Maybe Obama's kids' school should be model for reform

Before he died unexpectedly on Oct. 20, nationally known education researcher Gerald Bracey (bestower of the Rotten Apple awards) took fresh aim at President Obama's education agenda. In his 18th and final Bracey Report, he followed up on another researcher who suggested Obama should make the model of education he chose for his daughters -- at the Sidwell Friends private school -- a model for national reform.

In my opinion, the Obama/Duncan approach would only exacerbate the problems created by our industrial model -- national academic standards and a national test, merit pay for higher test scores, a longer school day, a longer school week, a longer school year and charter schools handed off to entrepreneurs. More math, more science. This is an industrial command-and-control model on steroids.

Sidwell, by contrast, encourages a rich interdisciplinary curriculum designed to stimulate inquiry; the expression of artistic abilities; reflection; "stewardship of the natural world"; service to others; scientific investigation; creative expression; group as well as individual learning; personalization of learning and education of the whole person ...

Bracey offered similar insights two weeks before he died, in an interview with the St. Petersburg Times.

The Times called to ask him about Jeb Bush's road tour, and -- surprise -- he wasn't impressed. But he went on to agree with other observers who said Jeb may be more influential in a political climate where Bracey didn't see much daylight between presidents Bush and Obama on education.

"In my paranoid moments, I see a bigger group behind this," Bracey also said. "I see a corporate agenda behind all this rather than a political agenda. I think there is an agenda to ultimately privatize virtually every aspect of public schools. ... We're up now to what? $600 billion a year in K-12 alone? That's an existing market. You don't have to invent an iPod or an iPhone. It's there."

And now, he said, it looks like Republicans and Democrats are backing the same agenda. "That's my fear," he said.

(Photo from thedailygreen.com)

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Comments

[Racetothebottom]

Thank you, Grade book for finally printing a story that presents the other side. Accountability is the death of a good public education, in walks the greedy capitalist that want to privatize education. The lawmakers will bankrupt the system and then pay private sector to "take over". No more free high-quality education. Rich get richer, poor get screwed.

[We're in this together, folks.]

We're in this together, folks.

What we want for our own children, we must want for all children. For their failures are our failures.

[National Standards]

First, there is no credible evidence that America's schools need to be "turned around."

We are a country that educates each and every child. Attendance is mandatory.

We do not test kids in to our system, we require them to come.

The weak, the weary, the hungry.

This whole Republican agenda to destroy the public school system provides some of the most intense irony I have ever witnessed.

Hell bent on destroying a "liberal" institution, the Republicans deploy tactics that would make the North Koreans look soft on crime.

Republican test and retest mentality, retain them till they drop out and zero tolerance for behavior policies are nothing short of institutionalized communism.

Republicans want everyone to conform to their ideal of what it means to be a good American. Everything from religion to skin color and economic endeavors, you name it Republicans have certain criteria for acceptance. Anything outside of that cramped, confined, damp, wet, musty box of theirs is simply out of order.

I have news for the Republicans-that equates to fascist communism.

Show me one public school system that (used to anyway) brings all people from all walks of life to the table, works to educate them to particpate in a democracy, allows individualism, fosters ingenuity, creativity and self sufficiency while maintaining any sort of standards by which to measure progress and I will agree we should work to compete with it.

Keep lauding communist institutions where children must test into every level and I will point out its inhumanity.

There is no "turn-around" necessary. Those that buy into such a concept are doomed to buy into the Bush family's skill and drill curriculum they sell.

[Tom Clancy]

Dear National Standards are Overdue,
The minute you have a mandatory National Standard, you are only speaking to the already failing inner city schools. CPS is a prime example. Duncan's oversight in Chicago did little good to turn schools around. Now Duncan wants to use a version of this model Nationally? Danger, Danger.

[Do as I say - not as I do.....]

Interesting that the "lemmings" that belong to the NEA (National Extortion Agency) and AFT (Anger,Fear and Terror) support the "Dali Bama" although his children attend a private academy. Doesn't anybody think this smacks a tad hippocritic?

Even the worst President in US history, Jimmy Carter, sent his kid to public school in DC.

"Race to the Top" - sounds more like pablum "neo-com" "shuck and jive"....

BTW - I just can't wait till one of you apoligists give me the "security " argument.

[Gabriel]

Why not return education back to it's humanist origins? It brought us TV, Satellites, Space Exploration and many other society progressing things. I think the Obama kids school represents a fundamental humanistic educational environment indeed. But will John Q public buy into a "fundamental school"? Look around you, I think the parents and students of Pinellas have already spoken. They want "scientific inquiry", "creative expression","group as well as individual learning", not "robotic corporate dronism".

[National standards are overdue]

It is true we have to be careful about national standards, but they are way overdue.

This re-creating education 10,000 times over is getting really old.

If we can put a little democratic spirit in these national standards, we would be way ahead of the game.

Isn't it stupid to fight the same right wing agenda all over the country when we can just say once and for all we gonna teach science in science class and sex education is a national priority?

Backwards is backwards no matter what state you live in. It's past time to lay down the chicken bones and put away the mythical creatures and act like we're a civilized nation.

Enough with the boogy man and the witch hunts. National standards. No more of this, "I believe" stuff vs. real learning.

[Land O Lakes]

Be careful not to buy into National Standards. It is clear that Obama and Duncan are moving the nation to k-12 standards. Unfortunately, neither of the two men speak in specific terms. Learning in schools must stimulate inquiry processes, promote the expression of artistic abilities, encourage self-reflection, focus on individual and group learning, and require stewardship of the natural world. The Obama/Duncan plan encourages a command and control model- increasing the length of the school day, national standards, charter schools, and a longer school day. Watch out America, this agenda is not an educational or political one-- it a corporate one. Is this an entrepreneurial opportunity or educational advancement? In the context of educational excellence, I believe neither.

[Every man for himself education]

We seem to have forgotten why we have public schools. What happened to uniting a society?

We used to want to create good citizens, engender love of country as well as one another. We made concessions for each other's religions, tried to understand one another and even modeled the system after a free Republic.

Between businesses wanting to feed at the government trough and christian fanatics wanting to wage their own praise allah war against Americans, public schools do not seem to stand a chance.

I am a little afraid of what the future looks like.

[BOHICA]

"Paranoid moments"? Perhaps "lucid free-thinking moments" is more like it.

We have Learning Fascist Style programmed instruction. We will soon (if Weatherford has his way) have required online "learning". They've almost eliminated thinking from the curriculum. Now they just have to figure out a way to improve technical proficiency without letting thinking in through the back door.