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When we& #39;re talking about "good" schools, it& #39;s important to consider what we mean by "good."
(Thread)
(Thread)
Let& #39;s imagine that my mentor @DLabaree is right, and that there are three major aims in American education:
1. Democratic equality
2. Social efficiency
3. Social mobility
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1. Democratic equality
2. Social efficiency
3. Social mobility
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Democratic equality represents the perspective of the citizen. The goal is to foster a functional participatory republic for all.
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Social efficiency represents the perspective of the taxpayer. The aim is to minimize expenditures while maximizing social and economic benefit for the polis.
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Social mobility is a bit different. It& #39;s a private aim. It represents the perspective of the individual. The aim is to get ahead.
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When we talk about "good" schools, we are rarely talking about the *public* aims of education (democratic equality and social efficiency).
Instead, we are generally talking about the *private* aims of education.
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Instead, we are generally talking about the *private* aims of education.
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The irony is that, when it comes to "getting ahead," learning is mostly irrelevant. Instead, what matters is status distinction.
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Thus, "good" schools are "top-ranked," "elite," "exclusive," "expensive," etc.
Basically: they are sieves. They filter most people out so that those remaining can accumulate valuable credentials that offer them better access to social and economic goodies.
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Basically: they are sieves. They filter most people out so that those remaining can accumulate valuable credentials that offer them better access to social and economic goodies.
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And because of the myth of meritocracy, the status-enhancing credentials they acquire will be viewed as an indication of their inherent worth as individuals...rather than their privilege and savvy as agents competing against others in a market setting.
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We might conclude, then, that most of us, when we are talking about "good" schools, actually don& #39;t mean that at all. Not in the least. Not one little bit.
We aren& #39;t talking about places where people are transformed by learning. We& #39;re talking about places that endow power.
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We aren& #39;t talking about places where people are transformed by learning. We& #39;re talking about places that endow power.
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Once more, I believe clarity of language is essential.
When people say "good" school, we are all obligated to ask: "Good at what?"
We might further ask: "Good at perpetuating inequality? Or good at...you know...learning and personal transformation and that stuff?"
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When people say "good" school, we are all obligated to ask: "Good at what?"
We might further ask: "Good at perpetuating inequality? Or good at...you know...learning and personal transformation and that stuff?"
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If we actually care about *learning* ... (I& #39;m chuckling...because...I wonder...)
Anyway, if we actually care about learning, THEN THERE CAN BE ENOUGH FOR EVERYONE. (I put the kicker in all caps so you don& #39;t miss it!)
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Anyway, if we actually care about learning, THEN THERE CAN BE ENOUGH FOR EVERYONE. (I put the kicker in all caps so you don& #39;t miss it!)
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But if what we care about is social mobility, then it is a war of all against all.
In David& #39;s phrasing: Someone has to fail.
And guess who that& #39;s most likely to be? The least advantaged members of our society.
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In David& #39;s phrasing: Someone has to fail.
And guess who that& #39;s most likely to be? The least advantaged members of our society.
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We can have schools that educate young people in relatively equal fashion. Or we can have schools that function to provide social and economic advantage over others.
But we can& #39;t have both.
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But we can& #39;t have both.
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To me, a "good" school is a beautiful thing. It& #39;s a place that I recognize when I read my friend Mike Rose& #39;s work.
So that& #39;s what I ask about when people tell me they want their kids to have access to "good" schools. And I think that& #39;s what we should all do.
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So that& #39;s what I ask about when people tell me they want their kids to have access to "good" schools. And I think that& #39;s what we should all do.
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We should assume that people actually mean something about teaching and learning, and we should say it directly. And we should present the alternative: "or do you mean this other thing...which has nothing to do with actual learning?"
Because...yikes...who& #39;s gonna pick that?
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Because...yikes...who& #39;s gonna pick that?
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And there, my friends, is your rant for the day. Let us all now pour ourselves some coffee and dive into the sandtraps that are our email in-boxes.
Au revoir until the next outrage.
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Au revoir until the next outrage.
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