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Nothing but the Truth!
By Will Power
September 4, 2010 (San Diego) -- The goal of public education in the United States used to be a "liberal" education. That meant skill in reading and writing and arithmetic, a smattering of history and poetry, a small acquaintance with classical literature, and a free, independent, and enquiring mind.
Now that 'liberal" means communistic, the goals are much simpler. Students must reach benchmarks on a state-standardized test that is administered like a drug until they satisfy the minimal requirements. If they take the test twenty-five times, that's fine- as long as they "pass" it. Rote memorization will be more important than problem-solving.
The free and enquiring mind is deemed unnecessary, because the school board, the politicians, and the Army will tell the students what to think and when to think it.
Critical thinkers need not apply.
Obviously, under such a system the teacher who does not teach to the test will soon be looking for work.
Today students get no foreign language (except English), no science, music, art, dance, or literature. They are given programmed instruction in "Reading Improvement" that involves no reading other than sample test questions.
Is it any wonder so many students choose to drop out. They know the quality of the education they are receiving. They can get a better education at the Public Library, if their local library has not closed.
There is an element in the US that would like to privatize all public schools to put everyone on vouchers which the rich could use to keep their precious children from contact with the Great Unwashed public school children. This increases their level of prejudice and entitlement, and reinforces the righteous rich , who want to use vouchers to send their child to get a "proper" education.
The war over school funding is part of the larger Culture War threatening to divide the US into rich and poor, except the leveling instrument of a free public education will have disappeared. The disintegration of the schools will have disastrous effects on the workplace and the future of the nation. We will lose our lead in science and technology to those nations willing to invest in education and actually plan to improve it.
Will Power is a retired history teacher and creative writing instructor. The opinions expressed in this column are the views of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of East County Magazine.
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