The Weekly Watch
Spotlight on Schools …
Several years ago I was at an Alabama State School Board meeting when the state president of the Eagle Forum accused the Board of trying to use schools as social engineering machines. My thought was - aren't all schools by their very nature indeed social engineering machines. So, what kind of society do we want to engineer? To create a society we want, we have to focus on the nature of our schools.
Sadly schools, like our hospitals and prisons, are sorely lacking. I spent much of my teaching career in a mill town and felt the real objective of the system was to train people to be fodder for the mills. Sit in rows and be obedient so you can get ready to work on the line. But I visited schools far worse ...schools in abject poverty. Communities with no mill, only agriculture...modern day slavery.
An Alabama story about Jeff Sessions and our schools....
In 1956, as a way to sidestep Brown, Alabama voters amended the state Constitution to deprive students of a right to public education. Public support for school funding collapsed in its aftermath. As a result, by the early 1990s, huge disparities in funding separated Alabama’s haves and have-nots. Alabama’s wealthiest school district (and also one of its whitest), Mountain Brook, in suburban Birmingham, spent nearly twice as much per student as the state’s poorest, Roanoke, in a declining manufacturing town about two hours southeast.
It was a cleaver ploy. Create small satellite towns outside the city. Then start school systems in each one of those little towns, and make sure the real estate agents didn't sell any “undesirables” a house in the community.
As Ralph Nader often points out, we accomplish more through the courts than the body politic. Nearly 30 of Alabama’s poorest school districts, with support from disability rights groups, civil rights organizations and the American Civil Liberties Union, filed suit against the state. The most vocal critics of school reform, including the far-right activist Phyllis Schlafly’s Eagle Forum, warned that it would bring “socialism” to Alabama. After nearly three years of litigation, Judge Eugene W. Reese of the Alabama Circuit Court found the inequitable funding unconstitutional and ordered the state to come up with a system to remedy the inequity.
Attorney General Sessions led the battle against the decision. He argued that Judge Reese had overreached. An activist court was usurping the power of the state’s duly elected officials to solve the problem on their own. For the next two years, Mr. Sessions sought to discredit Judge Reese and overturn his ruling. During that time I served as the only teacher on the Governors Education Commission. I got quite an education of my own during those years.
When Mr. Sessions insisted that as attorney general, he was representing the Alabama State School Board, the board members protested that he did not represent their position. No matter. He fought on. Finally, in 1997, the Alabama Supreme Court upheld Judge Reese’s finding that the state’s educational inequity was unconstitutional. But, as Mr. Sessions (by then a senator) had hoped, the court left the remedy to the state’s increasingly conservative Legislature, which made only modest changes in the state’s school funding structure. Alabama’s public schools, still underfunded, still separate and unequal, ranked near the bottom nationally, stand as one of Jeff Sessions’ most enduring legacies.
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/21/opinion/jeff-sessions-other-civil-rig...
Funding isn't all the story, but it is a big slice. Some states do try to address needs of poor children, but most are lacking an effective way to target children of poverty.
https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2017/06/how-education-fund...
Many schools are going to a four day school week, our local Georgia schools only operate four day per week.
http://educationopportunitynetwork.org/our-school-funding-crisis-has-a-c...
Of course the RW answer is privatization with charter schools.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/12/opinion/the-unaddressed-link-between-p...
...close scrutiny of charter school performance has shown that many of the success stories have been limited to particular grades or subjects and may be attributable to substantial outside financing or extraordinarily long working hours on the part of teachers. The evidence does not support the view that the few success stories can be scaled up to address the needs of large populations of disadvantaged students.
In Finland, with its famously high-performing schools, schools provide food and free health care for students. Developmental needs are addressed early. Counseling services are abundant.
There’s a very strong positive correlation between income and SAT test scores. (For the math geeks out there, the R2 for each test average/income range chart is about 0.95.) On every test section, moving up an income category ($20,000) was associated with an average score boost of over 12 points.
https://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/27/sat-scores-and-family-inco...
Listen to these two students discuss their very different schools (4 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xdfVAPvv9A
Recently I caught a Chris Hedges show focused on education. Chris Hedges discusses how to salvage the American education system with Nikhil Goyal, author of Schools on Trial: How Freedom and Creativity Can Fix Our Educational Malpractice. He has a similar take to my view. (30 min)
https://www.rt.com/shows/on-contact/384088-failing-education-system-nikhil/
One of my favorite education writers is Diane Ravitch. She explains why schools shouldn't be run like a business while criticizing a PBS pro-school privatization series (12 min or read the summary)
http://www.thirteen.org/metrofocus/2017/06/june-12-2017-diane-ravitch-sc...
https://dianeravitch.net/2017/06/13/pbs-runs-three-hour-special-promotin...
The 1% are also busy buying school boards. The recent school board election in Los Angeles drew close to $17 million in donations, much of it in the form of untraceable “dark money” from a familiar cast of enormously wealthy donors. Scholar Rebecca Jacobsen walks us through who and what is behind this big money trend. Listen to the 30 min podcast here:
https://soundcloud.com/haveyouheardpodcast/buying-influence
Or read an excerpt here:
https://dianeravitch.net/2017/06/13/the-96-billionaires-who-decided-to-b...
Higher ed faces many problems too. Here's the story about Jared Kushner's undeserved acceptance to Harvard...in 1998, when Jared was attending The Frisch School and starting to look at colleges, his father had pledged $2.5 million to Harvard, to be paid in annual installments of $250,000.
https://www.propublica.org/article/the-story-behind-jared-kushners-curio...
Richard Wolff addresses the problems of Higher Education. (5 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YDiF2ia4ng
He goes on to explain how colleges are misusing Adjunct Professors (4 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IB_Zv8lO0KI
And finally Richard addresses DeVos and her school privatization plans by explaining public schools out perform charters. (6 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmAoz5vC2PU
Look at Betsy DeVos recent hires in the Department of Ed. It speaks volumes
http://educationopportunitynetwork.org/recent-devos-hires-bode-ill-for-s...
Funny that no matter the topic, the issue seems to hang on or is explained by inequality. A nation's greatest resource is its youth. We encourage and promote those children of privilege, and punish (often imprisoning) those who are destitute. What kind of society do we want? No matter what we want for tomorrow, the future is being cast in the schools of today.
I look forward to your comments and stories about schools and education. I'm in Virginia this weekend and will try to drop in sometime during the day. Next week I want to focus on what schools could be and dream of a better future. In the meantime I hope you have a good Sunday.
Comments
Good Sunday morning, Lookout ~~
Schools in New Mexico have been devastated by Hanna Skandara who worked for Jeb Bush in Florida, doing a number on them, and hired by our illustrious Gov. Martinez. She worked hard, for seven years, to devastate our already declining state and education system. With every call of foul, matters got worse for all involved in public education. Now she's out of here to take her show on the road to some other poor undeserving state.
On the university side, funding has been slashed to the bone marrow and she vetoed the entire higher education budget because the legislature did not confirm her Regent appointees and included modest tax hikes to plug some holes in the budget. They held a special session and finally funded the U's, axed the tax increases and replaced that funding by borrowing bond money - a stupid move the dems agreed to. Our legislature is dem and they continually give in to the GOP, which further validates there is no difference in the two parties.
Beautiful day in the neighborhood today, but a heatwave by the end of the week.
Have a beautiful Sunday, everyone!
"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11
Schools ARE Social Engineering
hubs. What the RW doesn't like is the direction of the engineering.
wah.
The direction is determined by the greater society - not the other way around.
the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.
I am not sure that greater society does have input now.
So many decisions anti-consensus views. They are trying to beat us down.
Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.
afternoon
It is the same old strategy. Choke funding till government/schools don't work, then scream for privatization.
Sorry to read of your education dilemmas in NM.
It's hot here in VA. I went to Monticello today where it was breezy all day. Quite an education in the visit as well.
I hope you've all had a nice day as well.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Had to pull both my kids out of public school . . .
Starting with that statement makes it sound like I oppose public schools. No, I heartily support the concept of public school. Both my husband and I are retired public school educators. Unfortunately, most (probably nearly all) schools of any flavor, public or private, grossly neglect and/or punish students who have dyslexia (40% mild to profound) or are introverts (40%). The good science on these conditions is relatively new, so most educational systems are still operating under old paradigms.
Old paradigms:
Sadly, solving these two issues would not even be that expensive. Or maybe it would be . . . what does it cost to create a shift in attitude? Yikes - that makes it sound impossible!
In our situation, we had to pull our kids out of school because school was hurting them. Thanks to technology and opportunity I think they are both doing well. Daughter got her GED and started college a year early, focusing on art and music (not offered at our public school). Son is still 15, but has benefitted from the vast educational resources on the Internet. They have missed out on the fun stuff school has to offer however.
I wonder how Finland treats the issues of dyslexia and introverted children? Simply having greater opportunities for creativity would make a great impact.
Later on today I hope to go back and follow your links. They look great!
Marilyn
"Make dirt, not war." eyo
Funny you should ask.
This is thanks to all those authoritarians running our country.
"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon
ruin
Don't you mean "ruining our country", dkmich?
(I suppose either one is fitting....)
"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar
"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides
hey fellow teacher
I totally understand why you choose home school. Your first loyalty is to your kids. I bet your teenagers are well educated from home.
All the best to you and your youngsters!
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Great job....
Before I comment, I'd like to acknowledge all of the great essays appearing here including this comprehensive piece. Thank you all for sharing them with us.
Michigan schools were all funded and operated locally through property taxes. Affluent communities approved the highest assessments so their schools had the most money to spend per student. In 1994, In 1994, Michigan passed a law to make our school funding more equitable and to supposedly stop the state from passing unfunded mandates on to the local schools. The promise was to eventually raise the lowest funded schools up to match the highest paid districts through the allocation of new resources. We still had local schoo districts and boards, but the state took over the control of the money. BIG MISTAKE.
Our school funding has been declining ever since.
Since winning complete control of Michigan in 2004, thanks Obama, the GOP has been attacking public schools, teachers, unions, science, women, pensions, and ramming its right wing goober agenda down everyone in the state. The Mackinac Center, a right wing think tank, the Detroit Chamber, and the DeVos family run this state. Gerrymandering has all but guaranteed it will stay that way.
"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon
Thanks
Glad you enjoyed the essay. When schools and education are our hope, it hurts to watch them degrade. So sorry to hear you are seeing the decline of quality education in your state too. I fear that's the case in all our states.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Why is per pupil spending a measure of quality?
Our school district wastes money like toilet paper. Consider the High school spending a quarter of a million dollars on software to implement LGBT rights. I'm all for the rights and aggressive action against deniers of those rights. So why do we need computer software from proprietary firms? How about wasting $400,000 for software to help teachers update their lesson plans? Not to mention (which we should) the HUGE amount spent in all schools for proprietary testing software every year instead of having a state-developed test that is free to the public schools? In fact, since the testing requirement comes from the federal government, how about a federal test, free to ALL states' public schools?
I've seen lots of changes. What doesn't change is people. Same old hairless apes.
poor budgeting...
is often a problem. In one of the poorest schools I've visited, I've seen a room of computers still in boxes. They were given money and told it was for computers. The problem is none of the ever changing staff knew how to use a computer (this was several years ago).
So yes, there is misspent money. But for those who think we can't solve our education problems by throwing money at it, I would ask "How do we know...we've never tried it?"
Additionally there is like a 90 plus percent correlation between student achievement and funding.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
The cost per pupil means something, but yes there is waste . . .
In my experience, I don't ever remember seeing a teacher being wasteful. Most teachers I knew even paid for materials out of pocket. If there was waste, it was administrative and the result of poor planning. The great example is the aforementioned story about the computers sitting in boxes. There was always this "great new program" that was going to save the day. I would also concur with the charge of software waste. This is because I am a Linux geek and as a tech teacher spent $0 on software. Yet I taught 3D modeling, animation, computer graphics, video/audio editing, music composition, web design, and desktop publishing. We even built a supercomputer to serve as a render farm using distributed computing. Sigh. In the U.S., schools never caught on to Linux. That was a giant waste.
The waste then IMO, comes mostly with education's ties to greedy education supply corporations. Pearson is making quite a haul on testing like you mentioned. LGTB software? Everyone is trying to profit from education. It always made me feel sick to go to a tech convention and see the host of blood sucking vendors. It is a vicious cycle because the vendors pay for the conventions.
So where should the money go?
A good place to start to improve schools through proper funding is to simply pay the teachers and staff decent wages . . . and make sure they are paid for extra stuff you ask them to do. I have been in both places - where you feel like you are earning what you are worth, and where you feel like you are being taken advantage of at every turn. It speaks to morale.
These are the other areas where I would direct school funding:
That's where I think the money should go when financing schools.
Any other ideas?
Marilyn
"Make dirt, not war." eyo
Education
is the second most important issue for me, after War and Peace. I have hoped that the issue of public education would become a focus for this forum, and this extraordinary essay is more than ideal as a way to start. I haven't even finished reading it, as there is so much to think about in each part as I read it.
Finland is one of the most vital parts of this discussion from my experience, and I hope to be able to express my feelings about it. Finland has had a very solid, comprehensive, history-loaded, languages-loaded, math-loaded, science-loaded, arts-loaded, ethics-loaded, cultural and literature-loaded curriculum, including teaching hour requirements for each subject, for decades, and they apply this curriculum equitably.
The image that Finland allows its teachers to teach just anything is false. How they teach it is up to them, but they are required to make sure all Finnish students get this stuff. Knowledge is power.
However, my knowledge of this is from a few years ago, and I was aware that Pasi Sahlberg, a Finnish educator, author and scholar who had come to work for the World Bank, and was making videos with teacherken over at You Know Where, was working to soften Finland's system and make it more like ours. So by now, maybe there is no curriculum. But the controversy over Finland's education system and way of life is very important.
Moore's movie "Invade here next"
Shows a clip of Finnish schools. You see students building things, cooking, sewing, and so on. Learning by doing...and no testing. Yet their kids score highest in global test comparisons. It certainly suggests we need to change our approach.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
I haven't seen Moore's movie,
"Invade here next," but I did actually see that part of it, and with all the respect I have for you, I have to say I thought it was a repeat of the assertion that I have seen over and over again by Americans that Finland's students just play and create and have no tests. That's not true, nor has it been true over the long period of their educational success.
The reason I care is not that they have in recent years scored however well on international tests. It's that they live in peace, they take care of themselves, and their social democracy is a model worth learning from. I believe their humane but structured and knowledge-loaded education system has been vital to their success as a people, and as an example to others.
Hi Linda
Play is fundamental to learning and human development. To build, sew, cook, garden you have to measure, do calculations, think critically.
Additionally, students are happier, more competent, and peaceful. So, I don't really think we are far apart in our thinking.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
I agree.
Free speech under attack
It appears Evergreen has shot itself in the foot.
[video:https://youtu.be/wRwtzcx58WI]
Legitimate complaints should be honored, yes, but "Political Correctness" MUST. DIE. NOW.
This is the same race-baiting that kos delights in harboring. And it may well utterly destroy Evergreen State College.
The students making the problems will be the ones to lose the most. No other college will take them, and they will end up stuck as generic high-school grads (if that) in today's job market.
[video:https://youtu.be/XTGmTrQXrwg]
"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar
"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides
intolerance
Seems to be the nature of our time. I didn't know this story about Evergreen. Thanks for sharing it. Always appreciate your insights gjohn!
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Good Sunday morning, Lookout ~~
Schools in New Mexico have been devastated by Hanna Skandara who worked for Jeb Bush in Florida, doing a number on them, and hired by our illustrious Gov. Martinez. She worked hard, for seven years, to devastate our already declining state and education system. With every call of foul, matters got worse for all involved in public education. Now she's out of here to take her show on the road to some other poor undeserving state.
On the university side, funding has been slashed to the bone marrow and she vetoed the entire higher education budget because the legislature did not confirm her Regent appointees and included modest tax hikes to plug some holes in the budget. They held a special session and finally funded the U's, axed the tax increases and replaced that funding by borrowing bond money - a stupid move the dems agreed to. Our legislature is dem and they continually give in to the GOP, which further validates there is no difference in the two parties.
Beautiful day in the neighborhood today, but a heatwave by the end of the week.
Have a beautiful Sunday, everyone!
"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11
Excellent OT on the Education System and Jeff Sessions' Alabama.
Thanks Lookout.
In an ideal world the American education system would be completely revamped, from how the days are planned (instead of all day sitting in desks facing teachers, more time given for children to be children, as well more interactive circles encouraging even-handed engagement with all and honoring everyone's input and viewpoints) to how we teach history - and so much more (including lunch menus, more free time to explore/play, more arts/music, etc). Young peoples' unblemished viewpoints are often denigrated as naive and not conducive to the rigid curriculum, which I think is harmful.
As it stands now, to my eye, they're not much more than spawning grounds for fascism, indoctrination centers driven by the twin engines of American Exceptionalism and the pursuit of the American Dream (i.e. a RW Libertarian notion of I-Got-MIne, pull yourself up by the bootstraps, "Free Market" capitalism in which one strives for the "dream" of material ownership, to be envied by others and status). Over-emphasis on grades and competition doesn't seem ideal either.
I have great misgiving about putting my infant into such a system.
It would be a good idea for us to expound more on this subject here. Especially you all teachers chiming in to help us understand what we're up against.
Thanks again, Lookout.
"If I should ever die, God forbid, let this be my epitaph:
THE ONLY PROOF HE NEEDED
FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD
WAS MUSIC"
- Kurt Vonnegut
Hi Mark
Looks like lots of new education essays are appearing. Have you ever hear of Deb Meyer's Central Park East Elementary? It might be worth a visit prior to your youngster school indoctrination.
http://insideschools.org/school/04M497
http://schools.nyc.gov/SchoolPortals/04/M497/default.htm
Basically it's an elementary school that operates like grad school. Great staff and student outcome. I've been lucky to work a little with them.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
miss the ramblers...
so do I