I rip the media a lot for focusing on mainly ridiculous stories whose only purpose is ratings and sales of bullshit products. But NBC has really stepped up with their focus on education with their Education Nation project. Even in a time of sleazy election stories, their decision to focus on this extremely important issue shows real courage. I've been waiting to see something like this for a long time and boy oh boy have they delivered! The site is chock full o' action items on where you can start and what you can do to help out. Want to see how your local school is doing? Check out the nation wide, searchable database for detailed information.
The simple fact is this. Our country is having the problems we are having because of our education system. We are at a crossroads and every citizen must make a serious effort to improve the education of future generations. Marches, rallies and yelling are nice but what do they accomplish? Getting involved in the education of your community is far more valuable.
There is no doubt in my mind that Arne Duncan is the best Secretary of Education we have had in decades. He, and the president, understand all too well the stakes. This would be why they are calling for 10,000 new math and science teachers ASAP, a review of the tenure policy, poor teachers to be fired, and an absolute commitment to achieving deep knowledge and enduring understandings in the youth of our nation.
I'm going to be talking quite a bit about Education over the next few weeks. I'll also be sharing my thoughts on the film Waiting for Superman which has become an enormous spark to the movement to change the system. I'll be looking at specific issues that need serious change in order to improve the system.
Bring your pens and pencils, kids. Get ready to take notes and share ideas!
7 comments:
Yes, yes, you’re right, the state of American education is a problem, and to that extent we’re all to blame in some abstract sort of way. But is there another major area of American public policy that is more screwed up and more completely the fault of one ideological side? Which party do the teachers’ unions support overwhelmingly? What is the ideological outlook of the bureaucrats at the Department of Education? Which party claims it “cares” more about education and demagogues any attempt by the other party to reform it? Who has controlled the large inner city school systems for generations? What is the ideological orientation of the education school racket? Whose preferred teaching methods have been funded and whose have been ridiculed? Who locks students into substandard schools?
You know the answer to all of these questions. And yet to listen to the debate, you would think this is all a bipartisan problem because Republicans share the blame for refusing to fund schools enough.
There are two problems with this canard. 1) Bush and the GOP congress massively increased education spending and 2) the problems with our education system have almost nothing to do with how much money we spend. We’re constantly told about all of these countries allegedly beating us in the classroom. Does anyone really think they’re doing better than us because they spend more?
We hear constantly from Democrats, complaining about leaky school roofs, cracking paint, and the need for more computers in the classroom or more money for this or that than we hear about the fact it’s easier to find and train a brontosaurus than it is to fire a horrible teacher. Do we really think China and India are spending 20-30K per pupil on their new crop of math whizzes? Do you really want solutions? Or are you just talkin’?
There is no doubt in my mind that Arne Duncan is the best Secretary of Education we have had in decades.
How many decades has there been a Secretary of Education? Coming from anyone else and I would've assumed it was 'damning with faint praise'.
So if you support a radical overhaul of education you do realize that you are saying (just not in these precise words) "we need to nuke it from orbit, it's the only way to be sure". Aren't you glad I didn't accuse you of saying that verbatim?
Today, I'd like to know if anyone from the left thinks Gloria Allred is a racist. She's apparantly calling for the enforcement of federal immigration laws right?
Jonah, I agree with many of your points. I think you need to see Waiting For Superman as the blame for many of the problems is laid squarely on the people of which you speak.
It's not a matter of lack of funds anymore. It's a matter of a lack of human capital and, in particular, skilled human capital. Many of the teachers we have today suck. There's no other way to put it. As President Obama said, "The bad ones have to go." That's a not so subtle hint that tenure needs to be changed. Look at his reaction to the Rhode Island firings. Too many bad teachers are kept around and it is because of the unions. This needs to change as well.
He may lose support from his base but President Obama, along with Arne Duncan, are working outside of the box on this one. They may piss off the unions but I say, so what? I've seen them destroy people in my state...people who are so far left that they openly espouse socialism...good people...good teachers who buck a horribly unorganized system.
The comparison to China is off, however, as they only test the best and the brightest and we test everyone. Putting their scores next to ours isn't an accurate assessment of intelligence. I will give the Chinese and other East Asian countries props for teaching their subjects in a more in depth fashion that passes on more enduring understandings.
I do really want solutions. I'd like to her yours.
Juris, it's not a nuking per se. It's a changing of the guard as well as a metamorphosis into a something that is more professional...including consequences for poor performance. High stakes testing was the start of all of it and I'm thankful that it is here to stay.
It's a changing of the guard as well as a metamorphosis into a something that is more professional...including consequences for poor performance.
That my friend is pretty much the nuclear option.
Were you under the opinion that the "nuke it from orbit" crowd just wants to leave a pile of rubble, and NOT rebuild it along the lines of what you describe? I'm sure there would still be some disagreements, pedagogy in particular, but you aren't that far off from what they are saying.
That amuses the hell out of me.
I think you may be the one misunderstanding what they are extolling. They don't want public education anymore. I certainly think that is ridiculous.
And you as well as I know that they have identified the problem as being only one major one...a completely false one at that based on Bircher paranoia.
The real failure that the NIFO have is that the standards based learning that they call for is already going on.
They don't want public education anymore.
Some might not. I think more are inclined to the way public education operated prior to the 60s. You know, the way it was run before teachers unions became so powerful. That's even a point you agree with - or is it impolite to raise that in your parlor?
The real failure that the NIFO have is that the standards based learning that they call for is already going on.
M there really are no Bush-lovers over there, so why do you always act like there are? NCLB, nationalized standards? Those are things they are opposed to - just like you (though perhaps for different reasons).
Seriously, you agree that education is being run badly, right? Why divide rather than unite?
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