Ok, so first let me say that this blog has the potential to and probably will offend some of my friends. I am sorry if it offends you but sometimes people need to read the truth. As most of you know, I was a high school teacher for 4 years and I am now currently helping out at the Boys and Girls Club in Murfreesboro with the teens. What I am about to write comes from my experience in these two jobs. My only hope is that I can convey my feelings and observations in a totally objective and constructive way.
I have seen the future of our country. I am worried. I know that every generation looks at the next youngest generation and says, "oh no, they are lazy and have no respect and our country is doomed." I am aware of that. I know that my parents' generation said that about my generation and their parents said it about them. This is not that kind of rant. I am aiming this more at the parents (people my age and slightly older). I am scared that this group of "parents" is in the process of eroding the American way of life by creating self absorbed, ignorant (and proud of their ignorance, by the way), leaches that blame everything and everyone but themselves for their woes. Now begins the rant...
When I taught at McEachern High School, I met one person in particular that taught me a lesson I treasure and will absolutely never forget. Suzanne Willis has Multiple Sclerosis and was my department chair. MS is a degenerative disease (I don't know much about it) that basically makes her somewhat paralyzed from time to time. Suzanne would keep a wheelchair in her classroom in case a bad spell set on. She also told her students this--"I know that some of you have things that you have been diagnosed with--ADD, ADHD, anger issues, etc. You will not use that as an excuse in my class. I don't use my MS as an excuse. I know I have it and I work harder on days that it does not affect me so that I can work through it on days it does. You have the luxury of knowing one of your main problems. Adjust to it, overcome it and NEVER use it as a crutch." This is absolutely beautiful. I WISH that everyone adopted this philosophy. I get so frustrated when kids get diagnosed with some mysterious ailment and then proceed to tell everyone around them that they can get away with stuff because of the ailment. Here's the kicker--I don't blame the kid. I blame the parents. The kid is like water and electricity--path of least resistance. If I do something stupid and have a cop out--and haven't learned integrity and ownership--I am going to take the cop out. If the parents allow--even encourage this--it becomes part of the kid's character. I don't know how many times in school I saw a parent actually take a kid's side because of the kid's "anger problems" and argue with a teacher or administrator to let the kid stay around after a fist fight because the kid doesn't know how to control himself. That is completely stupid!!!!! And parents, IT DOESNT HELP THE KID!!!! WAKE UP!! An employer is not going to care if your little baby has ADD and that is why they couldn't meet their deadline. A judge is not going to care that junior has anger problems and that is why he assaulted his girlfriend.
But wait, I'm not done. It is becoming increasingly cool to be ignorant. Look at pop culture. We REVEL in stupid. On one side of things we have people saying we are falling behind in test scores and the world is leaving us behind. On the other, infinitely more powerful side we have "Short Bus Shawty" and Jersey Shore. On one side we have No Child Left Behind and on the other we have txt spk and kids that can't freakin' write a complete sentence--OMG! And are the kids ashamed? NO WAY!! I know it has always been uncool to be a nerd. I know that I have pretty much always been a nerd. I NEVER witnessed the level of harassment about making good grades that I see now. It is unbelievable.
Finally, lets talk about self absorbed leaches. Many of the kids (and this probably goes back to just before my generation, really) see nothing but their little world. They feel that everyone owes them something just because they are here. Many have never truly had to work to earn something. It is especially scary to me to see this. Why? Because this leads to a dependent society. When their parents are finally tired of supporting them, who will? I will. We have more tax takers now than we do tax payers. The more dependent our society becomes, the deeper the divide between the haves and the have nots, the takers and the supporters. I don't want to take ANYTHING from the government except what the constitution spells out, defense of our country and our way of life. Aside from that, stay out of my life. Unfortunately, this mentality is becoming increasingly more absent. Instead we have people--parents and kids-- saying "what are you going to give me." And they get offended if you say "nothing, earn it." Some even get violent. Take the club for example. It is a privilege for kids to attend there. There is so much for them to do and so many opportunities for them. Do they act appreciative? NO WAY! All they want to do is take and never give back. It is an absolute torture for the teens to speak to the 5 and 6 year olds that look up to them. It is unthinkable that they might have to clean up after themselves. Respect for the staff members that give up their time to be there with them for minimum wage? NO WAY!!! We are there to make their life miserable--even though it is a privilige--not a right--to come to the club. It is unbelievable.
This is my rant. Feel free to disagree, argue, tell me I am a so-and-so, whatever. Of course, feel free to agree and add to the discussion as well.
