Our society has arrived at a precarious point. After several generations of philosophical ambiguity, we have finally arrived at a point where the youngest among us lack the ability to recognize the most essential and seemingly obvious truths. And rather than helping humanity to grapple with reason in a dexterous way, modern education has sought out ways clutter and confuse the youth with baseless and unsubstantiated inquires. Don’t get me wrong, I am a firm believer in critical reasoning and the Socratic method, but both of those assume the human ability to understand and accept certain truths. Unfortunately, we have managed to raise a generation of children who are truly open to every idea at once. Even those which fundamentally contradict each other.

There certainly is a lot of gray in modern life (and ancient life too for that matter), but as humans with finite understanding we examine the gray through the lens of greater surety. This, by the way is why tradition is so important. In the absence of guarantees tradition provides us with possible answers by which we govern our own actions and those of society. And when those traditions are rooted in our faith they provide a wonderful standard and foundation for daily life and behavior.

All this brings me to education. Modern society has determined to provide its students with an atmosphere conducive for the asking of questions without the confining answers of faith and tradition. This is less true of private and religious schools in particular. And it’s not because public school teachers are less competent. Our society and our government has tried to level all playing fields by removing traditions from the public conversation. The result has been a generation that asks questions without the ability to comprehend the answers. In short we have left this generation to wander without providing any moral answers to the questions we have encouraged them to ask.

For this reason, I’m a passionate advocate for religious and parochial education. Religious schools are able not only to teach critical reasoning, but also to provide an intellectual foundation of faith, tradition, and academics to their prospective students. The result is a student capable of reasoning to the root of a question but also ready to supply some possible answers.

I think there are a number of schools in the Tyler and East Texas area which do a great job providing both excellent academics and religious formation. To read my thoughts on one of those schools click on either of the following links, ( http://www.tylertxdirectory.com/48922/christian-heritge-school-in-tyler-tx/ or http://www.tylertxdirectory.com/49254/christian-heritage-school-in-2016/ ) or visit the school’s website at http://chstyler.org/ .

In what is probably the stupidest discussion to take place in the public discourse in my lifetime, the federal government, i.e. the President, meaning the President of the United States of America, leader of the formerly free world, has condescended to the public school system and commanded them to allow boys who feel particularly feminine on a given day to use the little girls room and any transitioning females to visit the boy’s restroom. (Honestly, the latter is probably not a big concern to me since I have yet to meet too many young ladies desperate to take peek in a men’s restroom. The same is not true for many testosterone, driven adolescent males). Any school district that fails to comply with the new commandment is being threatened with a loss of federal funds

Of course much of this is the administration’s middle finger to states who insist on passing legislation limiting the use of public restrooms to those assigned by God and nature to use them. Now before my liberal friends get their gander up, hold on a sec. I am not in favor of this legislation. Coming from the people that produced majestic documents like the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution the notion of a law stating boys go pee- pee in the boy’s room and girls go pee- pee in the girl’s room is nothing short of shameful.

Now before my conservative friends get upset with me, let me say this, I understand people’s desire to protect their family members from being accosted by wierdos. But the truly confused among us are not the type of folks we need to worry about. Rest assured, I feel I am more than capable of handling the moron who follows my wife into the women’s room, without the protection of some foolish new legislation who’s verbage sounds like it was plucked from an old script of Pee Wee’s Playhouse.

In the meantime, our president continues to be incapable of refusing an opportunity to remind us all how much better he is than the rest of us, by weighing in on the side of some new oppressed minority he’s creating. When 99.9% of the population is forced to alter its way of life to make the rest feel special and normal it’s called tyranny of the minority.

The maddening thing is that society has completely lost its ability to recognize true dysfunction, to say nothing of actually helping those in need. “He’s not crazy! You can’t say that! He’s just differently cognizant!” Couple that inability with the fact that the millennials have been taught that the only true meaning to be found in life comes from protesting something. So unfortunately this generation is on the look- out for a quick cause that doesn’t require danger, loss, want, judgement… you know, actual sacrifice. So anything in the sexual rights genre is generally a good fit, all of the sanctimony with none of the sacrifice. Oh, environmental stuff usually fits in well here too, at least until it becomes impossible to actually live out.

Ultimately I think the best solution is to live like grown- ups. Just because we see a problem in society, a new law is probably not going to fix it. On the other hand, we need to be willing to use the word “no,” sometimes. “No, I’m sorry I don’t believe that.” “No, I’m sorry, that’s not ok.” “No, that’s not normal, you need some help.” We need truth truly spoken in love that can restore some limitation and definition to society and dispel confusion.

Well, it seems that another school year is wrapping up and it’s time to once again assess the quality of our children’s academic experience. Tyler and East Texas is a crowded market when it comes to education and it can be difficult to decide whether to continue on the present course or to make a change.

Of course the most important factor is answering the foundational questions, which school best builds skills like independent critical reasoning, and which one best reinforces the values we want to pass on to the next generation? (Some may dislike the order I put those in, but the fact is that for me the absence of either of those objectives is enough to disqualify a prospective school). I’m looking for an institution that both challenges my student’s intellectual development and supports his faith. For this reason, I wanted a traditional, classical classroom as well as Christian formation.
Christian Heritage School in Tyler has been doing all of the above for about thirty- five years. The school places a heavy emphasis on Anglo-American Literature and Law, as well as classical Latin, Logic and Language. CHS is also a non- denominational school with students and staff from any number of Christian traditions. The student body is also one of the more culturally diverse in our area, welcoming students and staff from every continent. As a parent here, I can attest to the enriching effect this fact has had on my son’s education.
While the school has been in operation for many years there is always room for growth and improvement and CHS is committed to that very idea. While we require our students to learn and grow the school is always pursuing the same goal. Teachers are dedicated to a lifestyle of learning and are constantly reading and enhancing their skills and curriculum. And starting in the 2016 fall semester Christian Heritage is fully Renweb enabled. This classical, Principal Approach school will now be equipped with all kinds of on- line interactivity.
CHS- Tyler is one to the better kept secrets in local private education. It has a great deal to offer East Texas and beyond, for one of the lowest tuition costs in town. And while changing the course of our student’s education is a difficult decision it may be one worth making. For more information on Christian Heritage school, visit their website at http://chstyler.org/ .

I have the Seven Inning Stretch song in my head. I’m pumped about going out to the ballgame as baseball season is just a couple days away, literally. The Texas Rangers open up the season Monday afternoon at home against the Seattle Mariners.
If the Rangers can stay healthy, they’ll have an incredible club. Cole Hammels will be here a full year. We should have a healthy Derek Holland. Colby Lewis is a beast on the mound and Yu Darvis is expected to return around late May or early June after sitting out last year due to Tommy John Surgery.
Last season people picked the Rangers and Astros to finish last in the division and it turned out to be the exact opposite, and now, the two Texas teams are the favorite amongst many of the so-called experts.
Of course the Rangers have a lot of weapons in the field and at the bat. Adrian Beltre shows no signs of getting old. He and Elvis Andrus look like kids on the playground having a blast doing what they love.
There are so many things to look forward to when it comes to baseball season and all I can say is “Take me out to the ballgame.”

How’s your bracket? If it’s anything like mine, it’s been busted since day one. I haven’t looked at mine ever since Michigan State went down. After that, I just stopped and enjoyed the Madness.
And there has been a lot to enjoy, as a fan and as one who looks for good storylines. The Final Four is full of great storylines too. The North Carolina Tar Heels are the only No.1 seed in the final four contest and they’ll be taking on Syracuse, the only No.10 seed to make it this far. The two ACC rivals have gone head-to-head twice with the Heels taking both games but when you get this far it’s a different ballgame.
Some say the Orange didn’t deserve to make the tournament at all because of the allegations but here they are with a chance to play for the National Championship. The pressure is on Carolina. It’s hard to beat a team three times and if the Heels win, it’s no big deal because it’s what’s expected. If they lose, many will consider it the biggest choke job ever.
On the other side we have two No.2 seeds going head-to-head in Villanova and Oklahoma. The Sooners knocked of the Texas A&M Aggies to get to this point while the Wildcats upset the No.1 Kansas Jayhawks. I’m not going to make a guess at who wins but I certainly hope it’s Villanova, because well, the other team is from Oklahoma. Overall, I’m rooting for the Tar Heels. Go Heels.
The Final Four is set to take place Saturday and Monday night at NRG Stadium in Houston.