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December, 2018

  1. Flabby families or choice in education

    December 16, 2018 by Tunya

    Flabby Families OR Family Choice in Education

    Families should be able to find the best fit of education for their children — yet that is a far off dream. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) recognized the significance of this principle: “Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children.” Parents who are not involved in choice questions regarding their children become “flabby”. See how this conclusion arises:

    In a 2002 interview Berkeley Law professor emeritus John E. Coons, a pioneer advocate for school choice, said:

    “There are a lot of benign effects of school choice but, for me, choice is family policy. It is one of the most important things we could possibly do as therapy for the institution of the family, for which we have no substitute. The relationship between the parent and child is very damaged if the parent loses all authority over the child for six hours a day, five days a week, and over the content that is put into the child’s mind.”

    “What must it be like for people who have raised their children until they’re five years old, and suddenly, in this most important decision about their education, they have no say at all? They’re stripped of their sovereignty over their child.”

    “And what must it be like for the child who finds that his parents don’t have any power to help him out if he doesn’t like the school? We are always complaining about the lack of responsibility in low-income families. But, the truth is, we have taken the authority away from them in this most important aspect of their child’s life….”

    “It’s a shame that there are no social science studies on the effect of choicelessness on the family. If you are stripped of power—kept out of the decision-making loop—you are likely to experience degeneration of your own capacity to be effective, because you have nothing to do. If you don’t have any responsibilities, you get flabby. And what we have are flabby families at the bottom end of the income scale.”

    Dr. Coons was talking in the context of poverty and families. But, we can see that his remarks also apply to all families who can become flabby when unconnected from decisions about their children’s education.

    [to FB, ECC]

    Category Education Reform, Uncategorized | Tags: | No Comments

  2. $4 per child to test for reading ability

    December 8, 2018 by Tunya

    My comment to SUN article re upcoming teacher/government negotiations   https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/b-c-schools-2019-expect-funding-review-teacher-shortages-contract-negotiations

    Reading this well-researched article and the attached links convinces me that our education system in BC certainly needs a new funding approach. There are so many demands on the scarce taxpayer dollar, so many parties with their priorities, and parents still clambering for the rationed services needed for special needs students.

    And the broader public still has not been consulted nor allowed to weigh in. One comment to the Sun story already suggests that a new model of provision should factor in a larger online education service. This, he proposes, would “do wonders for the skyrocketing costs as well as probably get the students back to learning the three R’s”.

    I particularly like his emphasis on the 3 R’s and if we read the story carefully we see that many parents are concerned about students’ ability to read — the foremost and primary skill all students should be assured of. A simple test given to Kindergarten students, costing $4 each, for example, would identify those who need specialized reading attention early. This would save costs right from the start because further expensive psychosocial tests ($3000 ea) would not be needed for many of these students if early intervention succeeds. And, very costly remediation programs now in place wouldn’t be needed.

    Another comment from a reader suggested tapping into new resources instead of the old standby of burdening taxpayers further. He suggested returns from pot or liquor sales could be tapped. I would suggest that charities and foundations or even simple fund-raising could help find that urgent $4 per Kindergarten child to launch them on the road to confident reading. The right to read is one right we should all get behind.

    Category Absurdities, Opinions in media, Teacher Unions, Uncategorized | Tags: | No Comments