NYC principal won't let kindergarteners sing 'God Bless the USA' at graduation

[daaron]

28. THIS!!! ^^^^^

It's all part of the Cult of the Child that's become so prevalent among parents today. My two sons (now in teens) went to one public elementary school, and it was the same thing - all reward and punish Pavlovian attempts to shape behavior into little citizen-bots. Constant pestering from the school and other parents (including, eventually, my ex) to involve them in every activity - a sport, play-group, music lessons. There was always a message or an email trying to schedule carpools and babysitting and it's only $30 and... and... everyone seemed to walk to TALK and TALK and TALK about everything in minute detail. Jesus Christ! 3 o'clock? Sure. Babysitting? Fine. $30? Nah. Are we done now? Can we get back to reading or homework or farting around? Every generation seems to think they're doing it all for the first time. Well, we got here somehow, and that somehow was parenting. It can come as naturally as shitting, when one just loves and defends one's kids, every day.

Now, teh boys are in a public charter with an outward bound type program, and the end of term 'passage' means something to them, not me - they always come back chapped head to toe, and some kid always has to be evac'd on horseback from the deep wilderness for some minor injury... and with puffed up chests. They start these in 2nd grade, and the older kids watch out for the younger and really get attached. It's great to witness. So in the end, their passage means something to THEM, in part because it's a 10-day survival course and they survived, and in part because they create their own subculture in the process.

Meh. Most kids are great. Most teachers, too. It's most parents and the school administrators who kiss parent ass that I can't stand.