Here is a recipe for restoring the quality of public education

There is a lot of controversy over things that are occurring in public education today. Things like rewarding excellence among students has taken a back seat to “equity,” which is making sure that all sub-groups share pretty much equally in benefits, whether earned or not. 

As an example, some schools have eliminated advanced math courses for all students because some sub-groups are not equally represented among students taking those courses, which punishes those high-achieving students. Some students are good at math, while others are not. And others may be good at history, languages, or the arts, and high achieving students deserve the opportunity to progress as far as they may want to in their areas of strength. 

Many high schools have multiple valedictorians, so as to not hurt the feelings of students who fell slightly short of winning the honor. There are other issues, as well, such as the invasion of Critical Race Theory in the curriculum.

An email last week contained a video that addressed this and other issues with public education by presenting an approach that focuses on what is really important in education, and how to get back to that focus. The points of that video, along with some quoted material follow.

It began with this introduction from the presenter: “If every high school principal gave the following speech, America would be a much better place.”

Then, speaking as the principal of a high school, he began: “To the students and faculty of our high school, I am your new principal, and honored to be so. There is no greater calling than to teach young people.”

He then explained the important changes coming to the school. 

1. This school will no longer honor race or ethnicity. He said the color of one’s skin, where their ancestors came from and how they got here, doesn’t matter. “The only identity this school will recognize is your individual identity: your character, your scholarship, your humanity.  And the only national identity this school will recognize is American.

This includes after school clubs that cultivate narcissism, an unhealthy preoccupation with the self, “while, the purpose of education is to get you to think beyond yourself.”

“This is an American public school, and American public schools were created to make better Americans. If you wish to affirm here an ethnic or racial identity, or a national identity other than American, you will have to attend another school.”

2. It does not matter whether English is your native language, what matters is that you leave this school writing and speaking English as fluently as possible.

It is the duty of the school to be sure that students are prepared to successfully compete in the job market, therefore students must leave this school with excellent language skills.

Other languages will be taught, he said, noting that unfortunately many or most American-born people speak only English.

3. Everything in this school will reflect learning’s elevated status. There will be a dress code for faculty and students. Students will address teachers by their title — Mr., Mrs., or Miss — not by their first names. They are your teachers, not your friends, and will be regarded with due respect.

4. No obscene language will be tolerated on this school’s property. This will help students learn the difference between “the elevated and the degraded,” and “the holy and the obscene.” In other words, you will show proper respect for each other.

5. We will end all self-esteem programs. “In this school, self-esteem will be attained one way, the only way self-esteem can be attained: by earning it.” Consequently, “graduating classes will have only one valedictorian, not eight.”

6. I am reorienting the school toward academics and away from politics and propaganda. Such topics as racism, sexism, Islamophobia, homophobia, global warming, tobacco or gender identity will not be part of the school atmosphere. And no time will be spent trying to convince any students that they are victims because of their particular circumstances. “This school will have failed if any of you graduate without considering him or herself inordinately lucky — lucky to be alive, lucky to be an American.”

He noted along the way that if these new rules did not sit well with some students, “this is not the right school for you.”

The principal then asked all to stand and join him in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance to our country, adding that since many of them did not know the words, teachers would hand them out.

This video was created and distributed by Dennis Prager, an American conservative radio talk show host and writer. He is co-founder of PragerU, a non-profit organization that creates short videos on political, economic, and philosophical topics, such as this emailed video.

The importance of education to the future of America cannot be over-stated. Whether through unknowing influences or outright subversion, many public schools no longer adequately teach our young about the nature and substance of our country.

If this is not corrected very soon, millions more young people will be unable to understand what America is all about, and why its original principles must be continued into the future.