Failing of the Educational System?

So Friday I was reading this post at the Thunder Run and it didn't really have anything to do with education, but the writer picked a fight with me with his first sentence: "One of the many failings of our educational system is that it sends out into the world people who cannot tell rhetoric from reality." Ok, first question I had was WHY is it always the educational system?? This is one of those times when I truly believe it is the parent's job to teaching the child to tell the difference between persuasive writing or speech and reality. I mention this to my dear friend, David, at the Thunder Run and he lets me know that the writer was probably focusing on higher education. STILL.....not the point. It is not a teacher's job solely to teach children, teens, or young adults this kind of thing.

I think with school starting and the teacher in me slowly waking back up the first sentence in that article just set me off. I am about to be given about 80-100 new students this year (may be more or even less, not sure on my numbers) and many people feel it is my job as their teacher to teach them right from wrong, morals, the truth about the world, respect, manners.....OH and Social Studies!!! What the hell?!?! I am suppose to do the job of the parent and not have the same power (or any power for that matter) to teach these life lessons. Why is it so many people are quick to blame teachers and the educational system? Think of it this way, I could get in trouble if I teach something to a student that the parent doesn't agree with. So often it seems that parents want someone else to raise their child and when the kid doesn't turn out right then they have someone they can blame. If my morals don't match the parents then I am doing something wrong when I teach those morals to the child. If I tell Johnny it isn't ok to punch other kids when he is mad and that it is against classroom, school and even society's rules, and the parent doesn't have that same philosophy, who does the parent get mad at? Me.

I am the parent of a messed up teen. Do I mean that in a seriously negative way or to say something mean about my gorgeous daughter? No, it is just the truth. And guess what....I am NOT blaming her teachers. It is not their job to teach her to not talk to boys like she is a hooker on a street corner. That is my job, one I have tried like hell to do well and still have no idea how I am really doing. But you know, I am at least stepping up as a parent and letting it be known that it is my short comings that cause my child to be lacking at times. I love her and have faith that all will work out in the end, but you don't see me beating down a principal's door asking why the teachers didn't do a better job teaching my child to be a responsible young adult. So why do so many others want to blame the educational system? I believe if more parents would stop blaming and step up and actually take some responsibility the youth of today would be in a MUCH better place than they are right now. It is not the "failings of the educational system", it is the failings of today's parents!!! It is time some reporters start facing some reality of their own.

Peace out my peeps. Have a great Sunday evening. I am getting off my soap box before I break an ankle.