This is not education.....

"I'm going to encourage you to have sex and I'm going to encourage you to use drugs appropriately," panelist Joel Becker, a Los Angeles clinical psychologist, told the students. "And why I am going to take that position is because you're going to do it anyway."

This quote is from a recent event held before Boulder High School students. Dr. Becker was part of a panel from the University of Colorado's Council on World Affairs. The only caveat issues was that students should do it "responsibly and understand the consequences." Students were required to attend.

Honestly, I was somewhat outraged by this, even though I don't have children. I can't help but wonder how parents feel about having these kinds of values (or lack of values, as the case may be) taught to their children in the public school system.

One thing is for certain. If I'd had children, they would have been home-schooled. There is no way on God's green earth that I would have allowed my children to step into a public school. Wouldn't have happened on my watch, even if I'd had to teach them myself with an old blackboard and an abacus!

I remember the very first hints of what was to come when I was in college. Detached moral philosophers in the ivory towers of academia had come up with a new educational paradigm called "Values Clarification". It's basically just relativism. The students were taught there is no right or wrong, no absolutes and that morality was defined by one's own "feelings" about a subject. They were told to decide for themselves on each issue and that "the most important thing is that you do what is right for you."

It crept into the educational system at all levels. It didn't come in with a bang but gradually insinuated itself into every facet of education, not just psychology or philosophy classes. It was not presented as an alternative viewpoint. It was taught that it is the expected viewpoint.

I am ashamed to admit that this hogwash is the brainchild of people from my generation.

Freedom of choice is a wonderous thing but I believe freedom of choice is for adults. It is for adults who are emotionally and intellectually developed and understand that choice brings responsibility. It also brings a willingness to accept consequences. Moral authority is not for people who have not matured enough to handle it.

And moral education does not belong in the schools. It belongs at home.

Kids need direction. They need leaders. They need to know they can depend on adults around them to guide them well. This is about the worst example of "leadership" I can imagine.


Peace,


~Chani