And I really liked Will Smith

Now I am convinced that he's another Hollywood idiot. Just like the rest. Idiot.

From msnbc.com-
Will Smith says he and his wife Jada Pinkett Smith homeschool their children because the most valuable things he learned he didn’t get from school. “The date of the Boston Tea Party does not matter,” Smith told Reader’s Digest. “I know how to learn anything I want to learn. I absolutely know that I could learn how to fly the space shuttle because someone else knows how to fly it, and they put it in a book. Give me the book, and I do not need somebody to stand up in front of the class.”

Now to be charitable, it's cool that he gives a shit. But the charity ends there. I really question the judgement of sending his kids off into the world without the input of teachers and social peers- even peers not in his social circle. I had some amazing teachers, and some crappy ones. Each as valuable as the next. Without the crappy ones, I wouldn't have known that there can be crappy professionals. And that's value, folks. That not every expert has the answer. I think that by hermetically sealing off their kids- especially with the kind of money involved, they run a very real risk of creating patsys. And I don't give a rat's ass about Will's street cred. By now the edge has been blunted, and those kids don't share the experience. No fucking way. Him telling them about it has no relevance. About as effective as my grandfather prattling away about his war experiences. When he saw no action on any front- vis a vis actual combat, that is.

And the arrogance to imply that because he can actually read a book he is on par with the person who a) wrote the book, and b)studied and became an expert/professional...well, chalk that one up to an actor's hubris. Somewhere along the line it seems, Mr Smith has lost touch with a bit of reality. Now he only plays one on tv. So look out world- if he plays a doctor, he'll be performing surgery on the dining room table in no time- because he read a book about it.

I'm probably taking his comments too literally- but I think there is a real danger there. The crazy neighbor chick pulled her troubled little girl out of school and is allegedly "homeschooling" her. It isn't good. That little girl not only is deprived of people who can help her, but will grow up with a serious disadvantage socially and educationally. Because her mother is somewhat of a slackjaw who doesn't appear to be doing a damned thing besides plopping the kid in front of a computer and then leaving for the day. Not that this is the case with the Smith familia- but the danger is there- if Will does it, then I can do it. Yeah.

Oh- and I did get the job extended. Now the good part- I can rely on a paycheck past the end of the month. The bad part- the job tends towards the crazy. Which is not boring...but is damaging...in another sense...who the hell needs an ego, anyway?