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Independence, MO —
I used to live in a state – one of those places that puts a premium on tradition, decorum and civilized behavior – that by law did not allow school to start until after Labor Day.
Was this just craven pandering to an entrenched special interest, i.e. the folks who run amusement parks and resorts, the very places where red-blooded American children and their money should be hanging out as the days shorten and August slips away? Well, maybe. At least that was the argument made by the more churlish among us.
I still like my theory, but I am way too much of a traditionalist. I have some fuzzy notion that a complete and successful school year should somehow neatly fit between Labor Day and Memorial Day, and that children should spend their summers on a bike exploring the world when not resting in the shade, reading “Huck Finn.”
But reality intervenes.
If school starts in mid-August, then the first semester is over by Christmas. That’s logical.
Lots and lots of kids, especially around high school, do take a summer or two of school, not so much to catch up but to get ahead. That’s an exceedingly good thing. Missouri has about the shortest school year in the country. Fixing that leads to a long, complicated conversation, but at least folks are taking advantage of what they can. It’s logical.
Oh, and kids don’t ride bikes so much any more, which isn’t logical. It’s sad. And books? Yes, they’re around, but they are badly outgunned by ever-more-complicated video games and hundreds of TV channels. Such a pity.
Wait. I’m part of the generation molded by reruns of “Star Trek” and “Gilligan’s Island,” that is, a generation raised by wolves. Look how we turned out, but please don’t look too closely. I think our generation will stumble around the track and huff and puff as it weakly hands off the baton to the next bunch, which needn’t bother with so much as a thank-you – and it won’t – as it snatches the baton and dashes off, picking up the pace considerably. It’s the way of things.
One sign of a solid education is the ability to nimbly navigate a world of shifting facts, needs and sensibilities, with respect for history and an allowance for tradition – when tradition makes sense. Are we back to school way too soon? Sure, let’s go with that because it feels that way, but let’s also recognize that’s a value judgment and not terribly relevant. So get over it.
Maybe that’s another sign of a good education. Know which battles to fight. Know which traditions to cling to. Know when to get over it.
I used to live in a state – one of those places that puts a premium on tradition, decorum and civilized behavior – that by law did not allow school to start until after Labor Day.
Was this just craven pandering to an entrenched special interest, i.e. the folks who run amusement parks and resorts, the very places where red-blooded American children and their money should be hanging out as the days shorten and August slips away? Well, maybe. At least that was the argument made by the more churlish among us.
I still like my theory, but I am way too much of a traditionalist. I have some fuzzy notion that a complete and successful school year should somehow neatly fit between Labor Day and Memorial Day, and that children should spend their summers on a bike exploring the world when not resting in the shade, reading “Huck Finn.”
But reality intervenes.
If school starts in mid-August, then the first semester is over by Christmas. That’s logical.
Lots and lots of kids, especially around high school, do take a summer or two of school, not so much to catch up but to get ahead. That’s an exceedingly good thing. Missouri has about the shortest school year in the country. Fixing that leads to a long, complicated conversation, but at least folks are taking advantage of what they can. It’s logical.
Oh, and kids don’t ride bikes so much any more, which isn’t logical. It’s sad. And books? Yes, they’re around, but they are badly outgunned by ever-more-complicated video games and hundreds of TV channels. Such a pity.
Wait. I’m part of the generation molded by reruns of “Star Trek” and “Gilligan’s Island,” that is, a generation raised by wolves. Look how we turned out, but please don’t look too closely. I think our generation will stumble around the track and huff and puff as it weakly hands off the baton to the next bunch, which needn’t bother with so much as a thank-you – and it won’t – as it snatches the baton and dashes off, picking up the pace considerably. It’s the way of things.
One sign of a solid education is the ability to nimbly navigate a world of shifting facts, needs and sensibilities, with respect for history and an allowance for tradition – when tradition makes sense. Are we back to school way too soon? Sure, let’s go with that because it feels that way, but let’s also recognize that’s a value judgment and not terribly relevant. So get over it.
Maybe that’s another sign of a good education. Know which battles to fight. Know which traditions to cling to. Know when to get over it.
