Tomato: You guessed correctly! Apparently things are very different in Canada. Unfortunately the system here has gone rapidly downhill, as you can tell from other comments.

Parents who attempt to supplement their children's education at home--or worse, homeschool them outright--are either viewed as antiquated freaks, or potentially dangerous radicals. Most parents just throw their kids into the public school system and expect the teachers to raise them. Unfortunately, the average American school has become a soapbox for various political causes that honestly have no place in such a venue, and shouldn't be pushed on kids who don't yet have the maturity or comprehensive skills to make an informed decision.

Political causes have their place. They are what make a nation vibrant and encourage growth. But when they are introduced into the classroom, they take on the flavor of indoctrination.

--TwoDragons

Tomato, I understand the need for many of the classes you have espoused. Yes they *are* necessary. On paper, they look great, IF they are augmented with the scholastic basics. But there are some nasty flaws that have crept into the system that have left me less than pleased with the current educational model in public schools.

For one, courses such as "Social Justice" and "Gender Issues" have become the PRIMARY aspect of schooling, and classic subjects have taken a back seat. I work with a large group of youth ranging from Kindergarten-age (including my son) to graduation-age. It's amazing how many of these otherwise highly intelligent and reasonable kids are also lacking in basic skills. They show an exceptional awareness of the course of the nation and the world around them...but are almost illiterate, or need a calculator to do anything beyond basic math.

Secondly, there is a highly unfortunate tendency for the educators of such courses to turn their classrooms into their personal soapboxes, and their students into their army of supporters. There is little to no impartiality in these venues. In many cases they become a breeding-ground not for youth capable of reasonable thought, but for vapid, rabid, hype-fed packs of professional picketers.

These are kids whose lack of solid basic education leaves them vulnerable to media spin and unable to fact-check the data they are given. They see nothing wrong with being spoon-fed whatever the teacher serves them--or worse, are afraid to debate the teacher for fear of failing the course--because they have no capacity for the same "reasonable, logical" thought that such classes were originally intended to generate.

We have created a generation of vulnerable, gullible children whose primary source of world information is from thirty-second blurbs on CNN or Fox, can spell only in text-messaging shorthand, and have all the attention span of a lobotomized goldfish. They chase whatever cause catches their eye, then drop it for something more trendy. They don't know how to truly change the world, they only know how to scream at everyone else to do it.

As for the couple in the post, they provide a fine example of exactly what I am talking about. Would you trust your kids to those two...? I certainly wouldn't.

--TwoDragons

To Sad Tomato and Dr. So and So...

Ah, yes. I see your point. It's so nice to recognize social injustices. It's an absolute necessity to spend the rest of your life raising the public awareness of various causes, while having noone of the educational capacity to actually DO anything about them.

Then when you go out to shout about whatever fad cause you have been spoon fed this week by the media because of your complete lack of capacity to reason on your own, you can just ask your homeschooled friends to proofread your picket signs for you.

I'll stick to teaching my children the good old tried-and-true basics in education, thanks. It gives them a nice, stable foundation to base their logic and reasoning skills upon than a diet of ephemeral feel-good fluff courses.

--TwoDragons

Be careful pushing the pins in, or it'll be time for a Band-Aid... ;-)

--TwoDragons

*falls over laughing at Ali S.* "NARF!"

Calculating and inserting leap seconds must be a very, very...very...very dry job. I can't help but imagine a bunch of crusty old bean-counters playing with clocks.

--TwoDragons

It looked incredible here in Texas. There was even a halo around it, which just added to its beauty.

--TwoDragons

Cristophe, let me put it this way:

I'm not eating at your house anytime soon. Thanks.

--TwoDragons

It's so funny...I hated school when I was a kid, and failed to understand what purpose it served beyond employing annoying old farts to harass kids. But now, as a parent...I reminisce about the fact that it was still an institution that TAUGHT PEOPLE BASIC SKILLS, and didn't worry about what freaking color the grading pens were!

AAAAAAAAAAARGH! No wonder homeschooling is becoming more popular!!

--TwoDragons

Everyone is put on this earth for a reason.

Some of them are to be an inspiration.

Others are to be an object lesson.

Unfortunately, there seems to be more of Category Number Two coming out of this generation...

--TwoDragons

You'd have to do some pretty radical sucking to damage an eardrum like that, and by that point she would not have been in much mood to continue the kiss, as it would have been massively excruciating. I smell an urban legend!

--TwoDragons

It's not the main article that puzzles me, so much as one small detail. What the heck kind of a class is "Social Justice"?! Whatever happened to the classic "Readin' Writin', and 'Rithmetic"?! Just not "Post-Modern" enough?!

Sheesh, I must be getting old...

--TwoDragons

Just for teachers?! HAH! This is perfect for parents, too! LOL

--TwoDragons

The Uncanny Valley now has an official spokesper--er, spokeswom--er...spokesthing.

Eesh.

--TwoDragons

Great animation from a great animator--and a very valid message for all pet lovers! What a way to get my day started!

--TwoDragons

I just carry a notepad around with me. Otherwise I'd forget about the app... LOL

--TwoDragons