In regards to other adults in our world – we don’t really care what anyone’s “beliefs” are. Left or right. Yankees or Mets. Pro this – anti-that. Doesn’t matter, as long as they do NOT infringe on us in any capacity.

But for God’s sake – can’t we keep kids out of politics – and LET THEM BE CHILDREN?

Earth Day should never involve children

Climate topics are very divisive, as well as highly politically-charged. (And don’t forget to “follow the money.”)

Despite what you might hear, the “science” is not settled. Anyone with one ounce of critical-thinking skills should clearly understand that. But that is a civil discussion for another day.

All these majorly polarizing topics surrounding the climate on planet earth should be left to adults. Even something as benign-sounding as “Earth Day.”

However, it appears that whoever is driving this agenda – feels obligated to involve kids via our public school systems. And most parents aren’t saying a peep about it. It’s been happening in the school system(s) practically since they began.

We saw on display over at ShopRite of Clinton, NJ – dozens of brown paper bags with various “Earth Day” artwork made by children from several grades.

Cute, but feels a bit “dirty,” doesn’t it?

Why the group indoctrination of children?

For one – this type of subject matter should strictly be between parents and their children. Same with many other controversial topics as well (gender, diversity, religion). No external group or organization outside of the family should be preaching anything at all to kids under 18.

We don’t think it should be a group message. With no parents present, either.

While I think it’s nice that kids get to be creative and draw, paint, create whatever they want, why force them into a limited end-result message or topic?

I didn’t see ANY paper bags with a dissenting message. Or mocking Al Gore. Or offering ANY alternative to the “narrative” they were forced to draw.

This is only (limited) individual creativity (within a narrow-scope). It’s GROUPTHINK masquerading as a cutesy art-project.

Parents: Teach your children to question everything

I sure hope that parents today are teaching their kids to question everything. Even if it looks like everyone “agrees” or that you might be considered the outlier. Going with the herd because it’s an easy thing to do, just creates a lemming-like mentality. And that is a real societal problem. And a longer-term problem for the children.

Maybe one day in the future all this stuff can be removed from the public school systems. I’d much rather kids create what comes naturally – and not some hidden agenda like Earth Day.

PS – You can still teach children good GENERAL values in school. Like being polite. Or not littering. Or common law. Or respect. The minute it has a motive as you saw in these pictures – it is damaging to a family, as it interferes way too much.

PPS – Yes, most of what “Earth Day” entails seems good on the surface. However, the main reason we think kids are not ready for it yet – is because it’s a very sophisticated scientific premise. “Dumbing down” something like bad vs. good (gas vs. electric for example) without understanding the complicated bigger picture is doing kids a disservice. As they’ll already be biased later on in life, and will be unable to be open-minded to anything to the contrary. Not a good path to be on. It stymies discovery and further learning.

About the author

NJroute22

NJroute22 (site admin) is an avid traveler along NJ Route 22 (and almost all of central New Jersey!) Family man, pet lover, and property owner who has a natural curiosity for everything around.