Saturday, July 16, 2011
I went to bed and woke up with the intention that I wasn’t going to blog today. I was giving myself the day off to relax, contemplate and work on a couple of other creative endeavors I’ve begun. However, when I sat down in the “twinkle” room to meditate, I was overtaken by a drop-in insight regarding my two passions – the Declaration of Independence and Public Education. This is a paraphrase of what I “heard”:
To truly determine the success level of public education, check the following:
· The percentage of voting-age citizens registered to vote.
· The percentage of citizens who choose to vote and participate.
· The level of discontent or unhappiness among citizens regarding their life experiences.
· The understanding of the sacredness of Life and the opportunity this “sacredness” provides.
This was indeed a different perspective from which to measure the effectiveness of Public Education. I have done a little research in the past regarding the beliefs of Thomas Jefferson and John Adams when it came to public education. Both believed in the importance of educating the masses. The main purposes were to ensure the longevity of the Republic and for individuals to have the skills needed in order to know when their freedoms were being threatened. Without an understanding of the truths this nation was founded on, citizens don’t have the foundation to sustain an ingenious system of government at the level of integrity and consciousness needed. It has long been a thought of mine that the only thing the Founders overlooked was the creation of a system of education with the secured intent of preserving a Republic through the sharing of knowledge, the teaching of skills and an experiential understanding of Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
The current focus on test scores does none of the above. Test scores don’t predict or guide citizenship. Test scores don’t have very little to do with the pursuit of Happiness. Test scores don’t promote an understanding of the Sacredness of life or the freedom to live life to the fullest. Test scores don’t promote the discovery or the development of an individual’s unique gifts and contributions. Test scores most certainly have nothing to do with personal accountability or responsibility in claiming the unalienable rights of Life, Liberty or the pursuit of Happiness. In fact, the current focus on test scores has become a threat to the understanding and conscious living of these unalienable truths.
Thomas Jefferson once stated that you need a good revolution every 50 years. In other words, it is important to take the time to check-in and recalibrate. The magnitude of the importance of Public Education can be seen in the acknowledgement that it is the only public system that the vast majority of our future citizens attend. Public Education - almost solely – is responsible for the preservation and conscious understanding of these unalienable Truths. Without this embedded, conscious intent, the very foundation of our great nation is at risk.
Food for thought….
Much love,
Karrie
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