. . . why do we do what we do?

Cut to your local junior high school classroom.  Mrs. Ramirez stands before her 4th grade special day class of students with mild to moderate disabilities.

"Students, today we are going to learn about the California missions.  The California missions were founded by a Catholic Priest named Father Jun . . ." A squirrely boy cuts her off

"Misses Ramirez, why do we have to learn about this?" he whines.

"Well, its important.  You want to be a successful adult don't you?"

"Well I told my dad, you know the President of Laboratory Technologies, who met with the Senator Jones last week," a moan comes up from the classroom as they prepare to hear about his dad for the hundredth time "well, my dad is successful and he doesn't know anything about missions.  I bet he makes more money than anybody in the school and he doesn't know about missions Misses Ramirez.  So how come I have to learn about missions when my dad is successful and he don't know nothin' about missions."

Smelling Mrs. Ramirez' fear another boy speaks up, "You know teacher, we just moved here from the midwest and my big sister says they don't say anything at all about missions in the midwest Mrs. Ramirez.  Aren't missions important in the midwest Mrs. Ramirez?  If missions are important to be a successful adult in California, why aren't they important in the midwest Mrs. Ramirez?"

". . . Well you all want to be culturally literate don't you children?"

"Are you saying that my father, the President of Laboratory Technologies who met with Senator Jones is not culturally literate Mrs. Jones?  That isn't a very nice thing to say, is it Mrs. Jones?"

Mrs. Ramirez is pleading, "Well, it's a part of the State Frameworks for Education in California!"

"Do you have to know the State Frameworks to be successful, Mrs. Ramirez, cause my father is the President of Laboratory Technologies and last week. . ."

(Jeff McNair, Ph.D., 2001)

You can email Dr. McNair at jmcnair@calbaptist.edu

Copyright Jeff McNair/jeffmcnair.com