Sit DOWN Shut UP

(Think military cadence:)

Sit down, shut up.

Sit down, shut up.

Indoctrinate not educate.

Sit down, shut up.

Sit down, shut up.

There's a school in my city which has the most bizarre 'rules':

--No playing on playground equipment unless it's "break time" this includes before school starts (Sit down shut up)

--School starts at 8:03. If you arrive before that, you SIT down on your number on the blacktop and SHUT UP.

--Parents are to walk their children in and stand on the blacktop with them until school starts

(parents: reinforce Sit down shut up)

--No shouting or talking loudly while walking through school property (I actually saw and heard a teacher "shush" a student who called out an hello to his friend this morning...sit down shut up)

--Outside the classroom, empty your backpack completely out, hang it on a peg, put your snacks in the gender appropriate box (the teacher will distribute later), lunch boxes in a separate bin. (sit down, shut up)

--At lunch time: lunch is for eating, not playing. (after all, worker bees only need to take the state imposed lunch break from work.)

Historically, true education has been done privately by tutors, or in the home, or a small community hired a teacher(s) to tutor a group in fundamentals. "Public" education had a different goal: provide a framework and a structure to prepare workers for the factories. Robotic, mindless work, done by rote. 

Sit down shut up. 

What a tremendous meta message is being sent to these students. Sit down shut up. We'll tell you what you need to know. We'll tell you what you need to do. We know what's best. Don't use your mind. Don't question authority. You're not entitled to independent thought or action, personal accountability or responsibility.

Sit down shut up.

Huntington Beach city school district implemented Common Core last year, way ahead of anyone else. 

Surrounded by multi-million dollar homes, parents are thrilled their children attend this wonderful school. After a week of drop off/pick up, I can barely step foot on this campus without throwing up. I already warned the parent whose child I transport I may not be able to contain myself from challenging the status quo. She thought I was kidding.

Sit down shut up.

I get that "teachers" shouldn't have to do playground duty...after all, their teachers union contract says indoctrinate (err, educate) not develop a child. SO GET ALL THOSE PARENTS YOU MAKE STAND ON THE BLACKTOP ANYWAY, SUPERVISE IT. 

There's actually very little playground/gym equipment on the blacktop. Certainly not enough to support a school population of this size. There IS a huge grass area (likely rented out to all the commercial-for-profit sports clubs as a revenue stream by the District.) I asked one of the students if they ever played soccer or baseball or anything out there. He said NO, NEVER.

Indoctrinate not educate. Sit down shut up.

It's ironic that this school is one of the first to implement Common Core. You know, the SAVIOR of Education--the system which is going to CHALLENGE young minds to think critically. Yet day after day, hour after hour, what they demand is: SIT DOWN SHUT UP.

Sit down shut up

Sit down shut up

Indoctrinate not educate

Sit down shut up

Sit down shut up

1  2  3  4,  1  2....THREE FOUR.

Kinda catchy, isn't it??