Advice for school principals: They don’t care what you know until they know you

Published 11:25 am Tuesday, July 26, 2022

To the Editor:

The first day of school classes in Carter County is August 11, 2022. All principals, teachers and students of Carter County need our prayers. We have been blessed in Carter County to have some of the best principals and teachers. It’s great that all students will receive free lunch. Students don’t have to be stressed to keep up with their money or bag lunch. Some liberal (left) principals in California and other areas have forced students to allow transgender biological males to use the female restrooms. Some schools have allowed drag queens (men dressed as women) to tell children stories. This is evil and any principal ever doing that in Carter County should be fired. The great President Kennedy said we will put a man on the moon. The evil President Biden said we will put a man in the women’s restroom.

I saw a short video that gave some great advice for principals by Dennis Prager.

For those without internet, here is most of what Dennis Prager said. “If every high school principal gave the following speech, America would be a much better place. To the students and faculty of our high school: I am your new principal, and honored to be so. There is no greater calling than to teach young people. I will apprise you of some changes coming to our school. First, this school will no longer honor race or ethnicity. I could not care less if you are black, brown, red, yellow or white. The only identity this school will recognize is your individual identity-your character, your scholarship, your humanity. And the only national identity this school will recognize is American. This is an American public school, and American public schools were created to make better Americans. If you wish to affirm here an ethnic or racial identity-or a national identity other than American-you will have to attend another school. This includes after-school clubs. I will not authorize clubs that divide students based on identities such as race, ethnicity or sexual orientation. Those clubs cultivate narcissism – an unhealthy preoccupation with the self-while the purpose of education is to get you to think beyond yourself. If the only extracurricular activities you can imagine being interested in are based on ethnicity, race or sexual identity, that means little outside of yourself interests you. Second, I do not care whether English is your native language. My only interest in terms of language is you leave this school speaking and writing English as fluently as possible. The English language has united America’s citizens for over 200 years, and it will unite us at this school. I would be remiss in my duty to ensure you will be prepared to successfully compete in the job market, if you leave this school without excellent English-language skills. We will learn other languages here – but if you want classes taught in your native language rather than in English, this is not the right school for you. Third, because I regard learning as a sacred endeavor, everything in this school will reflect learning’s elevated status. This means, among other things, you and your teachers will dress accordingly. There will be a dress code at this school. And you will address all teachers by their title, not by their first name. They are your teachers, not your pals. Fourth, no obscene language will be tolerated anywhere on this school’s property. By obscene language, I mean the words banned on radio and television. Fifth, we will end all self-esteem programs. In this school, self-esteem will be attained in only one way-the only way self-esteem can be attained-by earning it. Sixth, and last, I am reorienting the school toward academics and away from politics and propaganda. No time will be devoted to racism, sexism, Islamophobia, homophobia, global warming or gender identity. And there will be no more attempts to convince you that you are a victim because you are not white or male or heterosexual or Christian. This school will have failed if any of you graduate without considering him or herself lucky to be alive and lucky to be American. We will stand for the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag of our country. As many do not know the words, your teachers will hand them out to you!”

Prager said facts don’t care about your feelings. Teachers should teach that facts are more important than feelings and doing good is more important than feeling good. Teachers should encourage students not to get easily offended and forgive. It’s the self-centered with pride problems that are the easiest to offend. We need to take ourselves less serious and take Jesus and the Bible more serious. The Bible in 2 Timothy 3 says in the last days people would be, “ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” Studies show college students have more expertise with computers and technology than ever before but lack basic knowledge of cause and effect and logical consequences. Logic was taught years ago and should be taught again. We need to be like Mark Twain who said, “I have never let my schooling interfere with my education.” Proverbs 4 says, “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom” Jeremiah 8:9 says, “Since they have rejected the word of the Lord what kind of wisdom do they have?” The greatest wisdom comes from trusting Jesus and from reading and believing the Bible. Wisdom is seeing things the way God sees things. Because Christians have the most wisdom and love and care about others, they should be the best teachers. “They don’t care what you know until they know you care!”

D.D. Nave

Elizabethton