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Alex McRae Columnist

Published Thursday, July 10, 2008

Dumb and dumber

Here in Georgia, our biggest educational worry seems to be sinking scores on state and federally-mandated achievement tests.

Education professionals blame the results on lousy tests. Education critics allege that lousy teaching or lousy teachers may be involved. We may never know.

Luckily, parents and students in Great Britain don't have to wonder if the people guiding public education are competent. That's because the purveyors of what passes for knowledge in Britain these days are proud to put their ignorance on display.

The most recent example of this arrived in the summer of 2008, when a government-sponsored gang of education "professionals" called the National Children's Bureau released their solution for a classroom problem that no one was aware existed.

The new "problem" was explained in a 366-page "guide" titled "Young Children and Racial Justice.'

The publication begs adults to realize that racism begins in the crib, saying, "Racist incidents among children in early years settings tend to be around name-calling, casual thoughtless comments and peer group relationships."

That's education-ese for "don't call people names," a concept most folks learn at their mother's knee.

It's a good idea, by the way. But let's be honest. Name-calling still exists, but you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone who thinks it's a healthy activity.

Now, though, in an effort to leave no politically-correct stone unturned, the Brit group has taken the cause of racial extremism to another level ... or at least another location. The school cafeteria.

The recent report said children who "react negatively to a culinary tradition other than their own" may be exhibiting ... get ready ... racism.

It said use of the word "yuck" when confronted with "a culinary tradition other than their own" was a sign of early racism.

It seems clear that an "academic" coming to this kind of conclusion is an indication of advanced stupidity.

Call me racist, but the next time I come across a plate of jellied monkey eyeballs, I'll be the first to holler "yuck."

The fact that "minds" like this are in charge of British education may help explain another instance of British stupidity that cropped up recently in Wales.

For centuries Brits have known that inbreeding amongst royal families has resulted in some bizarre and disturbing behavior. A recent example was supplied by heir to the throne Charles, Prince of Wales, who divorced Princess Diana to marry a polo pony named Camilla.

Now the royal looniness appears to have spread to the common folks. It's at least affected one person in Wales.

Recently, South Wales cops hit the lights and sirens and called the producers of "X-Files" when a citizen dialed up to report "a bright stationary object" in the sky.

The emergency call went like this:

Control Room: "South Wales Police, what's your emergency?"

Caller: "It's not really. I just need to inform you that across the mountain there's a bright stationary object."

Control room: "Right."

Caller: "If you've got a couple of minutes, perhaps you could find out what it is? It's been there at least half an hour and it's still there."

Control: "It's been there for half an hour. Right. Is it actually on the mountain or in the sky?"

Caller: "It's in the air."

Control: "I will send someone up there now to check it out."

Cops raced over and solved the problem immediately. The reporting officer called back later to say he had no trouble identifying the mysterious celestial object.

It was the moon.

At least the caller didn't say it was made of green cheese. In Britain, that might have constituted a hate crime.

(send your e-mail comment to: alex@newnan.com )

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