School Breakfast Story Part Two – Get Out of My Kitchen

From November comes a fresh, bracing cuppa to pass around among those of us now donning our protective armor, preparing to battle the forces from all reaches of the universe so sure they know best, what’s best for everybody –

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A new “School is to Food” analogy reminds us that free refills aren’t much of a draw when the first cup is bitter and leaves a bad taste in the mouth. Bleah, quick, where’s that sugary cereal??

“Public education is a set of goals and ideals, not a particular institution.”

In Centralized Cappucino we sip school power of story with a commercialized caffeine kick.

Coulson tells the story differently than I do as an unschooling parent and public school pro (perhaps because he wants to be the new Starbucks on the block and is looking for his own market advantage) but our school stories ARE connected:

Caffeine in any form should make our creaky old brains see more clearly that no matter where it’s served, how much it costs or whether it’s free, coffee like school:

a) isn’t good for kids, and

b) they detest it anyway (Trix are for kids, not coffee) and

c) it’s for adults, a crutch because we’re too tired and distracted to imagine life without it.

The main difference between our national addiction to caffeine and our national addiction to compulsory schooling, is

that WE drink the coffee instead of forcing it on our kids — maybe that’s the key then, getting enough caffeine in our own systems to wake up and see Compulsory Schooling as politburo, corporate marketing and global workforce interests, all brought to bear against our little kids as individuals with their simple tastes and needs, who in most cases would be happier, healthier and maybe even smarter just enjoying peaceful, private bowls of cereal at home on their own schedule, off the public radar.

Even if the cereal is too sweet and the mom is too, four cups of coffee I just drank (peacefully at home with my kids!) have given me the clarity to say it’s no contest.

Butt out Starbucks, butt out School. Butt out Rob Reiner and Rob Reich, whose views are dissected by Thinking Parents here.

Go drink your own coffee, or cult Kool-aid or whatever. Sell standardized to the socialists. Everybody knows Trix are for kids, and the kitchen table is the place to be for breakfast.