July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Improve homes, improve education
Letters to the Editor
First of all, let’s get something straight. I am a “dyed in the wool” Republican! I believe in Right to Life, Small Government, Etc. But I don’t approve of the attack on our Educational System, and our teachers that has been taking place in Indianapolis in recent years. For some unknown reason we seem to think that by denigrating an underpaid, overworked team of professionals we can get them to produce miracles!
As a former Industrial Engineer and vice president of manufacturing, I have found that you can produce a quality product if you have good equipment, a motivated, trained workforce, and quality raw materials.
The folks in Indianapolis seem to think that there is something wrong with our equipment because they keep tinkering with it. They also seem to think there is something wrong with our workforce, because they keep trying to find better ways to measure their performance. I would like to suggest that the problem has very little to do with educational systems and teachers; it has to do with the raw material, the students.
This is an area that most politicians are afraid to tackle because it means getting involved in that sacred area of American Life, the home.
But I’m here to tell you that there will be little improvement in education scores until the home life of the students improves.
How can a kid be expected to learn to read, or do math problems when his stomach is growling because mom forgot to cook dinner the night before; or how can a little girl learn when she can hardly stay awake in class because she and her little brother hid under the porch all night because mom and dad had friends over for a drug party, and they were afraid to stay in the house?
Or how about the little girl who hated to see “Cartoon Day” come because that is when Uncle Johnny came over and slept with her?
“Yes, Tom”, you say, “but these are all examples of homes that have drug and alcohol problems.” Yes they are, and they are more common in our community than we seem to want realize. This type of home needs intervention.
If we expect the children raised in these homes to be successful in school, and eventually in life, something has to change.
First of all, most of these dysfunctional parents wind up in our judicial system at one time or another. I would like to see our courts take seriously the protection of the children, and remove them from the homes, if necessary. Second, I would like to see our courts focus on rehabilitating the parents instead of punishing them. They must have help in overcoming the addictions that control their behaviors. We have resources available if we would use them. There is a “Faith Based” program called “Celebrate Recovery” that works wonders for those with addictions and other issues that affect their ability to function, both spiritually and physically.
I’m sure there are many ways to tackle the problems related to educating our children, but I hope, and pray that we, the people of Jay County, will face up to our responsibility to the children, and the teachers in our schools and give them the chance they deserve.
Tom Lightle
Portland[[In-content Ad]]
As a former Industrial Engineer and vice president of manufacturing, I have found that you can produce a quality product if you have good equipment, a motivated, trained workforce, and quality raw materials.
The folks in Indianapolis seem to think that there is something wrong with our equipment because they keep tinkering with it. They also seem to think there is something wrong with our workforce, because they keep trying to find better ways to measure their performance. I would like to suggest that the problem has very little to do with educational systems and teachers; it has to do with the raw material, the students.
This is an area that most politicians are afraid to tackle because it means getting involved in that sacred area of American Life, the home.
But I’m here to tell you that there will be little improvement in education scores until the home life of the students improves.
How can a kid be expected to learn to read, or do math problems when his stomach is growling because mom forgot to cook dinner the night before; or how can a little girl learn when she can hardly stay awake in class because she and her little brother hid under the porch all night because mom and dad had friends over for a drug party, and they were afraid to stay in the house?
Or how about the little girl who hated to see “Cartoon Day” come because that is when Uncle Johnny came over and slept with her?
“Yes, Tom”, you say, “but these are all examples of homes that have drug and alcohol problems.” Yes they are, and they are more common in our community than we seem to want realize. This type of home needs intervention.
If we expect the children raised in these homes to be successful in school, and eventually in life, something has to change.
First of all, most of these dysfunctional parents wind up in our judicial system at one time or another. I would like to see our courts take seriously the protection of the children, and remove them from the homes, if necessary. Second, I would like to see our courts focus on rehabilitating the parents instead of punishing them. They must have help in overcoming the addictions that control their behaviors. We have resources available if we would use them. There is a “Faith Based” program called “Celebrate Recovery” that works wonders for those with addictions and other issues that affect their ability to function, both spiritually and physically.
I’m sure there are many ways to tackle the problems related to educating our children, but I hope, and pray that we, the people of Jay County, will face up to our responsibility to the children, and the teachers in our schools and give them the chance they deserve.
Tom Lightle
Portland[[In-content Ad]]
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