Has Public Education Failed Us?

Elections might not be the remedy for the dilemma current day American finds itself embroiled in. I will explain

There’s so much out there that is quotable but I will stick with Thomas Jefferson, for ease, and because he was an advocate of public education, in fact, for the very reasons he recognized the need of an educated populace as evidenced by his quotes below.

“Above all things I hope the education of the common people will be attended to, convinced that on their good sense we may rely with the most security for the preservation of a due degree of liberty.” —Thomas Jefferson (1787).

“Convinced that the people are the only safe depositories of their own liberty, and that they are not safe unless enlightened to a certain degree, I have looked on our present state of liberty as a short-lived possession unless the mass of the people could be informed to a certain degree.” —Thomas Jefferson (1805).

“There are two subjects, indeed, which I shall claim a right to further as long as I breathe: the public education, and the sub-division of counties into wards. I consider the continuance of republican government as absolutely hanging on these two hooks.” — Thomas Jefferson (1814).

“If a nation expects to be ignorant and free in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be.” —Thomas Jefferson (1816).

I could go on, but there’s really no need. The Founders were convinced that the future success of the fledgling Republic they had formed was dependent on an educated voting populace. The Founders would be aghast at what we have been treated to on a regular basis as to what passes for acceptable intelligence of college students of voting age, and the voting public, in general, who are ignorant  of who the Vice President is, or anyone else in government service is with the exception of the President, who are ignorant of what wars we fought and why, and who are ready to reject outlandish ideas purported to be from an official they oppose until they find out the statement was by an official they support, then they quickly get on board.

Is the answer to any or problems to be found in these people, proudly and laughingly wallowing in such ignorance, voting? When I ran for town-counsel, I was chided for a tongue-in-cheek comment I had made a few years before. I wrote, “The fewer people that vote, the better off we are.” I’ll share a little secret, it wasn’t all that tongue-in-cheek and if you disagree, go ahead and convince me.

Which brings me to the real answer, to our problem. It is, more than likely, education, and I don’t mean educating oneself, and/or others, about the issues. I mean general education, whether 12 years or 12 years plus college. That is the real education needed for the voting populace to understand and change what is happening.

Unfortunately, what could be accomplished in two or four years through elections will take much, much longer to change through education. The problem is two-fold.

Those in the early stages of their primary education are twelve years down the pipe. Even if they are educated properly, they will not become a force for, at least, 12 years.

Those who are more advanced in school age or beyond school age, present a different problem. Those at some mid-point in the education process can, most likely, be righted with correct and informed education techniques as opposed to the indoctrination that is so prevalent. Those already out of school, and, thus, already fully indoctrinated by the progressive statists, require something life-changing to get their attention.

Finally, three of my grandchildren attend a local Christian school in grades 2nd, 3rd, & 5th. My 5th grade granddaughter’s teacher is new, having just retired from the public school system. She said she was shocked at how far advanced the kids in my GK’s school over the kids in the public schools. Kids coming into the school and having to do multiple boof reports in the 5th grade have never done even one book report in the public school to that point.

Anecdotally, it has been said, that there are one or two things that might change a liberal into a conservative… #1 is a good old-fashioned street mugging, or God forbid, something worse; #2 is having children and forced to become responsible parents. Neither is a guarantee, #2 even less so than #1.