Star Parker once led an aggressive lifestyle that ranged from constant drug activity to visiting abortion clinics on several occasions. Parker related her Christian conversion to how America can better the quality of public education.
“I got engaged in much activity from constant drug activity to being knocked-up and being in and out of abortion clinics,” Parker said. “It wasn’t until my Christian conversion that I changed my life. What is interesting about that time in my life is I was able to transition out of there and go back to save those who are still there.”
Parker’s talk focused on reinstating the morals of the past in order to better public education. Her talk was sponsored by the Wabash Conservative Union.
“We just can’t go on like this against our core principles,” Parker said. “Our nation was founded on the principles of personal responsibility and freedom. And we are at a critical cross point similar to where we were in the 1850s where we had to look at critical issues and say we cannot go on anymore.”
“If you have broken values, you have broken families. And unfortunately for these liberal ideas, they are equal opportunity destroyers.”
Parker argued that liberal ideas have provided a wide variety of families with an education that is low in quality.
“I think that many people who yearn to be free, who know about core principles and raising proper families, want the best for their children,” she said. “And education is critical to getting on the first tier of economic independence.”
President of the Wabash Conservative Union Jacob Nettnay said the topic of Parker’s topic needs to be recognized more.
“The topic of Parker’s talk is definitely something that needs to be talked about in this country,” Nettnay said. “We are under-serving the people who need help the most.”
Wabash students admired Parker for her direct attack on public education.
“She definitely wasn’t afraid to speak her mind,” said Adam Current ’11. “Obviously she is taking from a system she came out of. I admire her brutal honesty in terms of how she portrayed her opinion and how aware she made me of issues our country will be facing in the future.”
Paul Hudak ’13 agreed with Parker’s opinion that Americans need to become less dependent on the government and hold themselves responsible for a change in society.
“She hit some points that might have made some people unhappy of what she was saying maybe because she was striking at home,” Hudak said.” I agree that people need to stop relying on government spending. We need to focus on bettering education and encasing our own efforts into the program as well.”
Parker used Harriet Tubman’s contribution to the Underground Railroad as a metaphor to how people can change the public education system for the better.
“There were four million slaves in this country and Harriet Tubman rescued 75 and she’s in history,” Parker said “because to those 75, that was important.”
Parker is the founder and president of CURE, the Center for Urban Renewal & Education, a 501(c)3 non-profit think tank that provides a national voice of reason on issues of race and poverty in the media, inner city neighborhoods, and public policy.
Photos by Ian Baumgardner
