Call of Duty, Overweight PE Teachers, and a Multi-Point Education Plan

I have three daughters: one has graduated college, the second is a rising senior in college, and I take the youngest to college today. Where I live, public schools started two days ago. All this has me thinking about what I would change in our education system if I were king. What follows is a post from several years back. It still rings true.

Education breeds curiosity, and curiosity breeds those who aren't afraid to try new things, like LnLP games or  Revelation (the book formerly know as that Strange-World-War-III-Book-That-Also-Has-Creepy-Stuff). So, it's a subject dear to my heart. Some of these suggestions are home things, some of these are school things, some of these are life things, so, in no logical order, I present the Mark H. Walker multi-point plan to better education, socialization, and life living. Oh yeah, it’s another two (or maybe even three) part series.
School

• Raise teachers pay. Make teaching a job that is not only rewarding, but also financially justifiable.
• Provide leadership training to teachers. Teachers teach, teachers also maintain discipline at the school. Most are qualified to do the former, I’ve met some who aren’t qualified for the latter. Maintaining discipline does not require rudeness, embarrassing students, or viciousness. If a teacher lacks the mental toughness to perform well, and with an even keel, when under pressure, let them go. See point one. Raise teacher’s pay and you’ll have plenty of qualified applicants.
• Lengthen the school day by 45 minutes, the school year by two weeks. Use the extra time to introduce arts, physical education, and additional socialization time at lunch. Studies show that a healthy, creative mind, based in a strong self-image, learns all subjects better.
• Arts: I’m talking serious arts such as drama, music theory, classical guitar, drawing, painting and writing. Not English, but writing. So far I haven’t met an English teacher who can write on a professional level. 
• Physical education: We need physical education including daily runs, exercising, and sports, taught by teachers who are able exercise with the kids. If a teacher is unable to perform to minimum, yet challenging, fitness standards they should be let go. Refer to point one. If you raise the pay, there will be no shortage of qualified teachers. Last PE point… no difference in boys and girls curriculum. Boys learn football, girls should learn football. Stop teaching sport-specific gender differentiation. For example, if the team mascot is the Eagles, why are the men called The Eagles, and woman touted as The Lady Eagles? Drop the gender differentiation. Honestly, I can see the difference between a 17-year old girl and boy. I don’t need the announcer to tell me they are Lady Eagles.
• Socialization: If you think the Columbine High School and Virginia Tech killings were caused by too many sessions of Call of Duty you better think again. Yes, a society that promotes violence in TV, sports, film, and video games will adversely affect its
  
  member’s thinking, but adults and children who are connected—in other words, involved with other people, members of a functioning family, and believers in a faith of their choosing—don’t machine gun fellow humans. Provide some extra time for socialization at the school. Make it easy for students to connect, to make friends.

Soon. Enabling a learning lifestyle or Turn off the damn TV!.

See you then.