The Random Yak

Ever since The Random Spouse and I pulled Yak the Younger out of the local childhood indoctrination center public school, I’ve noticed some remarkable changes in his personality.

He no longer fears bullies who threatened to beat him up.  (Note:  Every time one of these bullies actually tried, YtY dropped the individual in question with a single punch to the face.  The schools suspended him every time, even though he never hit first and only hit in self defense.  As a general rule, we used the suspensions to take him for ice cream.)

He has learned more “actual information” (as he puts it) in the past two months than he learned in a semester in his old alledgeducational environment.  (Can you label a map of the modern middle east – countries, capitals, rivers, mountains and seas – with 100% accuracy?  My son can.)

He reports that he feels “closer to God” and more secure in himself and his beliefs.

Looks like we pulled him out just in time.  According to the linked article from WorldNet Daily, Governor Schwarzenegger has recently signed a bill which “bans anything in public schools that could be interpreted as negative toward homosexuality, bisexuality and other alternative lifestyle choices.”  Commentators believe the language of the bill creates the possibility for gay and lesbian teachers to claim harassment in the event people – including parents – refer to marriage as “between a man and a woman” or state that people “are born male or female.” 

The bill allegedly “prohibits any ‘instruction’ or school-sponsored ‘activity’ that ‘promotes a discriminatory bias’ against ‘gender’ – the bill’s definition includes cross-dressing and sex changes – as well as ’sexual orientation’.”    

A related anti-harassment training measure may even require parents and teachers to undergo indoctrination in order to promote “proper” attitudes toward gay, lesbian and transgender issues.

I’m not an extremist.  I don’t promote panic and I don’t necessarily trust everything I see in the media (including conservative sources).  I think people often panic too soon and don’t bother to get all the facts before reacting to potentially negative situations.

That said, if this story proves true, Governor Schwarzenegger has just taken an enormous step away from his conservative base.  Calling the Governator a RINO isn’t new, and one might easily expect the “Republican” governor of a liberal state to court the Democratic base (particularly when the wife of said governor has significant ties to the most Democratic of all Democratic clans).  Still, there’s a long way between the center and the positions these newest bills seem to support.

If the bills truly read as advertised I think we can safely expect an exodus of Biblical proportions, possibly from the state but definitely from its schools.  California conservatives won’t tolerate wide-scale denigration of their beliefs or the sacrifice of the traditional family on the altar of the pro-gay agenda.  Practicing Christians (and Jews, and Muslims) won’t willingly attend classes to teach the one-sided”tolerance” the left calls “fair.” 

I fully expect to see our already-failing alledgeducational system slide even farther into the politically correct septic tank.  Scores will fall as high quality students (the ones whose parents teach them values and personal responsibility - and if you think there’s no correlation between conservative values and educational success, you’re wrong) vacate the system.  

Sadly, the children most hurt by the changes will be those most in need of quality public schools: the children of those too poor to make alternative decisions.  The ones who can’t afford private school and don’t have the ability to homeschool (either because they have to work or can’t afford the curricula).  They need solid, fact-based education in order to advance beyond poverty, but the California public schools seem more concerned with liberal political indoctrination than actually helping our children to succeed.

One thing, however, is true:  California public schools won’t leave even one child behind.

You see, it’s impossible to be left behind if nobody goes anywhere.

Trackposted to Pirate’s Cove, Nuke’s, Perri Nelson’s Website, Conservative Cat, and Right Truth, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.