Family socialization, teaching and formal educational development, are the life blood of any racial or social group, especially in a multi-cultural democratic society. Blacks must spiritually understand that the system is not interested in Black children being proficiently educated, because the system works for the system, and we all know who controls the system. The profound spiritual example of this declaration is North Forest and HISD.
Seemingly the best superintendent HISD had in recent years was Dr. Roderick Paige, who later became the first Black U. S. Secretary of Education appointed by President George W. Bush, Jr. Unfortunately, the historic and consistent miseducation of the Black community has become an overwhelming monumental societal problem in 21st century America. The foundational word of education is “educe,” that is to draw out or elicit the best in individuals. It appears that public education in the 21st century brings out the worst, not the best in students, teachers, administrators, trustees, parents, and some taxpayers.
What are the driving forces behind the desire for vouchers as it relates to parental choice? Is it about educational development (children) or money and paychecks? Or is it about the resegregation of public schools? Almighty God knows that there is enough blame to go around. Far too many Blacks have depended upon others to provide a quality education for their children: for example, the Governor, state board of education, School Board Trustees, state Senators and Representatives, and teachers and administrators. Effective public-school education is a necessary tool for the well-being and survival of multi-cultural democracy. However, we should never forget that the first school is the home environment. However, it seems apparent that too many parents; especially Black parents neglect to embrace the spiritual principle that home is the first school: “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22: 6).
The Founders thought that formal educational development was so important and essential to the development, well-being, and survival of multi-cultural democracy that they created a formalized free public educational school system. This was instituted primarily because the Founders desired that individuals learn how to read the Bible, because the human rights principles of democracy require a spiritual understanding of life. There is a Chinese Proverb that clearly enunciates the basic facts of life: “If there is right in the soul, there will be beauty in the person; if there is beauty in the person, there will be harmony in the home; if there is harmony in the home, there will be order in the nation; if there is order in the nation, there will be peace in the world.” (Chinese Proverb). All parents must be willing to institute within their family environments a culture of why education is so important, and reading is the foundation of education. The Bible emphasis reading because if individuals cannot read and comprehend, they become vessels, sounding brass and a tinkling symbol (noise). This is why the Bible emphatically declares: “Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.” (Revelation 1: 3).
All parents, especially Black parents must help their children learn to embrace this spiritual cultural challenge:
- I choose to love myself, and therefore become my best friend in order that I might learn to love and respect others.
- I choose to develop my mind, because my mind is my defense system against exploitation by myself or others, and more importantly, my mind is the key to self-discipline and self-moderation.
- I choose to have positive life goals, because life is about choices and choices have consequences, whether good or bad.
Parents these things must be consistently spiritually taught and exampled throughout the early educational and developmental stages of a child’s life, because children are a heritage from God to be loved, cherished, and spiritually nourished. Selah
