The opinions expressed by contributors are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of RedState.com.
There seems to be a common thread among the overeducated, elitist class — the same class that is currently in charge of our public school system. They have the idea that they are more qualified than parents to decide what is best for children.
It’s an arrogance that has always been on display on the left, but one that came to a head in 2016, after Trump’s historic victory.
The mantra of the left became, “white, uneducated voters.” Their idea of “uneducated” rested on one metric — who went to college and who didn’t. Somehow, the prevailing common wisdom from the progressive elitists is that if you didn’t go to college, you’re not really educated.
It is ridiculous, of course, and rather pathetic. It would be laughable if this weren’t the attitude currently infecting our public education system. It is an attitude that separates parents from their children in the name of “expertise.” It is an attitude that has led us to a constitutional crisis, as parents cede more and more of their authority to the state.
They want to shame you into acquiescing to the teachers’ unions — the Experts™. Take this post from school choice advocate Corey DeAngelis, who shared a very disturbing tweet from the NEA. They knew what the response would be so they closed the replies, but DeAngelis opened new replies with a thread of his own. Unsurprisingly, it has been getting a lot of responses.
they closed their replies like they closed schools. pic.twitter.com/mqtbErpV3Q
— Corey A. DeAngelis (@DeAngelisCorey) November 14, 2022
Exsqueeze me? Does my daughter’s English Lit teacher know what she needs to thrive better than I do? My daughter’s teacher knows next to nothing about her, and I dare say your child’s teacher knows very little about your own child either. He or she may know that your kid comes from a divorced home, or has a learning disability. He or she may know your child is quiet, or loud, or shy, or outgoing. He or she may know your child seems sad sometimes, or seems hyper sometimes, or seems very mellow most of the time. Your teachers may know the general home situations of their students, and some personality traits, but they do not know your child.
I carried my children for about 10 months each (that 9-months thing is a damn, dirty lie). That’s pretty much as close as you can get to another person. To this day, I can pick out my adult son’s voice in a crowd. He’s in his college choir, and I can hear his voice among the dozens of others, even though he’s in the back row (he’s a tall boy) and it’s a choral performance. I know the difference in “MOM!!!” screeches — one tone is for a physical injury, another is for an emergency, another tone is just really annoyed by something and they just want me to know about it. I can pick up the slightest tonal difference and devise a coping strategy within seconds.
I know what has kept my son up at night, and what has brought my daughter to tears. I know their favorite colors, their crushes, their hopes and dreams. I know that my daughter loves a good road trip, and my son is the kind of young man who is determined to make a great party story out of any experience, good or bad. I know who these people are. They are a part of me in a way they could never be to any teacher, even a great teacher. How dare these swamp creatures try to tell any of us they know our children better than we do just because they have a piece of paper in a frame?
Don’t fall for it. Don’t even sweat it. Point and laugh, like DeAngelis does.
You taught your kid the alphabet. You taught him how to go to the bathroom, look both ways before crossing the street. You taught him not to touch that hot stove, how to say thank you, how to take care of the family pet. You taught him all the most important things in his life, and you will continue to teach him, because as a parent that is your job, and you’re the only person for the job…that’s why you have your children and not mine.
So don’t let these fools and their snobbery get in between you and your child. At every corner, remind them that you are the expert in your child, and they may like your child, but they don’t love your child. They can’t, because they don’t know your child. You do. Stand tall on that, and anyone who tries to convince you otherwise needs to be put in their place.
It’s time for us to start putting these arrogant assholes in their place.
