Taking Back America By Taking Back Our Schools
A Speech Every American High School Principal Should Give
A Speech Every American High School Principal Should Give
By Dennis Prager
IF EVERY SCHOOL PRINCIPAL GAVE THIS SPEECH AT THE BEGINNING OF THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR,
AMERICA WOULD BE A BETTER PLACE.
To the students and faculty of our high school:
I am your new principal, and honored to be so. There is no greater calling than to teach young people.
I would like to apprise you of some important changes coming to our school. I am making these changes because I am convinced that most of the ideas that have dominated public education in America have worked against you, against your teachers and against our country.
First, this school will no longer honor race or ethnicity. I could not care less if your racial makeup is black, brown, red, yellow or white. I could not care less if your origins are African, Latin American, Asian or European, or if your ancestors arrived here on the Mayflower or on slave ships.
The only identity I care about, the only one this school will recognize, is your individual identity -- your character, your scholarship, your humanity. And the only national identity this school will care about is American. This is an American public school, and American public schools were created to make better Americans.
If you wish to affirm an ethnic, racial or religious identity through school, you will have to go elsewhere. We will end all ethnicity-, race- and non-American nationality-based celebrations. They undermine the motto of America, one of its three central values -- e pluribus unum, "from many, one." And this school will be guided by America 's values.
This includes all after-school clubs. I will not authorize clubs that divide students based on any identities. This includes race, language, religion, sexual orientation or whatever else may become in vogue in a society divided by political correctness.
Your clubs will be based on interests and passions, not blood, ethnic, racial or other physically defined ties. Those clubs just cultivate narcissism -- an unhealthy preoccupation with the self -- while the purpose of education is to get you to think beyond yourself. So we will have clubs that transport you to the wonders and glories of art, music, astronomy, languages you do not already speak, carpentry and more. If the only extracurricular activities you can imagine being interesting in are those based on ethnic, racial or sexual identity, that means that little outside of yourself really interests you.
Second, I am uninterested in whether English is your native language. My only interest in terms of language is that you leave this school speaking and writing English as fluently as possible. The English language has united America's citizens for over 200 years, and it will unite us at this school. It is one of the indispensable reasons this country of immigrants has always come to be one country. And if you leave this school without excellent English language skills, I would be remiss in my duty to ensure that you will be prepared to successfully compete in the American job market. We will learn other languages here -- it is deplorable that most Americans only speak English -- but if you want classes taught in your native language rather than in English, this is not your school.
Third, because I regard learning as a sacred endeavor, everything in this school will reflect learning's elevated status. This means, among other things, that you and your teachers will dress accordingly. Many people in our society dress more formally for Hollywood events than for church or school. These people have their priorities backward. Therefore, there will be a formal dress code at this school.
Fourth, no obscene language will be tolerated anywhere on this school's property -- whether in class, in the hallways or at athletic events. If you can't speak without using the f-word, you can't speak. By obscene language I mean the words banned by the Federal Communications Commission, plus epithets such as "Nigger," even when used by one black student to address another black, or "bitch," even when addressed by a girl to a girlfriend. It is my intent that by the time you leave this school, you will be among the few your age to instinctively distinguish between the elevated and the degraded, the holy and the obscene.
Fifth, we will end all self-esteem programs. In this school, self-esteem will be attained in only one way -- the way people attained it until decided otherwise a generation ago -- by earning it. One immediate consequence is that there will be one valedictorian, not eight.
Sixth, and last, I am reorienting the school toward academics and away from politics and propaganda. No more time will devoted to scaring you about smoking and caffeine, or terrifying you about sexual harassment or global warming. No more semesters will be devoted to condom wearing and teaching you to regard sexual relations as only or primarily a health issue. There will be no more attempts to convince you that you are a victim because you are not white, or not male, or not heterosexual or not Christian. We will have failed if any one of you graduates this school and does not consider him or herself inordinately lucky -- to be alive and to be an American.
Now, please stand and join me in the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag of our country. As many of you do not know the words, your teachers will hand them out to you.
By Dennis Prager
IF EVERY SCHOOL PRINCIPAL GAVE THIS SPEECH AT THE BEGINNING OF THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR,
AMERICA WOULD BE A BETTER PLACE.
To the students and faculty of our high school:
I am your new principal, and honored to be so. There is no greater calling than to teach young people.
I would like to apprise you of some important changes coming to our school. I am making these changes because I am convinced that most of the ideas that have dominated public education in America have worked against you, against your teachers and against our country.
First, this school will no longer honor race or ethnicity. I could not care less if your racial makeup is black, brown, red, yellow or white. I could not care less if your origins are African, Latin American, Asian or European, or if your ancestors arrived here on the Mayflower or on slave ships.
The only identity I care about, the only one this school will recognize, is your individual identity -- your character, your scholarship, your humanity. And the only national identity this school will care about is American. This is an American public school, and American public schools were created to make better Americans.
If you wish to affirm an ethnic, racial or religious identity through school, you will have to go elsewhere. We will end all ethnicity-, race- and non-American nationality-based celebrations. They undermine the motto of America, one of its three central values -- e pluribus unum, "from many, one." And this school will be guided by America 's values.
This includes all after-school clubs. I will not authorize clubs that divide students based on any identities. This includes race, language, religion, sexual orientation or whatever else may become in vogue in a society divided by political correctness.
Your clubs will be based on interests and passions, not blood, ethnic, racial or other physically defined ties. Those clubs just cultivate narcissism -- an unhealthy preoccupation with the self -- while the purpose of education is to get you to think beyond yourself. So we will have clubs that transport you to the wonders and glories of art, music, astronomy, languages you do not already speak, carpentry and more. If the only extracurricular activities you can imagine being interesting in are those based on ethnic, racial or sexual identity, that means that little outside of yourself really interests you.
Second, I am uninterested in whether English is your native language. My only interest in terms of language is that you leave this school speaking and writing English as fluently as possible. The English language has united America's citizens for over 200 years, and it will unite us at this school. It is one of the indispensable reasons this country of immigrants has always come to be one country. And if you leave this school without excellent English language skills, I would be remiss in my duty to ensure that you will be prepared to successfully compete in the American job market. We will learn other languages here -- it is deplorable that most Americans only speak English -- but if you want classes taught in your native language rather than in English, this is not your school.
Third, because I regard learning as a sacred endeavor, everything in this school will reflect learning's elevated status. This means, among other things, that you and your teachers will dress accordingly. Many people in our society dress more formally for Hollywood events than for church or school. These people have their priorities backward. Therefore, there will be a formal dress code at this school.
Fourth, no obscene language will be tolerated anywhere on this school's property -- whether in class, in the hallways or at athletic events. If you can't speak without using the f-word, you can't speak. By obscene language I mean the words banned by the Federal Communications Commission, plus epithets such as "Nigger," even when used by one black student to address another black, or "bitch," even when addressed by a girl to a girlfriend. It is my intent that by the time you leave this school, you will be among the few your age to instinctively distinguish between the elevated and the degraded, the holy and the obscene.
Fifth, we will end all self-esteem programs. In this school, self-esteem will be attained in only one way -- the way people attained it until decided otherwise a generation ago -- by earning it. One immediate consequence is that there will be one valedictorian, not eight.
Sixth, and last, I am reorienting the school toward academics and away from politics and propaganda. No more time will devoted to scaring you about smoking and caffeine, or terrifying you about sexual harassment or global warming. No more semesters will be devoted to condom wearing and teaching you to regard sexual relations as only or primarily a health issue. There will be no more attempts to convince you that you are a victim because you are not white, or not male, or not heterosexual or not Christian. We will have failed if any one of you graduates this school and does not consider him or herself inordinately lucky -- to be alive and to be an American.
Now, please stand and join me in the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag of our country. As many of you do not know the words, your teachers will hand them out to you.
Views: 111
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by ObserverNY on
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This is great, thanks for sharing Harry!
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Permalink Reply by Travis Dutson on
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He has some really good ideas...but this does take a few pokes at freedom of speech. I was in a discussion that was hammering a club (that happened to be ethnic based) and that this club should not be allowed to exist. I resonded that we have to be careful not to push too far. If a club promotes positions or philosophies that are illegal - great, shut them down....BUT if they are promoting things that you disagree with, well...get ready for someone to disagree with a "club" or "group" that your child is in. My children have release time seminary. Under this philosophy, seminary would be done away too. The last I checked, we as parents should have a say on what our children are learning. I was at an LD22 meeting in which Tom Horne (our top school official) was stating his positions and the work he has accomplished. He spoke about working diligently to stop funding in Tucson school district until they "killed" a club there. He said he went to the parents and they didn't care...He went to the School Board and they didn't care....He then took it upon himself to go to the Legislature to create law that would give him the authority to tell Tucson what they could and could not teach. If you create that law, you open it up for the next person to come in and mandate the teaching of stuff that you dont agree with. I am tired of someone telling me that I dont have a say in what my children learn. I am responsible for them, not ANYONE else, regardless of how educated they are, what rich powerful family they came from, etc. I am all for being AMERICAN...not "white" american, "african" american, "gay" american, etc....but AMERICAN....however, there is no reason to destroy culture, heritage, family history and religious freedom. If a group of students want to learn about "African" studies, or "Latin American" studies, etc, what harm is it to me? If they do not promote any ideals that are Anti-American, or Anti-Liberty or Anti-Freedom, who cares? If we look back to education in this country and go back to the beginning, we would learn that free public education was NOT something that the vast majority of our founders wanted. Education should be paid for by those that receive it (or their families or friends, etc). Religious beliefs (basic beliefs) in God and Christianity were a part of all schools. I do not need an atheistic view that lumps all of us as one and cuts out anything that gives us individuality. I do not need law to dictate to me what is right. I can live a good life with fewer laws and fewer restrictions. If "public" education continues down the road that it is on, I will be forced to pull my children out of the sytem.
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Permalink Reply by Harry Mathews on
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The ethnic-studies groups that Dennis Prager is talking about are ethnic-based hate groups. These groups should not be allowed on school grounds because it is tax payer money that is funding them. These so called ethnic studies groups support segregation by race, racial intolerance, racial hatred, etc. They are every bit as bad as the KKK and maybe worse. They keep people out who are NOT of the same ethnic origin from attending and they promote racial resentment. These groups have a political agenda that is very destructive and dangerous. They are radically anti-american and pro-communist. The only reason that parents don't complain is because either they do not understand what so called ethnic studies really are or they the parents themselves have bought into the notion of bringing Marxist revolution to the US.
If you want to celebrate your heritage, noone has a problem with that. But what is going on here goes Waaaaaayyyy beyond that. We should be promoting the idea of people from diverse backgrounds coming together to build a great America not subdividing them into groups that disparage one another. E Pluribus Unum - From many one. Also rememebr that a house divided against itself shall not stand.
The same is true for so called Gay American groups. It is not about tolerance - it is about division and promoting civil destabilization.
~For Liberty~
Harry
Travis Dutson said:He has some really good ideas...but this does take a few pokes at freedom of speech. I was in a discussion that was hammering a club (that happened to be ethnic based) and that this club should not be allowed to exist. I resonded that we have to be careful not to push too far. If a club promotes positions or philosophies that are illegal - great, shut them down....BUT if they are promoting things that you disagree with, well...get ready for someone to disagree with a "club" or "group" that your child is in. My children have release time seminary. Under this philosophy, seminary would be done away too. The last I checked, we as parents should have a say on what our children are learning. I was at an LD22 meeting in which Tom Horne (our top school official) was stating his positions and the work he has accomplished. He spoke about working diligently to stop funding in Tucson school district until they "killed" a club there. He said he went to the parents and they didn't care...He went to the School Board and they didn't care....He then took it upon himself to go to the Legislature to create law that would give him the authority to tell Tucson what they could and could not teach. If you create that law, you open it up for the next person to come in and mandate the teaching of stuff that you dont agree with. I am tired of someone telling me that I dont have a say in what my children learn. I am responsible for them, not ANYONE else, regardless of how educated they are, what rich powerful family they came from, etc. I am all for being AMERICAN...not "white" american, "african" american, "gay" american, etc....but AMERICAN....however, there is no reason to destroy culture, heritage, family history and religious freedom. If a group of students want to learn about "African" studies, or "Latin American" studies, etc, what harm is it to me? If they do not promote any ideals that are Anti-American, or Anti-Liberty or Anti-Freedom, who cares? If we look back to education in this country and go back to the beginning, we would learn that free public education was NOT something that the vast majority of our founders wanted. Education should be paid for by those that receive it (or their families or friends, etc). Religious beliefs (basic beliefs) in God and Christianity were a part of all schools. I do not need an atheistic view that lumps all of us as one and cuts out anything that gives us individuality. I do not need law to dictate to me what is right. I can live a good life with fewer laws and fewer restrictions. If "public" education continues down the road that it is on, I will be forced to pull my children out of the sytem.
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If these groups truly are fomenting hate, they are pathetic.... If they are preaching marxist ideas, they are pathetic. If they are preaching violence, disorderly conduct, and ways of taking over America; they should be prosecuted for treason. Dont get me wrong, I am not advocating bad behavior. I am only stating that both sides of an argument want to stifle and restrict the other side from talking. That should ONLY be done if they are doing something illegal. The next "boss" in charge could disagree with what you and I want and have for our children...and "poof" it is gone.
Harry Mathews said:The ethnic-studies groups that Dennis Prager is talking about are ethnic-based hate groups. These groups should not be allowed on school grounds because it is tax payer money that is funding them. These so called ethnic studies groups support segregation by race, racial intolerance, racial hatred, etc. They are every bit as bad as the KKK and maybe worse. They keep people out who are NOT of the same ethnic origin from attending and they promote racial resentment. These groups have a political agenda that is very destructive and dangerous. They are radically anti-american and pro-communist. The only reason that parents don't complain is because either they do not understand what so called ethnic studies really are or they the parents themselves have bought into the notion of bringing Marxist revolution to the US.
If you want to celebrate your heritage, noone has a problem with that. But what is going on here goes Waaaaaayyyy beyond that. We should be promoting the idea of people from diverse backgrounds coming together to build a great America not subdividing them into groups that disparage one another. E Pluribus Unum - From many one. Also rememebr that a house divided against itself shall not stand.
The same is true for so called Gay American groups. It is not about tolerance - it is about division and promoting civil destabilization.
~For Liberty~
Harry
Travis Dutson said:He has some really good ideas...but this does take a few pokes at freedom of speech. I was in a discussion that was hammering a club (that happened to be ethnic based) and that this club should not be allowed to exist. I resonded that we have to be careful not to push too far. If a club promotes positions or philosophies that are illegal - great, shut them down....BUT if they are promoting things that you disagree with, well...get ready for someone to disagree with a "club" or "group" that your child is in. My children have release time seminary. Under this philosophy, seminary would be done away too. The last I checked, we as parents should have a say on what our children are learning. I was at an LD22 meeting in which Tom Horne (our top school official) was stating his positions and the work he has accomplished. He spoke about working diligently to stop funding in Tucson school district until they "killed" a club there. He said he went to the parents and they didn't care...He went to the School Board and they didn't care....He then took it upon himself to go to the Legislature to create law that would give him the authority to tell Tucson what they could and could not teach. If you create that law, you open it up for the next person to come in and mandate the teaching of stuff that you dont agree with. I am tired of someone telling me that I dont have a say in what my children learn. I am responsible for them, not ANYONE else, regardless of how educated they are, what rich powerful family they came from, etc. I am all for being AMERICAN...not "white" american, "african" american, "gay" american, etc....but AMERICAN....however, there is no reason to destroy culture, heritage, family history and religious freedom. If a group of students want to learn about "African" studies, or "Latin American" studies, etc, what harm is it to me? If they do not promote any ideals that are Anti-American, or Anti-Liberty or Anti-Freedom, who cares? If we look back to education in this country and go back to the beginning, we would learn that free public education was NOT something that the vast majority of our founders wanted. Education should be paid for by those that receive it (or their families or friends, etc). Religious beliefs (basic beliefs) in God and Christianity were a part of all schools. I do not need an atheistic view that lumps all of us as one and cuts out anything that gives us individuality. I do not need law to dictate to me what is right. I can live a good life with fewer laws and fewer restrictions. If "public" education continues down the road that it is on, I will be forced to pull my children out of the sytem.
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Dennis Prager's motto is that he prefers clarity over agreement. The narratives that are floating around concerning race, gender, class and orientation are designed to confuse everyone about these issues. Their goal is to promote a global-socialist-UN based agenda that will DEPRIVE us of ALL liberties and the ones who will suffer most once Liberty has been lost are the very people the Politically Correct folks claim to champion. Travis, WE'VE BEEN HAD! Even liberals do not understand how they're being used. The real issue concerning schools is that school is for learning reading, writing, arithmetic and reasoning. School has become a place that focuses on everything BUT that. That is why our kids are as dumb as a box of rocks (see "Stupid in America" http://teach1776.ning.com/video/stupid-in-america). If people want to celebrate their heritage fine! But, let's remember that we are Americans first. If we don't take that attitude we will be an America lost.
Thank you for the opportunity for this dialogue. This is exactly what is needed today and what is sorely missing.
Travis Dutson said:If these groups truly are fomenting hate, they are pathetic.... If they are preaching marxist ideas, they are pathetic. If they are preaching violence, disorderly conduct, and ways of taking over America; they should be prosecuted for treason. Dont get me wrong, I am not advocating bad behavior. I am only stating that both sides of an argument want to stifle and restrict the other side from talking. That should ONLY be done if they are doing something illegal. The next "boss" in charge could disagree with what you and I want and have for our children...and "poof" it is gone.
Harry Mathews said:The ethnic-studies groups that Dennis Prager is talking about are ethnic-based hate groups. These groups should not be allowed on school grounds because it is tax payer money that is funding them. These so called ethnic studies groups support segregation by race, racial intolerance, racial hatred, etc. They are every bit as bad as the KKK and maybe worse. They keep people out who are NOT of the same ethnic origin from attending and they promote racial resentment. These groups have a political agenda that is very destructive and dangerous. They are radically anti-american and pro-communist. The only reason that parents don't complain is because either they do not understand what so called ethnic studies really are or they the parents themselves have bought into the notion of bringing Marxist revolution to the US.
If you want to celebrate your heritage, noone has a problem with that. But what is going on here goes Waaaaaayyyy beyond that. We should be promoting the idea of people from diverse backgrounds coming together to build a great America not subdividing them into groups that disparage one another. E Pluribus Unum - From many one. Also rememebr that a house divided against itself shall not stand.
The same is true for so called Gay American groups. It is not about tolerance - it is about division and promoting civil destabilization.
~For Liberty~
Harry
Travis Dutson said:He has some really good ideas...but this does take a few pokes at freedom of speech. I was in a discussion that was hammering a club (that happened to be ethnic based) and that this club should not be allowed to exist. I resonded that we have to be careful not to push too far. If a club promotes positions or philosophies that are illegal - great, shut them down....BUT if they are promoting things that you disagree with, well...get ready for someone to disagree with a "club" or "group" that your child is in. My children have release time seminary. Under this philosophy, seminary would be done away too. The last I checked, we as parents should have a say on what our children are learning. I was at an LD22 meeting in which Tom Horne (our top school official) was stating his positions and the work he has accomplished. He spoke about working diligently to stop funding in Tucson school district until they "killed" a club there. He said he went to the parents and they didn't care...He went to the School Board and they didn't care....He then took it upon himself to go to the Legislature to create law that would give him the authority to tell Tucson what they could and could not teach. If you create that law, you open it up for the next person to come in and mandate the teaching of stuff that you dont agree with. I am tired of someone telling me that I dont have a say in what my children learn. I am responsible for them, not ANYONE else, regardless of how educated they are, what rich powerful family they came from, etc. I am all for being AMERICAN...not "white" american, "african" american, "gay" american, etc....but AMERICAN....however, there is no reason to destroy culture, heritage, family history and religious freedom. If a group of students want to learn about "African" studies, or "Latin American" studies, etc, what harm is it to me? If they do not promote any ideals that are Anti-American, or Anti-Liberty or Anti-Freedom, who cares? If we look back to education in this country and go back to the beginning, we would learn that free public education was NOT something that the vast majority of our founders wanted. Education should be paid for by those that receive it (or their families or friends, etc). Religious beliefs (basic beliefs) in God and Christianity were a part of all schools. I do not need an atheistic view that lumps all of us as one and cuts out anything that gives us individuality. I do not need law to dictate to me what is right. I can live a good life with fewer laws and fewer restrictions. If "public" education continues down the road that it is on, I will be forced to pull my children out of the sytem.
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