Education Apps; Why Not Beat The Fat Cats?

by Tom Valentine

Some of the best ideas come from the least likely places. Thus it is strange, indeed, for a guy who uses a cell phone only for calls, and who despises the video game culture, to suggest an idea for education apps.

There was a long feature in The Nation complaining how some “online learning companies are planning to screw teacher’s unions (good) by providing well-lobbied edu.apps and videos that could teach youth and wrest them from the grip of public indoctrinaters.

• How Online Learning Companies Bought America’s School

Now, we, you and me, probably don’t think very highly of government schools either. I’m for home schooling, but to do it right there must be economy that can support a nuclear family.

So, what is the best way to go in our present circumstances? Since
There is no shortage of talented veterans and other Americans, Why not create good educational videos (I don’t know what apps are) for teaching history and other important subjects to be provided at lowest possible cost, or free, to schools, homes and ghettos across the world?

Of course all the young brains need is access to the Internet and they can learn till cows come home on their own. Ssssch!

Imagine giving high school frosh or sophomores some of VT daily, and encourage them to join humanity.

If you read the article linked above, you can see how “adults” are squabbling over education, and how the corporate freaks, who caused most of today’s grief, are scheming to get into the virtual classroom game for profit while brainwashing.

Here’s a small sample: “If the national movement to ‘reform’ public education through vouchers, charters and privatization has a laboratory, it is Florida. It was one of the first states to undertake a program of ‘virtual schools’—charters operated online, with teachers instructing students over the Internet—as well as one of the first to use vouchers to channel taxpayer money to charter schools run by for-profits.”

Why the hell do eager young minds need any such structure? Only because adult assholes want to make a few bucks, is why. I saw a video not long ago, where a researcher simply put a working computer screen up on a wall in some pitiful-looking village somewhere, turned it on and left it alone. Raggedy kids were soon gathered around it and some young alpha male was running it and they all learned. The ‘researcher’ said ‘I told you so.’

The Internet has much excellent educational material and some not worth a dime, so a simple introductory video could cover a multitude of sins, the thing is to not demand absolute control as parents may do and government schools are obsessed with.

Near the end of the long Nation article we are provided a peek at the lobbyist mentality: “Rather than “intellectualize ourselves into the [education reform] debate…is there a way that we can get into it at an emotional level?” Berman asked. “Emotions will stay with people longer than concepts.” He then answered his own question: “We need to hit on fear and anger. Because fear and anger stays with people longer.

No, No, No, Public schools have long been atrocious, but have we not learned our lessons when it comes to ‘privatizing?’

Since I have no technical nor Nerd factor to offer, I leave this in your capable hands.

Tom Valentine

Tom Valentine (born August 20, 1935, same day as Ron Paul) is a businessman, writer, commentator and radio host with an anti-establishment perspective. He worked with Radio Free America from 1988 to 2004. He tends to align with issues from left and right ends of the political spectrum, as well as libertarianism. His main journalistic interests have been unorthodox health care methods and conspiracy theories. He is a believer in many alternatives as cancer cures, and believes that soy products are unhealthy for human consumption. All of his views are at odds with the mainstream medical community.