75-05-A5

- Main Page \ Reagan Radio Commentaries \ 1975

<< Previous Broadcast

Next Broadcast >>

The Superintendent's Dilemma

Transcript Sometimes the best way to get your idea across is to put it in a poem. I'll be right back. The other day, a listener in Idaho Falls, Mr. Willis Nelson, a school superintendent sent me his poem: The Superintendent's Dilemma. Here it is: Sometimes I sit and ponder long  About my work and life. And wonder why in school nowdays  There's so much stress and strife. And then I realize the job  Is not like yesterdays- I'm simply flunky now for guys  With the "innovation" craze. There's Federal projects, grants and gifts.  And piece-meal funding, too. It leaves no time to teach the kids  And things that I should do. I try to walk the tightrope  Betwixt the courts of law And not get tangled up with rights  Of Junior, Pa and Ma. Some will tell you this will work.  And others say It won't; Truth is, you'll get h—— If you do.  And twice h—— if you don't. Operations in the schools  Must pass the acid test Of OSHA, HEW and C.L.U.  And all the pesky rest. There's Civil Rights and Human Rights,  And Women's Rights galore; I wonder what uncertainties  The future holds in store? Boys and girls dress alike.  You can't tell one from t'other. If you should need to know the sex  You'd have to ask its mother. In clothes and jobs and hair and such.  You can't discriminate. It makes you wonder how a boy  Knows just which one to date. The high court Judges see no "diff"  Between a her and him. Methinks their years are catching up-  Their sight has grown too dim. Give me the good old-fashioned days  When gals were gals-not men. For all that femininity  I kinda get a yen. The liberals say, "Don't frustrate the child  With disciplined control. Just let him loose to do his thing  And play his chosen role." But he'll waste time and life and limb  And ruin others' lot. And think he's having lots of fun  On drugs and "grass" and "pot". His right to freedom, speech and work  He'll take or leave at will. And little care for public folks  Who have to pay the bill. The federal "help" I get from Unc(le)—  I Just can't stand much more. With tax, red tape and interest rates.  I'm getting too dang poor. If you should try the federal way  Of deficits and debt. You'd find an I.R.S. man  A looking down your neck. I'm somewhat like the school Supt.  Who tried without success To stem the tide of "Fed" control,  And all that meddling mess. They'd told him how to cook the lunch.  And how to run the school. And threatened to withhold his funds  If he should break the rule. He finally threw his hands up  And said. "I'm sick and tired Of all this ruckus, do's and don'ts—  I'll quit before I'm fired." And so he got a HUD house  With little rent to pay, And lived on welfare's "easy street"  The Socialistic way. The moral of this story is:  If you can't buck the tide Crawl on the craft of "easy life"  And take a leisure ride. When the public folks have had enough  Of all this liberal rot, They'll start to call a spade a spade  And things will really "pop". This is Ronald Reagan. Thanks for listening.		Details Batch Number 75-05-A5 Production Date 03/12/1975 Book/Page N/A Audio Yes Youtube? Posted by Me With The Incredible Bread Machine
		Added Notes The Superintendent's Dilemma Repeated later in 1975