GOOD CITIZENS THROUGH EDUCATION?

PERSPECTIVE    
by JANN  FLURY
Columnist EducationNews.org

November 26, 2001

Public schools across North America promise to turn our children into "Good Citizens."

By and large, youth readily accepts and adopts society's values-be they positive or negative. And no one can argue with the truism that what we teach our children today will become the philosophy of our nation tomorrow. However, the negative side of the coin is equally undisputable.  What we fail to teach our children today will have an equally profound impact on our society (the nation) tomorrow.

These realities raise some burning questions and issues that lead to heated debate and a mad scramble for control of education. Society must determine the qualities that define a good citizen,  how our youth should be groomed to achieve these desirable characteristic, and who should determine what values must be inculcated in our youth to chart the future  moral direction of society.

Our democratic society, in theory, functions as a system of government "by the people for the people"; therefore, hypothetically, democratic society is a true reflection of its citizenry-trundling along more or less according to the will of the people. And since society represents an amalgam of its individuals, it is most desirable to stock it with individuals who are good citizens. And it is befitting for society to decide WHAT needs to be taught, and by WHOM in order to develop these good citizens.

In cynical terms, a good citizen could be defined as anyone who has too much to lose by becoming a bad citizen.  In more realistic, socially significant terms, a good citizen is anyone who abides by the law and leads a constructive life within the confines of society.  A good citizen likes his job (most of the time), takes pride in doing his work well, has integrity, and lives by a moral code that puts the well-being of his family ahead of personal frivolous wants.  He plans and looks to the future with confidence and optimism.  He works hard and sleeps well.

Living by this basic code of ethics creates a happy citizen. A happy citizen interacts well with his community and represents a good example for others to follow.  This state of being or quality of life can be achieved by anyone, be they butcher, baker, or candlestick maker. There is no need to be a brilliant brain surgeon, a hero, or a super star to become a good citizen that can set a good example-simply "do what you do, do well boy" and meet your obligations cheerfully.

Clearly, the mental attitude of such a good citizen does not materialize totally from thin air. It's part of a natural process of mental development.  Mostly, the attitude and attributes develop and are acquired (learned) through experiences and observations made from the examples that are set by parents in the home, cohorts and teachers at school, and to a lesser extent, society at large.

And right here is where society runs amok, and the "good citizen" becomes an endangered species.  Originally, public education was established to teach children basic academic subjects, and to fortify the moral values taught in the home by implementing a sound code of conduct and discipline in the schools. And schools remained under the control of the community's citizens.

All that has changed. The moulding of good citizens is no longer a democratic process based on leadership by example that has its roots in the traditional family home. The pedagogical establishment and a number of other special interest groups in society fully appreciate the influence education (or lack of it)  has on society. To serve their own aims, these factions have literally hijacked public education over time. They overtly lobby or covertly plot to impose their agendas on public education in order to lay a foundation for the philosophy of future governments that will be to their design and liking.

Schools today do not teach adequately the essential academic subjects. They do not lead by good example. And they do not support traditional family values.  Quite to the contrary, they teach that there is no right or wrong, that tolerance is good and being judgmental bad, that competition is wrong and cooperation good; that all children should have high self-esteem, and that they should explore life and enjoy themselves to the fullest.  Learning to learn, becoming lifelong learners and fitting-in and getting along with the crowd is all that matters. "Progressive" educators, today, promote consensus and group-decision making, and they discourage individual thinking as being egocentric.  They want our children to become "good citizens" that can't distinguish right from wrong and will fit into the "Global Village" under a "New World Order" that function under a new set of moral values.

Unfortunately, educators have promoted this decadent socialistic dogma for some years now, and society is losing its moral bearings. The traditional family, the fabric that binds society, is being eroded relentlessly. Educators are not turning children into good citizens today, as they claim. And demoralized teachers who are the victims of a corrupt system do not set a good example for students to follow.

Ironically, negative attitudes are acquired or learned as readily as are the positive ones. Therefore, sending students down the wrong path is easy, and the education establishment has contributed significantly to the destruction of society's vulnerable  moral fabric. The pedagogical elitists aim to take total control over the indoctrination of the children. "Good citizens" will be created to fit their definition, and tomorrow's government will be shaped and influenced by minions of their teachings and negative values.