Monday, April 29, 2013

Schools are Like Ice Cream


Forbes has a column here comparing education today with Ben & Jerry's ice cream.  Apparently, if we had competition in education, as in ice cream stores, all would be great, and every child could choose to go to an excellent school.

I’m sorry, but I expect columns of more substantive value from Forbes.  Mr. Gobry has a vision of a country where every child can choose to go to an excellent school, but gives no clue how this can happen.

So . . . we are giving up local control and funding, since that is what ties schools to neighborhoods?  Are we going to turn all schools into charter schools?  Who will run the charter schools?  People we elect?  Private boards? 

And we haven’t even started talking about the growing special education population.  What’s the statistic for autism now?  One in 50?  Charter schools haven’t exactly rushed to service this population.

I was a high school English teacher for 37 years, and no one wants every child in an excellent school more than I do.  But I get completely frustrated at a column like this.   Ed. reform should take a lesson from Ben & Jerry’s ice cream?  Oh please.  If you want to read some thoughtful writing on the current state of education, check out this blog, written by a high school English teacher:  http://literacyinleafstrewn.blogspot.com/

1 comment:

  1. And we haven’t even started talking about the growing special education population. What’s the statistic for autism now? One in 50? Charter schools haven’t exactly rushed to service this population. essay

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