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31 May 2018

[TPC] - Perrin Lovett: Race to the Top: Freedom and Alternatives for Children and Education (Part 2 of 2)

*Ed. Note: this is the concluding piece to Perrin's original write-up on education that was published last week.

Today, some good news. Great news. Last week, in PART ONE of this series, we examined the dreadful state of the existing public high schools. The state spends a small fortune per student and then produces horrific academic results, even by its own watered-down standards. And, the kids have the luxury of experiencing this fraud while suffering prison conditions to shock the Nuremberg prosecutors.

I promised I’d be back this week with solutions. We’re about to get to those. First, it occurred to me that this short series on education just happens to coincide with graduation schedules. This is a coincidence, I suppose.  I also suppose we can graduate to something better.

The problems in the schools result from many factors. But, they are mostly the product of a never-ending series of increasingly heavy-handed laws, regulations, and rules. Students, parents, taxpayers, and those who enjoy intelligent civil society keep trading one liberty after another in exchange for fake security that resembles illiterate, zero tolerance fraud and little else. The trouble boils down to, in a word: “tyranny.”

The solution, in a word, is “freedom.”

Mel Gibson/Paramount Pictures.

A Cool School, and Not for Fools: The Sudbury Valley School Model:

The Sudbury Valley School, of Framingham, Mass., is a place like no other - except the dozens of similar academies in other states. SVS is a true “free” school. There are no classes, no tests, no schedule, no tenured faculty or staff, and few rules. The students literally self-direct their studies in keeping with their own individual interests.

The happiness is contagious as is the learning. Students naturally respond when the learning is on their own terms and not based on artificial mandates crafted by state autocrats. And it works. Forget the 90% graduation rates of the public schools, with the attendant 30% proficiencies. After SVS, students have an 80%-ish success rate in college. The other 20%, most of them, go on to be successful in many other ways. That says something. The success and unorthodox methodology have been chronicled in The New Republic, The Atlantic, and by researchers at Boston College.

This success comes relatively cheap. SVS charges $9,500 for the first child and less for subsequent students. This is well below the US average per capita student spending in the public prisons.

A Modern Comprehensive Private Home Education

Freedom Project Academy combines the best of homeschooling with Common Core-free, accredited, and structured curriculum. Their website is a treasure trove of information; check it out. An FPA education costs $2,200 per year for a full-time student. That’s about one-fifth of what the prisons spend - but with better results. They place a strong impetus on Christian tradition (okay, Judeo-Christian, in their words).

Home is Where the School Is

More and more Americans are opting to teach their children at home. In fact, the trend is spreading worldwide. The phenomenon is growing rapidly even in Russia, usually with a Christian emphasis. The Russians, one may recall, have a history of suffering under communism and state controls. It seems they want an alternative. They know what works.

Homeschoolers consistently score better on standardized tests. Higher on the SAT than public school kids. Higher on the ACT. Higher on the Iowa Test. They win spelling bees. They excel at math, reading, and science. They score higher, excel, and succeed. And, yes, most are as socialized or better socialized than the kids in the prison schools.

I could not find a definitive number for average homeschool expenditure. This will obviously depend on the level of intensity desired. I suspect the FPA model is an upper bound. Many parents spend less than $1,000 per student at home. Those spelling bee champions would work through that as C-H-E-A-P, cheap.

UN-Schooling

This one is fascinating. It’s essentially “normal” homeschooling minus the directed study, rules, or curriculum. Think of it as SVS in the privacy of the home - autodidactic learning at a child’s pace and in a child’s place.

I first heard of the unschooling concept through The Teenage Liberation Handbook, by Grace Llewellyn. I read that book about a decade ago. I can’t recall specifics but I do remember tacit approval. Sayeth Amazon: “Young people can reclaim their natural ability to teach themselves and design a personalized education program.”

Traditional Private Education

There are many, many good to excellent private schools and academies across the country. There is likely one, at least one, near you. These range from mildly affordable to outrageous in tuition costs. That range also covers the academic achievement spectrum. What started out as a segregation academy in 1970 has probably dropped the embarrassing social stigma today and probably delivers results superior to public prison schools. Phillips Andover practically guarantees a shot at the Ivy League (and provides a world-class art Museum!).

The Addison Gallery of American Art, Fall Opening, 2013, Andover.

These options do come with side effects. There’s no common-core, no child left behind, statist agenda in them. There’s no socialist indoctrination. No depression. No school shootings. No Fourth-Amendment-violating searches. Little bullying. Little boredom. Little time wasted waiting on the lowest common denominator. Trade-offs...

Some endnotes:

There may be a way - in fact, there are many ways - to incorporate a combination of these alternative ideas into a better experience for a child. The tech revolution of the 21st century means a child in rural Nebraska can have the same opportunity as a child in Manhattan. Experiment and find your own right way.

Similar issues were covered in this month’s American Consequences magazine. That might well be worth a read.

There was slight confusion (or deception) in a FB response to Part One over as to whether I was promoting or demeaning actual education. Actually, it appears the commenter failed to even read what I wrote before commenting. Some are so caught up in their vested interests in the failed system that they will never willingly admit the existence of any problems. Nor will they readily accept solutions, especially of the freedom-oriented variety. That’s a problem, but it’s not mine. It’s not yours.

Also, the solutions I present, above, are not one size fits all. However, I think they beat the one size fits none approach most kids are forced into otherwise. At least there are multiple solutions. Pick one. If it doesn’t work for your family, then pick another. I understand there is considerable resistance to any real change. By and large, the people do not like truth, freedom, or options. In a way, this series is for the caring minority. So be it.

And, for those few, know that the road won’t necessarily be easy. The options I showcased are all cheaper per student than the US public school average student expenditure. However, even if you only shell out $1,000-$2,000 for a superior education, you’ll still be coerced to support the failed local schools via tax theft. Fixing that, and there is a fix somewhere, is a subject for later.

And we’ll be getting to later, sooner or later. Thank you for your early support of the C.F. Floyd column. I aim to keep the ideas coming. Tune in and read them - unless you’re a student out for the summer. If that’s so, then for freedom’s sake, enjoy your free time!



Fellow Terry College of Business (UGA) grad Brother Perrin Lovett is a true renaissance gentleman & scholar. A recovering attorney, he's into guns & cigars, and the US Constitution. A published authorPrepper columnist & YouTube personality, and an acclaimed blogger, TPC is very proud to have our old friend on board as the C.F. Floyd Feature Writer of National Affairs

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30 May 2018

Kayla's Corner: Irish Bred Pub & Sweet Harmony Live at The Listening Room

- Special to The Chronicles -

Welcome back to the Corner, a place for details on food & fun, cool destinations & local happenings.

Get the best of both worlds in one location this week for some crazy good food & awesome live entertainment!

Located on the east side of the Square in Historic Downtown Covington lies the oh-so-tasty Irish Bred Pub





The pub has two full-service bars, an upstairs stage, a private dining/meeting room & a balcony overlooking the Covington Square. What a great view! It's a nice place to bring a date or the family to enjoy some authentic Irish Pub-style food such Bangers & Mash or Fish & Chips, though they also have tons of other stuff like delicious salads, wings & burgers. 




LOCAL ADVERTISER -
$1.25 for 10 lbs; $2.00 for 20 
10700 Covington Bypass Rd; Hwy 213 by Loyal GasMansfield beside Rooster's, Newborn at the Chevron on 
Hwy 142, HWY 11 at the HUB; Hwy 212 at Frank's. Good Quality; Clean Water; Fresh Ice at a Great Price! Owned & Operated by Travis Moore 
- LOCAL ADVERTISER - 
*local advertisers do not necessarily endorse or support the views of TPC/MBM*



The upstairs portion of the IBP is known as The Listening Room & it's one of the most happening spots in all of Covington, especially on the weekends.

This Friday, June 1st @ 8PM, my close friend & colleague (and TPC Editor) Marshall McCart & the band he plays with, Sweet Harmony, will be performing their beautiful blend of acoustic Americana music. Marshall picks a pretty mean guitar & Johnny Hamby plays an upright bass that lays down the grove, but it's those lovely ladies - Ann, LeeAnne & Rebecca - that make it with those "sweet harmonies." You gotta come out & listen to them. They're awesome!  




Well okay, guys. That'll do it for this time. See y'all next week! 

Author of TPC recurring piece, "Kayla's Corner," Ms. Leasure is originally a Walton Co. gal who studied marketing & advertising & loves the beach, the woods & her dogs while keeping herself busy with multiple projects & endeavors. She has her finger on the pulse of the home county like no other & is always "keeping an eye on Covington." A beautiful lady, inside & out, it is The Chronicles' true privilege to have her talents as part of our team. 

Kayla's Corner - Keeping an Eye on Covington
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27 May 2018

[TPC] - Our Thoughts, 5/27/18: The Proposed Newton Co. Millage Rate Increase - A Bad Idea

- est 2010 -

Greetings & Salutations, Georgia Piedmonters, and we sure hope all is lovely out there this Memorial Day Weekend as we all pause to remember those who gave all, the ultimate sacrifice. 



Another week in the books here in our fair neck of the woods & not a whole lot really going on. Whereas you can check out a couple of the other local publications for your fix of crime & punishment or fluff pieces, as you already know, we just concentrate on the REAL Story here. So let's dig in. 


- LOCAL ADVERTISER -
$1.25 for 10 lbs; $2.00 for 20 
10700 Covington Bypass RdHwy 213 by Loyal GasMansfield beside Rooster's, Newborn at the Chevron on 
Hwy 142, HWY 11 at the HUB; Hwy 212 at Frank's. Good Quality; Clean Water; Fresh Ice at a Great Price! Owned & Operated by Travis Moore 
- LOCAL ADVERTISER - 
*local advertisers do not necessarily endorse or support the views of TPC/MBM*

Proposed Millage Increase 

At this past Tuesday's BOC meeting, county manager Loyd Kerr informed the board that an additional mill would need to be added to bring the Newton Co. millage rate up to 14.441 mills to fully fund the county M & O budget.

First off, some of you may be asking - what's a mill? A mill is one out of a thousand, or a tenth of a cent. So a 14.441 millage rage would equal .014441 in regular decimal format. You take that rate & it apply it to the total assessed property in Newton Co. & that would give you the budget requirement. In this case, they came up with a budget requirement & then adopted the millage rate that would generate that amount of revenue.

So, what is that proposed budget amount? Appox. $66 million. Seems like a lot, no? Well, it is a lot, and it is over 10% higher than last year's budget.  It would be, as we understand it, the highest one-year budget increase this county has seen in a long time. And that's on top of the increase in property assessments that we've been seeing & that this publication has written about a couple of times the last few weeks. Though they won't fully know until the end of June, right now it is looking like an increase of pushing 10% for assessments as well. So this will really be a double tax increase for the good people of Newton Co. By the way, if it's only an 8 to 10% increase overall on valuations, then that means some folks must be getting some sweet deals because, as we've covered before, there are a lot of folks who have been seeing 20 - 200% increases out there...

Part of the reasoning for such a large budget increases is that Newton Co. employees, according to Kerr, have not gotten a pay increase in a decade. That, we're almost fully positive, is simply an untrue statement. Regardless, an across-the-board wage increase of "at least 5 percent" is included in this behemoth of a budget. That just seems irresponsible to us at this time. Also, over a million dollars of this increase is for new public-safety personnel, including 11 deputies & 4 jailers for the NCSO. That's interesting, because based on our information, the NCSO cannot fill the spots they currently have budgeted because they've lost so many people the last several months. Also, let's not forget that the Sheriff's office is on track to spend upwards of half a million dollars on legal fees to Wm Thomas Craig, Esq.

Now some folks may very well read this piece & scoff or otherwise discount what is being said. They'll say that we just don't understand the finer points & inner workings of government & its funding. And that's fine. This publication, like most reasonable folks, understands that you've got to have government, but what many are looking for is good, responsible & efficient government. But I've got a real problem with how things are being done. Our tax base is so out of whack right now & with all of these incentive packages we've been doling out left & right, that is only going to continue to worsen. And that's a fact. Even the folks on the ED train will admit to that.

What we're doing is this - we are sticking it to the regular folks & locals who've invested in real estate, particularly commercial & non-agricultural raw land. I've seen the tax bills. You've got tons of folks out there paying tens of thousands of dollars in ad valorem taxes that shouldn't be dealing with such a disproportionate burden. It's just not right. And woe to those poor bastards up & down 278 who will now be having to pay an additional millage for that CID that will almost equal what they have to pay for their city taxes.

It's really kind of an existential & philosophical situation. What is, truly, the proper role of government? Are all of those line items on what may become a $66 million dollar budget really needed to properly execute & fund the proper role of our county government? I'd think probably not. Because here's the rub - despite some improvement, overall, our economy - and our local economy - is still somewhat unhealthy. Yeah, it's all roses & rainbows for some. The big corporations & maybe some of the folks working for the government, quasi-government & corporate jobs, but I'm talking about the heart & soul of our county - our contractors, the local retailers, professionals, small-business owners, etc. Cost of goods & overhead keep going up, up, up; margins keep going down. It's not unlike how it is for folks in general. We all know we are paying more for lower quantities at the grocery. That's been going on for years. Health insurance. Medical costs. Prescriptions. Other insurance. Utilities (and just wait, Covington - Vogle looms ever so large on the horizon). Gasoline, and always that ever-growing hidden tax of inflation.

As someone recounted to me a while back about a conversation they had with someone about this current state of affairs - it just feels like things are slipping away. Porter Stansberry & others have opined about this general sense of malaise as one of the key factors behind all of the upheaval & concerning trends we've been seeing. Things aren't as they should be.

We've got to do better, and it starts right here & right now. We've got to hold our local governments more accountable.

And that's the ole .02 












25 May 2018

TPC REAL Politik: GA GOP Edition: What's the Road Ahead?



Good Morn', you marvelous people, and what's the good word? If only we could just get a little bit more rain...

So, we had election Tuesday, didn't we? Well, well, well. What can you say? Politics is crazy, and terrible, and beautiful, and so much damn fun.

Let's break it down, TPCstyle:

The GOV 


As many of us had surmised, it was going to come down to the two establishment guys. Chamber darling & alleged compatriot of Cagle, Clay Tippins, did accomplish what he was tasked with - making sure that Hunter Hill didn't make the run-off.

As a tied-in source told at least two of us (because I saw someone else post this as a story & not just on one random FB thread like I did), the fix was in - Cagle & Kemp had a gentleman's agreement to make sure that it would be the two of them in the run-off. For Kemp - why not? Self preservation & all. But what was the why w/ the Cagle Camp? Apparently, they knew the key word for this election would be "electability." And why would you want to face a truly superior candidate when you could have Mr. "I hate illegals" as your opponent?

Regardless, it came down to, as it always does, to money. Campaigns run off of money & ole weird eyes & pick-up truck man had a whole lot more than the other players. Naturally. Ain't that America?

Regardless, it's f'ing awesome! Here are my thoughts from the day after Election Day:

Other than their supporters, and they are obviously out there, I believe it may come down to electability. In a state that is becoming at least a shade of the color purple, many GOP rank & filers will gravitate towards Cagle in the belief that he’d be the safer pick for the general.

But, there is another dynamic in play. Who is the most despised? Will the movement of ABC (Anybody But Cagle) outstrip that of ABK (Anybody But Kemp). I think maybe so, so that, in my opinion, might wash out the electability angle.

If so, then it’s a straight-up pick ‘em. Even odds. Dogfight, baby! The political junkie in me is getting hot & bothered just thinking about it. The backstory. The storylines. The juxtaposition of the folksy populist vs. the cerebral politician. 
And I stand by every word of that, thank you very much, Catherine Barnard!

LT. GOV 


Wow! Just wish our ole pal David Shafer could have gotten that extra point to avoid a runoff w/ the techie shit head, Geoooooooff Duncan.

Even his supporter will tell you that Duncan's whorish display of dirty politics was beyond the pale. And for what? To get basically 1/4 of the primary vote? Man, I'd hate to be that guy.

There's actually been lots of talk & under-the-radar conversations about getting the word to Duncan that it's time to go quietly into that good night - to just withdraw.  He's not gonna win, and if he runs a campaign in the runoff like he did in the primary, it may have an adverse effect for David as he prepares for the general against a very serviceable Democratic opponent.

But, we know that won't happen. Self-absorbed assholes like Geoff Duncan don't care about the big picture. So...we shall see.

SOS 


In the words of Lewis Grizzard - "frankly, I don't want to talk about it." 

But...

Josh McKoon would have been a superb keeper of the Great Seal of Georgia. I still can't wrap my mind around the fact that he didn't make the runoff. Even people that hate him just knew that he was going to make it. They might write future political science books about this, but apparently direct mail & TV > grassroots.

Alright, alright, alright! 'Til next time.

Your Pal,

MBM 







24 May 2018

Local Business Spotlight - Kooler Ice Stations: The Best & Cheapest Ice in Town!

The Kooler Ice Stations in Newton & Jasper Co. 

$1.25 for 10 lb; $2.00 for 20


Kooler Ice was founded in 2007 & is located out of Byron, GA. Their concept - truly a great one - has really caught on over the last few years as you see more & more of these self-serve ice stations, and at $1.25 for a 10# bag, it really is a remarkable deal. The logic for their pricing is pretty straightforward - if you don't have to pay for labor & transportation costs, you can really lower that price! 

It sure is good ice!


Travis Moore et al saw the brilliance of this model & quickly got to work by putting in & operating these patent-pending ice "game changers." As a lot of folks can tell you - the three traditional ice companies' pricing eclipsed $2 per 10# bag a long time ago. Also, this ice is fresher, cleaner. It really is a no-brainer. 


The Iceman Cometh! Travis Moore


Great Tasting...Fresh Ice...Pure Water! 


Travis & them proudly own & operate six of these ice stations: 

These machines are self serve. Each machine makes the ice and bags it for you. You have the option of buying 1-10 LB bag for $1.25 or 2 -10 LB bags for $2.00 and the one in Mansfield you have the option of buying 5 gal of water. These machines take bills or change. We have 6 machines total, 5 in Newton and 1 in Jasper. They are located at; 10700 Covington Bypass Rd, Hwy 213 by Loyal Gas, Mansfield beside Rooster's, Newborn at the Chevron on Hwy 142, HWY 11 at the HUB, in front of the trucking yard and then 1 off Hwy 212 at Frank's.  

Man, what a great concept & what a great deal! 


We very much appreciate the advertising support of folks like this that help us help get you the REAL Story.  As always, thanks for reading!

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23 May 2018

[TPC] - Perrin Lovett: A Race to the Bottom: Considering American Public Schools (Part 1 of 2)

- Special to The Chronicles -


Here’s a little-known fact: M.B. McCart and I had (have) an interest in teaching and education. Neither of us is formally trained in the field of pedagogy. Marshall actually went back to UGA for a time in pursuit of an additional degree. I signed up for an alternative certification program then backed out. He teaches real estate classes to adults. I have a heretofore unused Udemy account. The article is partial atonement for my lack of formal pursuit of the betterment of the Three R’s.


If one is honest, academia and intellectualization are kind of important for the continuity of civilization. The subject is fascinating to me. A few weeks ago I delved into the minds and behavior of the students: now, then, and waaaay back when. I’m pretty kind when it comes to the students. My patience has all but run out with the schools.


At every level, from kindergarten to graduate school, there is a crisis in the academy. I just read this weekend about the dumbing down, the mass marketing of PhD programs. That may be the subject of another week. This column focuses, mainly, on the public (government) high schools. The focus became clearer to me based on a recent column by Walter Williams on the fraud of modern American schools.


But! First, some fun quotes to kick-start the expose:

“What is called Western Civilization is in an advanced state of decomposition, and another Dark Ages will soon be upon us, if, indeed, it has not already begun. With the Media, especially television, governing all our lives, as they indubitably do, it is easily imaginable that this might happen without our noticing...by accustoming us to the gradual deterioration of our values.”
- Malcolm Muggeridge

“We have now educated ourselves into a state of complete imbecility.”
-Malcolm Muggeridge


All hail the new Dark Age of Imbecility! I think the man was on to something - and he was on to it sometime before the new era of stupid phones and zero tolerance.


Learning = intelligence utilized. Our mantra should be: never let schooling interfere with education, never let education interfere with learning. It should be so. When it isn’t, intelligence goes either un-utilized or underutilized.  


There are three parts to what we call or consider intelligence. First, there’s the raw horsepower of IQ. Second, there is the honing ability brought about by accumulated wisdom. Finally, there’s education. IQ is like fuel for a fire. One may have a small pile of kindling or a whole cord. However, without the “heat” of wisdom, knowing how to stack it, there’s little chance of using one’s fuel for any good purpose. Both are relatively useless without the air, the oxygen of education. With that latter component, the higher the quality, the better the burn.


Most young people in America attend government-run schools. In terms of my analogy, these schools (if one can really call them that anymore) are simply gasping for air. The basic intelligence and the will to know may be present in the students. However, their formal education is worse than lacking. In short: the schools suck.


That’s not my subjective curmudgeonly assessment. It comes with hard facts from the schools themselves. Read Dr. Williams’s take on the 2017 NAEP assessments: “Only 37 percent of 12th-graders tested proficient or better in reading, and only 25 percent did so in math.” This with an 80+% graduation rate. That’s fraud, certifying children as educated when they can’t even meet minimal school proficiency standards. That does not mean the kids are completely illiterate. It does mean, by the system’s own measures, they are not proficient readers (12th graders reading at the 8th-grade level; 8th graders at the 4th; all levels reduced in rigor from days gone by). This fraud is confirmed by recent Rankings of our high schools by US News and World Report.


The USN survey is touted as a list of the “best” schools in the country. There are many schools that are good, great even. Please click that last link. There, one can search by state and hone in on a particular school or district. If your child’s school isn’t in the top ten percent of your state, then you have a severe problem. You could have a problem anyway.


I checked the district and high school where I was once an inmate. That Georgia county has only one high school that deserves to remain in operation. And it wasn’t mine.


My alma mater rates embarrassingly low. In keeping with the above averages, it boasts an 83% graduation rate. Yet only 29% of the students read at the standard level and only 11%!!! understand math.


No longer the best side...


A minority of the students take AP classes but, of those, the majority fail. Based on the associated information, I find the 15.1% college readiness hard to fathom. Alas, my old school doesn’t rank nationally or even at the state level.


Here, a few notes: College really isn’t for everyone. It’s interesting that the educrats and the socialists are pushing “college for all.” All are not prepared, many will never be ready, and for most college shouldn’t be a necessity. This is, perhaps, also a subject for another week. Also, different students, having different minds and capacities, perform at different levels. I’ll be leaving that alone, largely, in these two posts. There is very little one can do to stop a very bright child from learning; there is very little one can do to make a dull child learn. However, the great majority of students should be capable of meeting basic grade level standards. That they do not is a damning admission - not so much about them as about the schools.


These sad Georgia results are very similar to those at the Sante Fe High School in Texas, host to last week’s shooting - a 92% graduation rate with only 39% proficiency in English and 28% proficiency in math.


The top ten schools in several categories are front and center in the USN report. There is other good performance outside the upper extreme, such as one school I found in a large Floridian city: 96% graduation rate; 64.4% college readiness; 84% AP participation with 69% success; and 71% reading and 66% math proficiency.


That school ranks 29th among all Florida schools and 343rd in the nation. However, this “best” school still graduates 96% of students when 29% are not reading at the level and 34% have trouble with arithmetic. It makes one wonder. It should make one suspicious.


Then, there are the “worst” schools. I skewered them recently in a related article. Please pardon any caustic effect therein. The worst offender districts spend more money than the average while delivering single-digit proficiency results. I think it’s safe to say “fraud” again.
The situation, the fraud is much worse than just poor test results. The whole basis and structure of the public schools in this country is so out of touch with American values that placing children in many or most of our schools is tantamount to child abuse. Seriously. The American model, in many states, is built on the fraud and historic bigotry of Blaine Amendment meddling. A beginning based on hating Catholics. Then, segregation and the hampering of black achievement. Next, integration, both of students and of plans to lower expectations and results. No free thinking citizens produced, just barely competent and obedient worker drone units. That was then. Now, the schools have become prisons.


I’ve been to more than a few schools recently. And I’ve been in more jails and prisons (on professional business…) than the average. There really is little difference. To convert a prison into a school, just add some desks. To make a school into a literal prison, just add bars to the windows. Beyond the physical similarities, there is congruence in the treatment of the inmates. And, in many places, the students literally have fewer rights, less freedom that prisoners of war under the Geneva Convention. Click here, read, and think about the application of these principles to your child’s school: Basic Rules and Protocols. In addition to suspicious, you should now be getting angry.


Zero tolerance, as exhibited in so many school board brochures and policies, is indicative of zero thought. It’s horrible for many students. It creates, fosters, and exacerbates a thousand problems: boredom, bullying, drugs, school shootings, etc.


Consider this real-life example (and not the worst available): At one school, students were herded about from cell block to cell block, never learning anything outside a dislike of herding. A boy (it’s usually a boy in these cases) expressed some outward resentment about this abuse. A kindly school official prescribed brain-altering psychedelic narcotics to “get that mind right.” Under the influence of the drugs, mind zapped and sluggish, the boy forgot to leave his pill bottle with the school nurse. He kept it in his backpack as he entered the cattle chutes. During an illegal, warrantless search (for no reason other than to perform one), the police found the pills on the boy. He then became a criminal and was dismissed from school all because of problems created by the school. This happens every single day in all parts of our nation.


Fortunately, a really good attorney can reverse such negative outcomes. If your child encounters such issues, then you must consult with an experienced lawyer, skilled in both criminal and administrative law.


Really, why let it come to the point when one requires the services of an expensive pit bull? Why suffer the children? There are alternatives.


Oliver North, recently seated as President of the NRA, expressed concern that the current spate of school shootings and violence are a product of a greater culture of violence and of the unnecessary overuse of antipsychotic drugs. He’s right though those two issues are only partly responsible for this mess. There may well be a thousand or more factors contributing to the undeniable decline of the schools. Yet, what if the schools themselves are the main problem? What then?


Then, given the abundance of alternatives, the best course of action is to abolish the schools. Abolish. Public. Schools. This by no means is a call to abolish education. The students would exist and they would still need teachers. On the contrary, it’s a call to a return to real academic tradition and success. It would require a dramatic departure from what we’ve allowed ourselves and our children to get used to - total systemic reform on every level. The good news is that there are, right now, a host of proven and operational alternatives. They’re cheaper, they instill an appreciation for freedom, and they work. We’ll cover those next time.


In parting, another Muggeridge quote:


Malcolm Muggeridge, Things Past, 1979. AZ Quotes.


The schools may be the cause of juvenile delinquency and premature senility, among other maladies.



Next week: some solutions!



Fellow Terry College of Business (UGA) grad Brother Perrin Lovett is a true renaissance gentleman & scholar. A recovering attorney, he's into guns & cigars, and the US Constitution. A published authorPrepper columnist & YouTube personality, and an acclaimed blogger, TPC is very proud to have our old friend on board as the C.F. Floyd Feature Writer of National Affairs

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