Go
Saints!

Friday
March 29th, 2024
L&T Opinions Page

LETTER TO THE EDITOR, Starley Craig

 

Recently I read that one of the elementary schools was interested in the purchase of an “emotional support” dog, whose job it is, one assumes, to calm down rowdy, bored, resentful, frightened children during the school day. Support animals are expensive, highly trained and exposed to as little stress as possible, as in a hospital or nursing home environment.

Then, of course, there is the question of who assumes the burden of care and responsibility for the animal? I cannot even imagine why this absurd idea should even occur to anyone, but during the last school board meeting, a representative of Prairie View Elementary expressed a desire to have one of her own as a sister school was obviously going to get one.

I have a better idea — nobody gets one. The dog belongs at home, and the parents take on the role of emotional supporter.

In a recent news report on pre-kindergarten classes, it was stated that these classes offer a $10,000 to $12,000 a year savings to families who enrolled their children in the program. They do not have to pay for child care. In the past, before women were liberated from the house and child care to enter the warm, rewarding world of corporate work, child care was shared by small groups of mothers, grandmothers, aunts, etc. But now the school has taken another job that should probably be part of the parent’s responsibility. But this is not my point. The point is readiness. A child of 2 cannot ride a bicycle, not because he is dull or impoverished or discriminated against or lacks advantages, but he is simply not old enough. It is the same with schooling for 2- and 3-year-olds. Readiness is a state of mental, physical and emotional age. 5 years old is ok for it. 3 years old is not.

It seems our educational systems are determined to wrest parental rights, culture and responsibility from parents. A school’s real job is the transfer of knowledge.

I can see why subjective goals are enormously inviting. Most appeal to our better emotional responses and, even better, can’t be measured. Concrete goals are difficult and embarrassing if not met. But it seems to be demeaning when the schools seem to assume that only they can offer warmth, emotional support, concern, entertainment, the necessities of life and, if convenient, a little knowledge about the world.

Forget the dogs. Nix the astroturf. Read the research on the value of pre-kindergarten and Head Start. Don’t think for a second I am against the schools. I taught for more than 20 years and loved it. But it has changed. The goals we worked for are now gone to a degree. I’m simply really, really interested.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR, Reita Isaacs, Liberal

 

From the time I found the subject for my next article [ ... ]

Read more...

MY PERSPECTIVE, Gary Damron

 

With Easter approaching, millions around the world will celebrate [ ... ]

Read more...