Professional Educators of Tennessee

The message of the keynote speakers this year was a complete departure from the messages at previous National PTA conventions. For the last eight years, the predominant message encouraged  parents to rely on the "village" to raise our children. In addition, the PTA audiences were encouraged to seek increased funding from the government-  money which we somehow deserved, and which was deemed critical to help us do our jobs as parents.

Dr. Benjamin Carson, the director of pediatric neurosurgery at the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, emphasized personal individual responsibility, completely rejecting the concept of excuses and blame that are so often a part of the it-takes-a-village concept where no one is really accountable. Carson credited his mother for instilling in him and his brother the importance of reading, even though they discovered years later, that she could not read. While Carson doesn't begrudge athletes for their accomplishments, he feels strongly that academic achievers should be rewarded similarly. To this end, he and his wife established the Carson Scholars Fund, a scholarship program to honor the academic achievement of exemplary students.

Carson encourages students and parents to THINK BIG,  his philosophy for success in life. T is for the talent that each of us has. And since very few of us can be sports or entertainment stars, Carson urges parents to encourage their children to strive for academic achievement. H is for honesty. I is for insight, which comes from listening and learning from others. Carson issued a challenge to us in the audience: Be nice to everyone for one week to see the difference it makes. K is for knowledge. As he often did throughout his remarks, Carson quoted Solomon who said knowledge, wisdom and  understanding are valuable God- given talents. Not surprisingly, B is for books; reading is an invaluable mechanism for obtaining success. I is for in-depth learning as opposed to superficial learning, which he characterizes as cramming for a test only to know nothing  three weeks later. To Carson, this explains why American students are academically so far behind students in other nations. The last letter G is for God. Stressing that "God is an important part of who we are," Carson dismissed the current politically correct idea that we cannot talk about God in public- including public schools.

Despite his numerous professional accomplishments, Dr.  Carson emphasizes that parenting is the most important job in the world. Along with his motivational speeches- often to hundreds of minority students and other black parents- Carson inspires his audiences to THINK BIG ."Accomplished people take responsibility, " he said; " unaccomplished people have excuses!"
Perhaps better known as the father of golf champion Tiger Woods, Earl Woods, addressed the PTA audience with a similar message. In fact, at one time , he asked the audience "Who is responsible for raising your children?"

Although taken by surprise, most of the mothers and the handful of fathers in the audience responded by answering "I am". Woods then reiterated: "You are responsible for raising your children. Not the school, not anyone else. You are!"

In his emotional appeal, Woods emphasized that "every kid has a right to the dreams of America and they have a right to accept the responsibilities that go with those dreams." He chastised  parents who give up on kids too easily and who turn over their parenting responsibilities to others. Without abandoning their parents roles. Woods encouraged the PTA and its members to participate in the nationwide character development program  for 11-14 year olds. The program is a partnership between the Tiger Woods Foundation and Target Stores that help kids establish a set of positive core values that will guide them throughout life and develop their potential for success.