I have heard the numerous candidates for President of the United States concerning our schools. I have heard and seen what the present administration is doing for our schools. Depending on the locality, parental and community income and federal help, shows the condition of the buildings and study material used in that school system.

I saw an article on Facebook (re-posted by a friend) that made me think about my childhood schooling. Paraphrasing, the article talked about children going to school with shoes that cost more than the teacher’s clothing, but the children does not have enough money to buy notebooks to help themselves in classwork. The children will pitch a fit for not having a two-hundred-dollar pair of shoes for school but do not worry about getting a two dollar note book for a class.

When I was in school, I seldom had new clothes for school, but I did have the necessary material that made learning easier. Getting class material was the priority. Most of my classmates were in the same boat, but we learned and did not fret. No, I do not come from rural America. I come from the city and never, if ever, thought about what I wore. I remember, all I thought about is learning for the upcoming tests and whether I studied hard enough.

Money is spent for ultra-modern schools, décor for the campuses, and not so much on the learning. Today, most children think about socializing and dress. I remember bringing home, each day, all my school books because I had homework to do for each class. After at home chores, I had hours of homework, including weekends. I had pop quizzes on, not only what is learned in class that day, but what was learned a while ago. That is not done today, so I am told.

My parents made sure I was prepared and enforced it. They did not condone skipping school, acting up in class, bringing home anything less than above average nor did they condone not bringing home my books and not doing my homework. They encouraged doing more than is required and attended all parent-teacher conferences to see that I was doing the schoolwork and my deportment.

The teacher was always right unless proven, without a doubt, they were out of order. Today, the child seems to be the adult and must be given what they want, and they are the ones that are right. It seems the child knows what is better for themselves. If they know as much as they think they do, maybe they should be the teacher. Maybe they should get a job and get their own two-hundred-dollar shoes, or pants, or dress, etc. Maybe they should be their own keeper and we, as adults, sit back and relax.

Yes, I agree the school system need more and better schools. But, at the same time, parents need to control their children, teach their children values at home and the children need to learn much more and socialize less. Too many things have been dummied down to satisfy the child. In some homes, it seems as though the child rules. Nothing in this world is given freely or easily. It takes a long time in continuous learning and then it takes a little more. I learn something new almost every day and I am an old man. I don’t know everything and there is always someone that know more than I. These are just my thoughts on the subject. I guess I am old fashion and need to (as I am told) come into the twenty-first century. If so, we will always have a school-teacher-child problem.