Through the Peephole of Education

In the last week, someone apparently stuck a camera up to the keyhole of a sportscaster named Erin Andrews and photographed her while she was nude, and posted it to the internet. This represents not only a gross violation of her privacy, but also shows how little we pay attention to more important matters. Decency and discretion are thrown to the wayside as people create a mob mentality to be appraised of the latest scandal. Ms. Andrews didn't ask to be photographed, but one can assume that she is quite attractive, otherwise, she wouldn't be the most searched term on the internet.

As we address a recession, high unemployment, a record national deficit, escalation of the war in Afghanistan, and national education reform, it is amazing that the nation's attention is focused on the body of Ms. Andrews. To the nations credit, the second leading search for a person using the internet is for Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. One would hope that since she is in the midst of talks with the Chinese, ther diplomatic efforts would focus searches for Secretary of State Clinton. However, many people seem to be riveted to Ms. Clinton because of her recent elbow injury. Though Ms. Andrews and Secretary of State Clinton were the first two "name" searches, one cannot even mention the next two items in polite company. Does this pre-occupation with trivia and smut overwhelm the important issues. In a country that is dedicated to the the idea of democracy and an educated electorate, can the country be sustained by people who seem more concerned with the latest "buzz" on the internet than substantive issues. Is the current and past education system responsible for creating a population that is primarily concerned with trivia?

A culture that is reduced to examining trivia will probably be, well trivial. We cannot sustain a Jeffersonian democracy with a Jerry Springer-type electorate base. Rather than teach to simplistic knowledge, we must create people in the society that actually think about problems in some detail. We live in a complex world, and what is needed to be knowledgable increases constantly. Our school systems have not kept up. In their current configuration, they are unable to improve enough to keep pace with society, must less outpace it.

The current education system needs reform The problem is that most of the fixes that have been proposed cost a lot and will do little in the long run. They cost a lot, and will do little.
In the book Improving the Odds: A basis for long-term change (Rowman and Littlefield), there are discussion and suggestions for a large-scale overhaul of the education system that will benefit all students who attend school.

Things that matter

The world is very different now from the world of 5o years ago. Ideas used to persist for long periods of time and helped form a cultural identity. Unfortunately, those same tendencies to hold onto idea also have us prejudices and sterotypes that were often very harmful. However, it is also good for society to have a memory that lasts longer than the current news cycle. Part of our system of government requires that we develop memories so that we can decide what works and what does not.

Today the top-rated search ion the internet s for Brooke Hogan, a person who is now starting a movie career. How did this person become popular or a top search celebrity. Kim Kardasian is breaking up with Reggie Bush. I didn't know the two were an item. The only item that has political resonance is the cash-for-clunkers Bill that was introduced to get people to trade in their old fuel inefficient cars for new cars with higher fuel efficiency. What does this say about the United States? Does this pre-occupation with the present help us to determine what will be good for the future.

How is the country supposed to improve an educationsystem if there isn't a national consciousmness. Perfhaps we should all twitter in our idea about life.

Moonwalking and Education

In 1969, the United States celebrated when Neil Armstrong proclaimed that he reached the moon's surface and said, "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." The thing that must keep in mind that it the race to the moon was started with an idea by President Kennedy in 1961, but was accomplished only after eight years of focused commitment toward the goal. It is focused commitment that must accompany an effort to make something happen. In 1961, Kennedy agenda was focused by fear of the Soviet Union. Today, the largest concern that most Americans face is the economy. Our ability to be competitive in the world is determined by our intellectual might, and as we embark on another round of education reform(s), we must realize that reaching a goal means working out the details of how to make it happen.

There were millions of details that had to be worked out in order to send people to the surface of the moon. The President articulated the goal, but millions of details had to be worked out to make it happen. As with most great accomplishments, the grandeaur of any large event is the culmination of many details.

Education policy makers must realize that making a speech doesn't make an event occur. Although America doesn't face threats from the Soviet Union, it does face economic threats to its current status and way of life. The nation's education system is a slower and more insidious problem to the nation's future than the Soviet Union. Public education has both implication for democracy and economic growth in the United States. It is important, and it is equally important to get it right.

As President Obama embarks on an ambitious education agenda, he must avoid rhetoric and look at the details. As the mishaps in the American space program have shown, the details are important. The tragedies of the space program left visible and dramatic outcomes when details are ignored. Small things are important. Knowing what one is doing is important. The United States' commitment to education must be focused, but it needs to work out the details.

Facebook and the Tour de France

While in India, Bill Gates told an audience he'd given up on Facebook due to too many friends. If ever there was an advertisement for the value of education, there it is. Everyone wants to be Bill Gates' friend. He also said the "text messaging" wasn't his style either.

Bill Gates knows the value of education. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has taken on many challenges; one of them is the state of American education. The Gates Foundation has had mixed success, but one thing they're doing is trying new ideas. They have thrown some money into the education arena and found that success can mixed and unpredictable.

This week President Obama came out with a plan to spend about $4 bn on American education. The problem is that the ideas being paraded about seem very similar to those of the previous administration. Yet, it is sort of like the opening day at the Tour de France race. Everyone's excited when the race starts. Where will the Obama education "plan" be when the race gets to the tougher stages; that is the question that needs to be answered. Right now, with money to wave around, both Bill Gates and Obama have lots of friends.

What we need are leaders.

Obama - "Race to the Top?"

Today President Obama announced that he would allow $4 billion in federal grant money to head toward public schools. It's called the "Race to the Top."

This is interesting. The President has put together a competitive grant program. If truly competitive, the people who are most competent in education would get the money. The need for change is mostly in areas where poverty and education seem to be intrinsically tied.

The White House press release said, "And we're counting on the fact that, ultimately, this is an incentive, this is a challenge for people who do want to change," Obama said. Hopefully, he will spell out who the "people" are that "do" want to change. One thing can be assured: People will apply for the $4 bn in funding. People will spend the $4 bn in funding, and taxpayers will be responsible for paying back $4 bn in funds.

Perhaps some perspective is in order here. Obama is on a spending spree in the White House. When people go on sprees, they tend to lose sight of the obvious and get caught in the moment. For example, when Paris Hilton was going out at night and "partying" with many people every night (it seemed), she loses the perspective on her actions. It seems normal. The fact is, most people do not behave this way. She recently claimed that she wasn't a "slut" and she wasn't "stupid." However, her actions seem to contradict her words. President Obama is throwing around a lot of money at problems. He's partying with the public's money. That's his job, but at some point, he will have to defend his actions. That money has to be paid back and it should be directed in the best way possible. Luckily President Obama will not have to defend his behavior like Paris Hilton does, but wanton spending will make people question his judgment.

Thank you Bill Gates

Back in 2005, Bill Gates III gave a speech to American governors and he told them that the education system in cannot work. For Gates, it was a prelude to tackling the problem of American education through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. For me, it was a challenge to find why public (actually most) education is the way it is. The result will be published in October 2009 and is called: Improving the Odds: A basis for long-term change (Rowman and Littlefield). The book shows that until structural elements in education are changed, American education will continue to fail.

Bush and No Child Left Behind will fail. Obama's education plan that is headed by Department of Education secretary, Arne Duncan, will fail. He said he looked to four agendas to improve education: better information to track students; higher standards and better assessment; turning around troubled schools; and improving the quality of the workforce.

That all sounds good, but he sort of missed improving the quality of the lessons that students receive.... That's where the learning takes place.