Monday, March 21, 2011

Miracles My Ass

Boy oh Boy. The fire is getting turned up on education. For years education has been viewed in this country as the territory of the liberal, and the antidote was “Vouchers”. That didn’t fly in most states so the conservative business oriented went instead for “Charter Schools” which are public financed private schools without the accountability of a public oversight.
The stats are clear: charter schools do not produce better results. But, they do pay their teachers less, have no tenure or pesky unions, and no need in most states to follow a curriculum required by the more rigorous public schools. Yes, I know. Some charter schools are very accomplished, but many are just religious wolves in sheep skins. And some are just business rip-offs.
The best schools in the world, typified by Finland, are 100% public with mandatory attendance and well paid, well respected and well protected teachers.
America was once like that. And then we were the envy of the world. Now we are sinking fast in the “business model” of education. Bulls***. Since the conservative agenda started to chip away at schools in the late 70’s and early 80’s, America’s schools have declined steadily. The target is now the higher education system (look at the most recent budget for Pennsylvania for an example, or Florida for that matter) to see the future.
Too late to wake up, though. Kids coming up today are already screwed. Only a miracle would help, and who believes in that?
Oh yeah, you do. You think it’s a Miracle when a Japanese woman and her grandson are found alive after the tsunami. Bulls*** again. The real miracle would have been a great big hand diverting the flood so 20,000 Japanese men, women and children didn’t die in the first place. Don’t tell me about miracles.
Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/34476833@N04/3850299810/
Content: Do your own damn looking up. I’m tired of citing truth and then having it denied.

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