A great spot on “This Week”, with education heavyweights with real policy differences talking about the Obama Administration efforts in this area. Superintendent Rhee in Washington has not been afraid to stir the pot vigorously. The Obama Administration has made some real enemies with the Teacher unions, and you can see the Secretary trying to mend those fences in these clips. But some of the education data is really frightening, and the system is clearly broken in key areas. Merit pay? The ability to dismiss “poor teachers”? Pay levels for teachers? A real good discussion.
http://abcnews.go.com/assets/player/walt2.6/flash/SFP_Walt.swf
http://abcnews.go.com/assets/player/walt2.6/flash/SFP_Walt.swf
Bill Manzi.com 
Your Honor,
This is the end of the road. I went to public school in the 1940 and 50’s. The schools were managed by local school boards with strong parental participation. This combination produced skilled people leading to a enormous global electronics market, made advances in Medicine, and we walked on the moon.
I can even remember when the Nobel Prize was an honorable award.
With the announcement by Republican Governor Cellucci that the state would take over control of Massachusetts public schools, the long slide to the Federal takeover, approved by our education boards. Your constituencies never had a choice.
Everything you are finding to admire in the Duncan/Obama/Manzi triumvirate was put in place by your political class.
I pray for the children.
Jules
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Jules,
There is much to be discouraged about in federal education policy. I went to a grammar school where I was taught by nuns without all of the bells and whistles. The world has changed, and education needs have changed. With those changing needs has come differing educational philosophies. I wish we could go back to a simpler time. But the world has changed my friend.
Bill
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Your Honor,
That’s not true. We CAN bring back eduction as it should be. After all, your Honor, “it’s for the kids.” (chuckling)
The strongest education model I can think of is a strong principle (think Mother superior) free to hire her own staff. Her responsibility is the successful education of her charges. She engages the school board and parents. This is not a progressive template.
No room for union dominance her. She sets the rules–period.
We may need term limits.
Jules.
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Your Honor,
Check out the story on failed public schools in the Boston area.
As part of the improvements mandated is to do away with the Union Contracts (Hurray)and leave it up to the principles to govern as they wish.
Story in yesterday’s Herald.
Jules
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