Maybe public school ‘diploma mills’ should be more like Catholic schools, says Bill Maher
HBO’s “Real Time” host Bill Maher argued Friday that public schools should try to be more like Catholic schools. The surprise take from the liberal comedian was rooted in his belief that public schools are churning out violent, know-nothing youths.
As proof, Maher played a dozen or so recent to relatively recent videos of public school kids attacking and even beating their teachers.
“I’m sure there are parents seeing this and saying, that’s not us and this isn’t our experience. True, not all schools are violent and scary. But they are all diploma mills that allow students to graduate without demanding the kids know basic s–t,” he then said.
“George W. Bush [once] asked, ‘Is our children learning?’ Well, it’s only gotten worse. Only 33 percent of U.S. children can read at a level of proficiency. If you’re attending an American high school now, that’s about one-third,” he added.
Listen:
If humanity can impose rules on warfare, let’s do something ambitious. Let’s try them in high school. pic.twitter.com/RHiVnLjvii
— Bill Maher (@billmaher) November 11, 2023
Continuing his screed, he admitted that he’s no longer surprised about the current trend in education away from public schools.
“So I’m not surprised that homeschooling is America’s fastest-growing form of education, and not just with weirdo Christian families who make their daughters wear a bonnet. To millions of parents, anything is better now than public education, and that includes Catholic school,” he said.
“In 1970, only 2.7 percent of the kids who went to Catholic school were not Catholic. Now it’s 22 percent. Catholic school eighth graders are two full grade levels above public school kids, because their school isn’t a safe space for f–king off. They’re told, no, you can’t be on your phone here and your pronouns are shut up and sit down. How f–ked up is this country that to get a no-bulls–t education now, you have to go to the place that’s completely based on bulls–t?”” he added.
As should be obvious, Maher is no innate fan of Catholic schools. But he is a fan of the discipline and common sense they promote versus the inanity and insanity seen in modern public schools. With that in mind, what he’d like to see across America are non-Catholic schools that behave like Catholic schools.
“What we need in this country is a chain of non-Catholic Catholic schools. And since many celebrities have opened their own schools…well, now I’m thinking of doing it and opening Bill Maher’s Catholic school. It’s like traditional Catholic school, just without the religion and the molesting,” he quipped.
“At Bill Maher’s Catholic school, we do school old school with a curriculum called school classic. Rule one: no phones all day, no exceptions, not just so the kids aren’t distracted when they’re trying to learn, but also because it forces hovering parents to leave them the f–k alone for eight hours. You’re their parent, not their probation officer,” he added.
“Other rules include: No making up a disorder that allows your kid to get more time on the test, we call that by its original name, cheating. No participation ribbons, no turning in anything late, no vaping, no emotional support animals, and, of course, if a student doesn’t maintain a C average or higher, absolutely no sex with the teacher,” he continued.
Maher’s remarks prompted some criticism from those who say the left — as in his preferred party — is to blame for the conditions at modern public schools:
And we keep moving more blue…this correlation is positive with most every other failing in our once great country.
— Some Flying Guy (@FlyinLeathernck) November 11, 2023
Most teachers in the USA (and the whole west) are lefties and women and they voted for this on every level and they wanted it this way. They have to live with the consequences of their desicions.
— Alois Horalek ⚽️ (@AloisHoralek) November 11, 2023
Democrats have owned the DoE for decades. Democrats run the education system through and through, from the college courses to the classroom. They no longer train teachers to teach anymore. They train them to be activists.
— Jonathan West (@SamuraiJon) November 11, 2023
But by the same token, Maher’s words also inspired some agreement and praise.
Look:
Great “New Rules.” These videos of school violence have been on Twitter for months. Glad you put some of them together.
— Frederick R. Lynch (@FrederickRLynch) November 11, 2023
Bill Maher: one of the rare remaining voices of reason and sanity on the left. I miss the days when I had common ground with liberals.
— Melopotamus (@MelopotamusMe) November 11, 2023
I have to agree with you on this one! Many teachers are not getting backed by administrators when they try to enforce the rules, especially if parent complains they side with the parent! Many schools afraid to hold students accountable for misconduct, disruptions & even violence!
— FactProctor (@FactProctor) November 11, 2023
About time @billmaher people don’t know what is happening in our schools. 500,000 teachers have left in the last 5 years or so. Behaviors are out of control and we are left to our own devices. Many more teachers will be leaving in the next few years. Thanks for spotlighting this.
— A Teacher in Nevada (@UnitedNevada) November 11, 2023
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