NEW HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL REMARKS

 

 

We watched high school principal Dennis Prager of Colorado , along with Sara Palin and Tom Brokaw on TV a couple of weeks ago....what a dynamic, down to earth speaker. Even though Palin and Brokaw were also guest speakers they did little but nod and agree with him. This is the guy that should be running for President in 2012!

 

A Speech Every American High School Principal Should Give.

By Dennis Prager.

 

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 would like to apprise you of some important changes coming to our

school. I am making these changes because I am convinced that most of

the ideas that have dominated public education in America have worked

against you, against your teachers and against our country.

 

First, this school will no longer honor race or ethnicity. I could

not care less if your racial makeup is black, brown, red, yellow or

white. I could not care less if your origins are African, Latin

American, Asian or European, or if your ancestors arrived here on the

Mayflower or on slave ships. The only identity I care about, the only

one this school will recognize, is your individual identity -- your

character, your scholarship, your humanity. And the only national

identity this school will care about is American.

 

This is an American public school, and American public schools were

created to make better Americans. If you wish to affirm an ethnic,

racial or religious identity through school, you will have to go

elsewhere. We will end all ethnicity, race and non-American

nationality-based celebrations. They undermine the motto of America ,

one of its three central values -- e pluribus Unum, "from many, one."

And this school will be guided by America 's values. This includes

all after-school clubs. I will not authorize clubs that divide

students based on any identities. This includes race, language,

religion, sexual orientation or whatever else may become in vogue in

a society divided by political correctness.

 

Your clubs will be based on interests and passions, not blood,

ethnic, racial or other physically defined ties. Those clubs just

cultivate narcissism -- an unhealthy preoccupation with the self --

while the purpose of education is to get you to think beyond

yourself. So we will have clubs that transport you to the wonders and

glories of art, music, astronomy, languages you do not already speak,

carpentry and more. If the only extracurricular activities you can

imagine being interested in are those based on ethnic, racial or

sexual identity, that means that little outside of yourself really

interests you.

Second, I am uninterested in whether English is your native language.

My only interest in terms of language is that 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. It is one of the indispensable reasons

this country of immigrants has always come to be one country. And if

you leave this school without excellent English language skills, I

would be remiss in my duty to ensure that you will be prepared to

successfully compete in the American job market. We will learn other

languages here -- it is deplorable that most Americans only speak

English --but if you want classes taught in your native language

rather than in English, this is not your school.

Third, because I regard learning as a sacred endeavor, everything in

this school will reflect learning's elevated status. This means,

among other things, that you and your teachers will dress

accordingly. Many people in our society dress more formally for

Hollywood events than for church or school. These people have their

priorities backward. Therefore, there will be a formal dress code at

this school.

 

Fourth, no obscene language will be tolerated anywhere on this

school's property -- whether in class, in the hallways or at athletic

events. If you can't speak without using the f-word, you can't speak.

By obscene language I mean the words banned by the Federal

Communications Commission, plus epithets such as "Nigger," even when

used by one black student to address another black, or "****," even

when addressed by a girl to a girlfriend. It is my intent that by

the time you leave this school, you will be among the few your age to

instinctively distinguish between the elevated and the degraded, the

holy and the obscene.

 

Fifth, we will end all self-esteem programs. In this school,

self-esteem will be attained in only one way -- the way people

attained it until decided otherwise a generation ago -- by earning

it. One immediate consequence is that there will be one

valedictorian, not eight.

 

Sixth, and last, I am reorienting the school toward academics and

away from politics and propaganda. No more time will be devoted to

scaring you about smoking and caffeine, or terrifying you about

sexual harassment or global warming. No more semesters will be

devoted to condom wearing and teaching you to regard sexual relations

as only or primarily a health issue... There will be no more attempts

to convince you that you are a victim because you are not white, or

not male, or not heterosexual or not Christian. We will have failed

if any one of you graduates this school and does not consider him or

herself inordinately fortunate -- to be alive and to be an American.

 

Now, please stand and join me in the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag

of our country. As many of you do not know the words, your teachers

will hand them out to you.

 

Pass this along if you agree. . . . If not delete…..and later regret

it !

 

 

 

-- May God bless and keep you always.

That was awsome.

 

Wish that speech was given in every high school.

Prager is actually a nationally syndicated radio show host, not a principal. He did in fact write the words, but wrote them as what he thought every principal should say.

I agree with about 90% of what he says here. The 10% I disagree with I'll keep to myself because I don't feel like getting attacked by other forum members for my opinion.

 

Good post Harry. I enjoyed the read and will print it out for some of the people I work with.

 

*as a side note, I am a teacher

I hope he lasts more than a year! 'Bout time this happened somewhere in this Country! I wonder how many left-wing wacko teachers will quit rather than teach this new ciriculum?

 

Thanks Harry!

While I agree with many if not all of the sentiments in this passage....

 

http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/principal.asp

 

Just because we agree with propaganda, doesn't make it cease to be propaganda.

While I agree with many if not all of the sentiments in this passage....

 

http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/principal.asp

 

Just because we agree with propaganda, doesn't make it cease to be propaganda.

 

Good find Woodentoe!

While I agree with many if not all of the sentiments in this passage....

 

http://www.snopes.co...x/principal.asp

 

Just because we agree with propaganda, doesn't make it cease to be propaganda.

 

Oh well....too good to be true I guess!

I spotted this as an urban legend within the first two sentences.

Wow, that's awesome. Real or fake doesn't matter, it's all about the content. I only wish more of this country felt that way about this country. It's always nice when I hear about a naturalized citizen actually take their oath to heart. Unfortunately they seem to be somewhat rare, and yet still more common than those who are born here feeling that way.

 

I already feel the soap box starting to rise under my feet, so I'm going to stop there.

Wow, that's awesome. Real or fake doesn't matter, it's all about the content.

 

No, real does matter, because if someone actually said that at a high school, the ACLU would be on top of them faster than you can say communists.

 

This reminds me of the faked Texas Air National Guard memos promoted by Dan Rather. The media was essentially saying what you are saying "It doesn't matter that they aren't real, did you see what it said?"

I spotted this as an urban legend within the first two sentences.

 

As did I. After 35 years in education, I knew this could never be true. Too bad.

origins questionable or not... is this guy off base? I dont think so. I also agree with about 85% of this, and can live with the other 15%, because the character traits I teach and expect my kids to have are taught at home should be able to overide schools teachings.

 

WVU, I cant tell you I disagree with the FORMAL DRESS CODE and the removal of Health and Sex Ed... I wonder to what extent his dress code would extend? Cmon WVU, as a teacher I am curious as to what you would find objectionable.

No, real does matter, because if someone actually said that at a high school, the ACLU would be on top of them faster than you can say communists.

 

This reminds me of the faked Texas Air National Guard memos promoted by Dan Rather. The media was essentially saying what you are saying "It doesn't matter that they aren't real, did you see what it said?"

 

I understand where you're coming from, but that's not what I meant. I don't care whether this was actually given to a school or not as the bulk of what is said are values that all Americans should hold. At least the first half, the second half doesn't really apply outside of school.

origins questionable or not... is this guy off base? I dont think so. I also agree with about 85% of this, and can live with the other 15%, because the character traits I teach and expect my kids to have are taught at home should be able to overide schools teachings.

 

WVU, I cant tell you I disagree with the FORMAL DRESS CODE and the removal of Health and Sex Ed... I wonder to what extent his dress code would extend? Cmon WVU, as a teacher I am curious as to what you would find objectionable.

 

I'll respond later. I have neither the time nor energy to respond right now (administering standardized tests all morning). I'd like to enjoy a cigarette and sandwich at lunch...not type.