Knowledge is Key

In relation to the more broad topic of Hollywood influence in social settings, learning is the most beneficial outcome to our success as human beings. Unfortunately, with our new technologies, comes more and more information flooding our brains with constant images and stories which we should be in tuned with. How else would we know about the War in Dafur if it wasn't for news coverage and circulation of stories within our public sphere? If there was enough time for people to care about issues internationally, then there would be more knowledge, hence closing the gap between fact and fiction. It is common to see misinformed people talking about these issues from the small amount of information they were given. It is what your friends and family speculate on, discuss, and have biased opinions about.

This Chart from Stats Can. shows how 91% consumers of news, age 19 + are receiving their information from television. Subjecting ones self to one news source can lead to a distorted view on what is really going on. One obvious example is Fox News, and how misleading to viewers it really is. In my opinion, Fox is a modern day extremist group influencing opinions, and not explaining two sides of a side. This can implant fear in who watch without skepticism, since many believe everything they see and hear and accept it as truth.

"Our mind is of 3 categories: what we know, what we don’t know, and what we don’t know we don’t know. Not knowing is unfortunate; not knowing that we don’t know is tragic." -W. Erhart


An article from Edmonton Journal, summing up how our future generations will either be kept in the dark and not be given the tools to understand our world, or be taught the ugly truth.

Ignorance isn't Bliss

Ignorance is dangerous. The province's plan to allow parents to decide whether children study controversial topics is dangerous.
Parents deserve to have a say in their children's education; however, parents are not unbiased and omnipotent. Education does not aim to force children to accept specific perspectives; it tries to provide them with the tools to make informed decisions and the knowledge to understand the unfamiliar.

Teaching a student about sex will not make them promiscuous. Teaching them about different religions does not force their conversion.
Parents who deny their children access to knowledge live in fear and are passing these fears to their children.

By simply allowing a student to be pulled from various topics we are setting a dangerous precedent. We are telling them these things are wrong and should be ignored or, worse, fought. We breed a generation who believes discrimination and religious intolerance are the norm.
As a teacher, I have seen Arabic students who hate Jewish students and vice versa. Often, the hatred is a legacy from their parents.

I have seen religious discrimination and cruel bullying of non-mainstream sexual preferences. This is not taught in school; I can only assume it is taught by the parents.
Sometimes parents do not know best. Premier Ed Stelmach should open his eyes to the imperfections of many parents and the necessity for society to give access to information which may not be available at home.

Kristin Toms, Edmonton
Credit: Kristin Toms; The Edmonton Journal