Us vs Education
What can be done, is continuing making ourselves better.
Those who cause problems due to mental state or addiction may never make themselves better.
Those who tease, bully, abuse or steal from others could change but would they.
Oddly some of the friendliest people harbor uncivil traits; abusers and thieves. Yet the average person will accept them because of how they carry themselves. Where a person who fears allowing those people into their lives comes off cold, distant or indifferent, causes the average person concern, to a point of disapproval.
We are quick to make snap judgments of a person based on appearance before knowing them or their past. We all have experiences good and bad that aided in making us who we are today.
Our upbringing plays a big part in how we handle ourselves as adults. As a parent one realizes what their parents did raising children; it's not easy, not knowing what really should be done.
School systems attempt to teach basics of parenting but they really shouldn't have to. Though an annoying idea, perhaps newly expecting parents should have to take some sort of education, to ensure their child has the best chance as possible for a positive upbringing. Perhaps reducing the number of children that end up turning to intoxicants, violence and crime.
Over the past twenty years parents expect the schools to educate their children on all aspects of life. When in reality the school should only be teaching children the basics, math, science, history, geography, reading and writing (and kids today really need to learn how to write/print)
High School is where things should become diversified, as they need to ready children for adulthood. And instead of teaching complex math to those who'll never use it, teach basic finances. (Although in grade 9 math I asked the teacher what we'd need complex math for, and in my twenties had a job where I was doing mental complex math in a dark and noisy mechanical room to figure out if motors could be sped up or slowed down without burning out motor or tripping breakers. Hah on me)
On the other parent side are those who don't want subjects taught to their children as it makes the parent uncomfortable. These parents may need the education as well.
One of things that should be taught to students is a bit of basic psychology. In hopes they consider another's situation with more understanding and respect, instead of ignoring, insulting or being cruel to those they don't understand. (I took a class in high school once called man-in-society that was changed the following year to challenge and change. This did teach us some understanding of people, society and the world we share.)
With the covid lockdowns a couple educational changes arose; beyond those that didn't have home internet or computers.
On-line home schooling, a good idea in principal, however no one wants to stare at a screen for hours listening to subject matter that doesn't interest or engage them. So many issues with this, kids who couldn't be bothered to even log on, especially if parents were not there. Short attention spans causing others to nod off or walk away. So many may have logged on, but their attention was on their smartphones, out of view. (I don't think any youth would bother to read this, this far.)
The Canadian government first assured parents this would work out great.
However two years later they're offering after school and summer programs to help students catch-up.
I thought in this day and age on-line schooling would've worked for our newer generations. Including the reduction in schoolyard bullying. I was never thrilled about the buildings themselves, old or new they were dry and stuffy.
However hearing interviews with children about the re-opening of schools found out the social connections are the main desire for attending a physical school. Getting a break and some freedom from parents or home-life was another. (As adults we understand that) The one I didn't consider as I rarely took part was the extra curricular activities that allowed them to interact with like-minded people; music, arts, sports even the academics.
The other issue arising is parents that want to continue home-schooling. Some don't want their kids exposed to the general population, bullying or in the states a possible school shooting or learning subject matter the parents are uncomfortable with. (My son at 12 had taken sex education for the first time. He was not impressed and felt uncomfortable, I asked him if he'd seen the 'Dodge Ram Symbol' yet. He knew exactly what I meant and said yes... Home-schooling now makes me a sketch comedy 'Movie43' where two parents went out of their way and minds to home-school their teenage son. They made sure to give him the complete high school experience including making him feel awkward and bullied. Um not the way a child should be home-schooled, funny yes, but wrong, especially in a couple parts)
What troubles me with home schooling is the parent themselves and their goal for their child. Or the carefree parent that really doesn't teach their child and those that do the computer work for them.
Growing up in communities with other races and religions I was grateful to have met others with different beliefs than mine. It also showed me people are people, skin or religion is just a thing, not who they are. For a lot of children the school is the only place they really have to interact with others not like them. Allowing them to understand the only important difference between people is their beliefs.
Thinking back to all the odd things kids thought, taught to them by friends and family, makes me shake the head and laugh at the half-baked ideas. Then to think what would they be like if they carried on in life not knowing any better.
One of the things that makes me chuckle now is not liking another because of music taste. I owe an apology to a few for disapproving of their taste in music, yet now catch myself singing along to tunes I disliked in youth, Elton John isn't so bad. Still not a fan of house/club tunes or bluegrass in large doses.
No matter how someone is educated the need to keep educating the mind is important as the mind is a muscle that needs to be worked. Staring at screens absorbing entertainment hour after hour will actually dull the mind, to a point where if stuck in a retirement home/jail one will be come a vegetable or potato as the old title goes.
