Who's Teaching What?
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In response to the column “Guess Who Wants Big Government” by Andrew Soboeiro (Aug. 11), imagine my surprise when I learned that the article was written by “a rising senior at Pinecrest High School.” I’ll give the author significant points for a well-crafted, articulate, grammatical piece of writing.
What I can’t, indeed won’t, give him is points for having a clue about his subject matter. For example, “Anarchist theories are actually quite viable; cooperatives have been very successful within our society, and could very well function on a large scale.” Is this rising senior ignorant of any ancient or modern history?
Perhaps not. As he wrote, “But unless conservatives can embrace the principles of common ownership and cooperation … [they will be] committed always to big government for the rich and apathy for the poor.”
These ponderous statements and sentiments are from an individual who probably has never voted, had a mortgage or even paid income taxes.
My more serious concern is that his epistle was a result of what he was taught at Pinecrest. If so, someone really needs to examine Pinecrest’s Civics/Social Studies curriculum. The errors and bias are blatant distortions of history and fact, and their interpretations. I can only suspect that whoever was teaching the rising senior is a dedicated socialist. Common ownership indeed. And capitalism be damned.
Is this ideology what we want our students subjected to? Show me a “common ownership” nation and I’ll show you a failed state. Gee, even our pilgrims at Plymouth figured that out.
Michael J. MacDonald
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Comments
JER 2 years, 9 months ago
His letter tells me much about who Mr. MacDonald is. The student's statement about conservatives being always committed to big government for the rich and apathy for the poor is a position that does not require advanced age or education to figure out. Almost everybody knows that from experience. Mr. MacDonald's wish to attack the educational system that produced the student who wrote the article is what bothers me. I believe I am 100% correct when I say that this student was exposed to both capitalism and socialism during his educational process. Evidently, Mr. MacDonald supports the same educational system used by Mr. Hitler in 1930's Germany...only teach what you want them to know. I applaud Mr. Soboeiro for his contribution to the discussion and hope he continues to express his thoughts on this any other matters.
JER 2 years, 9 months ago
Prometheus: MacDonald said in his letter that Pinecrest's educational system needed to be investigated by "someone" because he suspected a teacher was a socialist. Even us uneducated rubes can easily see the similarities to the example I sited. Perhaps your not able to discern facts clearly because your nose gets in the way when you're looking down at all the rest of us in this world. I can hardly wait to see the 15 paragraphs this comment will generate.
JER 2 years, 9 months ago
Correction: should read cited. See, I told you I was an uneducated rube.
teach 2 years, 9 months ago
Andrew Soboeiro is one student I would have liked to have taught. For anyone to mention the Pilgrims at Plymouth as an argument against what the letter writer calls failed socialist states doesn't know history. And anyone who suggests that someone should look into what is being taught in social studies/history at Pinecrest saying that someone else is a dedicated socialist obviously has no idea what any of these terms mean. As a teacher of Advanced Placement English and AP US History for many years in several states and abroad I take umbrage at the suggestion that indoctrination is taking place at any school unless the writer can produce proof and not opinion.
Sally244 2 years, 9 months ago
Prometheus, I'd sure like to see you state an argument without all the personal attacks you constantly make. Your sarcastic and seemingly angry style of trying to cut down others to make your point doesn't exactly lend itself to an educated conversation. Please Read the policy statement:
"Don't post comments that are abusive, defamatory, illegal, libelous or obscene. It is possible to debate without engaging in personal attacks."
Sally244 2 years, 9 months ago
This doesn't have anything to do with liberal or non-liberal, I'd like to see both of you try to have a civilized and informative debate that we could all learn from and participate in without it dissolving into a personal attack.