Education

You have heard of the show and the game, "are you smarter than a 5th grader". Well, here is my take on it, with a twist as usual. Are you smarter than Forest Gump?

Here in the Little Miami School District, over half the voters are not smarter than Forest Gump. Why do I say that? The levy failed. I am embarrassed to live here now. I know there are a lot of parents who don't put much effort into parenting. I know there are parents who let there little kids run lose in the streets and just assume they are safe and like a cat, will come home when they feel like it. I know there are parents who find their kids to be an expensive inconvenience that keeps them from living their life the way they want to live it. I know all of these things because I can see it happening all around me. I don't feel that way because my daughter is a blessing and a prize from God that I enjoy every minute of every day. I am so thankful to have the opportunity to be a parent that I relish every second of it, the good, the bad and the ugly. I work hard to provide for my family and I work hard at being a parent. I want Gracie to have everything I didn't, isn't that what a parent is supposed to do? I want her to have every advantage and every thing she needs to become a well rounded, productive, happy and successful citizen and a blessed child of God. In order to accomplish this task, a quality education is required. A quality education means a good school and involved parents to help make sure she is working at school and putting in the time required. A quality education means having facilities and teachers who are willing and able to provide her the attention and supplies that she needs to learn. Kids need good text books, good computers, good teachers, good supplies, and good high level challenging courses to choose from. The voters of the district just took those things away from my daughter, and all the kids, over 83 cents a day. That is an average of course, but that's what the cost would be for the average tax valuation in the district. Yes some would pay more and some less, but the point isn't the cost, the point is the price to pay for not passing it, a high price it will be. 37 teachers cut, 3 buildings closed, AP and gifted programs ended, art, music, gym, etc ended, class size inflation, busing kids from one side of the district to the other (up to 40 miles in some cases). This is a slap in the face to the kids who just got told they don't mean squat to anybody and nobody cares about them. Well, kids, I care.

The above clip is from the movie "Forest Gump" I know its supposed to be funny, but there is a point in there as well. Mrs. Gump showed just how much she cared for her sons education. While this is done in a comedic way, its still true. An education is the sole thing that opens doors for our youth. Without an education our youth are doomed. I will not and can not allow this to happen to my Gracie. She will get everything she needs. The sad part is that all of those parents who voted no, obviously don't care enough about their kids to put forth the type of effort I am willing to put forth, so their kids will be disadvantaged from the get go.

I am not saying that Gracie is going to be the valedictorian and your kid will be the fence post, but I am saying that in 30 years your kid will be working for mine, if that is what she chooses to do.

One other side light. You people who voted no, please do not tell me who you are. I will not do business with you and since you hurt my child I will be struggling not to return the favor. Scripture tells me to turn the other cheek and forgive you for you know not what you do, ( and I will forgive you) but I so want to kick you in the shin first.

The most poignant line from the movie, in my opinion, was when Forest asked Jenny if his son was smart. I burst into tears every time I see this line. ( I know, cut me a break, there are deep seated emotionally unstable reasons for that you don't want to know) The reason I point this out is because EVEN Forest knows that its important in this world to be smart. The only way to get smart is to get an education. The global economy is upon us, it is real. Screw global warming, that's not the real threat here, a failed economy driven by a failed education system will starve us all long before the climate change extintafies us all. If Forest know this and you didn't, and therefore voted no, you are not as smart as Forest, or a 5th grader for that matter.

" Stupid is as stupid does "