BlogHer is launching a new initiative, BlogHers Act, to bring together their 11,000 women blogger members (and subsequently their audiences) to make a difference in a single global cause, as well as to identify the top four issues that women online want the U.S. Presidential candidates to address in the ’08 election year.
The founders of the program are asking women bloggers to post about their hot-button issues to help determine what BlogHers Act will focus on for the upcoming year. Many have already posted and commented about issues such as Iraq, global warming, global women’s rights, health care, child care, and even a few unique topics like rebuilding our infrastructure and alternative education. Some bloggers chose issues that they have personal experience with, and their stories are both heartwarming and heartbreaking.
The cause that I am most passionate about is educational choice and reform. Educational choice, with no restrictions or requirements, should be legal around the world. Our system – run largely by the government and designed to exercise power and influence over developing minds – often does not allow our children to reach their full potential. Education needs to become a part of the free market economy. Privatize schooling, and then we’ll see incredible growth in educational options and quality.
All people learn differently and every parent and child should have the freedom to learn what, when and how they choose. Mediocrity thrives in school. Children learn to please. To succeed on a test. To work through the system.
Schooling is not all horrible. There are many excellent teachers, but even they are limited by the rules and policies of their schools. Teachers also spend a significant portion of their efforts “managing” students instead of lighting an educational fire within them. Many children do just fine (although arguably they might do much better!), but many are completely failed by the system.
I’ve been told that my blog is not very “friendly,” meaning that those who do not share my opinions may feel insulted by my writing instead of informed. I’m working to change that because it is truly important to me for others to at least consider what I write, to have an open mind, and to begin to see that when it comes to raising and educating our children, we have choices. And we could have so many more.
Finally, to name the four issues that I’d like to see addressed by a Presidential candidate:
- How will you clean up the mess resulting from No Child Left Behind?
- Will I ever see the money I pay into the Social Security system? Can’t we just abolish this program and teach people how to plan for their own futures?
- Will you lower my taxes?
- What can you do to reduce the encroachment of government in our lives?
Um. Yeah, right.
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
Shannon, your post and comments are great. thank you. This is such an important topic!!!!!!!!
Well at my age I hope SS sticks around, hubby only has a few more years before he can retire with SS benefits. Unfortunately, thanks to the in-laws, we have no savings.
But I am with you on the other issues. I would add food safety for pets and humans to the list.
. Mediocrity thrives in school. Children learn to please. To succeed on a test. To work through the system.
Even across the globe, this is true. Hardly anyone learns for learning’s sake nowadays. It’s just for a test, for a certificate, for material gains.
Thanks for speaking up!
Sadly, you are spot on about education. Children are not pushed to meet their full potential, only to pass tests and look good on paper.
Great list! I agree that education, Social Security, tax reform, and civil liberties are important challenges for our next president. Thanks for sharing :-)
I would love to see educational freedom, reform and choice! I just don’t believe that the future can be improved without changing the way we teach our children. Thanks for writing.
I’m a newbie at blogher and find it all such a wonder of ideals going on in blogger world.
Actual No Child Should Left Behind. Should be called “No Child Left With a Dime”
Come on over to my blog and have a cup of coffee
Yes, educational choice! Only recently have I heard people talking about alternative education issues in terms of a right to educational choice, and when it’s put this way, it just might be an idea that catches on.
I just found this post Shannon, and I also voted for education reform in the poll. I need to look further into the idea of privatized education (I’m not entirely sure that corporations can be trusted with this) but I do know that NCLB is a huge freaking disaster. I’ve always been a public school advocate and now that my daughter is nearing school age I hesitate. That’s a sad, sad thought for me.
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