Fixing Our Schools & Securing Our Future

How to Fix Our Schools and Secure Our Future

By David W. Bagley
4/15/2008

I attended public schools my whole young life. My bus driver was Mr. Hackleman and the bus ride was one hour twenty minutes each way when there was no snow. In those days all the grade levels of students rode the same bus. In Kansas we said the pledge of allegiance and a morning prayer every school day. Even though the Supreme Court ruled it unconstitutional in 1962, Kansas held on as long as they could to school prayer. Being raised a farm boy for ten years I endured things that most city people have never seen. I had two sisters older than I by eight and nine years, I watched as they lived through the sixties and the rebellious movements. In 1969 my family moved from Junction City, Kansas to Irving, Texas. I now live in a suburb of Dallas, Texas called Carrollton. My Daughter attended public school in Carrollton, Texas and graduated Creekview High School in 2006. I have owned my own business for 23 years now. As part of my contribution to my community, I drive a school bus for Carrollton Farmers Branch Independent School District. I have been a certified Texas school bus driver for five years now. At 48 years old I have witnessed the effects of the Supreme Courts decision to remove prayer from school on several generations of people.

I do not oppose the Supreme Courts decision; however it left a vacuum that was never filled. As mass transportation improved with air travel, many cultural backgrounds have been forced to live together. There are certain rules and inner integrity that has to be instilled in a human being in order to live successfully in a civilized society. We live in a Capitalistic Society where if the efforts do not yield a monetary gain it is not considered a worthy endeavor. This is not a standard that we in the United States live by however in a competitive global market place it is necessary to maintain our prosperity. As the working adults are investing more and more hours at the workplace, our children are being ignored and feeling disenfranchised and left out of society. Our kids are not feeling a sense of self worth and in order to fill this human need they are turning to drug groups and gangs. Our kids are being left out of the education they need to live their lives.

I have had conversations with my daughter over the years to help her through the problems and occasional depressions in her young life. I would like to share in this letter what I have learned from her and the kids on the school buss I have driven over the years. The one thing that stands out the most to me was a student on the bus. I overheard a conversation this boy was having with his friend. Real jail is okay. My brother is in Lew Sterrett (a Dallas jail) and he having a good time. He hangs with his homies, tells stories of what they got away with and who was stupid enough believed his lies. Plus no one on the outside messes with him now. He can do what he wants cause their scared of him now knowin he dont play. The next thing that stands out in my mind is my daughter telling me that she was asked to buy or try drugs at least once a month. I asked my daughter what stood out in her mind about school that she liked. Her reply was the teachers that could teach, not just teach inside the box. I then asked her

What she hated about school. She said Seeing the rich kids and the immigrant kids getting special treatment just because they didnt want to conform to the rules. So I asked her, If she could change one thing about school what would it be? She said Mandatory drug testing for extracurricular activities, Whats the point in trying. I feel her frustrations with society but keep telling her keep your head up and your eyes on your goals. Your body always goes where your eyes are looking.

Since 1962 all of the religious leaders have had a chance to come together and help put into place a way to teach people what they need to learn to live together. Instead all the religious leaders have failed. By their very nature they want everyone to convert to their ways. This gives them control and a way to funnel the money toward their religion for power and influence over the masses. In the mean time gangs and drugs are killing our kids.
Everyone knows there are certain traits that make a good person; those traits have to be continually studied and practiced. Now that I have sent this letter the killing and blood shed of our kids can be reduced. Get this curriculum started now. All school officials put your differences aside AND GET THIS DONE!!! It will take several years before we see any effects. The teachings to the students will be seen by their parents, most parents will also change to stay respectable in the eyes of their kids. What do you have to lose? The way we have it now isnt working and just getting worse.


Here is what we need to do to fix our schools and our future society. In the public school system nation wide, a curriculum must be established that addresses specific points. In order for a group of people to live in a civilized society a set of rules must be strictly adhered to and maintained. The classes will teach values that for a human being need to be intrinsic to maintain peace and fairness across the races and religions. This class will have mandatory attendance daily for 1st -12th grade. The class shall give historical as well current events to show why each of these points are critical in daily living. This class will not have any reference to any Religion, Cult, Sect, Race, Regional or group activity or sexual orientation. The class shall be taught from a non-bias point of view. No discussions will be engaged in concerning Religion, Cult, Sect, Race, Regional or group activity or sexual orientation. It shall consist of the teaching of the following points.

Integrity
Forgiveness
Charity
Respect for human life
Reasons for Morality
Humility
Fairness
Learning and study skills
Personal and Social Responsibility
Financial self reliance
Respect must be earned

This class is necessary to create a foundation on which to build a society one person at a time.
Foundation is defined as the nature or prepared ground or base on which some structure rests. Some people have worked and saved for years to buy a new house. A few years later the foundation shifts and starts to give under the load of the structure. The overall cost of repairing the house and the loss of integrity to the total structure almost makes the entire house frail and untrustworthy. The loss of value to this house and the constant repairs is far greater than the cost to build the foundation correctly in the first place. But to save money the contractor cuts corners. Now you are left to pick up the pieces. We are seeing this daily in our business, political, sports, entertainment and social societies.


Notes:
Church attendance in the U.S. is falling.
Old shows like Gunsmoke showed us the way to live.
The role models now are Rapp stars and drugged out celebrities.
Presidential, Congressional, Public leaders display sexual and Moral Misconduct.
Kids are cussing in public to act cool for shock value
Road rage and social intolerance
Not enough Police due to the economy
Mass killings in schools by the outcast young
No parent at home to discipline and to help form thoughts
No respect for authority
No respect for others property
Kids of divorced parents playing games to control parents against each other
Sexual misconduct, 1 out of 4 has an S.T.D. 15-24 years old
Immigrant kids dont understand our ways, their parents either.
The more the masses are taught morality the fewer the crimes
Adults and Teachers are not allowed to punish kids as they need it.