SHAPE SOME MINDS

FOR AN INSPIRATION FOR A RANT I NEED ONLY TO RECLINE IN MY FAVORITE ADIRONDACK CHAIR TO TAKE IN AN RADIO INTERVIEW WITH A PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL. WHAT'S HAPPENING, THIS MAN STATED, IS THAT "FALL IS GOING INTO WINTER SPORTS BASKETBALL." ENTHUSIASM FOR THIS UPCOMING SEASON DRIPPED FROM HIS LIPS. ( I KNOW I COULD NOT ACTUALLY SEE HIS SPIT). THIS SPORT, HE EXPOUNDED, SHOWED HOW WE "SHAPE SOME MINDS." A COACH, NEWLY HIRED FOR HIS TEAM, WOULD NOT BE A "ONE YEAR DEAL SHOT." (JARGON FOR EDUCATORS I GUESS0. NEXT HE EXPRESSED HIS EXCITMENT FOR THE WRESTLING PROGRAM. I LEARNED THAT ATHLETES' LOCKER ROOMS WERE "STATE OF THE ART" INFORMATION ABOUT A POPULAR CHRISTMAS PROGRAM OF CAROLS FOLLOWED. THEN I HEARD THAT MY NOSTALGIC, NOISY HIGH SCHOOL EATING ROOM WAS NOW CALLED A "CAFETORIUM." (WHY I ASKED MYSELF). I GUESS 100 ADDITIONAL STUDENTS (A MERE THREE CLASSES TO JUGGLE I THOUGHT) ADDED TO HIS DISTRICT WAS CONSIDERED A "BIG INFLUX" THAT REQUIRED MUCH DEBATE AS TO HOW MANY STAFF WOULD BE ADDED SO AS NOT TO BE DISMISSED INTO THE FUTURE. LASTLY, THIS ADMISTRATOR ( I KNOW HE SPOKE PROUDLY ) BOASTED THAT "WE TREAT STUDENTS AS ADULTS." BETWEEN THE LINES OF THE INTERVIEW, HOWEVER, AN OBSERVATION WAS MADE THAT INTEREST IN SCHOOL AND INTEREST OF PARENTS IN SCHOOL, DIMINISHES AS STUDENTS ADVANCE FROM GRAMMAR SCHOOL THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL - WHERE THE STUDENTS FINALLY "WISH TO COAST."

IF THE LIFESPAN OF AMERICANS CAN INCREASE BY 30 YEARS IN THE 20TH CENTURY BECAUSE OF VACCINES TO PREVENT DISEASES, WHY HAS THE STATE OF THE ART OF EDUCATION REGRESSED LIKE AN ALTERNATIVE PLAGUE? THE ONLY IMPEDIMENT TO CULTIVATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF HELPFUL VACCINES HAS BEEN LAWYERS. SO WHAT HAS BEEN THE DRAG ON EDUCATION? THE 21 ST CENTURY MARKS AN UNFORTUNATE CONVERSION TO THE MANIA OF SPORTS AND FRATERNIZATION AT THE EXPENSE OF INTELLECTUAL PURSUITS. HOW MUCH TIME IS LEFT FOR READING AND STUDYING WHEN SOCIAL ACTIVITIES, SPORTS ACTIVITIES AND RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES VIRTUALLY FILL 24/7?

DRIFTING THROUGH THIS SCHOOL PRINCIPAL'S COMMENTS, I IMMEDIATELY IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM NAIL THAT MUST BE REMOVED FROM THE COFFIN TO FREE THE PROCESS OF LEARNING. STUDENTS ARE NOT ADULTS. EDUCATORS HAVE MISREAD AND REVERSED THEIR ROLES. STUDENTS DO NOT LEAD, RATHER THEY NEED TO BE EDUCATED AND SERVICED BY THE TEACHERS. STUDENTS ARE NOT ADULTS. FROM THE LATIN THEY LITERALLY NEED TO BE BROUGHT OUT OF THEMSELVES AND LEAD FORTH BY INCREMENTS OF KNOWLEDGE. SCHOOLS NEED TO PROVIDE SUBSTANTIVE DATA IN A CROSS-SECTION OF SUBJECT MATTERS, LOTS OF HOMEWORK AND RIGID STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE. ACADEMICS WOULD PROVIDE THE INSPIRATION; PERHAPS TEACHERS SOME GUIDANCE TO CHILDREN - MALLEABLE CHILDREN - PROCESSING INTO ADULTHOOD. YES, THIS WOULD ALLOW FOR SOME "PLAYERS" IN SCHOOL TO FAIL.

BUT PUBLIC EDUCATORS FAR SUPERIOR TO ME IN ADVANCED DEGREES AND FAR MORE ADVANCED THAN I IN THE NUMBER OF YEARS SPENT IN THE TEACHING FIELD ( I TENDERED A MERE DECADE) STRUGGLE WITH FUNDING, BUDGETS, SCHEDULES, TENURES, SPORTS AND POLITICALLY CORRECT CURRICULA. WHERE IS THE TIME TO TEACH? FURTHERMORE, PLAYING IN SPORTS AND IN EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES MIGHT PROVIDE THE ENTHUSIASM FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO REMAIN IN SCHOOL. SO WHAT? TWO WRONGS DON'T MAKE WHAT'S RIGHT. WOULD THAT EDUCATION TODAY WOULD DO ITS JOB AND "SHAPE SOME MINDS."