Don't Get Me Wrong but....(Part 1)

This week the 2014 Winter Olympics began in Russia. For those of us who has seen even one night of the games, we already know names like Meryl Davis & Charlie White, Gracie Gold, Jamie Anderson, Sage Kotsenburg, and Ty Walker...and if interested to know the rest of Team USA check out http://www.teamusa.org/

As an American growing up in the 1960's (before Xbox, cell phones and iPods) we played a lot of sports. We spent warm spring evenings tossing a baseball back and forth. Or if enough kids were around we would head down to Brinkwitz Elementary School (now a "continuation school" - we did not have them either!) to play a game of baseball.

I grew up in a very sports-minded family. Mom and Dad grew up in San Francisco, and my brother and I were both born there. We are SF team fans for life. Family outings to a Giants or Niner's game was always memorable.  I also played ice hockey (before there was ever "girls" teams).  
 

San Francisco AT&T Park 2013, with the family

Times have changed.

Technology has improved how athletes train.  They appear as mutants (I like the X-Men), or dare I say - super-humans. I appreciate their dedication to their sport and the sacrifices that they (and their families) have made to get them to places like Sochi or Lillehammer, Norway (1994 Winter Olympics). I also enjoy watching them perform feats that just seem to defy gravity or appear from my couch as humanly impossible. I do love sports and I think they are important - to a point!

I am more concerned with the lack of support that our country has in their education system. No one "cheers" you on at school. Education WAS once important in this country. Now the priority is debating politics, slamming religious people, depriving people of their constitutional rights, news media sensationalizing the worse of human behavior every night at 6PM and 11PM. Where did education go? Why has our country turned their backs on education?

The only news I hear anymore that regards "education" is when there is a shooting at a school somewhere. It is sad, that our country has lost its way. We are becoming a lazy country who depends on technology to carry them through life. Well my friend, good luck with that. Education IS the most important thing in our lives. We should cherish our freedom to be educated and to attend any university that we want.

I was at one of my university's offices turning in a form, and the lady tells me, "You have such beautiful handwriting". I thanked her, and then felt sad because I recently learned that elementary schools no longer teach penmanship. How stupid is that? I personally feel that this is insane. Writing is as important as reading and learning math. Without basic skills, we Americans will find ourselves in a world of hurt (again). If you don't believe me learn a little American History (hint: WWII).

AMERICA WAKE UP! We need to work on our priorities. We need to learn to write, we need our arts and music programs back. We need to learn math (and LOVE it). We need creativity as well as academics. We need education to retake its status in this country - before it is too late.

So, go Team USA...but I am cheering more for education in America! We need our super-humans but we also need our smart humans. I am a nerd, and I am proud!