Political Re-Affiliation.

Jen, you'll appreciate this. <3

Three years ago, Jen (aka Bean), Alan,(I forget his last name) and I were sitting in the Bistro mulling over....damn near everything. We started talking about our lives and upbringing. I, of course, mentioned the stentatorian nation that was my household, thanks to my father. I mentioned that while I am a registered Republican, I don't really carry the "ideals" of the party. Since politics are such a slippy slope, I won't even attempt to define, absolument, what the party is and what it represents. We all know that Republicans have been defined as "conservative" and having "moral values" (LMAO, as if Democrats and Independents don't really give a shit about those things), but there's no blue print relegating us to such labels and mini-mores.

When I shared my thoughts about registering Independent that day, the sun came out. Call me a massive nerd, but I think that was a sign. So I think "outside the box" and still have moral values. Does that make me less of a Republican? What does that make me, anyway? A liberal?

I am proud to be a liberal thinker. I think everyone should, regardless of their party affiliation, past living environment, and other factors of their existence. I have ALWAYS believed there was a generational struggle. I used to write my own "dissertations" of sorts and show them to my father. He was repugnant, as usual, and dismissed them. I'm just a kid. I know absolutely nothing.

Did you know there is evidence out there that technology will not only outlive us, but make our species OBSOLETE? Forget Vista and Windows 7, this is our future, and some of our education is becoming obsolete as well. It isn't shit that's happening, but SHIFT. If you haven't watched this yet, you should, regardless of your age. I don't want this to sink in when you're sipping applesauce from a straw.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdTOFkhaplo

I can't figure out how to insert an embeddable player, so bear with me.

This brings us to the discussion President Obama has recently had with the media and all of us.

China and India are further ahead than we are in education. Chinese students attend school 270 days a year, six days a week (five hours on Saturday). The suicide rate is also quite high. To what call is suicide the answer? STRESS. It also leads to clinical depression, heart attacks, and high blood pressure. The president suggests we attend school for 200 days a year, and that all school sessions be 10 hours. TEN HOURS? Sure, let's have a kindergartener sit in class for 10 hours and focus. Shit, I could hardly do 12 working three jobs, and I'm 21 years their junior. I don't even think American high school kids last that long. What about mental disorders, like ADHD , Opposition Defiant Disorder, Autism, or even mental retardation (like Down's Syndrome)? Such students already have the disorders' manifestations impeding their learning process, and now you're going to make them work their cerebral cortex for 10 hours? To the rest of us, that's equivalent of taking an eight hour S.A.T. EVERY FUCKING DAY. Heard it.

I agree with Obama; we NEED to bring America ahead of the learning curve (think SHIFT: HAPPENS), but it's the method of the matter. Ten hours is ludicrous, and not only is it ludicrous for our children and teens, it is ludicrous for our teachers. Talk about bring business into the educators' workplace! Let's work the teachers longer and PAY THEM LESS!!!!! James and Jayne already work at LEAST an hour outside of school. You give these teachers a fucking planning period in that 10 hour day, and pay them for it, too. Sharon High School has already presented Obama's proposal to its faculty, and even discussed REVISING THE CONTRACT. Dude, my husband already works half time, and we can't afford a house. This isn't solving the working man's problem, either. It's just as ridiculous as Walmart. What are you going to do, make teachers hourly employees and take away their salary?

I think the answer to the problem is to refine and change the way we teach, and thus change the way students learn. Seven or eight hours will suffice. It's not really HOW LONG students attend school, it's HOW YOU MAKE USE OF THEIR TIME. Parents need to become more involved and ASK their kids' teachers what is going on, and better yet, if you want to be part of the solution, ATTEND A SCHOOL BOARD MEETING. As a former reporter, I know for a fact that's where the issues are, and where you can go to find out what's shaping your child's school and their future. Because if we do something about, we'll know how to surpass technology when SHIFT HAPPENS.

All of that being said, I have chosen to register Independent. These are my non-affiliated views. I speak to you as a member of the human race, not an elefundit.