I recently read on a yahoo news article (http://health.yahoo.com/news/ap/us_swine_flu_schools.html) that schools across the U.S. are closing down due to the swine flu despite the governments urgings to remain open. A superintendent of one of the schools said, "The only way to stop that transmittal was to keep the kids home for the rest of the week."

A clearer perspective into the America's future dawned on me at that moment.
We are doomed.
If our education systems, if our government, if our culture doesn't change drastically soon, we, as a nation, are screwed.
I found it amusing and interesting how we dramatically fear a flu, which we can get better from. However, when it comes to sex amidst teens (and preteens, now), to drug use, to a lower education in comparison to other countries, to increase in drop outs, or to increase in teen pregnancies, we turn a blind eye and decide that the responsibility falls amidst parents and government funded programs.
You're kidding me, right?

"Students are in such close proximity (to each other) and they're in two or three classrooms a day at two or three different desks. It's an incubator situation." That is the quote from a Director of Pupil Personnel in Kentucky. Yet, is this not the case for the way our students, the future of America, are learning? As a youth leader, high school tutor, middle school tutor, and elementary school tutor, I have come to notice over the years how little teachers trully play a part in student's lives. I'm certain that there are those who grow attached to certain teachers and whatnot, but for the most part, the majority of students involve themselves in certain environments, which thereby shape and culturalize the individuals to adapt to the environment they are in. Now, I believe there are those who do not share this concern. Why would they? There are certain environments that are not as deeply marinated with negativity and vice.
What many fail to realize, is the vast chasm of difference that lays between certain schools.Unfortunately, despite the many advances we have all made for unity and equality, racial and economic differences play a huge part in the way people are brought up. These differences begin to take a toll on the youth who are brought up in these environments. They often must adapt to different circumstances, and because of the gap in behaviour between different races and/or of economic standings they are often shackled to the way of living in which they were brought up.There are, of course, the rare and few who do NOT remain in the type of environment they were brought up in. However, they themselves acknowledge the differences in behaviours, abondon their own, and embrace the subculture in which they choose to partain to. Yet again, however, those individuals are a very small percentage.

All of this is to say, why are we not concerned about the "incubation" that exists in schools?

I sat today at work, observing a disturbing sight.

The students at my community centers were practicing a song for a program that involves them in choir, dance, and drama. There were three other individuals in the room, an woman (who I believe helps run the program), a younger woman who worked for the program, and a young man (couldn't be older than 19) who I am certain was the son of the first woman. We'll call them "Mom", "Lady", and "Son". The son was going around from room to room video taping the children. His face showed such amusement and wonderment. I was perturbed. I know not what kind of bringing up the young man had, however, I can assure I don't know many 18 or 19 year olds dressed in fitting khakis with a long-sleeve button up tucked into his pants and buttoned up to the neck. I felt like a zoo keeper and he was the tourist, amazed by such interesting and curious creatures. It was as though he had never seen children before, much less singing. Many of the children were, of course, off pitch and without much coordination. The lady sat in each classroom and watched as time and again one student after another misbehaved or would stop participating. She was by no means content. She wore a "smile" on her face to show the students (and more than likely her boss) her pleasure in belonging to such a fulfilling program. Only when one would inspect her closely did one notice the marks and lines of pain etched across that smile. Her eyes were filled with fear and discomfort. In reality, after close inspection, you could see how this "smile" was trully a grimace. Lastly the mom sat there also, jubilant and triumphant to see these underprivileged and poverty stricken children participating in something that she had more than likely played a big part in brining to the center. It was as if this activity would bring their neighborhood out of darkness and plunge them in a brighter future, one filled without fights, and gangs, and sex, and drugs, and divorce, and abondonment, and death.
How foolish we all are to believe this will work.

Helena often grows upset with me. She says that I look too much at the big picture. That I never deal with the little things. Well, I believe the little things are all symptoms. What is the point in trying to eliminate the symptoms if the disease still remains?

I believe that we must do something, for once. Something to trully stop the way our future is heading. We must grow to understand our selves and our situation for what it trully is. We need to take action! We need to disband certain ways of thinking and living. We need to begin helping out our fellow citizens once more! If we continue to do things the way we're doing them, we will only breed a nation filled with no unity. A nation that is free to hate each other over politics, religion, economic standing, and race.

We must act quickly! It is not too late!

It's true, that is the real reason. But also, I can't help imagine what my sisters/parents would say if they figured out I'd been reading the phone book for an hour. Also I picture myself at a pay phone down the street breathing down the phone and just being creepy. It *is* quite creepy. But I'm so curious (haven't seen him for years) (should get over it).

We *do* need to change the way we think and behave (in Australia too). And not only for the sake of social justice, but also for the sake of the environment. Oh, life!
» Sarah on 2009-10-31 03:45:02

silly swine flu...
Where I'm at, the government shut down the entire school system (including universities), movie theaters and concert halls because of the swine flu. They won't open again for three weeks (supposedly).
» Someones_Muse on 2009-11-01 05:41:10

i've always wondered...
why the american education system sucked so much. more importantly, why the f*** we don't do anything about it. are we not the supposed top country hailed as the best place for raising children by parents of the "third world nations"? so much wrong w. so few who give a damn.
» Silver-dot- on 2009-11-02 03:00:31

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