3 Partners In Shopping, Nana, Mommy & Sissy

Thanks for stopping by!

My Button

My Button

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

WHY DO WE CELEBRATE THE 4TH OF JULY? TO ME IT IS MORE THAN A REASON FOR A COOKOUT!

Today is the 4th of July, our day of Independence! As a Grandmother, and as a citizen  I am proud of what I learned in school. But our children are not receiving the same education that we did. And, no I am not over 60 years old !
I remember when I was in high school and in junior high being made to learn the important papers that we founded our country on, by heart. We  had to memorize The Declaration of Independence, The Preamble to our Constitution, our Bill of Rights and the poem  about Old Ironsides. At the time, of course I didn't want to and and as any other student could not think of any reason to memorize these old papers. Wouldn't I just be able to look them up if I wanted too? I can honestly say that I am proud that I could then, and still for the most part, recite them to this day!
Our schools today are not teaching them to be proud of their heritage. Some of our children, I believe, do not even know why we have a 4th of July except to have a picnic and fireworks. When I was on the Board of Education I tried to get back to basics. I tried to get back to the ideas that teachers teach reading, writing and arithmetic and the parents would and should teach the rest. Of course there are always exceptions and parents for any reason may not be able to, but it should be an exception not a rule!
Some of our shows on TV make a joke about how people do not know any history or how our states were formed. Why are we laughing? This is not anything to laugh or be proud of.
After I got married and had children I was very concerned about the curriculum that our schools were teaching our children. I believe that we have to stop taking time teaching to tests.
Parents,  I, believe are the best educators of their children. Our Constitution gives them the right to direct their child's education. And that is just one reason why I am happy we have a 4th of July!

1 comment:

Ad1