Hurray For Bob Herbert! Education-Wise, He Agrees With Me!
- Date: 2010-09-19 - Word Count: 612
Share This!
Summary: even liberal media are starting to realize that we are sliding into an educational swamp, most of it caused by liberal educators.
Okay, liberals, everything's cool. The New York Times -- preeminently, Bob Herbert -- has endorsed all the points I've been making the last many years. You may have thought these were extreme perspectives. Not at all! I and the New York Times speak with one voice on education. You can now enjoy my articles with abandon.
I've been saying for years that American public schools are dysfunctional, married to mediocrity, and far below what we could easily achieve. Did you doubt it? Herbert says, "The problem is that today's young Americans are not coming close to acquiring the education and training needed...to increase our standing in the world. They're not even in the ballpark...That is beyond pathetic." Exactly. My thoughts to a T.
I've been saying for years that our Education Establishment is primarily responsible for our decline. Herbert tries to dish a little dirt on parents and students, but basically he sees the light. He blasts "the educational establishment, government leaders, the news media and on and on." That's the Big Dumb Three right there: Education Establishment, government leaders, and the media. Exactly. I'm so pleased to hear him indict the Education Establishment. In my opinion, these loopy ideologues are deliberately dumbing-down the country. Clearly, that is also Herbert's view.
There is of course some irony here that Herbert seems to miss. The news media he blames are mainly the New York Times and its liberal clones. This seem to me like a man who sets a town on fire, and then laments that the fire department responds slowly. As long as there have been progressives undermining public education, the liberal New York Times has provided flank support. Even today, when a lifelong Communist dies, the Times obituary will call him a peace activist. There's a lot of covering up, a lot of spin, a lot of pretending that crazy America-hating liberal educators are actually mild-mannered moderates. Not.
Oh well, let's not be picky. Let's celebrate this great convergence: the New York Times and me. Herbert says, "Instead of exercising the appropriate mental muscles, we're allowing ourselves to become a nation of nitwits." Exactly. Nitwits is an excellent characterization for the people in charge of public education. That's the sorry spectacle, nitwits churning out more nitwits.
I have to confess I've enjoyed my maverick status. What will it be like, this new life where the fashionably pink New York Times agrees with me? Oh well, we have to do what's best for the country. And that is to fire off a 21-gun salute in honor of Bob Herbert's newfound conservatism. He is of course conservative in wishing a return to traditional, commonsense education. In all my articles, there is hardly a splinter of interest in way-out theories or abstractions. I'm interested in only one thing: what works. That attitude is, I submit, the essence of conservative thinking. It seems to me Herbert is fully on board with exactly that sort of practical approach. Again, hurray!
I feel confident that Herbert would agree with me up and down the line. We need to return instantly to an emphasis on facts, basics, knowledge, mastery, and memory. Simultaneously, we toss out all the gimmicks, such as Whole Word, Constructivism, Reform Math, Self-Esteem, Authentic Assessment and dozens more that are pulling down the country's children.
Coda: Just to be fair, other Times columnists have migrated into my camp. For example, Thomas Friedman announced in 2009 that "today, educationally, we are a nation in decline." Exactly!
(Bruce Price writes about education and culture on his site Improve-Education.org and many other sites. Join the crusade.)
Okay, liberals, everything's cool. The New York Times -- preeminently, Bob Herbert -- has endorsed all the points I've been making the last many years. You may have thought these were extreme perspectives. Not at all! I and the New York Times speak with one voice on education. You can now enjoy my articles with abandon.
I've been saying for years that American public schools are dysfunctional, married to mediocrity, and far below what we could easily achieve. Did you doubt it? Herbert says, "The problem is that today's young Americans are not coming close to acquiring the education and training needed...to increase our standing in the world. They're not even in the ballpark...That is beyond pathetic." Exactly. My thoughts to a T.
I've been saying for years that our Education Establishment is primarily responsible for our decline. Herbert tries to dish a little dirt on parents and students, but basically he sees the light. He blasts "the educational establishment, government leaders, the news media and on and on." That's the Big Dumb Three right there: Education Establishment, government leaders, and the media. Exactly. I'm so pleased to hear him indict the Education Establishment. In my opinion, these loopy ideologues are deliberately dumbing-down the country. Clearly, that is also Herbert's view.
There is of course some irony here that Herbert seems to miss. The news media he blames are mainly the New York Times and its liberal clones. This seem to me like a man who sets a town on fire, and then laments that the fire department responds slowly. As long as there have been progressives undermining public education, the liberal New York Times has provided flank support. Even today, when a lifelong Communist dies, the Times obituary will call him a peace activist. There's a lot of covering up, a lot of spin, a lot of pretending that crazy America-hating liberal educators are actually mild-mannered moderates. Not.
Oh well, let's not be picky. Let's celebrate this great convergence: the New York Times and me. Herbert says, "Instead of exercising the appropriate mental muscles, we're allowing ourselves to become a nation of nitwits." Exactly. Nitwits is an excellent characterization for the people in charge of public education. That's the sorry spectacle, nitwits churning out more nitwits.
I have to confess I've enjoyed my maverick status. What will it be like, this new life where the fashionably pink New York Times agrees with me? Oh well, we have to do what's best for the country. And that is to fire off a 21-gun salute in honor of Bob Herbert's newfound conservatism. He is of course conservative in wishing a return to traditional, commonsense education. In all my articles, there is hardly a splinter of interest in way-out theories or abstractions. I'm interested in only one thing: what works. That attitude is, I submit, the essence of conservative thinking. It seems to me Herbert is fully on board with exactly that sort of practical approach. Again, hurray!
I feel confident that Herbert would agree with me up and down the line. We need to return instantly to an emphasis on facts, basics, knowledge, mastery, and memory. Simultaneously, we toss out all the gimmicks, such as Whole Word, Constructivism, Reform Math, Self-Esteem, Authentic Assessment and dozens more that are pulling down the country's children.
Coda: Just to be fair, other Times columnists have migrated into my camp. For example, Thomas Friedman announced in 2009 that "today, educationally, we are a nation in decline." Exactly!
(Bruce Price writes about education and culture on his site Improve-Education.org and many other sites. Join the crusade.)
Bruce Deitrick Price is the founder of Improve-Education.org, a high-level education and intellectual site. One focus is reading; see "42: Reading Resources." Another focus is education reform; see "38: Saving Public Schools." Price is an author, artist and poet. His fifth book is "THE EDUCATION ENIGMA--What Happened to American Education."n
n Your Article Search Directory : Find in Articles
Recent articles in this category:
- How Hypnotherapy Can be Used on Children
Today Hypnosis can be termed as a branch of medicine which is quite unique, whereas in the past this - Confidence Workshops For Children
Every parent wants their children to be confident, happy, highly motivated and enthusiastic in order - Inspiring Children Using NLP
Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) is one of the most successful therapies in psychology today. Init - Writing Term Papers
Students often tend to put off a written assignment, considering it to be a chore too formidable to - Naming In Term Paper
Give a descriptive name to each of your concept in the paper. Adhere using terms like "our approach" - Introduction Section of a Research Paper
Your introductions should not exceed more than two pages (typed, double spaced). See again the examp - Getting a Feedback of Your Term Paper is Important!
Get the feedback of your work! Finish your paper, having written it well in advance, so that you hav - The 1950's - Was Life Better?
Iconic TV shows like I Love Lucy, Dennis the Menace and My Three Sons seem to indicate that the 1950 - Online Classroom Systems Makes Home Schooling Even More Attractive
In the past it went without saying that you would send your kids to public schools. With public scho - 8 Helpful Tips For Surviving Military Basic Training
Getting through military basic training takes a lot perseverance. During this training it is best to
Most viewed articles in this category:
- Culinary Cooking Schools and What They Teach
Culinary cooking schools prepare you for a job in the culinary industry by providing you with the kn - How To Learn Spanish Quickly Without Moving To Spain
Learning Spanish is a popular pastime, as well as a serious goal for many individuals. Whether it's - How To Improve Your Life With An Accredited Online College Degree
With the information super highway raring full steam ahead, quality accredited online college degree - Online Bachelor Degree Programs Go Mainstream
The Internet has seen an explosion in online bachelor degree programs in the last five to ten years - Online Degree Program Just A Click Away
You want to go shopping, but your car is low on gas. You want to know your account balance, but do n - Online Paralegal Degree Will Open Doors
An online paralegal degree may offer the possibility of improving your chances in the legal professi - What West Point Military School Looks For In A Candidate
West Point is looking for well rounded young men and women who are good students, good athletes, and - The Importance of Effective Accounting Programs
In the past, small businesses like mom and pop stores were not required to maintain any sort of acco - California Schools Educators Retirement System And Lionstone Group Create Investment Fund
The California State Teachers' Retirement System (CSTRS) is the second largest public pension fund i - A Taste of China - Seattle Schools New Guest Teacher Shares Language and Culture of Her Native Hom
The Seattle schools have a new "guest" teacher. Zhu Dan arrived in the Seattle schools in January