Dumbya presides over education deficit in Texas

The latest opinion polls say more and more people believe George W. Bush would be good for education. I wonder if they've carefully followed his speeches and responses to questions during his campaign.

Thinking he would be good for education seems naive, just based on his own self-presentation, let alone his policies as well as his track record in Texas. According to some recent quotes, "Dumbya" is pretty sure something is a budget, because, "It's got a lot of numbers in it." He is also pretty sure about the geography of our nation: when speaking of growing up in West Texas, he noted its proximity to California, saying, "It's pretty close to California. In more ways than Washington, DC is close to California."

The same man who said, "Reading is the basics for all learning," will take it upon himself and his administration to ensure "teachers know the science of reading, so that they may teach effectively." Maybe they will then be able to answer his question, "Is our children learning?" Apparently, he has learned something, claiming, "As governor of Texas, I have set high standards for our public schools, and I have met those standards."

George W. might also help you with your late summer canning as, he claims, "I appreciate preservation. It's what you do when you run for president. You preserve." Wonder how many bushels of corn they'd like delivered to the White House if he gets elected.

Wading through the duplicate and convoluted statements of Bush's education policies, one can figure out that he is apparently opposed to any kind of national educational testing. Still, he would require states to participate in the National Assessment of Educational Progress, a federal program designed to test a random sampling of students every two to four years. If "poorly performing" schools, using their own states' tests AND standards, as per Bush's plans, do not show improvement, "they'll have their federal money yanked away."

In a display of that new beast, the oxymoronic "conservative compassion", he confusingly says, "If (children) are learning, we ought to give bonuses to schools for the poorest of the poor. But, if they remain...in trapped schools, that money would go to the school should go to the parent so the parent gets to make a different choice." (My emphasis.)

With no mention of the effects of poverty on learning and family dynamics, Bush also wants to get tough on school discipline, advocating "tough love academies, and boot camps and, as the last stop, more beds in our juvenile justice system." Having no empathy for the large percentage of Americans who live in extreme poverty to lower middle class, he believes throwing children in boot camps and throwing school vouchers at parents will solve the education deficit.

He also wants to throw money around to legislate morality through tripling funding for something he calls "character education." One wonders by whose yardstick he would measure character. If, as one suspects, he would use a Christian-based yardstick, there goes another brick in the already breached wall between church and state. Oh well, then he could refer to himself as a "born-again educator."

Under George W's governorship, Texas more than doubled its spending on testing in schools from $16 million to $36 million. An investigation started last year, by a Texas comptroller's task force, is looking at charges of rampant and blatant cheating and manipulation of test scores. His own former education commissioner called the tests too easy. Dropout rates have increased; one fifth of Texas students do not receive a high school diploma; the average pay of Texas teachers is well below the national rates.

According to a 1999 Children's Rights Council study, Texas was ranked the 48th worst place to raise a child. Before George W. became governor, it ranked 29th. Second only to California, Texas has 1.5 million children who live at or below the federal poverty level. Not surprisingly, it ranks 47th worst in hunger with 1 million Texans going hungry each day and 2.5 million households barely able to feed their families.

While Bush talks about the so-called "education recession," it is apparent there has been an education "deficit" under his watch, as well as a children's health and well-being deficit. Ole Dubya is good for one thing and that is the Grand Old Petroleum party; children, minorities, and the less than wealthy need not apply.

© September 28, 2000 K. LaFrance
All Rights Reserved

Check your pejorative at the door

The term, politically correct, meant to nurture an environment of tolerance and equality, has itself become a "dirty word" in reference to those of us who would be inclusive and just plain nice. In that light, then, I am using a new term: "ethically conscious" instead of the much maligned PC.

As one who has studied the power of the spoken word for a long time and worked on bias crimes legislation for the past six years, I find nothing wrong in changing the language to reflect an enlightened consciousness. I believe one of the beauties of language is that it can change and be added to.

I have also adopted what I consider to be the ethically conscious language of Morris Dees, of the Southern Poverty Law Center. He refers to other Americans, not by their racial background, as in African American or Asian American, but by what he believes to be more accurate, that is American of African or Asian descent.

Our subconscious is not objective. Like a computer it takes in anything we feed it and, believes it to be the truth. That's why advertising works so well.

If we don't change what people hear, especially what children hear, how can we hope for an improvement of society for all people? Take a child and use negative language around him, day in and day out, and it will have a detrimental effect. If we don't speak up when we are offended or hurt, things will never change; injustice will be served and none the wiser, or better off.

I am not advocating control of anybody's speech or mind. Privately, anybody is free to declare whatever they want. What I am concerned about is in general society. On the eve of the a new century, let alone a millennium, there are still people who would welcome societal approval of once again posting "no coloureds allowed" in their businesses' windows.

As a friend of mine recently noted, "The hate mongers are governed by the same laws that govern the rest of us. If we fight them, and we must, we do so within reasoned application of the law, diligent law enforcement, and organized social pressure; we must all practice responsible, considerate behaviors. Our words and deeds must be those of sensitive adults who display acceptance and open minds to all people."

When those who harbour hate for a race, gender, or whatever, are expected to be polite or ethical in the language they use in society, it means one more person, who may have been the object of their hatred, escapes the degradation of spirit, feelings of despair, and, even anger such terms may cause. Collectively, we can demand a more enlightened rhetoric to pervade our daily, mass consciousness. It does have an effect. If we don't work towards a change in mass consciousness, towards the upliftment of all humankind, then what are we even doing here?

With corporations, educational institutions, and government entities having their own ethics committees and training programs, it seems the politically correct thing to do in declaring ourselves ethically conscious or "EC" in keeping with the goals of a better world for all.

© Dec. 12, 1999 K. LaFrance All rights reserved

Not In Our Town-Campaign Against Hate Crimes Needed in Wyoming

Citizens of Wyoming should hold their heads in shame at the hatred and prejudice which has reared its ugly head, again. Such a great place to supposedly raise your children, should not condone the kind of behaviour which runs off an American of Asian descent from the very town where she and her husband, both physicians, practised and lived with their infant son. Nor should the beating and slashing of a gay man be shrugged off. How in the world can we expect children to learn tolerance and an appreciation for other cultures, with those kinds of examples being played out to a shrug of collective indifference?

When Americans who are Jewish were attacked in their home in Billings, Montana, the townspeople were so appalled and outraged they banded together. The local paper printed full page menorahs, which everyone then hung in their windows as a show of solidarity with their neighbours and also to confuse those who hate. They had no idea whose window to smash next, as all proclaimed to be Jewish. Billings called this the Not in Our Town campaign. It has since been immortalised by a widely broadcast documentary. That documentary was followed by a second one which chronicled the inspired actions of other towns involved in proclaiming their communities hate free. Many creative and diverse actions were the result of people putting aside their differences and working together for the good of all.

A year ago, the Casper Star Tribune printed their symbol of zero tolerance for hatred, three distinctive green circles on a field of pale yellow, when Matthew Shephard was murdered. The Wyoming Grassroots Project, a human rights organisation, distributed their own circular symbol with the word "hate" crossed out by a slash; the circle was surrounded by the words, "Wyoming - Equality State." Many, many copies of that symbol were emailed and passed out to people all over Wyoming, and the nation, who felt touched by the violence and sadness; people who wanted to join in a concerted effort to protest such horrible events. It was hoped, at the time, that Wyomingites would take up the call, as in Billings, and declare their stand against the violence and intimidation which are the results of hatred.

"Today, as I drive around Casper, I see a few, sun-bleached signs posted in the windows of a few homes, but there has been no significant, collective effort to declare a Not In Our Town campaign to promote tolerance in Casper, or anywhere else in Wyoming.

Opponents of bias crimes laws are out en force, gearing up with their spin on why minorities should not feel as safe and welcome as the majority of citizens. Bias crimes laws are a way for the community or state to set a precedence; to let everyone know that certain aspects of behaviour will not be tolerated. It is like teaching a child good manners and respect. By being up front with the rules and expectations of behaviour, those who harbour hatred and wish to act on it in a violent manner are forewarned against doing so. If they then go on to commit the crime, they will suffer the consequences.

Law enforcement personnel in Wyoming already have a tremendous resource at hand for training on recognising and dealing with hate crimes. At the Wyoming Law Enforcement Academy, Staff Instructor John Rabun teaches a class called Hate Crimes, which is also available for on-site training, at the request of any law enforcement office in Wyoming.

Once again, a couple more gay men have been beaten up in Wyoming. Most likely more, as many are too intimidated to report the attacks. This is not okay, neither is it okay that an American physician of Asian descent has been run out of Wyoming. How many more is it going to take for the people of Wyoming to rise up in indignation and solidarity for all of her peoples to live safely, free of fear, and the sometimes fatal violence of hate? Apathy and its inaction give tacit approval to those who harbour and act out their hatred. It is time to cast apathy aside; join hands with neighbours from all walks of life; and tell the hatemongers, "Not In Our Town/State!".

© November 10, 1999 K. LaFrance All Rights Reserved

Environmental nudity: Women bare all to save nature

Recently members of a nonprofit, online music community I belong to have been putting together a calendar of themselves in various poses of semi-nudity with their instruments placed in strategic spots. It is meant as a fundraiser and as a sort of celebration of people with bodies in all shapes and sizes, not dictated by the anorexic/bulimic leanings of Madison Avenue and Hollywood. Just a bunch of folkies having fun for a good cause. I've since found out this is not as unusual as I thought. There have been other causes, but the one I found the most interesting was the Salt Spring Island Women's `Preserve and Protect' Nude Charity Calendar for 2001, 2007 and beyond in British Columbia, Canada.

Thirty-five women, ranging from 18 to 74 years old, bared all in tasteful and beautiful photographs for the fundraiser. Their purpose is to save the natural resources of the island from logging by the Texada Land Corporation. Texada bought one-tenth of Salt Spring Island, about 5,000 acres in the southwest part of the island, which according to the Save Salt Spring website, at www.savesaltspring.com, is "the largest undeveloped part of the Southern Gulf Islands." Ninety percent of Texada's land on Salt Spring contains sensitive, rare, or endangered ecosystems. At the rate of Texada's logging , more than 1,000 acres of this precious land will be gone within a year. All that will be left is an ugly landscape of destructive clear-cutting across the equivalent of 500 soccer fields. Rocky bluffs, red cedar wetlands, salmon streams and miles of undeveloped shoreline gone, along with all of the wildlife which depended on its resources. Rare and endangered species are at risk, including river otters and mink, phantom orchids and the rare dusky-wing butterfly, as well as orca and porpoise which swim in Burgoyne Bay.

Texada claims to be using the land to earn profit from timber sales and to create homesites. In its eagerness to clear the land, Texada was fined $13,000 for violation of the B.C. Private Land Practices Regulation, which requires private landowners to ensure that logging does not damage such things as stream banks. Texada is the only company in the region which has been fined for such destruction.

According Briony Penn, a field naturalist with a PhD in geography, Salt Spring Island has "already lost two mountainsides with endangered ecosystems and community forest opportunities." Penn took some unusual action, recently, in a bid to attract media attention to the plight of Salt Spring. Wearing only underwear and an ankle-length blonde wig, she rode a horse through the streets of downtown Vancouver, in January, protesting the logging of Texada. Five other women, also bare-breasted, marched with her along with about 30 other protesters. Citing the ride of Lady Godiva one thousand years ago which challenged the greed and taxation that was ruining her community, Penn thought it an appropriate way to "remind ourselves again in the new millennium that greed is once again destroying communities."

Over $800,000 in money and pledges has been raised through calendar sales and other fund-raising efforts to purchase Texada's land for conservation. According to Bob Peart, executive director of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society and board member of the Land Conservancy of B.C., Texada has "rebuffed overtures by asking for many times more than the assessed value of its lands."

Activists and islanders, alike, are calling on the provincial and federal governments to create a new national park on Salt Spring using funds from a $30 million marine heritage fund and a $110 million biodiversity package. Though the local government is required by law to "preserve and protect" the Gulf Islands, it has no jurisdiction over lands like Texada's, which are designated Forest Land Reserve. This lack of authority means it has no power to carry out its mandate and stop Texada's environmental destruction.

Salt Spring Island has a diverse and wonderful history filled with unusual settlers, from slaves who'd purchased their freedom and come there to homestead, to early Hawaiians, who called themselves "Kanakas" which is Polynesian for "human being," to other early pioneers. It is an island known for its famous artists, magnificent scenery, mild weather, and rural settings. Here's hoping their women descendants and neighbours, who chose to go au naturel, will be successful in their bid to save this idyllic island from massive destruction.

© February 21, 2001 K. LaFrance All rights reserved

Forced school prayer would not prevent violence

The first six years of a child's life are the most important for their development, not just physically, but mentally, and emotionally. It is a parent's responsibility to censor what their children are exposed to in the media. It is not the government's role, nor should the media's freedom of expression be curtailed. Parents simply cannot allow their children free access to anything and everything which is available on television, in the movies, in print, and on the Internet. Part of being a parent is setting boundaries for our children.

We tell parents they have to have their child safely restrained in a car; we take their children away if they hit them or otherwise are negligent. We do not allow operation of a vehicle without a license obtained through testing and then, no one can drive a car without proper inspections and licensing. While I doubt that this country will ever embrace total eradication of guns, it is not unreasonable to expect the same rigorous requirements for owning one.

Since the six year old's death in a school in Michigan, we have groups lobbying to force prayer into schools, claiming this would have prevented such an horrendous act of violence.

The power of the spoken word is totally dependent upon the individual's belief in that power, even Jesus Christ taught this. He also taught if one turns their fate over to their god, letting go of their own forceful will, the outcome of their prayers may be entirely different from what is expected.

Forcing others to pray in school would not prevent violence and killings. It is a naive belief that all would adhere to one homogenous interpretation of Christianity, let alone a gross assumption that all who attend American schools are even Christian.

Again, it has to start at home. If parents want their children to have a spiritually based life, they must teach it to them at home; public schools are for secular education, not religious practices.

It is a curious juxtaposition we see in conservative Christians campaigning to force prayer into our schools and vigorously defending their right to own guns. They and the NRA cannot continue down the rigid path of ownership at all costs....the cost of any child's life is too high! Adults in our country have proven they are not responsible in their gun ownership nor in their education of children about guns and the reality of their power.

It is time for a major change in gun ownership laws in the United States. A change which values every child's life; a change which makes going to school safe and life-affirming; a change which brings into the 21st century and beyond, an enlightened age of evolution; an age when people do not stockpile weapons because of some delusional scenario of paranoia.

One person's prayer may be another's oppression. The more parents take responsibility; the more we learn of other cultures, tolerance, and the positive outcomes of diversity; the sooner the fear, which is such a driving force behind gun ownership and violence, will become an outmoded mechanism of the past. When that day comes, then can we send up a "joyful noise" unto our individual "lord" and give thanks for the true safety of all.

©April 5, 2000 K. LaFrance All rights reserved

Columbine Tragedy

"Quiet time for children fosters positive adulthood

Published in the Casper Star Tribune (WY) May 2, 1999 and the Liberal Opinion Week May 10, 1999

I am no stranger to recent grief. My mother passed away last January. She was one of my circle whom I call my sounding board. She was always ready to lend an ear and enter into lively discussion about the events of the day. After her death, I found my voice was largely silent; hushed in the alcoves of grief which filled my heart. Even now, I find it difficult to bring forth the expressions of opinion, knowing she is not here to share them with.

She was a native of and lived in Colorado. Last Spring, my siblings and I found ourselves grateful she was not a witness to the tragedy of children killing children and their teacher in Littleton, Colorado. A place just a few miles from where her grandparents homesteaded.

In this time of my own personal mourning, I have discovered an extraordinary cyber-community called the Mudcat Cafe (www.mudcat.org). It is filled with people who have a common link in their love and performance of folk music. At the time of Littleton massacre, the discussion forum was filled with hundreds of passionate and thoughtful opinions, suggestions, and lamentations over the plight of the world's children, especially here in America. Many reasons were cited in an attempt to explain the motivation for such hatred and senseless destruction. At the same time there were debates on censorship and the role music, the media, and entertainment industries play in the weave of society's fabric.

One of the important points many of us agreed upon was the need to allow children to be children. Think about what a person in their 30's, 40's, or 50's might have known of the entire world, at five years old. Most of us knew there were starving children somewhere thus we should eat all of our dinner. Today's children, as one fellow Mudcatter pointed out, are global citizens from birth. With the blessings of the Internet, television, and telecommunications, the world is literally available at our fingertips. Therefore children are inundated and much more aware of all the good and bad in the world. They see the reality of the cruel world of wars, racial hatred, and despair; a reality I believe their tender souls and hearts were never meant to experience in such volumes, at such young ages.

Through all the pundits and finger pointing, many of us at the Mudcat concluded we are all of us guilty. Parents, teachers, school administrators, clergy, friends, everyone has failed in making a concerted effort to treat children with a protective tenderness born of compassion and an understanding of the limits of their "need to know". Children do not need to know the details of every tragedy; they do not need the visual images of strife and war of any kind.

One of my Mudcat friends reminded me of a phrase she'd read in Mothering Magazine about ten years ago. This term, benign neglect, describes the belief that children need time to be let alone; to sit under a tree and daydream; learn to know themselves in the solitude of imaginary play amongst the backdrop of nature or a quiet spot in the home. I think it is also an apt description of the need for children to experience boredom; a boredom they can alleviate through creative and positive means, guided by a parent or other responsible adult.

Today's children need DayTimers just to keep track of all of their activities, from grade school on. Sports and other activities are good and parents have good reason in believing all these things are necessary for their children's success in life. However, without moderation, I believe it creates an unnecessary and detrimental chaos in their hearts and minds, because, again, they were not meant to function at such levels. It's almost as though our society of hyper-consumerism expects the planted seed that is a child, to grow instantly into a strong and sturdy plant, able to bear mature fruit of a nature beneficial to all.

I do not know if any of these things were factors in the Colorado massacre. I only know that children need permission to just be children; allowed to run and play hard, sleep deeply, eat healthily, share their fears and joys willingly in a loving and nurturing environment.

Parents should be the first line of defence that ensures children this climate of healthy growth. Parents must, from the day of their child's birth, slow the pace of life down, even though it goes against society's dictates. They must take time for reading a book, singing a lullaby, holding a child near in comfort, listening to the silence. Without time to hear themselves and their own thoughts, understanding who they are becoming, how can we hope for children with well-developed critical thinking skills; skills so necessary in this fast-paced world? Even adults seem afraid of confronting themselves as they frantically fill all the hours of each day with work and other activities, trying to live up to a consumer culture which believes more of everything is better. Consequently, adults manifest the unbearable stress through heart disease, ulcers, and other ailments. How much damage might that same stress cause to the ever-changing bodies, minds and souls of children?

Home strife can cause children to act out in destructive ways. Our imperfect system allows many children to fall through the cracks; children who need intervention and advocacy in the very early years of their lives. Many times, teachers tell me of a student whose home life is an absolute hell of abusive parents, drug addiction, or even the harmful neglect of materialism. Each time, a teacher has worked the system; striving to obtain services which could turn that child's life around in a positive way. Too many times, the system failed to follow through, the children passed on to the next grade, their behaviour and learning skills deteriorated and they became the next potential youthful killers.

There has been much debate about the abuse or harassment such children suffer at the hands of their peers; a belief that it feeds the fear, embarrassment and anger until a boiling point of blinding rage and retribution sets them on a path of destruction.

It is true that humans are pack-oriented; anyone different will be picked at and ostracised. While this should have no part in our society and especially should not be tolerated in our schools, how victims react to this abuse can vary greatly. One student may have the determination and skills to rise above it; using it as a motivating factor for success despite the setbacks of loneliness. Another may seethe in rage, withdraw, and seek refuge in spurious activities, embracing the negativity of all aspects of society.

How they react is in direct relation to how they've been raised; how they relate to the world. If their parents are involved in their lives, demonstrating positive skills of coping, learning, and living, they may choose the "beat of a different drummer" deliberately and proudly standing out and away from the crowd. Children who experience a multitude of negativity in their early years, who are passively entertained through the media or constantly kept busy, may lack the skills necessary to cope in a positive way.

If nothing else comes out of the Littleton tragedy, we must all of us, join in making a difference, one child at a time. Major changes in society must begin with baby steps, one-on-one interaction. I hope the adults of our world can find the strength to practise good judgement, to indulge in moderation in all our world has to offer, thus offering each child the same opportunity for self-discovery.

My mother understood this. I cannot count the hours I was left to wander through the imaginary world my mind created. It was filled with the wonders of the stories and poems she read to me; of the songs she sang to me. May it be so for today's children; in this way may we heal the hideous disease which fostered such destruction in Littleton.

© original April 28, 1999 K. LaFrance
© revised October 20, 1999 K. LaFrance
all rights reserved

When Only the Victims Are Named

Teachers whom we are to treat with respect; whom we expect to teach our children well, have basically been found guilty of calling their principal a nigger, as well as derided his communication styles and other characteristics; a man who has commanded a great deal of respect over the years, from his courageous stance against racism while a young man at university to his unflagging devotion to his students, today. Our community, as a whole , still has no idea of which teachers were involved.

Because the principal came forward, made it known publicly, after enduring three years of harassment and abuse, he was removed from the school in question. He went through all of the pain and anguish of a public thrashing, with opponents and proponents duking it out in the newspaper, as well as the school administration trying to sweep it all under the rug.

It is the nature of cowards to hide behind anonymity. When the victim of a crime becomes publicly known, yet the perpetrators of the crime are not, it exacerbates the pain, suffering, and humiliation the victim may feel.

When the unnamed are those who have daily contact with children, in a position of authority, the parents of those children have a right to know who they are.

There is no honour in our schools when teachers use racist humour and language to demean their colleague or superior.

There is no honour in our schools when the administration then obfuscates, refusing to name those teachers, even after findings which said there was cause for discipline; even if measures were taken to remove those teachers to different positions within the school district. Claiming it is a personnel matter which must remain confidential is specious.

If my child was the victim, I would not consider it a private matter if their teacher considered it de rigueur to wage a campaign of intolerance against my child's language, color of skin, or abilities.

Racism is still very much an ingrained part of today's society. I had a storeowner tell me how our town is being ruined by those of color who've moved into our community with their "funny way of talking" and "gang related activities," etc. When I pointed out that the victim of the racist teachers was a long time resident of our state and a graduate of our state university, the shopkeeper had nothing to say. When I explained that educators sometimes must use any means possible, even what may sound like odd language to a local, to reach children who are at risk, the owner had nothing to say. She just kept talking about "those people" and how the townspeople never had any problems with "them" back in the 1950's and 60's when she was growing up, the implication being when they knew their place.

So, it is supposedly over and done with. The teachers are supposedly not racists. Uh-huh. Tell that to the child of colour who sees what happened and puts two and two together. Tell that to their victim who had to fight to keep a position in the district even though he was not the one who launched a racist campaign against a colleague. Tell that to the parents of children who have no idea if one of those teachers is now working with their child, passing on their subtle and not so subtle prejudices.

I've always been a staunch supporter of teachers and their unions, but in this instance I think they are wrong in defending the school district's refusal to make public the names of the teachers involved. Parents have a right to know, as does the general public and the victim in this whole sad affair certainly has the right to public vindication. Racism, prejudice, bias, none of these go away when swept under the rug of secrecy; they must be publicly confronted and education efforts must be redoubled to combat them in the future.

© Jan. 5, 2000 all rights reserved