As a kid who was so far ahead of “regular” classes she regularly fell asleep, got punished, or was sent to the principal due to the stunning boredom, the kind of smug, self-important attitude displayed by the woman in this recent Slate feature (and to a slight extent, by the columnist as well) makes me want to vomit. Your kids do not belong to you; they are not little puppets for you to virtue-signal with so your friends can see how much you support the vile but popular doctrine, equality of outcomes. They are individuals whose whole lives will be shaped by your refusal to give them an education that will challenge them, teach them to use their abilities, and prepare them to make a life for themselves outside of your moralistic shadow. Denying bright kids honors or AP classes doesn’t make you a champion of the proletariat; it makes you an abuser.
Little Puppets
February 16, 2023 by Maggie McNeill
Posted in Miscellaneous, Philosophy | Tagged adolescence, psychology, teachers | 4 Comments
4 Responses
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Well said, and this is coming from someone who mostly hated school outside of spending Eighth-to-eleventh Grade in a private school. Speaking of a disdain for school, I would like to hear your thoughts on this excerpt from the late teacher, John Taylor Gatto.
I knew a family like that when I was in secondary school. Because the eldest child hadn’t scored well enough in his 11+ test to get in to one of the local grammar schools neither of his younger brothers were allowed to take it either. I thought that stance was wrong then and still do now.
We rightly look in horror at foot-binding, but some believe inflicting the mental equivalent is somehow noble.
Goddamned Carthaginians, sacrificing their children to Moloch.
Who did the cartoon?