🚀 go-pugleaf

J.M. Ivler wrote:

> School is NOT about developing socialization skills. It is about LEARNING
> SKILLS. Manners training begins at HOME, as does ethics. Schools have no
> ethics, or manners.
> 
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> Socialization skills are not what public schools ae supposed to be
> teaching our kids. They should be teaching our kids how to read (and they
> aren't), how to write (again, they are failing there) and how to do basic
> math (you don't want to see what math and science scores look like in
> terms of what they were just 20 years ago).
> 

Schools should, definitely, be teaching basic math and reading.  But to
say that they should play absolutely no role in socialization is not
realistic.  School is where most of the children meet almost all of
their friends.  School is where they interact with their peers most
often.  School is where they spend a huge portion of their time.

> Finally, what is the "norm"? Well, normalize means to put a kid into the
> center of the bell curve (well within the 80% portion of the curve). I
> believ that my kid is in the top 10% and I don't want her "normalized"
> into what "society" (read "the majority") define as the norm. I want her
> to be exceptional.
> 

That's one meaning of "normalize" but I think that you will find others
in the dictionary.  In this case I think "normal" means not aberrant.

> : > Who is to judge just what clothing is 'correct'? Your idea of
> : > 'correct' clothing is not always mine.
> : That is what school boards and elections are for, so that the maximum
> : number of people have input into the process.
> 
> School boards and elections on what is acceptable to "wear" in school.
> Next we will see you pushing for the "moment of silent prayer" becuase the
> majority feel that that is acceptable and the norm too... screw those that
> don't believe in prayer.
> 
> The only purpose of the "system" we have is to protect the rights of the
> 20% that aren't in the majority from the majority.
> 

There may be one or two purposes for our system besides that one.  But
protecting the rights of the minority is certainly important.  First of
all, prayer in schools is not the subject.  

But the question was "Who will decide?".  The answer was given by our
founding fathers and confirmed by hundreds of years of experience. 
Elected officials make the final decision after listening to their
constituents.  Let me assure you, strict dress codes will not be passed
over the objections of a vocal minority.

Dale