College, a social imperative

As far as I am concerned, making college a social imperative is a form of institutional bullying.

If you are in high school these days, you are probably more than aware of the environment being geared toward college. Yes, the college requirements are everywhere. They are on posters around the school, in guidance offices, in handbooks and on the lips of just about every teacher you encounter. They have all attended college. There may be evidence in pennants located on the wall.

There are schools, actually entire districts, (I know from experience) where they actually play college or university fight songs in between classes. There are walls dedicated to the students that made the decision to enter a specific college early and even before graduation, some students are feeling left out. If you know anything about student behavior, they want to fit in no matter how much they cry for independence.

Schools have been trying to tamp down bullying in the recent years. Sadly, this was a few decades too late for me. They don’t see that when you push college so hard, you put an enormous burden on those students whose socioeconomic situation precludes them from considering college but they try anyway. As far as I am concerned, making college a social imperative is a form of institutional bullying.

I had a friend share this article. The only thing that I am sad about is that it is a year old.


It’s time to start treating high school like the education will lead to the desire to learn more of what the student is interested in learning. Yesterday, I was guest teaching a class of APUSH. That is Advanced Placement US History. They were learning the names of presidents. They were getting facts so that they could compete on Jeopardy or take a test. There was very little discussion. They were the smart ones who lacked the opportunity to use this class to become a more informed electorate and more responsible citizens.

The Problem with Kavanaugh’s Defense

College drinking…in the 1980s.  I am very familiar with the practice.  I attended college from 1980 through 1985.  Please note the time period.  College was a time for exploring your independence…making your own decisions…some good…some not so good.  For many of us…me included…I had to make my own decisions about alcohol.  What to drink, when and with who.

In the quest to “belong” in a new environment…sometimes you follow the crowd.  Here, you go to parties.  You pledge fraternities and sororities.  You look up to and take advice from people who are barely older than you are and in some respects a lot less mature simply because they have been there and know the ropes.  Sadly, their motives are often in question.  Some people will ply you with alcohol in order to get some crazy behavior and have fun at your expense.  We’ve seen the tragic consequences of this behavior recently with the situation at Penn State and others around the country.  Still others have a more sinister desire…the desire to find a person and victimize them for sex.  Alcohol goes a long way to that end by itself but is often enhanced with drugs that immobilize a person beyond the point of just making “bad decisions”.

I’ve just watched a person that I have admired for years prosecuted for drugging women for the purpose of taking advantage of them for sex and subsequently going to prison for this crime.  He planned it out and carried it out.  A lot of these women had their memories blurred by the very same drug.  Often, alcohol by itself can cause blackouts.  If so, this makes it impossible for you to believe a person’s testimony when they admit to drinking and being drunk and then denying that they were at a certain place at a certain time…because alcohol affects your memory.  Remember that his denial is that he doesn’t remember…even if he never said that because he has admitted to drinking in high school and college.  He could have very well done it and doesn’t remember.

I feel for the victims of these crimes.  I feel for the person, Brett Kavanaugh right now and the person that he proports to be.  He lived through that time called college and it doesn’t matter whether it is Trenton State College or Princeton…they all had parties.  Academics don’t make a person a better person.  We are all susceptible to bad decisions.  Learning in college is not all academic.  We are responsible for actions even in learning our lessons.

I don’t drink like a used to.  I am sure that no one continues to live like they lived in college.  I am aware of my behaviors good and bad in college…some even when I was drunk.  It’s the behaviors that I can’t remember that are the scariest.  If there’s anybody I’ve offended, it is still my responsibility.  If witnesses can be gathered and believed, it should be done…particularly if I am getting a high profile job…government or otherwise.  It is a long time ago for me.  It is a long time ago form Judge Kavanaugh.

It will take an experienced nonpartisan organization like the FBI to get to the truth or as close to the truth as possible.  If there are witnesses…they should be found.  If they are credible…the FBI will know.  It’s time to stop believing the accusers because they say so and it’s time to stop believing Mr. Kavanagh because of who he says he is and partisan politicians say that he is….  We have an entire Bureau dedication to investigations at the federal level.  Get this away from congress now!!!