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It's gotten to the point where all the Republican candidates are constantly saying such crazy things that some of their more egregious statements are kind of passing by without much notice.
And so it is with Newt Gingrich, who on Friday proposed a bold new plan to basically create whole new generations of child laborers:
"You say to somebody, you shouldn't go to work before you're what, 14, 16 years of age, fine. You're totally poor. You're in a school that is failing with a teacher that is failing. I've tried for years to have a very simple model," he said. "Most of these schools ought to get rid of the unionized janitors, have one master janitor and pay local students to take care of the school. The kids would actually do work, they would have cash, they would have pride in the schools, they'd begin the process of rising."
[...]
The former House Speaker acknowledged that it was an unconventional pitch, saying, "You're going to see from me extraordinarily radical proposals to fundamentally change the culture of poverty in America and give people a chance to rise very rapidly."
Hey, kill two birds with one stone: fire almost all of the union janitors, and get those damn kids off the couch! What's killing a few childhoods if it sticks it to the unions?
12 comments:
And that special for poor-kids-only gruel from the cafeteria will build strong bodies!
Someday they'll be able to rise to the dizzying heights of Sloppy Joes.
Yow!
I find it interesting that he proposed that children do it instead of their parents volunteering...
I don't think "volunteer" is a word in Newt Gingrich's vocabulary.
I have long thought that unionized janitors were bringing this country down.
Something about this story makes me want to march over to the Tiffany's at Tysons wearing a Callista wig, with a team of children racing to scrub the sidewalk in my path.
Please do that and make sure to bring a video crew. That would be beyond fantastic.
I've tried for years to have a very simple model
Even something as trivial as this claim is blatant dishonesty from Gingrich. What does he mean, he's "tried for years to have a...model?"
He hasn't been involved in public education in the slightest.
Unless what he means by "trying for years" is writing a bunch of horseshit papers and articles no one whose in volved in public education bothers to read.
I just threw up in my mouth a little. And not in a good way.
Newt has always been such a kidder! First he was spouting family values at us, after not paying his alimony and having sex on his congress desk with his secretary! I mean, after all that single malt and hot office sex, what drunk wouldn't blather about family values? Next thing he'll be defining 'horsing around' with children for us....I can't wait!
AFSCME produces an Annie video on this. Clever!
http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/11/afscme-mock-gingrichs-child-labor-scheme----with-the-power-of-song.php?ref=fpnewsfeed
That video makes me hate "Annie" a little less than I usually do.
Japan does this. All students are required to take care of their classrooms. The teachers move between the rooms but upkeep and maintenance is the responsibility of each class. And they are evaluated on it.
Where I grew up, the Illinois Math and Science Academy, a state-wide magnet school, makes their, admittedly high school aged, students put in hours as janitors and cafeteria works in exchange for their free board.
I'm actually fan of this idea. I wont vote for him and he doesn't seem to have the same idea as I do and I'm sure he would be appalled at my other ideas to adopting ideas from the Japanese school system, like nationalize all teachers. And year round schools. And Saturday schools.
I have kind of ridiculous ideas. Perhaps I should be a GOP candidate?
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