And the winner is... California. Today I heard that I live in the 47th dumbest state in America. The only states dumber than this one are Louisiana, Nevada and another that I can't remember right now... oh man now I'm a victim. How we were scored was by aptitude testing of our kids in school. It seems California is not good at preparing kids for college and lacks even the availability of college preparatory classes. Nevermind that you want to take the class - sorry, it's not available.
As an educator in the state college system, I agree with this assessment. For the most part, kids today are showing every sign that they don't have the drive it takes to succeed once they get into college classes. My kids, depending on the class, would rather go on MySpace, keep their headphones hard-wired to their brains during class and IM their friends. Don't forget that this is a class that they (or their parents) have directly paid for, and are required to take. Actually the students respond much better to elective courses. These are usually the ones they want to be in, so they pay attention. It seems like students are getting dumber and dumberer every year.
The Inland Empire is the dumbest region in California, the survey mentions. This is not surprising to me. I see where the importance is placed to steal our youth's focus. Material things, like golf carts for 10 year-olds to drive around the neighborhood, lip piercings, iPods and even cell phones for kids in grade school. What's next? How can the last gift be topped? With something even bigger and better, that's how! There's no accountability. There's no reward for doing well. There are no goals; only rewards for mediocrity. Parents are looking for the next thing to get their kids off their backs; to steal their attention so they can get more work done.
I have been guilty of this. There is "so much to do" that there is no time to just hang out and be together. I feel remorse for those actions in the past. I was doing a disservice to my kids.
So teachers are filling up their kid's plates with busy work. Parents are working two jobs and struggling to get their kids to daycare from 6am to 6pm every day of the week because they don't even have time to drop them off, yet they still make it to Starbuck's before sitting in traffic. Our kids are being trained to be the same as everyone else. Don't you dare try to stand out. Don't make goals. Don't be excellent. Don't try to change anything. It's fine just how it is. Live in your dull little house. Sit in traffic. Have dull relationships. One day you'll wonder, "How did I get here?"
Talking Heads - "Once in a Lifetime" (emphasis mine)
And you may find yourself living in a shotgun shack
And you may find yourself in another part of the world
And you may find yourself behind the wheel of a large automobile
And you may find yourself in a beautiful house, with a beautiful Wife
And you may ask yourself-well...how did I get here?
Letting the days go by/let the water hold me down
Letting the days go by/water flowing underground
Into the blue again/after the moneys gone
Once in a lifetime/water flowing underground.
And you may ask yourself
How do I work this?
And you may ask yourself
Where is that large automobile?
And you may tell yourself
This is not my beautiful house!
And you may tell yourself
This is not my beautiful wife!
Letting the days go by/let the water hold me down
Letting the days go by/water flowing underground
Into the blue again/after the moneys gone
Once in a lifetime/water flowing underground.
Same as it ever was...same as it ever was...same as it ever was...
Same as it ever was...same as it ever was...same as it ever was...
Same as it ever was...same as it ever was...
Water dissolving...and water removing
There is water at the bottom of the ocean
Carry the water at the bottom of the ocean
Remove the water at the bottom of the ocean!
Letting the days go by/let the water hold me down
Letting the days go by/water flowing underground
Into the blue again/in the silent water
Under the rocks and stones/there is water underground.
Letting the days go by/let the water hold me down
Letting the days go by/water flowing underground
Into the blue again/after the moneys gone
Once in a lifetime/water flowing underground.
And you may ask yourself
What is that beautiful house?
And you may ask yourself
Where does that highway go?
And you may ask yourself
Am I right? ...am I wrong?
And you may tell yourself
My god!...what have I done?
Letting the days go by/let the water hold me down
Letting the days go by/water flowing underground
Into the blue again/in the silent water
Under the rocks and stones/there is water underground.
Letting the days go by/let the water hold me down
Letting the days go by/water flowing underground
Into the blue again/after the moneys gone
Once in a lifetime/water flowing underground.
Same as it ever was...same as it ever was...same as it ever was...
Same as it ever was...same as it ever was...same as it ever was...
Same as it ever was...same as it ever was...
