EDF 1005 - Article Reflection

The Seed of Education - Truth by Stephen T. McClard

The author of the article gives an in-depth and deep description of what truth means to him. When you seek truth for noble and humble purposes you can use this knowledge to make a difference within society. In the article Stephen T. McClard says, “We arrogantly boast that we possess truth, yet truth patiently waits for us to humble our souls.” He’s speaking the truth. Have you ever noticed someone showing off their degrees, and knowledge? Many people try their best to educate themselves, gain this knowledge and use it for nothing but to make themselves seem better, and smarter than others.
The seed of education is truth because truth is what most of us naturally seek. We do this through educating ourselves. When we want to know something, we go through the well known ‘process of inquiry’ in order to seek this truth and knowledge.
Emily Brooker was a student in Missouri State University. She was not an advocate of gay rights, however, the University tried to use coercion and intimidation to force her into signing a gay right advocacy statement that was contrary to her beliefs. She sued the university for doing so. (Stephen T. McClard (2010). The American Marketplace of Ideas - The Right to Free Thought and Expression. Retrieved from http://superiored.blogspot.com/2010/04/american-marketplace-of-ideas-right-to.html) In a previous article, educator and author, Stephen T. McClard stated, "An important part of our democracy includes the concepts of free discourse and freedom of expression. These two ideas are inexorably tied to our framework of what it means to be an educated citizen. Free access to thought is what defines us as individuals living in a free land. Limiting this access can only weaken our educational institutions." (Stephen T. McClard (2010). Education – A Marketplace for Sticky Thoughts That Stretch the Mind. Retrieved from http://superiored.blogspot.com/2010/02/education-marketplace-for-sticky.html) The author states that believes that the young girl, Emily Brooker is the “shining testament to the truth” of what he wrote in The Seed of Education-Truth. (Stephen T. McClard (2010). The American Marketplace of Ideas - The Right to Free Thought and Expression. Retrieved from http://superiored.blogspot.com/2010/04/american-marketplace-of-ideas-right-to.html)
Although, I personally don’t agree with Emily Brooker’s view on gay rights, I do agree with what McClard says. It is important to use your beliefs and knowledge to make a difference in society. The fact is, no one should ever try and force you into agreeing or supporting something that in all actuality, you don’t. If Emily Brooker would have agreed to signing that gay right advocacy statement, not only would she have lost the opportunity to show the system what they were doing was wrong, but it would have made her a hypocrite as well.
All-in-all, even though I agree with Stephen T. McClard’s ideals and his view on truth, the title of this article is a somewhat misleading. I thought it would have to do more with education and schooling but it sounded more to me like a self-help article.