Archives
March 4 Actions to Defend Public Education & Ravitch Opposition to Testing and Choice
Democracy Now! offers a summary of actions during the National Day of Action to Defend Public Education. “Students and teachers held hundreds of demonstrations on Thursday as part of the National Day of Action to Defend Public Education. Hundreds of thousands took part in what was the largest day of coordinated student protest in years. We get a
Hess on Federal Jargon & the Jargon of Venture Capitalism and Wall Street Dictate
Much is now being made of the finalists for the first round of Race to the Top funds. To his credit, AEI’s Fred Hess has apparently started to review the substance of the applications. But his posting does not portend a substantive...
Preparing for Tests, Learning…?
As I read Cohen and Moffitt’s, The Ordeal of Equality, I could not help but make some connections to a recent Schools Matter post on high stakes testing. One of my “favorite”...
Is Thinking a “Skill”? Values and Problems in Thinking About the “Liberal Arts”
In today’s online version of the Chronicle of Higher Education, four views regarding the “future of the liberal arts” are presented. While not intending to pick on Martha Nussbaum’s “The Liberal Arts Are Not Elitist” — for in spirit we share a common concern — the piece does nonetheless represent...
Review of “A Measure of Failure: The Political Origins of Standardized Testing”
The February issue of Counseling Today carries a review of my book by Aaron W. Hughey, professor of counseling and student affairs, Western Kentucky University. The essay begins: “True or false: Proponents of standardized testing are, unintentionally or otherwise, pushing an agenda that intrinsically advocates racism and socioeconomic oppression. Intrigued?...
Realism and Social Change
In corresponding with Cassiodorus about my book, the question of social change took center stage. When you argue for social change you inevitably come up against the claims of “realism” — we can’t change this or that because to do so would be “unrealistic.” This is the argument typically...
Are Tests Measures of Test Taking Ability?
In a recent discussion of my book, A Measure of Failure, the typical argument against any critique of standardized testing was issued in response to a favorable review of the book’s main points. In the comments we read: “A math test, such as the math...
The Questions of Education Reform Are Really Questions of Who Decides
It is clear that the education “reform” is being driven by a tiny minority of super wealthy “philanthropists”, executive authorities at state and federal levels of government, and some select “experts”. These are the same forces that have been “leading” education “reform” for the past 30 years, with the result that little has improved,...
Remarks by the President on the “Education To Innovate” Campaign
The White House Office of the Press Secretary November 23, 2009 South Court Auditorium, Dwight D. Eisenhower Executive Office Building THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. I am extraordinarily excited to have you all here today. A couple of special acknowledgements I want to make — first of all, two of my outstanding Cabinet members: Secretary Arne Duncan,...
Former Superintendent Describes Schools as Drudgery and Opposes Logic of “Race to the Top”
In a November 16 commentary at Education Week former Superintendent and Connecticut Commissioner of Education Betty Sternberg challenges central tenants of current “education reform” efforts. Sternberg suggests this is how students see school: It’s drudgery. We...
