Why Do We Go To School?

Why Do We Go To School?

The government mandates that every child in America attend school, but the question is for what reason? If you were to ask a class of sixth graders why they attend school, what answer do you think you would get? For the sake of argument, I would guess the reply to be ‘so we can get a good job’ or ‘so we can be smart’. Is that the actual reason why we are all forced to attend school? We all need a full explanation of why we go to school, and why we learn!

In our system of education we are force fed information, or so called facts, but were are not taught to ask intelligent questions that will lead us to greater understanding. Why we learn or go to school is an important question, and we must learn to not only ask questions but how to ask questions. In our education system, men women and children need more Explanation, not just facts (or so called facts). Explanation helps us to dig deeper under the surface of knowledge and it will ultimately lead us to understanding.

Explanation is a part of the scientific method! History teaches us that it was not sufficient enough for Isaac Newton to know that an apple fell to the earth when hanging from a tree. He desired to know why. He desired an Explanation for the action. This desire of an explanation led him to reasoning that would change the face of science as it was known at that time.

In Isaac Newton was the desire to know. The desire To Know must be nurtured in all of our children. We must create curious beings that search deeper and deeper for truths unknown. This is a process that leads to new discoveries, inventions, and solutions to problems that plague the world. Our education system must develop children that are unafraid to ask questions and know how to ask questions. This will assist in developing creative thinkers.

Thought is the basis of ideas, ideas lead to actions, and actions lead to results. The point of going to school, acquiring knowledge, or education is to develop the human being into their full potential, which is A God (not They GOD). We learn, acquire knowledge, and go to school so that we can develop that which is within us. The natural talents, gifts, and skills that are in us must be brought out through the process of learning. Our skills, gifts, and talents must be nurtured and brought out so that they can be of service to self, family, community, and nation.

Parents and educators must explain to children why they go to school and why they learn. Every child must understand this important principle from a young age. This is a pre-school and kindergarten type lesson. Also, it must be understood that learning is a lifelong process. Children and adults must recognize that learning is beneficial and fun. We do not go to school so that we can just ‘get a good job’. We go to school so that we can be developed as human beings and as individuals made in the image and likeness of God.

Al Sharpton's "The Education SuperHighway" to Premiere November 20

Al Sharpton's "The Education SuperHighway" to Premiere November 20

Education Special Hosted by Rev. Sharpton to air Nov. 21st/ The Education SuperHighway, a nationally syndicated Sunday morning news and information magazine show premiering November 21st in 75 markets.

The nation's parents and teachers have a new television show to call their very own. The Education SuperHighway, a non-partisan Sunday morning nationally-syndicated half-hour education themed news program will premiere on November 21st, concluding American Education Week. Hosted by Reverend Al Sharpton, The Education SuperHighway is a joint production of Sharpton Media Group and ESH Holdings, a New York-based new minority-owned multimedia company dedicated to providing public discussion of ongoing inequalities in education as well as health and civil liberties.

Said Rev. Sharpton, "Our children are engaged in a great global race to the top. Educational parity with the rest of the world is the key to our country's long-term success as an economic, political and cultural competitor. We must convince parents, policymakers, and all concerned citizens, that this is a race we cannot afford to lose. It is my ambition that our Sunday morning broadcast be a forum for that very important discussion."

The American education system is seen by many as broken and a shadow of its former self. They see an education system that spends hundreds of billions of dollars while churning out millions of unprepared students. What this viewpoint fails to appreciate is that the American education system includes hundreds of brilliant professionals, thousands of innovative teachers, and millions of hardworking and accomplished students. There are problems in the system, but there is no lack of success.

The Education SuperHighway, created and executive produced by award winning writer/producer Ruth Adkins Robinson and her producing partner Maurice P. James of Mojo Pictures, will focus on all aspects of the American education system. "The weekly magazine, information show format will provide the opportunity to take a penetrating look at the complex issues of the national report card --just how well we are doing in the critical job of educating America's children," Robinson said. "Important elements of the show include regional reports, probing interviews with policy makers, education from the youth point of view and a look at what's working in neighborhoods and school systems all over the United States," she continued. "On his weekly roundtable discussions, Rev. Sharpton will take a look at the political, business, and social leaders who shape the current education debate. This weekly half-hour has something for all the stakeholders in education."

The November 21st broadcast of The Education SuperHighway is a special broadcast, which will be followed by a full season of shows beginning in late January 2011. This week New York City Mayor, Michael Bloomberg, joins Rev. Sharpton and his special guest: Tamika Mallory, executive director of the National Action Network, in a round table discussion on school funding and parental involvement in school reform.

Celebrated the week prior to Thanksgiving, American Education Week began in 1921 with the National Education Association and the American Legion as cosponsors. The goal was to generate public awareness and support for education because of concerns over illiteracy. On November 16, 2010, President Barak Obama issued a Presidential Proclamation recognizing November 14 - November 20, 2010 as American Education Week.

The Education SuperHighway will air in over 60 million TV homes including major markets such as New York on WWOR, Los Angeles on KCOP, Chicago on WPWR, and Dallas-Ft Worth on KDFI.

Please contact Ed Baruch of Allied Media Partners in Washington, D.C. at (202)349-5785 for local listings and air times in your market.

For more information about the show, log on at http://www.theeducationsuperhighway.com/.

Girl Education and Same Sex Schools, Part 1

Girl Education and Same Sex Schools, Part 1

Girl education is one of the most valuable areas of investment a Nation can make. In my last post, an excerpt from Minister Louis Farrakhan’s book, “Education is the Key”, highlighted the importance of the female, the second self of God, and her education. The female must be educated and must be in an environment conducive to not only learning, but of righteous behavior.

I would like to make a brief example. Have you ever heard of two doctors having a child that became a doctor, or was deeply involved in the sciences? Have you ever heard of a teenage mother birthing a child that grew up to be a teenage mother? In both cases, ‘the apple did not fall far from the tree’.

The point is that, if in a girl’s education, she is taught how to engage in righteous behavior and guided in the laws and principles set forth by God, then more often than not she will bear a child with a tendency toward righteousness. She will also be a productive part of her community, and an example to others. Clearly, this is what our society and all societies need, righteous men and women that are mentally and spiritually developed. Girl education is a key!

Same sex schooling is a building block to achieve a better society. It is not an unfamiliar practice, however it is not often found in our society and not given the proper value. Often times when I discuss this topic with educators I get similar responses based upon what research has found. Apparently, research has found that there is no significant change from students in same sex schools. The only point made, from those I have talked to, is that girls will not speak up as much around boys, and will speak more comfortably when around their own sex.

My question about the research is, what measurements are used? Are they basing results off of test scores? If that is the case, then we must understand that there is much more to be considered. Math, science, and language are good, but what about moral standards and character? What about the knowledge of God, self and others? What about behavior that is becoming of a civilized person? Our current curriculum is lacking the necessities of an upright lifestyle, amongst other things.

I must point out that the curriculum of a child must provide the knowledge necessary for the life that they will lead in the future. Girls are expected to be mothers in the future. Mothers play a significant role in a household. She is the first teacher, the first nurse, and in many ways Gods representative to a child until the child is old enough to learn about God himself/herself. A girl’s education must provide a foundation for her future role

A boy is expected to become a man and be the head of his house. He must understand finance, how to make a living for himself, have character development, and should learn his nature and the nature of the woman. He should not find that women are easily accessible! Being with a woman is a Right that must be Earned not just Given. He should not be able to be in class or in the hallways and put his arm around a girl. A man should not so much as touch a woman that is not his wife or close relative. In truth, a man is unworthy, until he is the man that maintains, protects, and provides for that woman. If he was a civilized man he would ask her father's permission to talk to his daughter,


There is much more to say on this topic and girl education, so come back for part 2.

Excerpt From "Education is the Key" by Minister Louis Farrakhan

Teach a Woman, Teach a Nation

The Honorable Elijah Muhammad taught us that when our foreparents were brought to these shores, children were separated from their parents. How else could a people grow up without the ability to speak their own language, know their own names, or know anything about their own culture?

You must realize that mothers are important. You must realize that women are important.  An ignorant woman is a sin. The Honorable Elijah Muhammad taught us that when you teach a man, you teach an individual; but when you teach a woman you teach a nation. The Honorable Elijah Muhammad taught us that no nation can rise any higher that its woman.

When you put a woman down, you send the nation to hell. To lift women does not mean putting them on a false pedestal and worshipping them as symbols of comfort, beauty and sex. Lifting a woman means placing in her hands the books of wisdom and knowledge so she might be cultivated and her qualities developed, that she may inspire a new world from what is in her head and heart.

When you lock a woman out of knowledge, cultivation, refinement and high civilization, you lock yourself out of perpetual motion. Education is the key.