Thoughts

The guy might do a good job; I don't know. But I cringed when I heard the latest "savior" of the Detroit Public Schools is a career administrator. I think, far more than the teachers' unions, that these career administrators are responsible for the lousy state of American education. They may or may not admit or even know it, but they are more concerned with perpetuating their jobs than anything else. They adopt the latest ineffective programs. Go ahead, name one and then look back to see how it's failed under another name. They want, not independent thinkers, but sycophants/bobbleheads, teachers willing to go along with the latest ineffective programs. So, I guess I wonder why yet another career administrator is chosen to "save" Detroit??????

Speaking of schools, why are the standards for state student tests being raised? This raises all sorts of questions. First, the state superintendent moans that the tests "reward average." So, what's wrong with "average?" Not everyone can be a superstar and anyone who thinks everyone can be is delusional. Remember how much people laugh at Lake Woebegone and its "above average" motif?????? Well, here it is in real life and we're supposed to take it seriously. Second, so, then, there was something wrong with the old standards? Hmmm.... If so, why did it take so long to identify the errors/weaknesses? Who was responsible for them in the first place? This stinks of a political move, doesn't it? Think about this for a minute or two and tell me it doesn't. And, once again, this shows the absolutely silly obsession administrators have with tests/testing. Oh, I know why they are. First, teachers have nobody to blame but themselves. They lowered standards while they raised grades. They weren't teaching a whole lot. Second, the politicians grabbed this and made it a hot potato, challenging the schools and education in general. Unwilling or unable to show any backbone, administrators just caved in to the calls for incessant testing. Think how much wasted time and money there are with testing--preparation, administration, evaluation. Remember when courses for administrators were called "Educational Leadership?"

And speaking of yet another career administrator being selected as the "savior," are Republicans going to select Romney as their "savior?" If so, why? Right next to the word RINO in the dictionary is Romney's photo. He's not a staunch conservative, one willing to stand up and fight to take back what the liberals have taken. What's he going to do about handouts and entitlements? Check his record--the answer is painfully obvious. Republican leadership reminds me of school leadership--it's lacking. The media tell us that Ron Paul is not electable and the Republican leadership buys it, hook, line, and sinker. I guess our two politcal parties are now the Democrats and the Media. If Romney is nominated, the Republicans deserve to lose. And that's too bad for the future.

How great to hear Robt Reich, the economist, on the radio today. He was very skilled at dancing around the questions and points made by Frank Beckmann. Hmmm.... And I think his history and/or interpretation of it is not so hot. Were FDR's New Deal jobs programs "marvelously effective" if they cut unemployment from about 13 million to 11 million in four years--oh, and tax rates of 75% and higher for those with the largest incomes, you know, those most likely to spend money to create jobs? Didn't, at least in part, John Maynard Keynes himself say Keynsian principles (more, more, more gov't spending) they didn't work? Was it really gov't spending in WW2 (hey, Mr Reich, what about that New Deal spending?) that ended the Depression? More and more evidence points to the post-war consumer spending, not any gov't programs. But he was very good at avoiding his host's questions.

Out for a thrilling lecture, I'm sure, on the early US colonies.