Scariest survey I've read in a long time.

Ghoulish Delight · 01-31-2005, 09:10 AM

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6888837/

Quote:

Yet, when told of the exact text of the First Amendment, more than one in three high school students said it goes “too far” in the rights it guarantees. Only half of the students said newspapers should be allowed to publish freely without government approval of stories.

BarTopDancer · 01-31-2005, 09:22 AM

Motorboat Cruiser · 01-31-2005, 09:30 AM

That is very frightening.

scaeagles · 01-31-2005, 09:35 AM

Yikes.

NirvanaMan · 01-31-2005, 09:54 AM

Yikes! That is really scary. I hope that maybe it is just a reflection of their opinion regarding the irresponsibility of most mass media outlets? I hope? Yeah I know...I doubt it too. I guess when schools teach that certain ammendments are to be ignored as irrelevant in this day and age, the whole document goes into question. Or perhaps..they are just kids f'ing with a stupid survey.

Cadaverous Pallor · 01-31-2005, 10:10 AM

Grrr.

scaeagles · 01-31-2005, 10:48 AM

I've thought a bit about this.

I have long been of the opinion that the history of our great country is not taught well or at all. I do not believe the average Jr HS or HS student has any idea what sacrifices were made by those who colonized our country or why they did; they have no idea what the founders and signers of the Declaration risked or why they thought it important enough; they have no concept of why the common man would become a "minute man" and fight against the well trained British; they have no idea why our involvement in WWII was vital and what the Axis represented; they have no idea what living under tyranny means in theory or even by examples in our surrent world. This is a failure of the education system. I am not trying to criticize the individual teachers, but rather those who are in charge of selection of curriculum (sp?).

When it is forgotten from whence our country was founded and why the rights guaranteed in our constitution (by being a restriction on government - the constitution specifically says it is not an enumeration of rights) are unique in the world, then our country is doomed.

It saddens me greatly.

SacTown Chronic · 01-31-2005, 11:07 AM

One thing to consider is that these are high school students. This means, for many of them, that George Bush is the one in power as they become active politically, or as they begin to pay attention to the world around them.

We have a president who treats the constitution like it was written in chalk on a blackboard -- to be changed on his whim. We have a president who argues that he should be allowed to hold people indefinitely without charging them or providing them access to legal counsel. We live in a climate where you cannot question the president's policies or the war in Iraq without being called unpatriotic, or worse, told that you hate America.

It's not surprising to see our young people disregard the rights guaranteed to us by the constitution. They are just taking their cue from the powers that be.

Motorboat Cruiser · 01-31-2005, 11:04 AM

I've been thinking about this story all morning, as well. I shudder to think that these same kids will be voting in a few short years.

I can't blame the teachers. I really think that, in most circumstances, they do the best they can with what they are given to work with. I'm not even sure who to blame but I do know that we do not take education seriously enough in this country. We are failing our kids.

Motorboat Cruiser · 01-31-2005, 11:48 AM

You make a lot of good points, Sac.

01-31-2005, 09:22 AM	#2
BarTopDancer Prepping... Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Here, there, everywhere Posts: 11,405	Oy. __________________ Spork is the new MacGyver Postcards From My Edge
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01-31-2005, 09:30 AM	#3
Motorboat Cruiser Cruiser of Motorboats Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: So Cal Posts: 3,665	That is very frightening.
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01-31-2005, 09:35 AM	#4
scaeagles I LIKE! Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 7,819	Yikes.
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01-31-2005, 09:54 AM	#5
NirvanaMan Making Change Happen Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 990	Yikes! That is really scary. I hope that maybe it is just a reflection of their opinion regarding the irresponsibility of most mass media outlets? I hope? Yeah I know...I doubt it too. I guess when schools teach that certain ammendments are to be ignored as irrelevant in this day and age, the whole document goes into question. Or perhaps..they are just kids f'ing with a stupid survey. Last edited by NirvanaMan : 01-31-2005 at 11:14 AM.
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01-31-2005, 10:10 AM	#6
Cadaverous Pallor ohhhh baby Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Parental Bliss Posts: 12,364	Grrr. __________________ The second star to the right shines in the night for you
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01-31-2005, 10:48 AM	#7
scaeagles I LIKE! Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 7,819	I've thought a bit about this. I have long been of the opinion that the history of our great country is not taught well or at all. I do not believe the average Jr HS or HS student has any idea what sacrifices were made by those who colonized our country or why they did; they have no idea what the founders and signers of the Declaration risked or why they thought it important enough; they have no concept of why the common man would become a "minute man" and fight against the well trained British; they have no idea why our involvement in WWII was vital and what the Axis represented; they have no idea what living under tyranny means in theory or even by examples in our surrent world. This is a failure of the education system. I am not trying to criticize the individual teachers, but rather those who are in charge of selection of curriculum (sp?). When it is forgotten from whence our country was founded and why the rights guaranteed in our constitution (by being a restriction on government - the constitution specifically says it is not an enumeration of rights) are unique in the world, then our country is doomed. It saddens me greatly.
	Submit to Quotes

01-31-2005, 11:07 AM	#8
SacTown Chronic the myth of the dream Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 2,217	One thing to consider is that these are high school students. This means, for many of them, that George Bush is the one in power as they become active politically, or as they begin to pay attention to the world around them. We have a president who treats the constitution like it was written in chalk on a blackboard -- to be changed on his whim. We have a president who argues that he should be allowed to hold people indefinitely without charging them or providing them access to legal counsel. We live in a climate where you cannot question the president's policies or the war in Iraq without being called unpatriotic, or worse, told that you hate America. It's not surprising to see our young people disregard the rights guaranteed to us by the constitution. They are just taking their cue from the powers that be.
	Submit to Quotes

01-31-2005, 11:04 AM	#9
Motorboat Cruiser Cruiser of Motorboats Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: So Cal Posts: 3,665	I've been thinking about this story all morning, as well. I shudder to think that these same kids will be voting in a few short years. I can't blame the teachers. I really think that, in most circumstances, they do the best they can with what they are given to work with. I'm not even sure who to blame but I do know that we do not take education seriously enough in this country. We are failing our kids.
	Submit to Quotes

01-31-2005, 11:48 AM	#10
Motorboat Cruiser Cruiser of Motorboats Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: So Cal Posts: 3,665	You make a lot of good points, Sac.
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