| In order to build a stronger, more self-sufficient | | | | place in first world education. There is no reason |
| America, America must first be willing to change. | | | | why the school day must only be (approximately) |
| To build a progressive and competitive society, | | | | six hours long. By increasing lunch by ten minutes |
| America's most important challenge is to change | | | | (so our children don't have to wolf down their |
| its antiquated educational system. In every political | | | | food), and by adding another five minutes for |
| administration, education must be first and | | | | passing to one extra class, and forty-five-minutes |
| foremost. Without a strong and revitalized | | | | for that class, our school day will be only one-hour |
| educational system, America will never progress | | | | longer. This would make a big difference in the |
| to greatness nor be able to alleviate any of our | | | | quantity of education our children. |
| other ills. | | | | But, it's quality we must have for our children to |
| The three R's - reading, 'riting, and 'rithmetic - is | | | | rise to their true potential. To achieve that goal, |
| how our children have been taught since the | | | | American schools must incorporate into their |
| beginning of time. But we're now in the | | | | present curriculum new Life Studies courses to |
| twenty-first century, and we have a responsibility | | | | prepare our children for the world in which they |
| to our children, to America's future, to educate | | | | are becoming an integral part. Within partnership |
| tomorrow's leaders and teach future generations | | | | with the fifty state universities and state public |
| the skills they need so they can survive in a world | | | | education commissioners, along with noted |
| that is becoming increasingly more difficult to | | | | educational psychologists and sociologists, a |
| survive in. | | | | Master of Science Degree would be offered in |
| Today's youth are not like yesteryear's innocents. | | | | part scholarship to already certified teachers. |
| There are no more shows like Leave It To | | | | American schools must add these Life Study |
| Beaver or Father Knows Best. Instead, we have | | | | courses and stay open an hour longer each day if |
| accepted the censors lack of discretion where our | | | | America wants to be a competitive force in the |
| children (and adults) are concerned by inundating | | | | twenty-first century. |
| the airwaves with swear words never before | | | | This Education Reinvention Bill would help working |
| heard on television. It has become part of our | | | | parents, especially single mothers, in that their child |
| children's language, and school teachers cannot do | | | | will in school an hour longer everyday, costing |
| anything about it because the media has dictated | | | | them less in day care, thus receiving more in |
| that freedom of speech, of any speech, is the | | | | salary to help the family, therefore more taxes |
| accepted norm, the right of all Americans, no | | | | paid to the government on salaries and durable |
| matter their age. How could it be bad, many ask? | | | | goods. This is financially greater than the tax |
| They hear it everyday on TV. If it was bad, it | | | | refund that has been gratuitously given to |
| wouldn't be allowed into our living room. The news | | | | America's middle class. |
| programs have become more graphic, verbally | | | | On the elementary level, classes in creative |
| and visually, educating our children more in the | | | | writing, confidence and self-esteem, manners and |
| ways of adult themes and topics, like never | | | | etiquette, ecology and the environment, safety, |
| before. And our morals have changed for the | | | | and the new 3R's (respect, responsibility, and |
| worse as our children are taught that their | | | | reward) would be added to the yearly curriculum; |
| sexuality begins at an earlier age, and it is an | | | | one course for each grade level. |
| important and exciting part of their lives. | | | | On the intermediate level, students would be |
| Today, our children's rite of passage precedes | | | | required to take yearly courses in money |
| their concept of right or wrong. Along with that | | | | management, interpersonal communications, and |
| open education, computers and the information | | | | social awareness (which would include a |
| highway, our children are more intelligent, more | | | | cooperative commitment in volunteerism). |
| worldly, and older than children of similar ages | | | | High school students would study one course in |
| were decades ago. Since we can't go back in | | | | each of their eight semesters in career |
| time, although many adults wish we could, we | | | | development, comparative cultures and religions, |
| need to treat our children as the young adults | | | | philosophy, ethics and morality, analytical and |
| they have been forced to become. Consequently, | | | | deductive reasoning, persuasive speaking, colleges, |
| America has to drastically reinvent its schools. | | | | and parenthood. |
| Teacher tenure should be abolished in that this | | | | The cost of educating these teachers and |
| reward is irresponsible to the family and the | | | | creating jobs for them in every public school |
| consumer. If someone is doing an inadequate job | | | | sector would be repaid when the first graduating |
| then that employee should be monitored, and, if | | | | class enters mainstream America. With |
| need be, replaced. No contract, like the rest of | | | | mandatory student graduation, the cost for this |
| America's workplace, should be lifetime. This would | | | | new educational system will be repaid with the |
| ensure quality education. | | | | money saved on law enforcement and a |
| America must do away with the law that its | | | | consistently reduced welfare system, along with |
| children can quit school at sixteen. All children must | | | | more people in the work place paying taxes and |
| stay in school until graduation; if not public, then in | | | | generating money in American commerce. |
| vo-tech schools learning a trade. The excuse that | | | | The Education Reinvention Bill is not just |
| a child must go to work at sixteen to help | | | | imperative for our children's success, but for our |
| support their family does irreparable damage to | | | | country's survival. There is a lot America must do |
| the future of the child being forced to be his | | | | to change for the better and again be a |
| family's provider. Staying in school until graduation | | | | respected force in today's world. Education |
| will break the chain of poverty, and, with it, crime | | | | reform is just one of many ways we can |
| and welfare will greatly diminish. | | | | accomplish that goal. |
| The school day must be longer. America is in last | | | | It is also the most important one. |