Timing of story never gets old

STEVE SMITH

Timing is everything. In last Monday’s Los Angeles Times, there was a

story about the lack of vocational training in local high schools and

how this has affected the attitude of students toward school.

In a nutshell, the story said what appeared here three weeks ago

-- namely, that many kids going through the school system are not

candidates for college.

But with the demise of shop and other vocational classes, they

have fewer choices and thus get turned off.

So, what turned out to be an effort to save money by cutting

vocational courses winds up costing us kids -- kids who are so

disenchanted with the “one size fits all” school system that they

perform poorly on the many mandated tests or drop out or both. One

San Clemente educator likened the schools system’s handling of

vocational students as trying to “fit a square peg in a round hole,”

the exact words I used to describe the situation on Aug. 21.

Those of us who have been around for awhile recall that our

nonacademic choices included metal shop, wood shop, drafting and

print shop. Those were the ones that were available to me starting in

the seventh grade. In high school, there was also auto shop.

Although at the time I am sure the decision-makers saw no other

way to save money, the move to cut the vocational courses was

shortsighted and left millions of kids without options they need to

become productive and flourish in our society.

But there’s another reason, too. Have you had to call a plumber

lately or needed some major work done on your car? Some of these

adult vocational positions pay far more than those that require a

bachelor of arts or science degree.

It is time for Jack O’Connell, state superintendent for public

instruction, and the other educational chiefs in the state to take a

serious look at restoring these classes and restoring hope in the

kids who will flock to them.

Last Tuesday, my daughter, an excellent student, wondered aloud

why she had to take geometry and then possibly calculus or

trigonometry. “Dad,” she asked, “have you ever had to use geometry in

your entire life since school?”

My reply was standard. In fact, I believe it’s listed as number

26B in the parent-teacher response guide, and it’s exactly what Mrs.

Patterson told me in the 10th grade: “Geometry is not just about

math. It teaches you logic.”

I had no hope of passing my 10th-grade geometry final, so I wrote

an essay on the back of the test. I asked aloud why geometry was used

to teach logic, when there were so many more relevant ways to do so.

I even cited a few and discussed why they’d be better.

Mrs. Patterson gave me a “D,” which mercifully ended my math days.

***

Timing really is everything. In the current issue of Newsweek, the

cover story is, “How to Say ‘No’ to Your Kids.” It explores a

generation of parents whose relative affluence has enabled them to

buy their kids all the current clothes and gadgets that all the other

kids have.

Sadly, even some parents without that relative affluence are

buying this junk for their kids.

The story used a line that I used six years ago, when I first

started writing about the early sexualization of our children. That,

I want to remind you, is no theory. Average puberty ages across the

country have dropped, and in some categories of kids, they have

dropped substantially.

The “gotta have it” mentality and the push to early adulthood are

not unrelated. “Too much, too soon” was the line we used.

In one section, it offered parents several ways to say “no” to

kids who ask for things. My wife and I are big on getting the kids to

do some work around the house in order to make some money, but the

suggestion, “What do you want to do to earn it?” was not on the list

in the Newsweek story.

I’m not sure why this is a cover story. Are there really parents

out there who don’t have the spine to tell their kids to beat it when

they come around looking for a handout? Is it really that hard? I

can’t believe it is. My instinct tells me that in not saying “no,”

there is some guilt, some ego gratification in giving them their toys

and a plain and simple misunderstanding about how to parent in this

situation.

One parent told Newsweek how her kid wanted the stuff she saw on

TV. The already dim light bulb did not go off in this parent’s head

... “Let’s see, if my kid wants what she sees on TV, maybe I should

try turning off the TV!”

***

Recap: Rick Campo is the coach who was fined $136 for practicing

with his team on a Costa Mesa elementary school field without a

permit.

Campo is scheduled to go to court on Oct. 7 at 1:30 at the

courthouse on Jamboree in Newport Beach. This whole thing should be

dismissed. Before it gets that far, the city should have the good

sense to withdraw the citation, and the city council should move to

make facilities use free to residents.

It’s not the money; it ‘s the message. City parks and portions of

school playgrounds should be open, accessible and free.

* STEVE SMITH is a Costa Mesa resident and a freelance writer.

Readers may leave a message for him on the Daily Pilot hotline at

(949) 642-6086.