WSJ today: Chester Finn and Diane RAvitch's version of a whole child education campaign

["Lisa Guisbond" <lisa.guisbond@verizon.net>]

To quote the old Steven Stills anthem: "There's something happening here.
What it is ain't exactly clear."

 

The Wall Street Journal's oped page is a surprising place to see an
indictment of the way NCLB is narrowing and dumbing down education and these
authors are surprising advocates of a "well-rounded liberal arts education,"
known in some quarters as a whole child education. Even more surprising to
see them predicting NCLB and its spawn widening the gaps between the haves
and the have nots! Here are excerpts from Chester Finn and Diane Ravitch in
today's WSJ. [The whole text is available to subscribers only or purchasers
of today's edition.]

Lisa

 

FREE PREVIEW


Not By Geeks Alone 


By Chester E. Finn, Jr. and Diane Ravitch 

Word Count: 1,125 

In a globalizing economy, America's competitive edge depends in large
measure on how well our schools prepare tomorrow's workforce.

And notwithstanding the fact that Congress and the White House are now
controlled by opposing parties, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are
bent on devising new programs and boosting education spending.

Consider the measure -- the America Competes Act -- that recently passed
Congress and is on its way to the president's desk. The bill will
substantially increase government funding for science, technology,
engineering and math ("STEM" subjects). President Bush, Education Secretary
Margaret Spellings as well as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority
Leader Harry Reid support this initiative. Nearly all of the 2008
presidential candidates endorse its goals. And 38 state legislatures have
also recently enacted STEM bills. The buzz is as constant as summer cicadas.

 

Indeed, STEM has swiftly emerged as the hottest education topic since No
Child Left Behind. They're related, too. NCLB puts a premium on reading and
math skills and also pays some attention to science. Marry it with STEM and
you get heavy emphasis on a particular suite of skills.

 

But there is a problem here. Worthy though these skills are, they ignore at
least half of what has long been regarded as a "well rounded" education in
Western civilization: literature, art, music, history, civics and geography.
Indeed, a new study from the Center on Education Policy says that, since
NCLB's enactment, nearly half of U.S. school districts have reduced the time
their students spend on subjects such as art and music.

This is a mistake that will ill-serve our children while misconstruing the
true nature of American competitiveness and the challenges we face in the
21st century.

Some additional quotable quotes from my hard copy:

"We're already at risk of turning U.S. schools into test-prepping skill
factories where nothing matters except exam scores on basic subjects. That's
not what America needs nor is it a sufficient conception of educational
accountability. We need schools that prepare our children to excel and
compete not only in the global workforce but also as full participants in
our society, our culture, our polity and our economy." 

And this:

"Creating such a system calls .for recalibrating academic standards and
graduation requirements, as well as amending our testing-and-accountability
schemes-most certainly including NCLB-by widening the definition of
"proficient" to include reasoning, creativity and knowledge across a dozen
subjects as well as basic cognitive skills."

 

And this, if we don't change:

"Rich kids will study philosophy and art, music and history, while their
poor peers fill in bubbles on test sheets. The lucky few will spawn the next
generation of tycoons, political leaders, inventors, authors, artists and
entrepreneurs. The less lucky masses will see narrower opportunities. Some
will find no opportunities at all, which frustration will tempt them to prey
upon the fortunate, who in turn will retreat into gated communities,
exclusive clubs, and private this-and-that's, thereby widening domestic
rifts and worsening our prospects for social cohesion and civility."