VIEW: 17-23: Education Failure

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By Bob McDowell (Born Neil Carson) Number 17-23
EDUCATION FAILURE Week of 2017/06/05
It appears to be a sad, but true, fact that, overall, the education system in that
REPUBLIC called the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA is continually failing both its students and their
parents, the ones who are paying for this now broken system. And it has been becoming worse
for several decades!!
In my 'school days' of the 1930s and into the 1940's we were taught the history of how
our Nation came to be free from captivity to a kingdom the king of which considered the
colonies to be nothing more than a source of revenue and some 'impressed' members of his
military. In the 16th and 17th centuries that military was the most powerful in the world,
especially at sea.
We received full instruction on the privations and risks the first immigrants went
through, surviving only with the kind assistance of the friendly native 'Indian' tribes. How,
despite the mistreatment of the 'colonists' by the British king, they were able to establish
and expand the population, land area, and economy of this 'new world'. The further misconduct
of his military presence toward the population and, when finally, they rose up and, peacefully,
issued a "Declaration of Independence" in writing from his control and how he then proceeded to
'put down the insurrection'. How with the help of GOD the outnumbered and ill equipped
volunteers managed by outstanding leadership to prove victorious and thus establish the way of
life and freedoms we now enjoy.
These facts are, in recent years, being left out of the curriculum of most public
schools. Multiple source information indicates that history being taught there begins with the
War Between The States, most commonly called the 'Civil War' of the mid-1800s. And in more
current events much is not taught, especially the wars of the last 100+ years. That might
explain why the students, even third graders, are so interested when our WW II Vets of Tulsa
visit, by invitation, and explain what went on in our own experience, even those of us who,
through fortune, were not directly involved in combat, but were none-the- less essential to the
effort.
Solid evidence of the above can be seen in the 'on the street interviews' some TV
shows have recently included. Many of those on camera indicate having no clue of the reason
for having Memorial Day but only see this weekend as a 'three day party weekend'. If other
subjects are the question, the answer seems to be the same total lack of knowledge. That is
even more prevalent when the location is 'on the beach' rather than on the street. Those
interviewees are most likely to be late teen, early 20 year old high school and college student
individuals, and of both sexes.
Now, as this is being written, it is the 'legal' and 'official' Memorial Day, changed
from the original May 30 some years ago to 'provide another 3-day weekend' by statute. While
the radio this morning has had substantial coverage of the reason for the observance and
calling for remembering the 'war dead' who gave everything they had to gain or further the
freedoms we enjoy by guarantee in the Constitution. Note, they are not 'granted' by the
Constitution, but are GOD given and guaranteed by the Constitution of the USA.
And yet we still have individuals, and groups of same, who ignore the purpose of the
observance and follow their hedonistic desire for wild parties and indulgences. I have even
been disappointed by the lack of reference to this particular Day in our calendar in some of
the churches. It seems to me that if the churches and clergy fail to give attention and
expression to this particular set aside day then their attendees will begin to feel that it is
really that much less important, to the detriment of our whole society.
In my own family for my lifetime there has, fortunately, been no incident of being
"Gold Star", that is having a member killed on duty. However, a number of dear friends have
had that experience. One lady had her Father killed in Pacific action at her tender age of
three days. Another had her husband killed in a plane crash after the surrender of Japan while
en-route to the pacific to provide search and rescue operations, possibly due to careless or
incompetent planned flight route across the southern Rocky Mountains where the required
altitude reportedly exceeded the loaded 'service ceiling' of the PBY he was flying. While
still in high school one of my classmates, and friend, was lost to pneumonia due to a careless
'medical technician'. That incident caused me to be much more attentive and dedicated when
placed in that position.
End
Composed May 16, 2017
Robert W. McDowell, Jr. © 2017 841 Lynwood Lane
918-451-1051 Broken Arrow OK 74011-8608
Email: abdmcfpi@localnet.com