Open hearts, open minds, fair-minded words
That’s what President Obama called for yesterday, in relation to the emotionally heated abortion debate. But it’s a good principle for the education “war of ideas” too. Both opponents and proponents of “school reform” tend to vilify the other side with caricatures. Union bosses are power-hungry Machiavellians who want to keep poor children trapped in failing schools. Reformers are greedy capitalists determined to outsource our public education system to the highest bidder.
Actually, I think both sides care about improving children’s lives, want an education system that works for all kids, and think they are on the side of the angels.
So let’s keeping fighting the good fight, but by engaging over ideas, not by demonizing our opponents.
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May 19th, 2009 at 5:55 pm
Mike,
Commenting on the class size debate between Alan Kruger and Eric Hanushek, Jennifer Rice King made an observation that has long stuck with me:
It is unfortunate that the subject of public education has become so polarized that policy debates, allegedly based on scholarly research, have become more contentious than the research itself seems to require. A careful reading of the papers that follow cannot fail to lead readers to the conclusion that there is substantial agreement between these antagonists
Many sincere parents who believe smaller class sizes are a key educational reform move quickly to insulting my intelligence when I dare to suggest that the research suggests the applicability of CSR may be limited. SO I would suggest the problem has devolved down to the level of parents, not just policy wonks.