"No" to politics, "Yes" to education

Just couldn't take it anymore...voted a week and a half ago and have been switching stations, turning the TV off, muting and otherwise just running for cover and my sanity ever since. They are all just like a combination of door-to-door subscription salesmen morphed into used car salesmen...they slip and slide all over, and they come with a host of supporters who are also as slimy(sp?!) as five day old banana peals mixed with seaweed. There has to be a separate, special hell for politicians. If they were in any other line of work, they all would be prosecuted under the RICO act.

Now...I recently had a series of conversations about the current state of education in this country. Is there anyone out there who can explain the reason behind a mandate that all children have a highschool education? I totally understand the desire to make it to all, but requiring it for all is illogical.

Years ago I suggested to a friend (who was a teacher) that I could solve all of his discipline problems in two semesters (I was kidding, folks, in order to make a point, so lets not have responses on this). Just constitutionally provide immunity for each teacher for killing up to 5 students and/or 10 parents or parental substitutes per semester per class...and have the right to trade for additional kills from those teachers who happen to have well-behaved classes.

The point being made is that non-motivated students who are reqired to be in a class are disruptive and take teaching effort from those who actually want to learn for no additional learning benefit to the person who is disruptive. And think how much better it would be for a non-motivated student to have to explore his or her options without a highschool degree (without the "thrill" of "cutting" class), learn to value it, and come back to an educational venue with that knowledge...ready to learn and perhaps to share with his or her peers and give them the opportunity to learn from those experiences without having to do it themselves.

And removing the mandate would take school from being a "forced" activity, against which it is "cool" to rebell, to being an sign of superiority and schievement, something to be valued, worked for, and an opportunity to not only be protected but to be taken advantage of.

Additionally, schools should insist on, and lobby for laws that require,respect for all teachers and other school personnel. Again, dismiss those who do not value education and educators until they can show that they have gained the "vision" of the value they are being offered.

Our insistance on retaining students is counterproductive and prevents teachers from helping students achieving to the extent of their abilities. Oh...on more point... The Constitution guarantees the of happiness, its achievement. Besides, the longer I live the more I am convinced it is not the goal but the trip that is to be savored.