David Wasserman III

["pwmjoy@earthlink.net" <pwmjoy@earthlink.net>]

It is palpably obvious that our off-the-cuff silly, immature commentator needs help with his reading, his knowledge of the history of education, but most of all is in serious need of self awareness as he undresses his verbal ploys and half-truths. Let?s take a brief journey through Foggybottom?s recent response to the David Wasserman exchange:
 
?Pwmjoy's arguments strike me more as more aking to rantings on AM radio than the mature comments of an educator??..Well, nothing like an inference that the source of this remark is an idol of grown-up-ness. Makes one feel secure that at least someone in the discussion is an adult. What a relief.

?Can anyone seriously argue that George Bush's silver-tongued rhetoric about childrens is learning hoodwinked political neophytes like George Miller and Ted Kennedy into signing on to NCLB and continues to enthrall them into supporting it???.. In fact, they were fooled, and, in fact, their continued support is only with the broadest outlines of NCLB, i.e., all children deserve to prosper at the public schools they attend and not experience a form of educational apartheid based on socio economic class distinction. Furthermore, Maturity Incorporated, again and as is usual, did not address the Kennedy speech given at Walnut Hill School which proved that what hordes of educators have complained about regarding NCLB is true, i.e.,  the disappearance of art, music, physical education etc. from the curriculum.

?NAACP may have signed the Joint Statement, but the fact remains that NAACP argued in federal court that states should enforce the "letter and spirit" of NCLB" and it specifically identified NCLB's accountability and improvement requirements among the provisions that 
should be enforced.???Isn?t this interesting to see how Mr. Totally-An-Adult glosses over the NAACP signature to the ?Joint Statement? and the direct quote from that statement, but underscores the lawsuit in Ct. without contextualizing it within the larger legal framework of civil rights. In fact, this blog had, in the past, published  that this suit was not an outright endorsement of NCLB. It could not have been in order for the NAACP to have signed the ?Joint Statement.?

?La Raza says, "The National Council of La Raza (NCLR) believes that English language learners (ELLs) must be included in the No Child Left Behind Act???s (NCLB) system of assessment and accountability.Prior to enactment of NCLB, ELLs received little attention from the education community, outside of Title VII directors and other bilingual education advocates. NCLB has raised the visibility of ELLs among policy-makers and educators." MALDEF says "Federal, state, and local school officials must ensure that ELLs are fully and appropriately included in NCLB accountability systems so that schools focus upon meeting the academic needs of ELLs." So whle both organizations welcome constructive changes in NCLB, both support NCLB's accountability provisions in their widest outline.???..First of all, as I quoted earlier, Raul Gonzales basically said everything about NCLB is on the table. Mr. Grown-Up pays no attention to this but does use this interesting phrase, ?accountability provisions in their widest outline?. This ?widest outline? has never been, till most recently, his position regarding NCLB. His tenure on this blog has been a kind of ?strict copnstructionist? regarding NCLB, but now he has moved closer to what many critics of NCLB have been saying since day one. Mr. Aged Grape, go back to the ?Joint Statement?. Read it and you will see that it does not represent the current destructive, reductionistic, insulting  implementation of NCLB. However polite its rhetoric, it is a fundamental and bold critique of NCLB and what must essentially change if it is to survive. Read it, ma man!
 
?It is wildly unbelievable to suggest, as pwmjoy does, that George Miller, Ted Kennedy, NAACP, LA Raza, MALDEF, and other leading civil-rights and advocacy organizations are so stupid and so corrupt that they don't recognize a a "fascist" plot against children right under their noses.???Mr. I-Have-Arrived-At-The-Mountaintop-of-Mature-Wisdom continues his propaganda machinations that show no understanding of history and social class conflict. Classic manipulation of ideals like those held by Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Miller, the NAACP, LaRaza, et al (who, by the way?) line the pages of history books. I don?t think they are stupid or corrupt, but I do think they are getting smarter when it comes to dealing with an extremely stupid and corrupt Orwellian mob in the White House and among extremist Republicans. In fact, it is your own seeming stupidity and corrupt intellect that seems to be the real issue here, Mr. Old Wise Owl.
 
?What changes would I like to see in NCLB? For starters, I would like to see recourse for parents and children when districts and states fail to meet their obligations to improve schools. Listen for the howls.??..Well, nothing like a non-response. In effect, this response is empty for no one disagrees with it. The options provided by NCLB don?t work, as most aware folk knew from the beginning, e.g., transfer to more successful schools. So, Cupcake really is in denial. As NCLB morphs, hopefully,  into a wiser vision of achievement for all kids, Sassafrass, will be left behind to ponder the wisdom of his ways and count the days before qualifying for a brain transplant.

P.S. Hey, AB, slap five, daddy, u da grinch dat stole edjacation, but we still luv ya, baby. Ovah 'n out, ma man. Have a cold one and relax. U ok....Gots ta be sumone ta play yo role, baby. :-)

 
 


pwmjoy@earthlink.net
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