AMAC Exclusive – by Ben Martin
Country music has dispensed some prescient wisdom over the years.
Tim McGraw sensibly reminded us to “be humble and kind,” Rodney Atkins implored the downtrodden that if they are, “going through hell, keep on going,” and Lee Brice put theology to a tune when he sang, “don’t let your praying knees get lazy.”
All great advice. There’s nothing like three chords and the truth to inspire some good decisions.
But maybe the best advice for parents right now, at least when it comes to dealing with the abject failure of public schooling, comes from the great Kenny Rogers.
With the metaphorical muzzling of traditional family values, the literal muzzling of kids with mandatory masks, critical race theory invading classrooms, militant leftist politics, removing the American flag, and now in Oregon the complete elimination of any academic standards, Kenny crooned some wise words all concerned parents should take to heart.
“You got to know when to hold ‘em, when to fold ‘em, know when to walk away, and know when to run.”
What has become incredibly clear is that many public schools – government schools – are a “train bound for nowhere.”
The movement to fight back against school closures and radical leftist ideology being taught in schools is inspiring. Seeing parents and teachers in Virginia and other states rise up to speak at government school board meetings and watching former NFL players lining up to run for government school boards is admirable. They are putting their cards on the table – playing their best hand.
But just watch the faces of those government school board members hearing the speeches. They aren’t moved. Sadly, it’s pretty clear that, as Kenny’s lyrics put it, we “know what the cards are by the way they held their eyes.”
They are patiently—and sometimes impatiently—waiting for those impassioned parents to sit down so that the schools can go right back to indoctrinating their children. Those government officials running the government schools have been here before, when they ended prayer in schools, when they stopped teaching the Bible, and as they continue to push schools to allow biological boys into the girls’ locker rooms.
The Gambler’s advice is sad, but wise. Fighting on their turf is a losing proposition, and those who want their kids to learn academics instead of social justice in school just don’t have the cards.
Thankfully, the story doesn’t end there. There is “an ace that we can keep.”
It’s time to “know when to run.”
That time is now.
In many school districts, there is no passionate viral speech, no school board seat, no poster board protest that is going to turn the tide in the foreseeable future.
It is time to take action though – for many parents who object to the content being taught in public schools, it is time to take our children, the most precious resource there is, and repatriate them to a real American education.
Send the kids somewhere else to learn. Or just keep them home. Homeschooling is at an all-time high in North Carolina, up almost 40 percent since 2016.
Thankfully, huge numbers of Americans around the country are making the wise decision to flee the failed government institutions, and many won’t look back.
By all means, concerned citizens should continue to fight to change the culture of education in America. But that could be a very long fight indeed. Don’t continue to subject your kids to the brainwashing in the meantime.
And for those parents and kids who live in liberal states without good non-government school options, maybe it’s time to listen to some Waylon Jennings and head for Luckenbach, Texas. Or head to the land of the free somewhere near the Florida-Georgia line where Governor DeSantis has extended the state’s school voucher program.
For many parents fed up with their local government school, it’s past time to fold or walk away, it’s time to run.
Ben Martin is the pen name of a commentator who previously worked in government and has worked in public policy for over a decade. He has testified before congress on several occasions, as well as before many state legislative committees, on domestic policy issues.