Strengthen Students

My father, father-in-law, grandmother, and great-grandmother were all school teachers.  I love teachers, and I regularly communicate with my children's teachers -- usually to praise and encourage them for something they've done that I think is great.

 

So I support teachers and schools that focus on giving our kids the skills they need to succeed as adults.  Every kid is unique, but every kid can learn and grow.

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But some of our schools are doing a disservice to their students by letting disruptive children rule classrooms.  Kids can’t learn if they’re afraid or if classrooms are chaotic, and no teacher is at their best (or happy) when they spend their time managing the bad behavior of a few rotten apples.

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Schools should make our kids strong and resilient — not frail.  Too much time is currently spent in some schools training children to blame others for whatever problems they have.  We all have problems -- let's train our kids to work together to solve them.  Let's not teach them to be hopeless, despairing victims.

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As someone who has benefited from public schools, private schools, and homeschooling, I support all three modes of learning.  I support academic freedom and the freedom of parents to pursue what is best for their children.

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When our schools stray from their primary mission, they should hear from all of us.  When our schools succeed, we should let them know they have our support.