I wish I was kidding. Or at least being hyperbolic. These days, though, political discourse is just sad and weird...
The local IA GOP is trying to dismantle the state free preschool program in their efforts to ..., well, I don't know, be assholes? Honestly, the state is doing moderately fine.
Anyway, here are the depressing words of GOP State Senator Mark Chelgren:
As Senator McCoy pointed out, the Chinese are taking 2- and 3-year-olds and educating them. And as a student of history, I also know the Nazis, the Soviets, a whole variety of groups, a whole variety of countries, take their children because it’s not just up to age six they’re so malleable. The day after they’re born is when they learn the most percentage-wise. And so what question I have for this body and the question I have in general, if it is all about indoctrinating a child, I would use the exact same arguments that the Nazis used, that we should take children immediately, as soon as we recognize they have potential.
It keeps going here (Des Moines Register political blog - actual quotes near the end of post.)
If you are masochist enough, here is the video.
Tomorrow I am teaching a class populated mostly by young Early Childhood Education majors. A bunch of them probably come from the western (and quite conservative) part of the state. Should I show them this?
Sad...