright and shining light. America was, and is, the city on the hill, the fountain of hope, the beacon of liberty.”

Much Luv Y’All and Have a Great Day!

The Fifth Horseman

THE NONPROFESSION PROFESSION RANT

When I retire from teaching in the not too distant future, I’ll have completed around thirty years of service in this so-called “profession.” To compare teaching to any actual, bona fide profession is to insult, deride, and mock all true professions and professionals. Both implicit and explicit in any legitimate profession are the concepts of rigorous, stringent, demanding, and ever higher standards of excellence. Members of such professions are not merely expected to meet said standards but rather to continually raise the bar and exceed whatever benchmarks have been set. This, of course, serves to weed out the unworthy and improve the quality of the entire group. It is not unlike the old concept of Social Darwinism wherein only the strongest survive and natural selection is deemed a positive force.

As I look back over the last quarter-century or so, I cannot help but conclude that teaching does not deserve the noble moniker of profession and that, sadly, the vast majority of pedagogues I have encountered can’t honestly be deemed professionals. There seems to be virtually no real or meaningful standards anymore and those that do exist can by no stretch of even the most vividly fertile imagination be deemed, high, stringent, rigorous, or demanding. Terms like the latter when used in conjunction with the word teaching are nothing more or less than oxymoronic. Teaching can no longer be called a true profession and most of those in the field do not qualify as professionals but validate the old adage that, “Those Who Can’t Do – Teach.”

If these sentiments sound just a tad jaded, jaundiced, and cynical they are easily borne out by even the most cursory examination of any large urban public school system any where in the country. What passes for educational systems in New York, L.A., Chicago, Detroit, New Orleans or any other metropolis are all going straight to Hell in the proverbial hand basket. Everything and anything from the quality of the students, to graduation and literacy rates, the results of standardized tests, and the ability of our school children to compete with those from other western, industrialized nations has fallen not just dramatically but precipitously. It should come as no surprise then that the quality of teaching and teachers has followed suit. The logic here is inescapable and the results do not bode well for the future of America. It seems that we are literally careening toward third world nationhood and the process appears irreversible.

Years ago, for example, there used to be an accepted although unwritten dress code for those involved in public education. Males wore pressed slacks, shirts, and ties. Shoes, unscuffed and polished, completed the ensemble. Women wore dresses or a coordinated skirt and blouse with leather flats or pumps. The staff did not only look professional but behaved in a distinctly professional manner toward students as well as one another. The attire definitely helped set the tone for the entire building. Think of the difference in your behavior when you and your buddies are watching the NFL on Sundays whilst swilling “brewskies” and compare it to your comportment when attending a formal black tie affair sipping fine champagne. There is more than just a little truth to the axiom that the clothes do indeed make the man.

That’s all gone today and has been for many years. Worn, torn, and ragged jeans are deemed perfectly acceptable and anyone who thinks differently is viewed as merely an ancient relic of a bygone era who has long outlived his usefulness. Shirts are never pressed and many need to see the inside of a washing machine far more frequently while the sneakers you painted your living room in are deemed suitable foot gear. That three or four day old stubble is considered fashionably sheek in a Yasir Arafat kinda’ way. These people seem to take no pride in their appearance and this Old Fart translates that into a lack of pride in what they do for a living. Can you imagine showing up at the law or accounting firm similarly attired? If your physician took no pride in his appearance are you sure you’d be willing to trust him with your health?

Slothful appearances do, it seems, foster slothful attitudes and outcomes. When allowed to persist, slovenly habits and individuals infect the work place causing all manner of unproductive and deleterious results. One of the central causes of attitudes that encourage lackadaisical performance and leads to anything but productivity and improvement is this thing we call tenure. Tenure is an absolute and utter guarantee that the overwhelming numbers of these folks who become teachers will at the very most achieve barely mediocre levels of performance and results. Those who constitute the real slackers, the utterly incompetent, and the truly pathetic make those who have managed to achieve full blown mediocrity appear to be masters at their craft when, in fact, they are at best only slightly more competent.

Tenure virtually guarantees no consequences for incompetence, is an almost 100% assurance of unwarranted life time job security, and utterly decimates and destroys the concept of excellence. Certainly, there are some excellent teachers out there but they are very few and very, very far between. These folks are self-starters, driven to produce far more than is expected or even required, and would do well in any filed of endeavor they chose. The rest of the “shlubs” could literally make it nowhere else save in this protected, molly-coddled, no standard culture that we call education. The private sector would chew these boobies up and spit them out quicker than flies can find shit! Further, the institution of tenure by definition totally obviates and negates any necessity for competition which has been the key to excellence in any avocation you can possibly think of. Competition breeds creativity, improvement, innovation, and advancement regardless of where it is applied. You name the field and competition, the drive to be better than others coupled with a need to excel has been a major factor in making this nation God’s greatest gift to mankind.

Conversely, a lack of competition by its very nature inevitably leads to complacency, lethargy, falling standards, and a general malaise that is absolutely infectious. Teaching is without doubt the least competitive avocation out there and teachers are literally held in utter contempt by all those millions who must on a daily basis compete in order to pay the bills, put food on the table, and keep roof overhead. After three years of satisfactory ratings on the annual performance observations, the new teacher has achieved the coveted tenure status. It’s quite telling that virtually no New York City teacher is ever refused tenure after that initial probationary period. I believe that this in and of itself speaks volumes regarding the standards, or lack thereof, in the teaching “profession.” I wonder how many in the medical or architectural field, for example, are guaranteed becoming full-time, permanent club members?

While on probation most of the “newbies” will almost never do less than is expected or required but rarely will they do more. Once having received “T” status, however, that all too often abruptly changes for the fear factor is gone. They no longer have to concern themselves with job security, health benefits, advancement, or any other damned thing. They know that it is now virtually impossible for management to get rid of them because, among other reasons, the union exists in large measure to defend the utterly incompetent, the completely unworthy, and the painfully useless. More often than not, these types may get transferred to another school but they remain in the system for decades, unpenalized for their total lack of competence, until it is time to retire on what is a very respectable pension. Trying to actually fire a tenured teacher for incompetence is somewhat akin to attempting to successfully piss up a rope: it’s extremely messy; it’s never effective; and is not nearly worth the effort. I’ve known folks who were granted tenure ten, fifteen, and twenty years ago and have literally never done a decent day’s work since. They hang on waiting to retire, are completely unproductive, and constitute the biggest class of whiners and complainers on the planet. It occurs to me – but never to the losers – that those of us who feed at the public trough (you know, get paid with tax dollars) should be held to at least the same standards as those in the private sector. Perhaps even higher, because when tenured teachers go bad they are literally stealing as in taking the money and not doing a damned thing to earn it.

I wonder why lawyers, doctors, architects, roofers, plumbers, electricians, and so many more don’t have this thing called tenure? These folks are not observed by their superiors merely once or twice a year but rather on a daily basis. Their performance and productivity are constantly monitored and goals and standards are continually raised. Mediocrity will simply not suffice and excellence is the ultimate end. In the private sector being merely okay could literally mean going merely out of business, shutting the doors, kaput. In the real world striving to attain mediocrity is akin to Superman coming into contact with too large a dose of Kryptonite: it’s always fatal. If you work for the law firm you are competing not only with the other firms in town, but with every attorney in your own outfit. Those that compete more effectively and efficiently – as in increasing the number of billable hours – rise the fastest, get the perks, move into the larger offices, and make the bigger bucks and bonuses.

Those that can’t keep up never move up or they simply don’t survive. Lack of productivity translates into lack of employment. In this milieu, a fast rising star can become an even faster falling one if the numbers go south or if some new hotshot is brought on board. You must constantly seek and obtain better results and keep raising that bar. This is true of literally all fields and professions in the private sector. It’s called put up or shut up.

This is not exactly the case in the wonderful world of pedagogy. Anything beyond mediocrity is highly suspect and those who attempt to succeed at doing excellent work are mistrusted by their colleagues. Since there are no additional rewards for additional time and effort the losers can’t quite comprehend an individual who bothers to outperform his peers and that speaks volumes about the losers.

Most professions stay current with the newest and latest trends and technology so as not to become archaic and irrelevant as advances are constantly being made and must be kept up with. Not to do so is to invite disaster for the profession and just as importantly for the professionals therein. It is an absolute requirement for survival in the 21st century and that’s as it should be. So too in teaching, but like so much else in this field upon closer examination it is merely symbolism over substance, well meaning and sounding catch phrases and noise signifying nothing: pap; hooey: and horseshit! Let’s look at some of the offerings brought to us by an outfit called the Teacher Education Institute for the 2009 academic year. These courses are designed to help newer teachers move up the pay differentials and keep the veterans up to snuff: wouldn’t want us Old Bastards to fall behind, now would we?

Let’s see, how about we look into BP: EDC 660, “Bully Prevention in Schools,” where educators can learn to, “create a safe climate for all students.” Yeah, it sounds pretty much like what it is and by the conclusion of the class the teacher will have learned, “to identify various types of bullying, develop awareness of consequences of bullying, and learn proven strategies for preventing and eliminating bullying.” When I was in school about a millennium ago we had bullies too. This is not exactly a new phenomenon and there were no course offerings to train anyone to deal with the problem. If you couldn’t take the piece of shit down by yourself, then you and four buddies jumped his sorry ass and beat the living shit out of him until he understood that the whole bully thing just wasn’t worth the freaking pain. Just try to suggest this method of problem solving today and at the very least your silly butt will be sued by some liberal outfit like the ACLU!

Oh, here’s another beauty. CEC:EDC 689. Entitled, “Character Education in the Classroom,” it threatens to, “Develop moral and ethical behavior in students,” while exploring, “theories of moral development.” This is so patently ridiculous and pathetically lame that it defies all logic and common sense. The only place that young folks can effectively learn such things as moral and ethical behavior is in the home as taught by the PARENTS, and please note the emphasis on the plural. Given the state of the American family in the 21st century, however, morality and ethics – like our school systems – are headed for the crapper (the state of said family will be the topics of separate rants)!

Are you following this shit, Skippy? Courses like these are nothing more than boondoggles perpetuated by the Edu-Scam Hucksters in their ever present mission to self-aggrandize and further entrench themselves even deeper into our current educational morass. They will in no way, however, make anyone a better professional nor will they do anything to elevate what passes for standards in the profession as a whole. Let’s examine a few more of these courses and discover what additional Bullshit & Bombast is being passed off as sound educational practice and theory.

Well, here’s EPE: EDC 690, the “Effects of Poverty on Education,” in which we’ll be able to, “gain an understanding of the influence of poverty on academic achievement,” and, “overcome the influence of poverty.” Well then, there you have it. Whoever these Putzes are, they must have discovered something that LBJ missed when he declared his bullshit War on Poverty way back during the wild and wooly ‘sixties. There is only one way that I know of to overcome the “influence” of poverty and that would be to get educated, start working young, and keep the fuck at it! How about that for genius, Numb-Nuts? Additionally, we will be instructed on how to create, “a minimal, error-free instructional system to teach disadvantaged students.” This last reeks of such utter condescension and pretentiousness that it can come only from the mind of one of our true liberal elites. Are they saying that the disadvantaged must be taught differently than those of our “advantaged” classes? Or simply put, are they telling us that the poor are just too fucking stupid and are not capable of learning enough to pull themselves out of poverty? Sure as shit sounds like it to me. Participants of this class will also be able to, “identify the cultural trap experienced by students enduring poverty.” We are, in fact, fucking doomed! I always thought that the cultural trap experienced by students enduring poverty was, well you got it, freaking poverty! It is to retch!!

Other such gems include courses like, “Teaching Creativity, Creatively,” which will require that we, “name & assess nine creative intelligences.” Moving right along, we find, “Self-Esteem for Educators,” which will, of course, “improve your ability to handle the stress of teaching and everyday life.” We also note classes in something called, “Whole Brain Learning,” I guess as opposed to half or quarter-brained learning. The course on, “New Faces,” deals with teaching the newly arrived immigrant to our shores and how best to reach them. They reached my grandmother when she got here at twelve years of age by throwing her immigrant butt into an English only environment and within six months she had the language thing beat. It worked just fine! We’ll also become experts at Dropout Prevention and be able to Discipline With Dignity! Well, fucking hooray for us!! If these and literally hundreds upon hundreds of liberal scams are indeed the future of education in our republic, we may as well turn the fucking lights off and lock the damned doors behind us because it’s absolutely freaking over!

In New York City there exists something entitled the Office of School Redesign that oversees the Office of Portfolio Development. So apparently New York City’s schools are in the process of restructuring with some “portfolio modality” as the focus. Here again, the language is designed to convey a sense of professionalism, a seriousness of purpose, not to mention self-importance. Those employed in the above mentioned offices serve no real educational needs or practices. They are merely empty suits that must look ever busy so as to justify inflated and undeserved salaries and benefits. They accomplish virtually nothing of value, import, or germane regarding the educational requirements of New York City’s students.

According to these mopes they will, “create clear lines of empowerment and accountability where the collaborative work of facilitative leaders and defined teachers results in a culture of personalization for students, improved cross-curriculum teaching, and significant improvements in student achievements and college readiness.” Sounds great – even professional and if you actually understand this Edu-Crap, you should be seriously troubled! It’s meaningless pap and drivel designed to camouflage the fact that these folks haven’t a clue as to what problems exist in New York’s system of education let alone how to solve them.

This same mob also emphasizes concepts like, “Facilitative & Distributive Leadership,” in which the principal, “is responsible for ensuring the collective vision of the whole school is kept at the forefront of the work.” The principal will also establish, “a culture of empowerment and accountability.” Well, let’s see here. We have empowerment, culture, and collective visions. Do you see the point? True professionals working in true professions do not need to use disguises to dupe the public into thinking they have something useful or worthwhile to contribute when in fact they operate on nothing more than smoke and mirrors. They have constructed a house of cards for themselves and while they might not know it there’s a huge wind storm approaching. The charlatans will also employ, “Diagnostic, formative, and summative assessment . . .to drive reflection and the process for improvement of instructional planning and academic interventions.” Double speak and Gobbledeegook! I defy anyone to explain what the fuck that last sentence was all about! They’re also going to employ data that will be, “Disaggregated.” Disaggregated? Disaggregated!?! Hey, disaggregate this, Asshole!

From the University of California –now there’s a real shocker – we have something called the Professional Teaching Standards Visitation Log designed to foster and promote professionalism in the field of education. When a principal or an AP observes a teacher in the classroom this Visitation Log will be used to assist the pedagogue, in addition to other things, in “involving and guiding all students in assessing their own learning.” Additionally, it is designed to “help all students to build their own skills in self-reflection.” Let’s see, how’s helping Tyreek to successfully self-reflect gonna get him a diploma and keep him off welfare? In addition, the teacher should connect, “students’ prior knowledge, life experience, and interests with learning goals.” The student’s “cultural understanding” must also be interwoven throughout the course curriculum. Yeah, okay, how’s this for a math problem? “Hector,” asks the teacher, “if your father is doing 25 to life and your brother’s serving a fifteen year term, while both of your cousins are doing 3 to 9 how many total years must your family members remain incarcerated?” How’s that for fucking cultural understanding!?! The Visitation Log also recommends, “drawing on and valuing students’ backgrounds, interests, and developmental learning needs,” as well as “establishing a climate that promotes fairness and respect,” while fostering “social development and group responsibility.” Alrighty then. Will someone please explain to me how any of this bilge will prevent Latisesha or Kaneesha from birthing still more welfare bastards than they already have? Yeah, that’s what I thought too.

Teaching in no manner, shape or form constitutes a profession and teachers have become nothing more than professional hucksters, con artists, and snake oil salesmen. Throughout the millennia the most important function of any educational system has been preparing the younger generations to take their place and contribute to society in some meaningful fashion while at the same time preparing the generation behind them to do the same. Look around you Mr. or Ms. Fucking Educator. It just ain’t happening and unless we get back to basics post haste the future of this nation is at best bleak!


Much Luv, Y’all and Have a Great Day!

The Fifth Horseman