Author:  R. Alan Harrop, Ph.D. 

Having educated, patriotic citizens is essential to the survival of America as we have known it in our lifetimes. When speaking about the most crucial things needed to save our Republic, George Washington stated, “A primary object should be the education of our youth in the science of government.  In a republic, what species of knowledge can be equally important? And what duty more pressing than communicating it to those who are to be the future guardians of the liberties of the country?” Let’s take a look and see how we are doing.

In spite of the so-called “No Child Left Behind Act” passed by Congress during the first years of this century, educational achievement has been declining–not improving. In fact, this is the first time in our country’s history where children’s academic achievement is lower than their parents! This is in spite of billions of taxpayer dollars spent on laptops, smart phones and screen learning. Today, 55% of school children spend at least four hours of classroom time on screens and 27% spend at least five hours of classroom time. I can remember about ten years ago that one of the Craven County Commissioners expressed how proud he was that every student received a laptop funded by the county taxpayers. Of course, good intentions do not guarantee good results.

Some might argue, of course, that computer generated learning is preparing children for the modern world. Test scores in reading, math, science and spelling refute that argument. What is critical is how much of the information in the mode of instruction actually is absorbed and expands a child’s thinking and reasoning ability. Why learn arithmetic and multiplication tables when calculators are readily available? Why have human teachers when AI instruction is rapid and readily available? By the way, the decrease in academic achievement is occurring not just in our country but in most other Western countries, some of whom are taking steps to return to more traditional teaching using paper, pencils and teacher instruction. AI gets smarter; we get dumber. I noticed recently that when I initiate an email, I am asked if I want an AI program to assist! Teachers now do not know if a written assignment submitted by a student was written by that student or is an AI derivative. Teachers should go back to requiring the student to hand write the assignment while they are in the classroom. One problem is that very few public schools still teach cursive writing. The professional teacher’s associations will object, but we need to return to instructional techniques that worked for centuries and get the computers and smart phones out of the classroom.

The point that George Washington was making in the quote above needs to be taken seriously. Our schools do not offer sufficient instruction in the value and success of the free enterprise system and the necessity of retaining a representative republic to safeguard our liberties. The last hundred years have clearly proven the unworkability of Marxist inspired socialism and communism. They always produce lowered standards of living, and authoritarian governments that deprive people of their freedom. Yet we have millions of people who have been through our public school systems that don’t realize that Marxist principles are anti-American and vote for people like Mamdani in New York City which will be their undoing and the destruction of our country. A recent survey showed that the majority of high school students could not differentiate a representative republic from a democracy, and that an alarming 62% Americans aged 18 to 29 had a favorable view of socialism! Not good.

I have been and remain an advocate for school choice, including private and homeschools. Anyone who resists supporting school choice in favor of the public school system as it is currently functioning is contributing to the demise of our country. Parents should be able to select the education that agrees with their principles and values. Homeschooling should be encouraged and funded just like public or private schools. We need to get patriotism and traditional learning back in our educational system.