A Double Dose Of Double Standard
[July 24th] - Since the September 11th attacks, Americans have tried to understand why young Muslim men carry so much anger towards the United States. Many, including the federal government, have surmised that Muslim schools are teaching a bastardized version of both Islam and the Koran. Mulahs, it is believed, latch onto these young boys at their most impressionable period, and "create" these men of hate who are so willing to kill both themselves and others in the name of a perverted religion. This may or may not be true. I have never been to one of these schools, so I cannot say with accuracy if this happens. However, doesn't anyone else find it curious this same type of one-sided education is happening right here in our own back yards, and yet no one says a word?
Today's students don't have much of a chance. Gone are those special teachers who knew so much and taught so creatively that they both educated and entertained. Today's new teacher's are often provided a lesson plan to follow. Certain words and phrases, many ideas and beliefs are taboo. The discussion of abortion is fine as long as the teacher's lesson plan supports "Roe V. Wade" and doesn't provide equal time to those who disagree. Homosexuality is also a teachable subject. Many teachers and school districts bring in representatives from Gay and Lesbian organizations to offer their point of view. Of course, it would be "mean spirited" to offer the view that homosexuality is somehow wrong, so the students only get one side of this story. History text books are excised and scrubbed of reality because certain words and images are "stereotypes" and "anti" somebody or something.
I believe that students, especially in high school, deserve the opportunity to be exposed to as many ideas and beliefs as possible, even ones I don't like. That's democracy. But it's not democracy when the other side of an issue is abridged or erased altogether as a result of political ideology. Bring in a gay man, bring in someone who disagrees with the gay lifestyle. Let a feminist teach the class for a day, give the same opportunity to a "traditional" woman. Offer both sides and then discuss the new information. But that's not happening. Because of the seriously liberal bent of the NEA and most of it's state affiliates, no effort is given to fairness. It's all about the politics. Kids don't understand this. Kids, especially younger ones, can't tell when information is missing from a lesson plan They don't know that part of the equation is missing.
It is the responsibility of all teachers, regardless of their ideology, to present all pertinent facts when discussing a subject of importance. To do any less is to do what many Americans blame the Muslim teachers of doing, which is to indoctrinate, and not educate. If we don't like it happening in Riyadh or Beirut, Cairo or Mecca, then we must stop it from happening in New York and Chicago, Los Angeles and Miami.
It's the only right thing to do.
