What I Learned at NBC's Education Nation Summit

[Hannah Bell]

For those who missed it, Education Nation was effectively a two and a half day-long meeting of the minds for those who see privatization as the last word in fixing America's public schools. They are known as the "reform" movement.

The "reform" line of thinking goes like this: The main problem with the schools is that the teachers have no incentive to work hard, and they are protected by a union; if we remove the union, teachers can respond to individual financial incentives and great things will become possible. That, wrapped in a powerful emotional package, with clever cartoons and brilliant editing, is the message delivered succinctly to the general public in the new film, "Waiting for 'Superman' ".

It occurs to me that this is a rather convenient storyline for the recession. Just as millions are losing their homes and facing endless months of unemployment, along comes a "movement" of billionaires -- Bill Gates, Eli Broad, Mark Zuckerberg -- fighting for "justice". The rich, you see, are altruistic. They're high-minded, they don't think about themselves, just the children. Meanwhile, the teachers, so the story goes, are the greedy ones. The teachers are selfish and self-interested. Really, it's a wonder we trust them around children at all...

...Here we have a message honed to perfection... for the wealthy: the unions are the problem; the teachers need to be cheaper; give me money now for a few beautiful schools that can help break the unions and open up the education market; but don't worry, we don't want too much; we certainly don't want what your children have.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/brian-jones/what-i-learned-at-nbcs-ed_b_748152.html

[leveymg]

1. For what it costs to jail a felon for life, you could send him to Andover, Yale, and Harvard Biz Sch

and he'd become President instead of a ward of the state. If he can do it, anyone can:



If you're gonna privatize the schools, might as well do it right. Eliminate the costs to the taxpayer of crime, the police, the courts, and the prisons all in one sweeping reform. Nobody who goes to Andover, Yale and Harvard Biz ever goes to jail, no matter what, right? He proves it.

[Demeter]

6. Sadly True

The greatest tragedy of our time is that W never saw the inside of jail at an early age, and permanently.

[Klukie]

2. I haven't been watching this summit....

Does anyone know how often these experts pointed to parental responsibilities as part of the solution? I really believe that teachers are not the problem..bad parenting is!!

[BonnieJW]

4. I think it's a combination of so many factors!

Part of it is teachers who should not be teaching. Yes, there are fabulous teachers who truly make a difference. But there are some bad ones too and it shouldn't be so hard to get rid of them. Part of it is parents who are absent, negligent, drugged, alchoholic, abusive. I have seen kids flourish who have terrible parents but great teachers (Google Liz Murray). Part of it is living in a bad neighborhood with poor school facilities. I don't think you can cure the problem with just one remedy.

[Klukie]

5. Agreed....however....I hear nothing on the national level about parental responsibility

Nobody discusses it!! How can such a HUGE part of the problem not be mentioned!! I want some much needed balance on the issue.

[Starry Messenger]

3. k & r

[blindpig]

7. kick