JUDGMENT TIME FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION
Legal authorized official judges are not the only ones considering the pro’s and con’s of public education. The courts of public opinion are also sitting — in many jurisdictions — and their findings and conclusions may very well prove to be much more harsh. I am reminded of James:3:1 — “Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.”
It’s not just teachers but the whole education industry that’s under examination. Why are there, in our developed countries, still so many illiterates who are gagged into docility? Why is Math being dumbed down when the most-in-demand occupation is a mathematician? Why are university professors pontificating on poverty and oppression yet exploiting the system for their own good life? http://www.againstcronycapitalism.org/2014/06/website-the-college-fix-reports-law-prof-who-specializes-in-poverty-makes-205400-teaching-one-class-per-semester/
And so it goes. Contradictions. Hypocrisy. Negligence. An industry exploiting its natural resources for its own benefit with little of quality to show its colonized clients.
In British Columbia right now, yes, even in the Summer, we are in the midst of an ugly teacher strike. And, there seems to be a serious logjam to negotiations because court actions are taking their tedious, methodical pace. No legal resolution is anticipated for a couple of years! However, formal papers have been filed requesting that citizens and community groups be allowed to intervene in the public interest in these cases. This is a new and very encouraging sign of backlash — fed up citizens speaking against secret deliberations — WOW!
In Nebraska the state government is embarrassed with very low reading and math scores and the very high scores in poverty and homelessness. In emergency mode the state has undertaken an education survey of its citizens. But, with inaction and the usual opposition practically guaranteed, a perceptive reporter says, in effect, “Forget it. Our children come through these critical developmental stages just once in their lives. Give us the 90% education dollar in Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) and let the parents choose from the private, public and voluntary field what’s in the best interests of their child.” See Two Visions for Education in Nebraska http://www.examiner.com/article/two-visions-for-education-nebraska
In Australia concern arose during their recent election about perceived slanted national curriculum and teacher training. Reviews were undertaken by the new government and reports are due this Summer.
In America the Common Core project is coming under snowballing criticism and opposition. A noteworthy blog, Jay P Greene’s blog, has just released a reading list of dire early warnings and predictable “ugly” prospects from a rushed and force-fed authoritarian project. http://jaypgreene.com/2014/07/02/common-core-political-naivete-and-the-enemies-list/#comment-175417
The backlash and judgment from the public court of opinion will be a fitting — maybe even double or triple — payback for the harms laid on a trusting public by those willfully using the system for private and ideological gain.
Prepared for ECC, 08 July ’14 response to Deb Andrews….sent to SQE, Sun, Jay P Greene blog.