Sing Your Song, Lee

A family member who teaches telephoned and shared with me that her special education class load this school year numbers 17.  Two of those students are not potty-trained. This teacher is required to change soiled diapers. She stated that during the first week of school little instruction was done because of personal hygiene demands of these two children.

I believe that every child is entitled to an education. That said, I do not believe every child, regardless of disabilities, is entitled to be mainstreamed at the expense of instructional time reduction impacting other students. The solution to this problem is two-fold: Hire additional teachers' aides to address issues that compromise the learning environment or support separate school venues for extra-needs children. Both suggestions would create greater public taxation cost, which Americans are unwilling to pay.

We Americans can get our jollies-off with counting Olympic 'Gold Medals' as we distance our self from other countries and get goose bumps while the Star Spangled Banner plays...just know this: according to the 2010, World Educational Rankings conducted by the Organization for Economic  Co-operation and Development, the United States ranked 17th when combining reading, math and science scores.

Sing your song,  Lee Greenwood...'Proud To Be An American?' Hey, what the hell, life good, we Americans have our guns and football tailgating.

Look, I am in need of improvement; I could be better and do better. I'm proud of my children, my grandchildren and great grandchildren, but none are perfect; they could be better and do better. Yes, indeed, I'm proud of my country (America) but that nation falls short of perfection and it is unacceptable for this nation to rank so poorly in education...I'm NOT proud of that nor should you be.