Re:

[<kceh@airmail.net>]

I disagree that the federal government (or state or local government) has ever
been a protector of young children, but that is a hair-splitting minor point. The
main thing is that we might not have as much time as we think we do. Right now
we sort of have the option of being either teachers or testitutes. But we'd
better decide what we want, quickly.

Good heavens, it's already past noon.

Carol


On Sat Jul 7 9:46 , monicalucido@comcast.net sent:

  Decimated Democracy and the Harlot

  (Fictional Account)
  (but not that far off!)
  The year is 2050. After decades of struggle, the public school system has
  been eradicated. Hewlett-Packard High schools, the Broad Foundation
  Elementary Network, and the Gates Conservatory for Education Production are
  the primary schooling institutions across the country. At first these elites
  were in the same corner, brothers against teachers? unions and the freedom of
  thought and creativity. As time has passed, however, now they battle each
  other. Using test scores and rhetoric as their weapons, these
  near-monopolists use whatever means necessary to compete for the public?s
  money. Although the federal government, once a protector of young children,
  has tried to monitor the uses of funds and programs, it has been nearly
  impossible. These privatized firms have moved and shifted voucher money about
  with such varying patterns, that it has been next to impossible to track how
  it has been used. A Packard representative stated, ?We hold the right to
  privacy of our company?s hold
  ings a
  nd stock owner?s portfolios.? Without oversight, any and every scheme has
  been used to publish the differences between the schools. Possible inflation
  of graduation rates and test scores, along with inaccurate dropout numbers
  have been alleged by opposing sides. No one knows the truth. Even though many
  of the employees secretly disagree with the teaching methods used, they must
  follow orders to keep the fragile positions they hold.

  It wasn?t always this way. In 2007, public school educators had the chance to
  do away with the highly controversial No Child Left Behind Law. With many
  voices calling for its dismantling, it was thrust into the spotlight. Many
  teachers and parents were tired of the droning test preparation in classes
  that caused their kids to hate school and thus leave for less restricted
  charter or private schools. However, many more stayed and attended board
  meetings trying to let their voices be heard. In that same year, merit pay
  became the buzz word. Teachers would be paid primarily on their ability to
  raise the test scores of their students. Most teachers balked. But some gave
  into the system, sacrificing the solid educational pedagogy that they
  promised to uphold as a professional. As harlots for money, they
  ?collaborated? to come up with the best practices for getting students to
  pass standardized tests. Some parents saw that teachers liked the idea, so
  they too, began to support the
  experi
  ment by raising taxes to fund it.

  The years that followed were tumultuous. As the initial surge in some test
  scores appeased the public, more people began to buy into the ?fair-playing
  field? ideology of the private workplace when determining a teacher?s
  quality. The National Education Association, stuck in its own political
  quagmires, was unable to organize and was unwilling to see the carnage that
  lay ahead. Many teachers argued that children were not toasters to be
  bargained for. The draw for higher pay caused continual fighting that broke
  up many unions, a soothing sight to corporate roundtables. Union after union
  fell to the new idea, hoping for better pay.

  Some schools scored better than others, and those who did poorly were taken
  over by the state, had their school board eliminated, and had oversight by
  private corporations. Parents, believing in the almighty test score, wanted
  to trust in this new way of running schools. They thought that the low
  scoring schools were ?bad?, and thus voted for vouchers. As the law came into
  effect, tens of thousands of parents of all races and socioeconomic levels
  began to apply to the schools of their choice. The wealthier schools, in a
  desperate measure to maintain a higher scoring student populace, began
  selecting children on the basis of their test results. They also raised the
  cost of the attendance to several thousand dollars higher than the vouchers
  given out. Some parents realized what was happening as spouted, ?racism!? and
  ?favoritism!?, because many impoverished students were left out, unable to
  make up the difference in cost. Large numbers were forced back to their old
  schools, mos
  t of w
  hich were taken over by the state.

  As the Annual Measurable Objectives began to climb, with each school?s goal
  to be 100% proficient on standardized test by 2014, more schools began to
  struggle to pull all students up. The ten percent raise in the bar every year
  was horrendously difficult, if not impossible, to match in the rate of
  improvement. School after school closed and was harnessed by corporations.
  The Heritage Foundation, Eli Broad, and Bill Gates continued the public
  mantra of ?teacher accountability? without any for themselves. Schools began
  firing teachers by the droves and rehiring people who would follow the
  format. With so many teachers out of jobs, the market was flooded with
  educators, allowing the controlling companies to hire for lower wages. Test
  score improvement ?bonuses? made very little difference in their overall pay.
  The poorest children were taught the lowest skills, no parent being the
  wiser, as the school boards no longer existed as a voice of reason.

  Schools began sending recruiters out to the highest scoring households to try
  and get them to change schools. Often, these people arrived at the same house
  at the same time, getting into verbal and even physical confrontations over
  the ?rights? to the student. Meanwhile, in the poorest neighborhoods, the
  children were wrought with constantly rotating staffs. This instability
  caused many students to hate and leave school for work, many as young as 12
  years old. Some would work directly for the company who ran the school, doing
  odd jobs for minimum wage. Others joined gangs and lived on the street
  selling drugs. Parents who were mired in their own low paying jobs, had no
  energy or will to change what seemed impossible to face. There was no
  support. Military recruiters came to these neighborhoods to give a ?way out?
  for many unfocused people.

  The test score phenomena began to unravel, but it was too late. Private
  groups already had the school system under wraps. With continual competition
  for the best scores, millions of children were set aside except for the elite
  test takers. The remainders were prepared for menial service labor as their
  future. In 2040, only a few companies remained in control of the vast fortune
  of federal dollars awaiting them.


  Now in 2050, the unemployment level of the country has hit an an all time
  high of 17%, the number of incarcerated youths under 18 has skyrocketed, and
  most parents are working two jobs apiece to make ends meet. Outsourcing has
  all but eliminated high profile positions at utility, software, medical, and
  many other well paying jobs. The number of good paying service sector jobs
  has also dropped significantly. Remaining are the simple, low wage tasks that
  are required of people trained to think that way. The corporate thread runs
  through everything now, some speculating it controls congress completely. The
  time for revolutionary ideas came and went in 2007 when democracy was
  shattered.

  Except that it?s not too late.

  Joseph Lucido
  Educators and Parents Against Test Abuse
  Educator Roundtable

  -------------------------------------------------------
  Unsubscribe ARN-L:
  http://interversity.org/lists/arn-l/subscribe.html


---- Msg sent via Internet America Webmail - http://www.internetamerica.com/