A short biolabs essay featuring John Le Carré, Biolabs, Epstein, the CIA, and Metabiota; people aren't confident in public schools; students could take 5 years to recover; Ezekiel 38 news; and more...
Dear Mr. Childers, i take issue with your, anyone's idea that more school equals better education . I propose that being educated by a loved and trusted resource , parent directly overseeing, would expotentially catapult learning. I "unschooled" four, 2 "on the spectrum, and you'd be shocked what love and relationship can create. Neighborhood schools would be better than whats happening now but Clinton's "it takes a village" is NOT the village we want!
It was a tough read today, even though I could not agree entirely ... and no one ever does. BUT, you did the necessary thing. You talked about 'difficult' things which must be talked about. Why so, because it is all interconnected. It is all One Big Thing. Persevere and endure remembering that the Appeal to Heaven was one of our first American flags.
There is Truth and there is Evil ... and perhaps the boundary lines are less blurred than many people think. And if and when I experience any confusion on the matter, all I have to do is to refer myself to the Satanic imagery of the Gotthard Tunnel opening ceremony of 2016. At least four European heads of state attended, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Francois Hollande, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and Austrian Chancellor Christian Kern. And not one of them said a peep.
To wit, let us never forget the Totality of Evil confronting us.
In my seventy-three years, I've come pretty much to this: there is what is of God and there is what is of Satan. Another words, the way to Life is indeed ... straight and narrow. And so, it now comes as no surprise to me that Woke Globalist Marxism is a Diabolic Madness. Patrick Henry's Give me Liberty, or Give me Death has an element of this in that Liberty is gifted to us by God. All else is the death of the Living Spirit within us.
Wow! That thing really shook me up too! It seemed to be an open embracing of the violent, ugly paganism of pre-Christian Europe. A celebration of Satanism down to the very details. I posted it on a very conservative Christian website I sometimes visit and the reaction was like “meh”. But these are young folks who have grown up amidst comics, videos and movies that regularly showcase this stuff, so they seemed to be somewhat accepting of it. May the Lord open their eyes and keep us ever sensitive to this evil.
Thanks much for this! And yes ... marching around in underwear, simulating sex in public and worshipping Satan. Nobody in the USA in my 1950's childhood would have thought this a good idea and normal. And if it 'all goes down,' this will be why, because Men have forgotten God.
It's my favorite flag. And my ... Appeal to Heaven ... that says a lot about our early Americans. So did the battle cry of the Continental Army, "No King but King Jesus!" I bet the Red Coats like that one!
Thanks for writing! And take good care of yourself! And it's so nice to hear someone else has the flag!
Check out Wesley Yang's Substack piece, Yes, things are really as bad as you've heard. Public schools are now actively working against the good of children and society. There's just not much there to support anymore. We need better answers.
I agree, although it would be great if everyone pulled their kids from school to homeschool them, it is highly, highly unlikely that would ever happen, even for a large minority. Many families have been convinced that they don’t have the expertise or ability to homeschool. Some cannot do so because of their work or family situations. We have to be realistic and not just idealistic. So I think it is best to take a two- (or multi-) pronged approach. Encourage homeschooling but also work to change government schools (and also private schools as much as possible) so we have more control over what is taught and can remove all of the woke nonsense and Marxist propaganda.
" highly, highly unlikely that would ever happen, even for a large minority."
Just so you know, it has "ALREADY" happened for a large minority. And we did not start by saying, "How are we going to do this?" We started by saying "No way my kids are going to be subjected to that while I have an unbroken bone in my body!" It's actually very easy after that.
By a large minority, I meant something like 45% of parents with kids in school. What is your definition? I don’t believe that we are even close to 45% yet, from the stats I have seen, though there has been a good increase in the past few years. Is it impossible? No. But I am going by my friends and neighbors who still haven’t pulled their kids despite what has been happening recently. Even the ones who are not ok with what is going on in public schools have not indicated they are even close to considering homeschooling.
Well, you're right, it's more like 10%. But 5 years ago it was 1-2%. Look, public school is like public transportation. It only goes a few places, and not on your schedule. One hundred years ago, it was better than the alternative. But now there are better private options. I guess those of us who have done it need to let others know that it is not that hard, and it is incredibly rewarding. People think you need to create a prison in your home like the public school prisons. But that is not true at all. There are lots of resources you can use to put together a program for your kids. Maybe we should start calling it "personalized education" instead of home schooling. Your kids are not criminals. Don't send them to prisons.
Ok, it seems to be that the sticking point is my saying “ever” 🙂 I concede that is perhaps overly pessimistic. I do think it is unlikely given the current situation though. As I said, the majority of parents seem to prefer that others educate their children, for various reasons. If we can chip away at the reasons for their reluctance to choose homeschooling, then yes, maybe we could get the vast majority to do it at some point.
Yes, it has increased significantly, but even at this rate, it will be at least several years if not a decade before we get to 45%. I agree with you about the personalization and the benefits thereof, and also how many resources are out there nowadays. I just don’t think a lot of people see the public schools as prisons or as “that bad.” And some of those who do doubt their ability to educate their own children, for various reasons. They’ve had it drilled into their heads that only “experts” and “trained teachers” are capable of doing this. They might have jobs that aren’t flexible or can’t afford to stay home with a child (I know the arguments about that but just saying how people think). Heck, although I don’t doubt my ability to teach and transmit knowledge, as I have experience with it, I did (and still do) doubt my ability to get my son to listen, be interested and understand my explanations, sometimes. Our situation is a bit different because my kids were never in public schools. But there are a lot of people out there who don’t want the responsibility of educating their children and/or who don’t believe they would be able to do it, or their kids would miss out on experiences, friendships etc. I know the counter arguments to these fears, but I am just saying, there is a lot of work to be done to convince most people that not only are schools not in their children’s best interest, but they are perfectly capable of providing a good education to their children, even if they have no teaching experience. I am also not saying it’s not worth trying, just that we should also be working on other areas and not solely focusing on convincing people to start homeschooling.
Sorry to be so long-winded, but I wanted to make sure my post was sufficiently nuanced 🙂
You know, I remember the 80's, when my friend got a cell phone, because he needed it for his job. It was incredibly expensive, and didn't work all that well It was obvious that only a small fraction of the population would ever be able to afford one.
Well yeah, it only took a few decades for them to become ubiquitous 😉
I get your point, but I am not sure you are understanding mine. I am not saying the future is not homeschooling or that it isn’t becoming more common. I am just saying that, given how things are now, with so many things (money, time, perception of need for expertise, etc) favoring public and private schools, it will be difficult to get enough people on board to homeschool in the near future, so we need to work on other areas simultaneously and not just focus on that one solution, at least in the shorter term. This is particularly true in states where homeschooling is highly regulated. I am going off of the people I know and talk to, whose kids are in public schools. They just don’t seem to be seeing a big problem with keeping their kids in school. They have what seems to be an ostrich mentality, in denial that it is a big problem, and it will take a lot to overcome that.
Yes, I agree with all that. That is why I suggested a multi-pronged approach. We need alternatives and we need to take back our money and control over education!
And that is just insane that people require you to be vaccinated in order to have you work for them 😡🙄
Speaking of money, I wonder if the fact that our property taxes are “confiscated” to fund school systems isn’t a big problem. Especially when the boards and unions ignore the will of the taxpayers, this is a problem. They’ve already got your money AND your kids, then pretend you don’t exist. THAT MUST END!
What he said. The schools are toxic. But the home-school community is developing a private network of resources to put together an educational program for your children, suited to their needs and interests, without the Left Fascism.
While many of us agree with your sentiments, the reality is that states have laws governing home education. Even states with minimal requirements may require that the education is parent-directed. This then precludes in many instances the outright hiring of unemployed teachers by small groups of parents, and some of the other wonderful ideas that you propose. Often, once a teacher is hired to teach full time, that becomes a “school,” subject to various school laws.
So it’s not quite as easy as we would wish it could be.
Arizona just passed a law allowing parents to take their educational funding wherever they want it, including "outright hiring of unemployed teachers by small groups of parents". Here in Oregon, my home-schooled kids get their math instruction from a guy who runs classes in a church. If your State doesn't allow it, you need to change the laws in your State.
Unfortunately the $6400 doesn't go far for private schools. But home schoolers should benefit.
Unfortunately a leftist group called SOS is getting signatures to force that on the ballot. It if hits the Nov ballot voters could be lied to enough to stop it. Otherwise it goes into law retroactively.
Also, if you get ESA of $6400 then you can't also get STO scholarships. 6th grade is 13k this year at the gkids school. She gets low income scholarships.
Good point. I am currently homeschooling (withdrew my son after issues with state-required masking at our private school) and while I was delighted to discover that in my state, we have a great deal of freedom as far as homeschooling goes, I know in many other states it is far more regulated. In many places, though, co-ops can be a good solution as they are not full time teachers.
I agree, while some private schools in my area are not as rigid about the certifications, the credentialism is killing real education. The only thing education degrees may teach of value is classroom management (figuring out how to teach different personalities and abilities and keeping kids engaged). The rest is just bs. Lots of passionate and skilled people could teach but the emphasis on expensive degrees and credentials (as well as the catering to the kids who are disruptive and don’t want to learn or let others learn) is keeping them out. By design, since the objective is not really to educate the children of this country but to indoctrinate them.
I definitely relate to your situation because I am also multilingual with a master’s degree in linguistics and even have teaching experience (mostly with adults but still). Yet most schools wouldn’t want to hire me if I wanted to teach.
This has been going on for a while, too. In the 1980s, my mom applied for a position as a French teacher in a public school and not at any point in the interview did they even try to ascertain if she actually could even speak the language or had any other relevant language skills. She was completely appalled (ended up withdrawing her application).
Having spent 30 years in the system, watching the social engineering increase steadily and then rapidly, I say you’re not wrong. And parents who see no other options but public school, you better keep your eyes and ears open. And reverse discrimination is rampant and unpunished.
I should add, the first 18 years was in a small, rural Florida school district. While it was many degrees better than the urban school districts, I attended many statewide educational conferences and what we were being subjected to in order to get required continuing education credits, was frightening. Then for family reasons I moved and did 8 years in a nightmare urban school before God rescued me and I finished out in a program of public school services delivered to special needs students in private schools.
I would never have made those last four years otherwise. I thank God every day. It was an absolute miraculous rescue that I could never have envisioned.
repeal all state compulsory education laws. eliminate the federal dep of education. eliminate all gov grants loans and subsidies to higher ed.
eliminate all extraneous government school programs like alot of the sports programs. taxpayer money if it is to be used at all should be used to give kids basic literacy and numeracy.
I’ve got family that teaches at the university, highschool, middle school, and elementary level. I concur with the statements. We started our children in private school. I concur with the statements.
We have, for 10 years, homeschooled our children. It took serious sacrifice. Financial, social, personal, etc sacrifice. Our 3 children are well rounded, common sensed, hard working, caring and giving young Christian Americans. One has finished his contract as a Marine and is currently in the police academy with a university police force. The middle has just moved back to FL with us and has worked since graduating highschool while writing books. The third will be a junior in highschool. Has more usable common sense than almost any other 11th grader I’ve ever known. All 3 know how to go about learning something new and how to help others.
My wife and I sacrificed her paycheck (working from home); and she had to re-orient her passions and desires from making money to educating each child the way the child learns best. In the beginning we lived off pennies, scraping by, trusting that God would take care of us as we trusted Him in the adventure.
Congratulations! You made the best sacrifice and choice and you will continue to see the fruit and experience the blessings. Homeschooling was the best parenting decision we ever made.
We are doing that in Houston. Best cause I have ever supported. But not easy. The SBOE does not want charters. They are overly influenced by teacher unions and school board associations. Parents need to scrutinize their State Board of Education members in the same way they hold school boards accountable.
I'm sorry as that is a horrible and disappointing ordeal. Yes, it's really sad when those who profess Christ are no different than the world in their approach. There is a sifting coming if it has not already begun. I hope you are able to find something that fits your gifts.
Have to agree with this. People had low confidence in public schools previously because they did a lousy job teaching and many public schools were violent places. That hasn't changed but now on top of that teachers and staff are actively trying to turn kids into homosexual communists. Kids that happen to be white are being taught to hate their race, those of color are taught they are entitled and the rules don't apply to them. That's why confidence in public schools has plummeted, kids are being openly taught depravity as a virtue.
We live in one of the top performing school districts in our state, it's academic performance rivals that of the top private schools. There's is virtually no violence in the schools. We paid a fortune to move here and one reason was specifically for the school district. Despite that, we had no choice but to pull both our boys out once it was clear the activists had taken over. My older son (who is the impressionable type) was clearly being targeted by activist teachers and members of the Gay Straight Alliance (don't let the name fool you, it's a homosexual recruitment club). Once we realized what what going on we pulled him out in the middle of the school year. We pulled our younger son out soon afterwards.
Subjecting kids to an additional three months of this is not the answer, in fact it will likely make things worse. A far-better idea is home schooling/tutoring co-ops over the summer. Parents can find both the time and resources to do this if they are willing to make some sacrifices. I know it's difficult, but they really don't have any choice at this point if their kid is struggling.
Yes. It was 24 years ago next month that we pulled our two oldest out, then 1st and 3rd graders. And that was here in little old conservative Oklahoma. I’m so thankful we took the plunge and now are homeschooling the last of seven, who is now 16. It’s not primarily for the academics, it’s for the moral, spiritual, and relationship development. If STEM stood for Spiritual Training and Emotional Mentoring, then we might be on to something—as long as it is my husband and me doing it, and not some leftist weirdos spewing their psychotic debauchery into my kids’ brains.
Just so you know, I didn't go into all that with a "look what we did" attitude. Believe me when I say I have very little pride left, and whatever we got right was and is only because of GOD.
Ecclesiastes ... and it took me a long, long time to get the sense of it. And as to why Christians, some of whom, say pride is the greatest of all sins ... and with a certain sense attached. But with greater certainty, and then again, all is glorification unto the Lord! (You said it well!)
Good for you and even better for your boys! I started homeschooling 35 years ago and my wife and I were virtually alone. We were accused of raising "wolf" children, child abuse, and often threatened with being turned in to the authorities. But by the time they were college age, colleges were recruiting them and they had no trouble getting in and excelling. There are so many resources available today. Search out like minded parents and you'll find that there are many innovative homeschool options. Good luck!
That many years ago I thought homeschooling was the weirdest thing ever, what with me coming out of the public system and having a father who was a teacher and administrator. Fast forward a few years and God said, “Here’s what will really bring you joy.” And here we are. So grateful.
Ok this is nuts - our public schools r indoctrination camps! Thankful for proactive parents like you! This is a good explanation also of summer coop programs. Thank you
Yes, I bristled at the idea of summer school as a solution. Respectfully, Jeff, subjecting kids to more time in a broken system is not going to fix them.
And it could boomerang back on those of us who homeschool. Our state has not many laws governing homeschooling, but one of the laws we have is that we must count as many school days each year as our local school district has. We really don’t want or need more days of formal instruction.
I have felt we got in under the wire, with now being almost to the finish line, before the left shuts it down completely—over my cold, dead body, as the saying goes. But whew, what if that has to become more than a catchy saying?
Yes, a few 'speed bumps' in all of this today. And I agree the 'schools,' if you can call them that, are broken. Maybe shattered is a better word. However, a lot of things were broached today, and it take courage to introduce topics which have a lot of tidal momentum behind them ... and not to the good. And even begin to sort them out.
And so, while there were things which I disagree with, the overall push back at C & C is overwhelmingly excellent ... and at a high level. Risk was taken ... and I well understand that without risk, nothing ever gets done. Playing safe is no longer a good option for us.
If we agreed with every single thing Jeff (or anyone) says and just swallowed it blindly, he could say, "Here's some nice koolaid for you" and well, we know how that ends...There's value in discussion and bouncing ideas around without getting canceled--which is a new word meaning "I hate you and your sense of morality because it reminds me I'm lost."
I first came across home schooling working a Constitution Party table at an event. As this family approaching nearer and nearer my table, I noticed a neatness, no slouch in their stride and a kind of up beat lightness. This family just stuck out. When they all got close, I said to the elder of children, "There's something different about you all and I think you can tell me what it is." And this young lady, beaming with great pride said, "We're home schooled."
The better home schooled families, with higher educational background and greater resources, have a distinct advantage. It is likely that even home schooling by people with more modest means and using home schooling curricula is better choice by outcomes than dumping kids into the state indoctrination centers, aka public schools. But there are a lot of families where both the wife and husband have to work just to keep things together. It would be good if church schools could fill this gap. The problem is that most churches are as fallen as is the general society, culture, nation ... whatever you will. To my mind there needs to be a lot of discussion on all of this, and given the general deplorable state of things ... IT WON'T BE EASY! And it is likely to take generations to begin to recover sense and sensibility ... indeed sanity. I would not be surprised if it took the collapse of the entire culture including the governments before the evil can begin to be displaced by something other.
Never thought of it, but having a big banner Constitution Party, I'm sure they spotted that straight off. And that the Constitution Party is not the same old R & D routine, this may have appealed to them.
The nice thing about C & C is that ... so refreshingly ... the readers are 'more eyes open' than at most other destinations. And one can hardly wait to open it up in the morning.
Howard Phillips, Chairman of the Constitution Party of Virginia, gave me a free copy of R. J. Rushdoony's Institutes of Biblical Law, Vol. I. He like to do that, pass out free copies ... and reading that book blew things wide open. After that I read Gibbon's Decline and Fall, and I was amazed at how much Christian History was in that book. This was in 2010. And as your say, "Why didn't I see it sooner?"
Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour.
"Double down on STEM." That's how we got where we are, actually, by thinking that the specific content is the most important part of education. What underlies the problems with the COVID response, the intelligence community issues, and so many other events and issues today? That we stopped teaching how to know what is true, what is good, and what is beautiful; in other words, classical education. In the phrase, "the pursuit of happiness," in the Declaration, 'happiness' was used in the generally-understood-by-the-classically-educated-Founders Aristotelian definition, "an exercise of the soul in accordance with virtue." Not cheerfulness, but accordance with virtue, which one can only know by studying what is true and good. The Nazis had STEM down pat, didn't they? They lacked the truly important knowledge, though. We too lack it now, generally, "thanks" to these government schools which are the subject of the lack of confidence of Americans (a hopeful sign, indeed).
Americans are innumerate (hopeless at Math) and lack critical thinking skills.
Children should learn statistics and economic math starting in elementary school.
Tenure and teachers unions should be eliminated and teachers held accountable by losing their job when their pupils don't learn reading and math (while being well tutored in their pronouns and oppressor status).
Students come out of college indoctrinated with woke progressivism.
Woke nonsense is born and metastasizes at "liberal arts" colleges.
I don't even like DeSantis establishing his new "Civics Education".
Too much opportunity for its corruption to more woke indoctrination.
Money should follow students including to home education.
More parents could stay home and teach their own children if they got the funding that public schools get. Home schoolers should have access to an "a-la-carte" menu of enrichment programs from their local public school such as band, choir, art, after school sports, etc. (for a proportional percentage of their $ allocation).
Apprenticeship programs in the trades should be expanded.
Are you maybe suffering from Gell-Mann Amnesia Syndrome? I don't believe a word the Times prints, including "and" and "the". The lost academic achievement story is propaganda designed to do exactly what you suggest-- get our kids back in public schools full time, all year long. What they actually lost, and what the Times is bemoaning, was CRT and sexual grooming brainwashing. Maybe they also lost a few links in their chains when they tasted the freedom to learn what they wanted to learn, instead of what is forced down their gullets. Can't have that, need those kids back in school! I hope the whole public education edifice crumbles to the ground and something better takes its place.
Totally agree. I believe that there is no hope for public schools. Finding anything good in them is like saying jim jones fed the poor. They are relentlessly forcing marxist propaganda and anti democracy ideas into the thoughts of our children. Defund them NOW.
He got a lot of positive, thoughtful pushback on that and I'm betting he'll comment on it tomorrow. Many people just can't envision a world without public schools and think the country will fall apart without them. There's no school board meeting attending our way out of this though.
Jeff, this is your most significant column to date, and I have shared far and wide. Your call on our intelligence services to come clean is correct, moral and timely. Thank you for your continued courage and faithfulness to our cause of morality, truth and prayerful action.
*Is* there even a way to write a "letter to the editor" that won't immediately be construed as Russian disinformation on its face? It seems like certain topics simply fall under that umbrella ipso facto now, no matter how delicately approached. Media-government collusion has primed both of those entities and a good chunk of the public to think so anyway. Remember how radioactive even mentioning the word "vaccine" was this time last year.
One approach might be to take on the disinformation issue directly, like "The Russians are using US biolabs to fuel a disinformation campaign, and the right way to defuse it is not to ignore it but to address it head on with facts." Maybe like that.
Let the C&C Army know when you are ready to light up letters to the editor. I am prepared to letter bomb as many newspapers as possible and those typically include the authors name so, if someone is looking to discredit those letters as disinformation they can simply find me and verify who I am and what I am about. I have a fair amount of visibility in my local community, have done and continue to do volunteer work on issues that are important to me so that although some may not 'like' me I do continue to produce positive outcomes while others may sit on their hands and do nothing. Since I'm not the most eloquent writer and may not have all the facts to be 100% accurate on these matters I think some sort of working template for these letters will be critical so, maybe others with those skills could compose those templates. Ready when called. 🇺🇸
What makes you think it is "Russian disinformation"? If Fauci was paying the Wuhan Lab to invent COVID, what makes you think the CIA wasn't paying Ukraine to produce bioweapons? "We" may not be the bad guys, but our government is full of rogue actors and agencies who pay no attention to anyone's laws, including our own.
Maybe I'm missing something but I think Jeff was responding to Wesley's question on how to not have letters to the editor be categorized as disinformation by the Russians. Perhaps a better way of wording that response would be to add a single word 'IF'?
"One approach might be to take on the disinformation issue directly, like "IF the Russians are using US biolabs to fuel a disinformation campaign, and the right way to defuse it is not to ignore it but to address it head on with facts." Maybe like that."
With the parade of intelligence officials exiting the revolving door of government and flocking to prominent positions in legacy and social media corporations, this will be a very uphill battle.
But,but…you’re starting out with something that’s not even true! The more principled way might be just to demand that those making the claim (our government) provide proof. We can’t start out by conceding that it’s Russian propaganda. It’s not. They exist, they’re tied to the military and they are not benign entities.
Totally Agree! By all means, all strength and all reliance ... slay the dragons directly!
The greatest failure of the Tea Party movement, largely all Republicans, is that they did not take on the Republican Establishment DIRECTLY. They simply did not know how to go about things. In this, I am reminded of this verse, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge." Hosea 4:6 ... and with very broad by application.
And for the Christian readers, let it be said: there is no such thing as cultural neutrality.
Reposting my comment from yesterday because I think I put it on too late for anyone to see it…
Great stuff happening in Ohio. We are looking at putting a medical freedom constitutional amendment on the statewide ballot in May 2023. (Ohioans, please sign up here to help gather signatures! https://www.medicalright2refuse.com/) And speaking of beer, one signature drive idea I had was to have people meet at a bar after work to sign the petition. What shall we call it? Ales for Autonomy? Kegs Against Coercion? I would love y’all’s creative ideas!!
I’m sorry, that is disappointing to hear that you were never contacted! Here is a direct link to the signature packet. Just be very careful to follow the signature collection instructions carefully so that the signatures are not unnecessarily invalidated. These include things such as keeping each sheet separate by county and making sure people write out their full legal name with a middle initial and write out their address with no abbreviations such as “St” for Street or “S” for south.
Also, you should get a timely response from Diana Smith if you email her directly with any questions. initiativepetitionhb248@gmail.com She’s an amazing hard-working patriot who is really the mastermind behind this whole thing.
Here is a direct link to the signature packet. Just be very careful to follow the signature collection instructions carefully so that the signatures are not unnecessarily invalidated. These include things such as keeping each sheet separate by county and making sure people write out their full legal name with a middle initial and write out their address with no abbreviations such as “St” for Street or “S” for south.
Also, you should get a timely response from Diana Smith if you email her directly with any questions. initiativepetitionhb248@gmail.com She’s an amazing hard-working patriot who is really the mastermind behind this whole thing.
Dan that is great but you’re actually not counted unless you sign a pen and paper petition with this type of process. I will copy and paste my other comment from above about how to do that:
The covid fiasco has opened my eyes regarding public school education. I am now proudly homeschooling my grandchildren. I live in southern NM and there is little hope for change for my young grandchildren in the public school system. Sadly, I know many good teachers who have left the corrupt system.
As I read your call to courageously expose the corruption, I thought of this verse: “For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God.” — 1 Peter 2:20
Earlier this morning, I gathered these passages as a reminder of what we’re supposed to do and be and think about, all of which is increasingly difficult in the current political and spiritual atmosphere. But through Jesus we CAN.
“He has told you, O man, what is good;
And what does the Lord require of you
But to do justice, to love kindness,
And to walk humbly with your God?”
— Micah 6:8
“Be strong and let your heart take courage,
All you who hope in the Lord.”
— Psalm 31:24
“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.” — Philippians 4:4-8
Living in Arizona, It’s amazing Rusty Bowers has risen to the level of House Speaker and has continued to use his position to harm the GOP. His district ran a recall effort to remove him last year, and had enough signatures. But the SOS declined it based on a technicality. Now he’s running in a new district for a Senate seat. There’s been an effort to recall him and now censure him. If he wins his primary, it will truly be the swamp manipulating that election. The people do not support him.
Same thing happened in Oregon. Twice had enough signatures to recall the useless ccp operative gov Brown. Twice the SOS threw out signatures based on THEIR technicality which everyone knows was bogus, and brought the number of signatures down to a level that didn’t meet the required amount. The second time the signatures were collected the goal was an added +200,000 signatures to offset what we knew they would throw out. Still didn’t work. 😡 But when the criminals are in charge what do the people do to stop it legally? 😞
There was a lot of concern about who’d replace her, Kotek, and many were hesitant to bother based on that. Gee, sounds like what’s happening now with the prez and Kamala. But, just heard Biden has covid, maybe their (whoever is really in charge) wishes will come true sooner than they thought.
The folks in Florida are very fortunate with a governor an exception to the do nothing rule. In reality, whether R or D, they go to the same 'clubs' ... CFR, WEF, etc. Both parties have sold us out.
Schools haven’t taught anything really worth wild in years. 2 in high school and how I wished I wouldn’t have had the insight to home school them. Now busy trying to reach them life skills and critical thinking that they should have been taught. And keep them as close to God as possible
We unschooled all 11 of our children. So far 3 of them have made it to college, the others have chosen not to go that route, but all are happy and successful. You are making a good choice. I should add that our youngest are 10, 12 and 16 so we have a few years to go.
"There ARE NO perfect countries. Certainly not Russia or China." And certainly not the United States since the coup of November 22, 1963. Formerly the WWII era OSS, the CIA's founding without accountability to anyone anywhere anytime for the purposes of "plausible deniability", was one of the biggest mistakes ever made by those in Washington.
Counselor, the intrigue surrounding US intelligence and Epstein is not novel or an aberration. The CIA and related agencies have conducted business in this fashion across the globe from their very inception. This is not the stuff of conspiracy theories. This is documented, admitted, and even celebrated from the days of the Dulles’ to John Bolton and Mike Pompeo, et. al.
PS This is an important piece you’ve written and I hope it meets with a wide distribution.
Sadly, it isn’t hard for anyone who loves spy novels to believe. Accepted truth, like you say Dale… the fact that children are involved should be enough to propel this “story” to a close, but I am not holding my breath. I am praying.
The idea of ‘coming clean’ is something I’ve hoped for from my personal associations with child molesters to big corporations like Delta Air Lines to public utilities like Oregon’s very own Portland General Electric. It’s a combination of greed and ego with some sociopaths thrown in… they will lie until the end. In fact, it is assured because that’s what they have been taught and what they have learned well since birth.
Can I just say how much I love the comment sections here and on the other Substacks I subscribe to?? So many thoughtful and interesting ideas as well as humor 🙂 I enjoy reading the comments as much as I enjoy Jeff’s posts!
Ever watch the movie The Shooter with Mark Walberg? My favorite quote is from the fat Senator played by Ned Beatty. My jaw tightens every time I see it...especially now.
“There's always a confused soul that thinks that one man can make a difference. And you have to kill him to convince him otherwise. That's the hassle with democracy.”
America’s founding principles are still the best in comparison to what other countries want for their citizens. But our systems have been co-opted by profiteers and pirates.
The American citizenry is what will save this country. Or let it fall into oblivion.
I have worked in the school setting for 15 months. It’s a broken system and we should flee the entire thing if possible. If it’s not possible, be at the school board meetings and know what’s going on. The sexualization of our kids is happening - even in a small school like mine. If you have kids, continue to seek alternatives and be in your kids ears and heart. You have to combat 7-8 hours of indoctrination. And make no mistake- it is a WAR on our kids.
I love your posts, Jeff. I appreciate your voice in these times. ❤️❤️❤️
Ps: the book The Shooter was based on is a good read. Stephan Hunter is the author.
I appreciate the nuance that you are presenting here; anymore, it is entirely too simplistic to say that the US is 'just this', or 'just that'.
The problem with our Intel agencies is not that they are intrinsically bad, but that they have had near-unfettered power, lack of oversight, bloated budgets, and an increasing number of seriously moral-deficient people running and staffing them for entirely too long. One can go back into the 1950s for the start of their staining the prestige and respect of their various institutions, and such actions have slowly snowballed into the avalanche we see today, where the agencies are clearly weaponized against the AMERICAN PEOPLE, for political purposes.
It is debateable whether any country whose government is actively attacking and suppressing its own people for not having the 'correct ideas' is either great, or free. Which doesn't mean that I don't love the ideals that America stands for, has often promoted throughout the world, or what it has accomplished in so many ways. I will say that I am disgusted by what we have become, which is a hollow shell of that country, with too many people focused only on their own selfishness, and 'leaders' who focus only on their greed for power and money. We may not be evil, but we are certainly venal.
Which isn't a death knell, but more people need to wake up, to lift the veil of apathy and disinformation to see what is happening right in front of them. Without that, we, like every empire, will slide into the ashbin of history. We may have better stories to tell, greater feats to recall, but that will be cold comfort. Countries, like people, can reclaim former glories because countries, like people, can always redeem themselves. But, like people, it takes a continuous act of will to change course.
Dear Mr. Childers, i take issue with your, anyone's idea that more school equals better education . I propose that being educated by a loved and trusted resource , parent directly overseeing, would expotentially catapult learning. I "unschooled" four, 2 "on the spectrum, and you'd be shocked what love and relationship can create. Neighborhood schools would be better than whats happening now but Clinton's "it takes a village" is NOT the village we want!
Agree wherever possible, but we also need to care for kids whose parents (or parent) continue in public school.
It was a tough read today, even though I could not agree entirely ... and no one ever does. BUT, you did the necessary thing. You talked about 'difficult' things which must be talked about. Why so, because it is all interconnected. It is all One Big Thing. Persevere and endure remembering that the Appeal to Heaven was one of our first American flags.
There is Truth and there is Evil ... and perhaps the boundary lines are less blurred than many people think. And if and when I experience any confusion on the matter, all I have to do is to refer myself to the Satanic imagery of the Gotthard Tunnel opening ceremony of 2016. At least four European heads of state attended, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Francois Hollande, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and Austrian Chancellor Christian Kern. And not one of them said a peep.
To wit, let us never forget the Totality of Evil confronting us.
Remember communism by definition is satanic. Karl Marx wrote poetry to honor the devil himself . He was anti God.
In my seventy-three years, I've come pretty much to this: there is what is of God and there is what is of Satan. Another words, the way to Life is indeed ... straight and narrow. And so, it now comes as no surprise to me that Woke Globalist Marxism is a Diabolic Madness. Patrick Henry's Give me Liberty, or Give me Death has an element of this in that Liberty is gifted to us by God. All else is the death of the Living Spirit within us.
Wow! That thing really shook me up too! It seemed to be an open embracing of the violent, ugly paganism of pre-Christian Europe. A celebration of Satanism down to the very details. I posted it on a very conservative Christian website I sometimes visit and the reaction was like “meh”. But these are young folks who have grown up amidst comics, videos and movies that regularly showcase this stuff, so they seemed to be somewhat accepting of it. May the Lord open their eyes and keep us ever sensitive to this evil.
Thanks much for this! And yes ... marching around in underwear, simulating sex in public and worshipping Satan. Nobody in the USA in my 1950's childhood would have thought this a good idea and normal. And if it 'all goes down,' this will be why, because Men have forgotten God.
I just hung my An Appeal to Heaven flag up in front of the house. I doubt anyone will know what it means....but goodness we need the blessings.
It's my favorite flag. And my ... Appeal to Heaven ... that says a lot about our early Americans. So did the battle cry of the Continental Army, "No King but King Jesus!" I bet the Red Coats like that one!
Thanks for writing! And take good care of yourself! And it's so nice to hear someone else has the flag!
Check out Wesley Yang's Substack piece, Yes, things are really as bad as you've heard. Public schools are now actively working against the good of children and society. There's just not much there to support anymore. We need better answers.
Funny this is exactly like Weimar Germany.
I agree, although it would be great if everyone pulled their kids from school to homeschool them, it is highly, highly unlikely that would ever happen, even for a large minority. Many families have been convinced that they don’t have the expertise or ability to homeschool. Some cannot do so because of their work or family situations. We have to be realistic and not just idealistic. So I think it is best to take a two- (or multi-) pronged approach. Encourage homeschooling but also work to change government schools (and also private schools as much as possible) so we have more control over what is taught and can remove all of the woke nonsense and Marxist propaganda.
" highly, highly unlikely that would ever happen, even for a large minority."
Just so you know, it has "ALREADY" happened for a large minority. And we did not start by saying, "How are we going to do this?" We started by saying "No way my kids are going to be subjected to that while I have an unbroken bone in my body!" It's actually very easy after that.
By a large minority, I meant something like 45% of parents with kids in school. What is your definition? I don’t believe that we are even close to 45% yet, from the stats I have seen, though there has been a good increase in the past few years. Is it impossible? No. But I am going by my friends and neighbors who still haven’t pulled their kids despite what has been happening recently. Even the ones who are not ok with what is going on in public schools have not indicated they are even close to considering homeschooling.
Well, you're right, it's more like 10%. But 5 years ago it was 1-2%. Look, public school is like public transportation. It only goes a few places, and not on your schedule. One hundred years ago, it was better than the alternative. But now there are better private options. I guess those of us who have done it need to let others know that it is not that hard, and it is incredibly rewarding. People think you need to create a prison in your home like the public school prisons. But that is not true at all. There are lots of resources you can use to put together a program for your kids. Maybe we should start calling it "personalized education" instead of home schooling. Your kids are not criminals. Don't send them to prisons.
Ok, it seems to be that the sticking point is my saying “ever” 🙂 I concede that is perhaps overly pessimistic. I do think it is unlikely given the current situation though. As I said, the majority of parents seem to prefer that others educate their children, for various reasons. If we can chip away at the reasons for their reluctance to choose homeschooling, then yes, maybe we could get the vast majority to do it at some point.
Yes, it has increased significantly, but even at this rate, it will be at least several years if not a decade before we get to 45%. I agree with you about the personalization and the benefits thereof, and also how many resources are out there nowadays. I just don’t think a lot of people see the public schools as prisons or as “that bad.” And some of those who do doubt their ability to educate their own children, for various reasons. They’ve had it drilled into their heads that only “experts” and “trained teachers” are capable of doing this. They might have jobs that aren’t flexible or can’t afford to stay home with a child (I know the arguments about that but just saying how people think). Heck, although I don’t doubt my ability to teach and transmit knowledge, as I have experience with it, I did (and still do) doubt my ability to get my son to listen, be interested and understand my explanations, sometimes. Our situation is a bit different because my kids were never in public schools. But there are a lot of people out there who don’t want the responsibility of educating their children and/or who don’t believe they would be able to do it, or their kids would miss out on experiences, friendships etc. I know the counter arguments to these fears, but I am just saying, there is a lot of work to be done to convince most people that not only are schools not in their children’s best interest, but they are perfectly capable of providing a good education to their children, even if they have no teaching experience. I am also not saying it’s not worth trying, just that we should also be working on other areas and not solely focusing on convincing people to start homeschooling.
Sorry to be so long-winded, but I wanted to make sure my post was sufficiently nuanced 🙂
You know, I remember the 80's, when my friend got a cell phone, because he needed it for his job. It was incredibly expensive, and didn't work all that well It was obvious that only a small fraction of the population would ever be able to afford one.
Well yeah, it only took a few decades for them to become ubiquitous 😉
I get your point, but I am not sure you are understanding mine. I am not saying the future is not homeschooling or that it isn’t becoming more common. I am just saying that, given how things are now, with so many things (money, time, perception of need for expertise, etc) favoring public and private schools, it will be difficult to get enough people on board to homeschool in the near future, so we need to work on other areas simultaneously and not just focus on that one solution, at least in the shorter term. This is particularly true in states where homeschooling is highly regulated. I am going off of the people I know and talk to, whose kids are in public schools. They just don’t seem to be seeing a big problem with keeping their kids in school. They have what seems to be an ostrich mentality, in denial that it is a big problem, and it will take a lot to overcome that.
Yes, I agree with all that. That is why I suggested a multi-pronged approach. We need alternatives and we need to take back our money and control over education!
And that is just insane that people require you to be vaccinated in order to have you work for them 😡🙄
Speaking of money, I wonder if the fact that our property taxes are “confiscated” to fund school systems isn’t a big problem. Especially when the boards and unions ignore the will of the taxpayers, this is a problem. They’ve already got your money AND your kids, then pretend you don’t exist. THAT MUST END!
It’s a mad mad world!
Stunningly awful.
What he said. The schools are toxic. But the home-school community is developing a private network of resources to put together an educational program for your children, suited to their needs and interests, without the Left Fascism.
While many of us agree with your sentiments, the reality is that states have laws governing home education. Even states with minimal requirements may require that the education is parent-directed. This then precludes in many instances the outright hiring of unemployed teachers by small groups of parents, and some of the other wonderful ideas that you propose. Often, once a teacher is hired to teach full time, that becomes a “school,” subject to various school laws.
So it’s not quite as easy as we would wish it could be.
Arizona just passed a law allowing parents to take their educational funding wherever they want it, including "outright hiring of unemployed teachers by small groups of parents". Here in Oregon, my home-schooled kids get their math instruction from a guy who runs classes in a church. If your State doesn't allow it, you need to change the laws in your State.
Unfortunately the $6400 doesn't go far for private schools. But home schoolers should benefit.
Unfortunately a leftist group called SOS is getting signatures to force that on the ballot. It if hits the Nov ballot voters could be lied to enough to stop it. Otherwise it goes into law retroactively.
Also, if you get ESA of $6400 then you can't also get STO scholarships. 6th grade is 13k this year at the gkids school. She gets low income scholarships.
Good point. I am currently homeschooling (withdrew my son after issues with state-required masking at our private school) and while I was delighted to discover that in my state, we have a great deal of freedom as far as homeschooling goes, I know in many other states it is far more regulated. In many places, though, co-ops can be a good solution as they are not full time teachers.
Hence, "Our Enemy, The State"
I agree, while some private schools in my area are not as rigid about the certifications, the credentialism is killing real education. The only thing education degrees may teach of value is classroom management (figuring out how to teach different personalities and abilities and keeping kids engaged). The rest is just bs. Lots of passionate and skilled people could teach but the emphasis on expensive degrees and credentials (as well as the catering to the kids who are disruptive and don’t want to learn or let others learn) is keeping them out. By design, since the objective is not really to educate the children of this country but to indoctrinate them.
I definitely relate to your situation because I am also multilingual with a master’s degree in linguistics and even have teaching experience (mostly with adults but still). Yet most schools wouldn’t want to hire me if I wanted to teach.
This has been going on for a while, too. In the 1980s, my mom applied for a position as a French teacher in a public school and not at any point in the interview did they even try to ascertain if she actually could even speak the language or had any other relevant language skills. She was completely appalled (ended up withdrawing her application).
Having spent 30 years in the system, watching the social engineering increase steadily and then rapidly, I say you’re not wrong. And parents who see no other options but public school, you better keep your eyes and ears open. And reverse discrimination is rampant and unpunished.
I should add, the first 18 years was in a small, rural Florida school district. While it was many degrees better than the urban school districts, I attended many statewide educational conferences and what we were being subjected to in order to get required continuing education credits, was frightening. Then for family reasons I moved and did 8 years in a nightmare urban school before God rescued me and I finished out in a program of public school services delivered to special needs students in private schools.
I would never have made those last four years otherwise. I thank God every day. It was an absolute miraculous rescue that I could never have envisioned.
repeal all state compulsory education laws. eliminate the federal dep of education. eliminate all gov grants loans and subsidies to higher ed.
eliminate all extraneous government school programs like alot of the sports programs. taxpayer money if it is to be used at all should be used to give kids basic literacy and numeracy.
This.
"Licensing". All part of the administrative state, the "state" which art our enemy.
Yes, and as we have seen, it is a tool they can use to coerce and threaten people 😕
I’ve got family that teaches at the university, highschool, middle school, and elementary level. I concur with the statements. We started our children in private school. I concur with the statements.
We have, for 10 years, homeschooled our children. It took serious sacrifice. Financial, social, personal, etc sacrifice. Our 3 children are well rounded, common sensed, hard working, caring and giving young Christian Americans. One has finished his contract as a Marine and is currently in the police academy with a university police force. The middle has just moved back to FL with us and has worked since graduating highschool while writing books. The third will be a junior in highschool. Has more usable common sense than almost any other 11th grader I’ve ever known. All 3 know how to go about learning something new and how to help others.
My wife and I sacrificed her paycheck (working from home); and she had to re-orient her passions and desires from making money to educating each child the way the child learns best. In the beginning we lived off pennies, scraping by, trusting that God would take care of us as we trusted Him in the adventure.
Worth every “penny” lost!
Congratulations! You made the best sacrifice and choice and you will continue to see the fruit and experience the blessings. Homeschooling was the best parenting decision we ever made.
Are you familiar with Hillsdale's Barney Initiative charter school system? It would be worth looking into their licensing requirements.
We are doing that in Houston. Best cause I have ever supported. But not easy. The SBOE does not want charters. They are overly influenced by teacher unions and school board associations. Parents need to scrutinize their State Board of Education members in the same way they hold school boards accountable.
I'm sorry as that is a horrible and disappointing ordeal. Yes, it's really sad when those who profess Christ are no different than the world in their approach. There is a sifting coming if it has not already begun. I hope you are able to find something that fits your gifts.
Have to agree with this. People had low confidence in public schools previously because they did a lousy job teaching and many public schools were violent places. That hasn't changed but now on top of that teachers and staff are actively trying to turn kids into homosexual communists. Kids that happen to be white are being taught to hate their race, those of color are taught they are entitled and the rules don't apply to them. That's why confidence in public schools has plummeted, kids are being openly taught depravity as a virtue.
We live in one of the top performing school districts in our state, it's academic performance rivals that of the top private schools. There's is virtually no violence in the schools. We paid a fortune to move here and one reason was specifically for the school district. Despite that, we had no choice but to pull both our boys out once it was clear the activists had taken over. My older son (who is the impressionable type) was clearly being targeted by activist teachers and members of the Gay Straight Alliance (don't let the name fool you, it's a homosexual recruitment club). Once we realized what what going on we pulled him out in the middle of the school year. We pulled our younger son out soon afterwards.
Subjecting kids to an additional three months of this is not the answer, in fact it will likely make things worse. A far-better idea is home schooling/tutoring co-ops over the summer. Parents can find both the time and resources to do this if they are willing to make some sacrifices. I know it's difficult, but they really don't have any choice at this point if their kid is struggling.
Yes. It was 24 years ago next month that we pulled our two oldest out, then 1st and 3rd graders. And that was here in little old conservative Oklahoma. I’m so thankful we took the plunge and now are homeschooling the last of seven, who is now 16. It’s not primarily for the academics, it’s for the moral, spiritual, and relationship development. If STEM stood for Spiritual Training and Emotional Mentoring, then we might be on to something—as long as it is my husband and me doing it, and not some leftist weirdos spewing their psychotic debauchery into my kids’ brains.
Bravo! My heroes! What lucky (or is that Providential?) kids to have such great parents!
Just so you know, I didn't go into all that with a "look what we did" attitude. Believe me when I say I have very little pride left, and whatever we got right was and is only because of GOD.
Ecclesiastes ... and it took me a long, long time to get the sense of it. And as to why Christians, some of whom, say pride is the greatest of all sins ... and with a certain sense attached. But with greater certainty, and then again, all is glorification unto the Lord! (You said it well!)
Good for you and even better for your boys! I started homeschooling 35 years ago and my wife and I were virtually alone. We were accused of raising "wolf" children, child abuse, and often threatened with being turned in to the authorities. But by the time they were college age, colleges were recruiting them and they had no trouble getting in and excelling. There are so many resources available today. Search out like minded parents and you'll find that there are many innovative homeschool options. Good luck!
That many years ago I thought homeschooling was the weirdest thing ever, what with me coming out of the public system and having a father who was a teacher and administrator. Fast forward a few years and God said, “Here’s what will really bring you joy.” And here we are. So grateful.
Ok this is nuts - our public schools r indoctrination camps! Thankful for proactive parents like you! This is a good explanation also of summer coop programs. Thank you
agree extending the year is not the answer
Florida could repeal ALL mandatory education laws. No compulsory education.
Yes, I bristled at the idea of summer school as a solution. Respectfully, Jeff, subjecting kids to more time in a broken system is not going to fix them.
And it could boomerang back on those of us who homeschool. Our state has not many laws governing homeschooling, but one of the laws we have is that we must count as many school days each year as our local school district has. We really don’t want or need more days of formal instruction.
I have felt we got in under the wire, with now being almost to the finish line, before the left shuts it down completely—over my cold, dead body, as the saying goes. But whew, what if that has to become more than a catchy saying?
Yes, a few 'speed bumps' in all of this today. And I agree the 'schools,' if you can call them that, are broken. Maybe shattered is a better word. However, a lot of things were broached today, and it take courage to introduce topics which have a lot of tidal momentum behind them ... and not to the good. And even begin to sort them out.
And so, while there were things which I disagree with, the overall push back at C & C is overwhelmingly excellent ... and at a high level. Risk was taken ... and I well understand that without risk, nothing ever gets done. Playing safe is no longer a good option for us.
If we agreed with every single thing Jeff (or anyone) says and just swallowed it blindly, he could say, "Here's some nice koolaid for you" and well, we know how that ends...There's value in discussion and bouncing ideas around without getting canceled--which is a new word meaning "I hate you and your sense of morality because it reminds me I'm lost."
Agree.
I first came across home schooling working a Constitution Party table at an event. As this family approaching nearer and nearer my table, I noticed a neatness, no slouch in their stride and a kind of up beat lightness. This family just stuck out. When they all got close, I said to the elder of children, "There's something different about you all and I think you can tell me what it is." And this young lady, beaming with great pride said, "We're home schooled."
The better home schooled families, with higher educational background and greater resources, have a distinct advantage. It is likely that even home schooling by people with more modest means and using home schooling curricula is better choice by outcomes than dumping kids into the state indoctrination centers, aka public schools. But there are a lot of families where both the wife and husband have to work just to keep things together. It would be good if church schools could fill this gap. The problem is that most churches are as fallen as is the general society, culture, nation ... whatever you will. To my mind there needs to be a lot of discussion on all of this, and given the general deplorable state of things ... IT WON'T BE EASY! And it is likely to take generations to begin to recover sense and sensibility ... indeed sanity. I would not be surprised if it took the collapse of the entire culture including the governments before the evil can begin to be displaced by something other.
I shudder to think how my kids would respond to that question. They make fun of themselves all the time for being homeschooled. Goofballs.
Never thought of it, but having a big banner Constitution Party, I'm sure they spotted that straight off. And that the Constitution Party is not the same old R & D routine, this may have appealed to them.
Investigating how the churches got subverted is a rocky road, but it's worthwhile.
When you realize who the antichrist is you'll say "why didn't I see it sooner?"
The nice thing about C & C is that ... so refreshingly ... the readers are 'more eyes open' than at most other destinations. And one can hardly wait to open it up in the morning.
Howard Phillips, Chairman of the Constitution Party of Virginia, gave me a free copy of R. J. Rushdoony's Institutes of Biblical Law, Vol. I. He like to do that, pass out free copies ... and reading that book blew things wide open. After that I read Gibbon's Decline and Fall, and I was amazed at how much Christian History was in that book. This was in 2010. And as your say, "Why didn't I see it sooner?"
Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour.
— 1 John 2:18
"Double down on STEM." That's how we got where we are, actually, by thinking that the specific content is the most important part of education. What underlies the problems with the COVID response, the intelligence community issues, and so many other events and issues today? That we stopped teaching how to know what is true, what is good, and what is beautiful; in other words, classical education. In the phrase, "the pursuit of happiness," in the Declaration, 'happiness' was used in the generally-understood-by-the-classically-educated-Founders Aristotelian definition, "an exercise of the soul in accordance with virtue." Not cheerfulness, but accordance with virtue, which one can only know by studying what is true and good. The Nazis had STEM down pat, didn't they? They lacked the truly important knowledge, though. We too lack it now, generally, "thanks" to these government schools which are the subject of the lack of confidence of Americans (a hopeful sign, indeed).
Americans are innumerate (hopeless at Math) and lack critical thinking skills.
Children should learn statistics and economic math starting in elementary school.
Tenure and teachers unions should be eliminated and teachers held accountable by losing their job when their pupils don't learn reading and math (while being well tutored in their pronouns and oppressor status).
Students come out of college indoctrinated with woke progressivism.
Woke nonsense is born and metastasizes at "liberal arts" colleges.
I don't even like DeSantis establishing his new "Civics Education".
Too much opportunity for its corruption to more woke indoctrination.
Money should follow students including to home education.
More parents could stay home and teach their own children if they got the funding that public schools get. Home schoolers should have access to an "a-la-carte" menu of enrichment programs from their local public school such as band, choir, art, after school sports, etc. (for a proportional percentage of their $ allocation).
Apprenticeship programs in the trades should be expanded.
Are you maybe suffering from Gell-Mann Amnesia Syndrome? I don't believe a word the Times prints, including "and" and "the". The lost academic achievement story is propaganda designed to do exactly what you suggest-- get our kids back in public schools full time, all year long. What they actually lost, and what the Times is bemoaning, was CRT and sexual grooming brainwashing. Maybe they also lost a few links in their chains when they tasted the freedom to learn what they wanted to learn, instead of what is forced down their gullets. Can't have that, need those kids back in school! I hope the whole public education edifice crumbles to the ground and something better takes its place.
Totally agree. I believe that there is no hope for public schools. Finding anything good in them is like saying jim jones fed the poor. They are relentlessly forcing marxist propaganda and anti democracy ideas into the thoughts of our children. Defund them NOW.
Not anti democracy. Anti freedom/ liberty.
Great point.
Like homeschooling and private education booms!
Kids want to learn how to beat their classmates at Call of Duty. Indoctrination is good when it's the right doctrine.
He got a lot of positive, thoughtful pushback on that and I'm betting he'll comment on it tomorrow. Many people just can't envision a world without public schools and think the country will fall apart without them. There's no school board meeting attending our way out of this though.
Jeff, this is your most significant column to date, and I have shared far and wide. Your call on our intelligence services to come clean is correct, moral and timely. Thank you for your continued courage and faithfulness to our cause of morality, truth and prayerful action.
*Is* there even a way to write a "letter to the editor" that won't immediately be construed as Russian disinformation on its face? It seems like certain topics simply fall under that umbrella ipso facto now, no matter how delicately approached. Media-government collusion has primed both of those entities and a good chunk of the public to think so anyway. Remember how radioactive even mentioning the word "vaccine" was this time last year.
One approach might be to take on the disinformation issue directly, like "The Russians are using US biolabs to fuel a disinformation campaign, and the right way to defuse it is not to ignore it but to address it head on with facts." Maybe like that.
Let the C&C Army know when you are ready to light up letters to the editor. I am prepared to letter bomb as many newspapers as possible and those typically include the authors name so, if someone is looking to discredit those letters as disinformation they can simply find me and verify who I am and what I am about. I have a fair amount of visibility in my local community, have done and continue to do volunteer work on issues that are important to me so that although some may not 'like' me I do continue to produce positive outcomes while others may sit on their hands and do nothing. Since I'm not the most eloquent writer and may not have all the facts to be 100% accurate on these matters I think some sort of working template for these letters will be critical so, maybe others with those skills could compose those templates. Ready when called. 🇺🇸
What makes you think it is "Russian disinformation"? If Fauci was paying the Wuhan Lab to invent COVID, what makes you think the CIA wasn't paying Ukraine to produce bioweapons? "We" may not be the bad guys, but our government is full of rogue actors and agencies who pay no attention to anyone's laws, including our own.
Maybe I'm missing something but I think Jeff was responding to Wesley's question on how to not have letters to the editor be categorized as disinformation by the Russians. Perhaps a better way of wording that response would be to add a single word 'IF'?
"One approach might be to take on the disinformation issue directly, like "IF the Russians are using US biolabs to fuel a disinformation campaign, and the right way to defuse it is not to ignore it but to address it head on with facts." Maybe like that."
With the parade of intelligence officials exiting the revolving door of government and flocking to prominent positions in legacy and social media corporations, this will be a very uphill battle.
But,but…you’re starting out with something that’s not even true! The more principled way might be just to demand that those making the claim (our government) provide proof. We can’t start out by conceding that it’s Russian propaganda. It’s not. They exist, they’re tied to the military and they are not benign entities.
Totally Agree! By all means, all strength and all reliance ... slay the dragons directly!
The greatest failure of the Tea Party movement, largely all Republicans, is that they did not take on the Republican Establishment DIRECTLY. They simply did not know how to go about things. In this, I am reminded of this verse, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge." Hosea 4:6 ... and with very broad by application.
And for the Christian readers, let it be said: there is no such thing as cultural neutrality.
Excellent strategy! Would be glad to run a trial balloon and see if the Bradenton Herald will publish.
Reposting my comment from yesterday because I think I put it on too late for anyone to see it…
Great stuff happening in Ohio. We are looking at putting a medical freedom constitutional amendment on the statewide ballot in May 2023. (Ohioans, please sign up here to help gather signatures! https://www.medicalright2refuse.com/) And speaking of beer, one signature drive idea I had was to have people meet at a bar after work to sign the petition. What shall we call it? Ales for Autonomy? Kegs Against Coercion? I would love y’all’s creative ideas!!
Hi Pamela -
Thanks for posting. I had signed up for their emails to get notified of the signature collection and...unfortunately...no email.
Will let people know and start collecting.
I replied to Lisa’s comment below about how to get the signature packet. I’m sorry you were never contacted! We can use all the help we can get!
Thanks!
Same here. I was never contacted .
I’m sorry, that is disappointing to hear that you were never contacted! Here is a direct link to the signature packet. Just be very careful to follow the signature collection instructions carefully so that the signatures are not unnecessarily invalidated. These include things such as keeping each sheet separate by county and making sure people write out their full legal name with a middle initial and write out their address with no abbreviations such as “St” for Street or “S” for south.
https://2182320f-f4df-4150-a965-cded920baa9c.usrfiles.com/ugd/218232_c3bac6cff1834965977468d320930fed.pdf
Also, you should get a timely response from Diana Smith if you email her directly with any questions. initiativepetitionhb248@gmail.com She’s an amazing hard-working patriot who is really the mastermind behind this whole thing.
I signed the online petition.
Here is a direct link to the signature packet. Just be very careful to follow the signature collection instructions carefully so that the signatures are not unnecessarily invalidated. These include things such as keeping each sheet separate by county and making sure people write out their full legal name with a middle initial and write out their address with no abbreviations such as “St” for Street or “S” for south.
https://2182320f-f4df-4150-a965-cded920baa9c.usrfiles.com/ugd/218232_c3bac6cff1834965977468d320930fed.pdf
Also, you should get a timely response from Diana Smith if you email her directly with any questions. initiativepetitionhb248@gmail.com She’s an amazing hard-working patriot who is really the mastermind behind this whole thing.
If you just want to sign rather than gathering signatures, email Diana Smith to find someone in your area to collect your signature.
InitiativepetitionHB248@gmail.com
I emailed her. Thanks.
Dan that is great but you’re actually not counted unless you sign a pen and paper petition with this type of process. I will copy and paste my other comment from above about how to do that:
The covid fiasco has opened my eyes regarding public school education. I am now proudly homeschooling my grandchildren. I live in southern NM and there is little hope for change for my young grandchildren in the public school system. Sadly, I know many good teachers who have left the corrupt system.
It's the demon clowns driving this bus. Try to figure out their name.
As I read your call to courageously expose the corruption, I thought of this verse: “For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God.” — 1 Peter 2:20
Earlier this morning, I gathered these passages as a reminder of what we’re supposed to do and be and think about, all of which is increasingly difficult in the current political and spiritual atmosphere. But through Jesus we CAN.
“He has told you, O man, what is good;
And what does the Lord require of you
But to do justice, to love kindness,
And to walk humbly with your God?”
— Micah 6:8
“Be strong and let your heart take courage,
All you who hope in the Lord.”
— Psalm 31:24
“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.” — Philippians 4:4-8
Living in Arizona, It’s amazing Rusty Bowers has risen to the level of House Speaker and has continued to use his position to harm the GOP. His district ran a recall effort to remove him last year, and had enough signatures. But the SOS declined it based on a technicality. Now he’s running in a new district for a Senate seat. There’s been an effort to recall him and now censure him. If he wins his primary, it will truly be the swamp manipulating that election. The people do not support him.
Same thing happened in Oregon. Twice had enough signatures to recall the useless ccp operative gov Brown. Twice the SOS threw out signatures based on THEIR technicality which everyone knows was bogus, and brought the number of signatures down to a level that didn’t meet the required amount. The second time the signatures were collected the goal was an added +200,000 signatures to offset what we knew they would throw out. Still didn’t work. 😡 But when the criminals are in charge what do the people do to stop it legally? 😞
There was a lot of concern about who’d replace her, Kotek, and many were hesitant to bother based on that. Gee, sounds like what’s happening now with the prez and Kamala. But, just heard Biden has covid, maybe their (whoever is really in charge) wishes will come true sooner than they thought.
Yes. That was a legit concern in Oregon. How do you replace one criminal with another. 🤦🏼♀️
Yep, and the chain of succession goes deep.
😡😡😡😡
The folks in Florida are very fortunate with a governor an exception to the do nothing rule. In reality, whether R or D, they go to the same 'clubs' ... CFR, WEF, etc. Both parties have sold us out.
Arizona where the traitor McCain held sway.
Schools haven’t taught anything really worth wild in years. 2 in high school and how I wished I wouldn’t have had the insight to home school them. Now busy trying to reach them life skills and critical thinking that they should have been taught. And keep them as close to God as possible
We unschooled all 11 of our children. So far 3 of them have made it to college, the others have chosen not to go that route, but all are happy and successful. You are making a good choice. I should add that our youngest are 10, 12 and 16 so we have a few years to go.
Would have *
Just FYI, you can edit your comments by clicking on the three dots and choosing 'Edit.'
Worthwhile.
Lol, auto correct I'm sure.
"There ARE NO perfect countries. Certainly not Russia or China." And certainly not the United States since the coup of November 22, 1963. Formerly the WWII era OSS, the CIA's founding without accountability to anyone anywhere anytime for the purposes of "plausible deniability", was one of the biggest mistakes ever made by those in Washington.
USA was lost when it let the enemy in in the 1850s.
Shortly thereafter federal reserve in 1913
Then siezure of all the gold in 1932.
Then going on the wrong side in world war.
Counselor, the intrigue surrounding US intelligence and Epstein is not novel or an aberration. The CIA and related agencies have conducted business in this fashion across the globe from their very inception. This is not the stuff of conspiracy theories. This is documented, admitted, and even celebrated from the days of the Dulles’ to John Bolton and Mike Pompeo, et. al.
PS This is an important piece you’ve written and I hope it meets with a wide distribution.
Sadly, it isn’t hard for anyone who loves spy novels to believe. Accepted truth, like you say Dale… the fact that children are involved should be enough to propel this “story” to a close, but I am not holding my breath. I am praying.
The idea of ‘coming clean’ is something I’ve hoped for from my personal associations with child molesters to big corporations like Delta Air Lines to public utilities like Oregon’s very own Portland General Electric. It’s a combination of greed and ego with some sociopaths thrown in… they will lie until the end. In fact, it is assured because that’s what they have been taught and what they have learned well since birth.
Now I know why my father wouldn’t allow me to interview with the CIA after college when they were recruiting me.
I have the highest regard for your father and his convictions and counsel, and for you for listening to your father and taking his advice.
https://voxday.net/2022/07/21/another-elite-pedo/ this is a link to the ongoing pedophile ring that is entrenched in the elites in the world.
Can I just say how much I love the comment sections here and on the other Substacks I subscribe to?? So many thoughtful and interesting ideas as well as humor 🙂 I enjoy reading the comments as much as I enjoy Jeff’s posts!
I get nothing done all day. Thank you, smart witty people! Weeds need whacking but I agree. The comments are the best.
Weeds? Just smoke them...lol
Mary Jane doesn't live here.
I never read laCarre’s novels. I like Tom Clancy.
Ever watch the movie The Shooter with Mark Walberg? My favorite quote is from the fat Senator played by Ned Beatty. My jaw tightens every time I see it...especially now.
“There's always a confused soul that thinks that one man can make a difference. And you have to kill him to convince him otherwise. That's the hassle with democracy.”
America’s founding principles are still the best in comparison to what other countries want for their citizens. But our systems have been co-opted by profiteers and pirates.
The American citizenry is what will save this country. Or let it fall into oblivion.
I have worked in the school setting for 15 months. It’s a broken system and we should flee the entire thing if possible. If it’s not possible, be at the school board meetings and know what’s going on. The sexualization of our kids is happening - even in a small school like mine. If you have kids, continue to seek alternatives and be in your kids ears and heart. You have to combat 7-8 hours of indoctrination. And make no mistake- it is a WAR on our kids.
I love your posts, Jeff. I appreciate your voice in these times. ❤️❤️❤️
Ps: the book The Shooter was based on is a good read. Stephan Hunter is the author.
“My country, right or wrong; if right, to be kept right; and if wrong, to be set right.”
I appreciate the nuance that you are presenting here; anymore, it is entirely too simplistic to say that the US is 'just this', or 'just that'.
The problem with our Intel agencies is not that they are intrinsically bad, but that they have had near-unfettered power, lack of oversight, bloated budgets, and an increasing number of seriously moral-deficient people running and staffing them for entirely too long. One can go back into the 1950s for the start of their staining the prestige and respect of their various institutions, and such actions have slowly snowballed into the avalanche we see today, where the agencies are clearly weaponized against the AMERICAN PEOPLE, for political purposes.
It is debateable whether any country whose government is actively attacking and suppressing its own people for not having the 'correct ideas' is either great, or free. Which doesn't mean that I don't love the ideals that America stands for, has often promoted throughout the world, or what it has accomplished in so many ways. I will say that I am disgusted by what we have become, which is a hollow shell of that country, with too many people focused only on their own selfishness, and 'leaders' who focus only on their greed for power and money. We may not be evil, but we are certainly venal.
Which isn't a death knell, but more people need to wake up, to lift the veil of apathy and disinformation to see what is happening right in front of them. Without that, we, like every empire, will slide into the ashbin of history. We may have better stories to tell, greater feats to recall, but that will be cold comfort. Countries, like people, can reclaim former glories because countries, like people, can always redeem themselves. But, like people, it takes a continuous act of will to change course.
Do we have the will...?