Quote:
Originally Posted by detbuch
Sowell stated very clearly that, contrary to aging leadership, it was the early retirements of once dedicated teachers and principals caused by the destruction of the ability to impose a work and discipline ethic and, presumably, the influx of current anti-disciplinary pedagogical theories that destroyed what Dunbar was and turned it into just another ghetto neighborhood school. A typical type of school that provides jobs for those with education degrees but doesn't provide the necessary disciplined and demanding learning environment required to produce quality education.
Various alternative school systems (with Dunbar-like aspirations), charter, choice, vouchers, etc. try to bypass the current education industry lock on the neighborhood school notion. But the industry and its union members with their paid for political lackeys, resist.
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Oddly enough children with involved parents will usually excel in any school they attend and most with parents who are not, will not.
What concerns me more is mainstreaming the least educable and removing funding for programs for the top tier. That has been going on for the last 25 years and as a board member 20+ years ago I saw the effects of it. Dunbar would fall within that group.
In large part I believe that is what has driven the push for Charter, etc. schools.
It also has caused some very intelligent kids without involved parents to be lost in the educational system.
And I do agree with you on our self perpetuating education system, where those who excel at "school" become educators, love meetings about "school" and don't necessarily become skilled at teaching.
Luckily it is not true in all cases.