Embedded Files
Since there were no school buses around at the time, mankind’s first educational experience was a family experience. God, the parent, instructed his children, Adam and Eve, in the Garden of Eden. Despite having a teacher, God, who looked like them – “created in his own image” – the children failed.
However, the family educational model continued well into the development of mankind…and school buses. Diana Hiatt-Michael, Emeritus Professor of Education at Pepperdine University, writes that “historically,” society has viewed a child’s education as being “the purview of the child’s parents.” In 1642, the Massachusetts colony passed a law which required all parents to provide their beautiful and capable children with education in reading, religion, and a trade. It was also expected that the parental education curriculum would include discipline, basic skills, work skills, ethics, and “value inculcation” …and free or reduced meals.
Current American society has missed the bus and the family educational model is now a very public affair. Dr. Hiatt-Michael writes that “it seems parents have lost control over their children’s education.” The role of the parent as educator has been “usurped” by businessmen, politicians, and political educators…”to the detriment of the student.”
A 2021 survey shows that parents in Hartford have accepted the new, social-parenting educational model popular in American society today. From a report entitled, “Hartford Parent University: Bottom Up Approach & Parent Survey Report,” the survey results below show what parents in Hartford are looking for from the school system, revealing that the folks at the “bottom” are actually looking for a “top” down approach to education…the social-parenting educational model.
Rather than wanting assistance in teaching and monitoring how well their kids read and are able to give change to Dunkin’ Donuts customers, Hartford parents want assistance in how to be parents. The 1,097 parents who answered the survey are telling us that historical parental jurisdiction over instructing their kids on ethics and values is like rocket science and in the absence of “Dre” and Rainbow Johnson, Claire and Cliff Huxtable, or Ward and June Cleaver, they need HPS to tell them how raise just and responsible children.
Hartford, however, is not alone in the subjugation of core parental responsibilities. In a Walton Family Foundation funded report published by the folks at K-12 Education, researchers found that today’s parents “view schools and teachers as being their partners in the work of raising their children…”
In fact, it’s now seen as unrealistic to expect parents to instruct their kids on core ethics and values. Economist Nate Hilger states in his book The Parent Trap, that it is an “egregiously unrealistic expectation that we place on parents to build a huge range of important skills in children, early in their life.” Hilger states that instructing our children on things like self-discipline, tenacity, financial skills, and physical and mental self-care is difficult and complicated and we, as parents, cannot be expected to accomplish these things in our “spare time.”
So, while we criticize school leadership and the school board (rightfully so, more often than not), as parents we must burn Hilger’s book - along with the Hartford Courant - and take responsibility for and hold ourselves accountable for the child we send out to the school bus every morning.
Looking towards HPS or the failed organization called Hartford Parent University for instruction on how to raise our children will work out as well as the serpent instructing Adam and Eve on dietary issues.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse