Video – Middle School Outrech Conversation

June 7, 2010 by Ian Freeman
Filed under: Outreach, Video

From new mover Adam Mueller – a sample of what REALLY happened at the Keene Middle School outreach:

While doing some outreach at the Middle School in Keene, NH one curious kid had several questions. It was going well when a school official ended the conversation.

Another middle school outreach is scheduled for tomorrow at 2:20pm. Keene High is Wed at 2pm. Check the calendar for details.

Comments

18 Comments on Video – Middle School Outrech Conversation

Brodie on Mon, 7th Jun 2010 11:15 am

Way to stick to your “guns” Ian! Just keep pounding into them the fact that it is immoral and wrong.

digdongdugong on Mon, 7th Jun 2010 11:20 am

I have to say, I’m rather impressed with the kid in the video. Made better arguments then most of the politician videos I see here. Failed to break the “its still stealing even if the government calls it taxes,” but the kid was articulate, polite, listened without interrupting.

I’d like to shake the hands of the parents of this kid.

Charles on Mon, 7th Jun 2010 12:19 pm

I agree. This kid was more respectful than a lot of adults have been when questioning conventional “wisdom”. Bravo to the kid. It is too bad that the teacher had to step in and interrupt them.

Hey Teachers! Leave them kids alone!

Bradley Jardis on Mon, 7th Jun 2010 12:23 pm

Amazing Ian!

Chaz Munro on Mon, 7th Jun 2010 12:27 pm

I really like it that you’re taking it to them. The problem is the message they are getting raises some hackles when it could possibly be tweaked a bit to get more of them on the side of liberty & freedom.

How about this?: Signs that say “Let’s have more educational choices”, or something to that effect. Maybe “Let the kids and parents choose their schools”.

I have always felt it to be more effective that letting people know that parents spend more time trying to figure out what to have for lunch than they do deciding the crucial choices for their education.

I hope this can be of help to the effort.

PaulO on Mon, 7th Jun 2010 12:52 pm

Yeah, I liked that you two actually had a polite conversation.

How about this for a sign:
theft for [in small letters]
SCHOOL SUCKS [big caps]

I think addressing school taxes as a “necessary evil” is the main issue you’re going to have trouble getting people to change their minds about. Most people are going to think something like, “Sure, taxes for education is bad but we need education or society will fall into ruin so that makes it ok.”

I think Ian did a pretty good job addressing this with reference to charities. More like that will probably go a long ways to helping people understand.

Scott in Winnipeg on Mon, 7th Jun 2010 12:59 pm

This is the kind of thing that will help change hearts and minds, good conversation.

Dan on Mon, 7th Jun 2010 1:12 pm

A productive conversation. This is the way. Keep up the good work!

Seth on Mon, 7th Jun 2010 2:14 pm

School sux seems to be ineffective. There has to be better two word combinations to pique their interest.

Ian Freeman on Mon, 7th Jun 2010 2:21 pm

Maybe, but that’s the name of the podcast we are promoting

Sam Dodson on Mon, 7th Jun 2010 2:58 pm

It’s not just that public schools sucks. It sucks the creativity, curiosity, and sense of adventure out of kids. It must be astounding what society has lost because of this.

Jim F on Mon, 7th Jun 2010 10:38 pm

RIght Sam, I was waiting for Ian to follow up the kid’s berating of the “school sucks” phrase with something similar to what you just said.

Would have been great to point out that is the program name and something similar to Sam’s post describing it.

Nonetheless easier to say in hindsight and I applaud you all for doing it.

Brodie on Tue, 8th Jun 2010 11:11 am

After thinking about the vid some more, I was thinking that talking about how much Americans donate to charities may not be such a good idea, since an educated person may counter that so much is given to charities because of tax deduction incentives. However, in a free society, we would have full employment and savings, so there really would not be much need for the donations. But that just seems to open up a big can of worms. What do you think?

Paul on Tue, 8th Jun 2010 11:39 am

Tax deductible donations are still charity. You never get more back from a tax deduction than you put into the donation. I give a good deal of money to charity, for example, and I don’t even itemize my deductions. The reality is, if people were far wealthier, they’d be able to give far more to charity, not less.

Furthermore, a great deal of charity has been regulated out of existance. For example, in the 50s there were many free church clinics, where poor people could get medical care for nothing or next to nothing. Today, the amount of red tape you’d have to wade through to do that is prohibitive.