pafret Loc: Northeast

Parents reading to kids blasted as 'unfair'

http://www.wnd.com/2015/05/parents-reading-to-kids-blasted-as-unfair/

Does reading to your children somehow give them an unfair advantage over less fortunate children?

A British philosopher is making that claim, and it’s causing ripple waves across the globe.

British academic Adam Swift told ABC’s Joe Gelonesi.

“Evidence shows that the difference between those who get bedtime stories and those who don’t – the difference in their life chances – is bigger than the difference between those who get elite private schooling and those that don’t,” Swift said.

In his article, Gelonesi added: “This devilish twist of evidence surely leads to a further conclusion that perhaps – in the interests of leveling the playing field – bedtime stories should also be restricted.”

Swift is a professor of political theory at the University of Warwick in the U.K., and the co-author of “Family Values: The Ethics of Parent-Child Relationships.” He was educated at Harvard University and Oxford University in the 1980s.

Rush Limbaugh’s response:

“One wacko, one lunatic, one extreme leftist who is obsessed with this perverted definition of fairness and equality and who is determining that parents who can read to their kids at night are giving them an unfair advantage.”

“All of this is rooted in the idea that nobody should be any different – we should all be the same, we should all turn out the same,” Limbaugh continued.



Rush Limbaugh

“But, of course, we’re not all the same. Nobody’s the same. And these people always insist, nevertheless, with enforcing uniformity on everyone.”

Limbaugh concluded: “As liberals, the answer is not to help the kids who are not in good families. They become the lowest-common denominator. They become the baseline. Everybody must be made to be like them in order for everything to be fair and equal. The natural tendency of the left is to punish success, to punish achievement, to punish anything that they believe gives an unfair advantage.”

theoldguy44

This just goes to show how far out of touch with reality, the left is. Nobody in their right mind could possibly agree with this premise.

lusitanean

Of course Rush is absolutely right. Of course this mad, commie so called professor is not alone. They are legion. Look at our own colleges and universities and what do you see? Nothing but mentally challenged "professors". The lowest denominator is the order of the day. Bring all their students down to their own level. The leveled field. True democracy. Commie style.
What better way to destroy our culture? Our country? The commies have finally found the way.

working class stiff Loc: N. Carolina

Way to twist what the article said.

First, there is nothing new here. Loving families and children who get bedtime stories read to them do have an advantage over the children who don't receive these kinds of attention.

Second, the professors point was about how much these of an advantage is conferred: " bigger than the difference between those who get elite private schooling and those that don’t,” Swift said."

Third, it is the reporter who added: In his article, Gelonesi added: “This devilish twist of evidence surely leads to a further conclusion that perhaps – in the interests of leveling the playing field – bedtime stories should also be restricted.” Not the professor.

In fact the professor said:“I don’t think parents reading their children bedtime stories should constantly have in their minds the way that they are unfairly disadvantaging other people’s children, but I think they should have that thought occasionally,” which is good advice. People should think about that sometimes.

Fourth, Limbaugh's rant is at strawmen populating his head, as the professor did not suggest that anyone actually stop reading bedtime stories to their children.

moldyoldy

It is so nice to see a person who can read, understand, and interpret information correctly.

pafret Loc: Northeast

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I put the link at the top so you could go read it for yourself, jackass. There was no twist I just didn't copy the whole article. What do you think the professors words meant? Why should any parent have to consider some other lazy or incompetent parents behavior in their own childs care?

working class stiff Loc: N. Carolina

I did read the article....which is why I know what the professor said.
And we (people) constantly have to consider how others act and behave as we are social beings. For example, you calling me a jackass let's me know you probably weren't read to as a child because you don't know how to engage in civil discourse.

pafret Loc: Northeast

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Your correct, I was not read to as a child. My parents were illiterate, I read to them. Newspapers, books, letters whatever. I apologize for the intemperate outburst, I just got done arguing with another post accusing me of lying and I jumped to the conclusion you were doing the same.

I don't like copying and posting large amounts of data from other sites so I try to excerpt the highlights, but, I always include the link so that you can judge fore yourself what was written. No intention to deceive.

working class stiff Loc: N. Carolina

I did not accuse you of lying....and I also could have been more temperate in my response...it was the jackass that did it. I do commend you for reading to your folks. It's one of the reasons I think it does do us some good to think about the advantages and disadvantages we have and that others might labor under.
Peace.

theoldguy44

The whole point of the professors article was the left's promotion of equality of outcomes, plain and simple. What a jackass.