Black History Month...and in various places I have been seeing this:
"BLACK HISTORY IS AMERICAN HISTORY"
I've been wondering who said it wasn't.
I hope it's not the same people who created Black History Month...Hopefully they weren't saying they should have their own history separate from other cultures in our country...
I thought it was Black History Month because there were many Black American's whose contributions had been overlooked, and we as a nation needed to recognize them, and appreciate them, and celebrate them.
What's the question, folks? Of course Black History is American History...and I am blessed to live in a place where that is not questioned, and to have had a family that raised me to know that people are people whatever their skin color.
I wish it were so all over this country.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Let's have the kids pick our school board...
A new proposal being floated in our state legislature is to allow students, age 14 and above, to vote in school board elections. Shouldn't they have a say in something that affects them more than most other voters?
I say NO. Teenagers are not wise enough to choose the people who should direct their education, and we are foolish if we think that they are. They are in school to become those kind of people, and their parents should be tasked with choosing the wise men and women who direct the course of a school district's plan to accomplish those ends. Be real! Fourteen to seventeen year olds don't even understand the scope of the issues that are a school boards' responsibilities! Yet -- we want to let them have a large voice in making these choices?
Sure....great idea! Maybe we should run it like home-coming...make it a lot more fun...crowns, fancy clothes, and a dance afterward. Oh, I know once in a while there are elections in the high school where block voting occurs in an effort to elect the most UNLIKELY candidate...but surely 14-17 year olds would take this more seriously -- wouldn't they? They would never be vindictive, or base their vote on whose dad or mom they liked, or who was more likely to relax rules, or less likely to punish bad behavior, or even who seemed coolest...I can just picture the write-in campaigns...
Which brings me to a second concern...I believe that allowing these young people to vote for their own leaders demeans the position of a school board member. We don't allow these kids to vote in general elections because they are considered too young to be responsible for choices that affect the governing of our country. Apparently, school board elections aren't important enough to warrant this restriction. We can take a chance on letting the kids vote in this case because it won't matter that much...
I couldn't disagree more...Is there a position that is more influential in our every day lives than that of a school board member? I think it should be treated with the same respect as any city council position. This is government as close to home as you can get -- and it matters! Issues decided there affect our kids, and therefore affect our future.
Not all teenagers are full of foolishness, yet even those who are showing signs of wisdom have much to learn about life, and the individual's responsibilities to the common good. Much as I have teenagers in my life that I love and respect, I don't trust their judgement enough to consider allowing them a vote in the election of the school board. They can learn about the process, and have an appropriate amount of influence, by participating in student government at school.
I say NO. Teenagers are not wise enough to choose the people who should direct their education, and we are foolish if we think that they are. They are in school to become those kind of people, and their parents should be tasked with choosing the wise men and women who direct the course of a school district's plan to accomplish those ends. Be real! Fourteen to seventeen year olds don't even understand the scope of the issues that are a school boards' responsibilities! Yet -- we want to let them have a large voice in making these choices?
Sure....great idea! Maybe we should run it like home-coming...make it a lot more fun...crowns, fancy clothes, and a dance afterward. Oh, I know once in a while there are elections in the high school where block voting occurs in an effort to elect the most UNLIKELY candidate...but surely 14-17 year olds would take this more seriously -- wouldn't they? They would never be vindictive, or base their vote on whose dad or mom they liked, or who was more likely to relax rules, or less likely to punish bad behavior, or even who seemed coolest...I can just picture the write-in campaigns...
Which brings me to a second concern...I believe that allowing these young people to vote for their own leaders demeans the position of a school board member. We don't allow these kids to vote in general elections because they are considered too young to be responsible for choices that affect the governing of our country. Apparently, school board elections aren't important enough to warrant this restriction. We can take a chance on letting the kids vote in this case because it won't matter that much...
I couldn't disagree more...Is there a position that is more influential in our every day lives than that of a school board member? I think it should be treated with the same respect as any city council position. This is government as close to home as you can get -- and it matters! Issues decided there affect our kids, and therefore affect our future.
Not all teenagers are full of foolishness, yet even those who are showing signs of wisdom have much to learn about life, and the individual's responsibilities to the common good. Much as I have teenagers in my life that I love and respect, I don't trust their judgement enough to consider allowing them a vote in the election of the school board. They can learn about the process, and have an appropriate amount of influence, by participating in student government at school.
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