[TheForge] Public Education

[Bob Ehrenberger]

I was gone for the weekend so today I was trying to catch up on missed 
e-mail.
I came across this message from Andy:

>Date: Fri, 18 Mar 2011 20:29:07 -0500
>From: Andrew Vida <osan at netlabs.net>
>Subject: Re: [TheForge] now Japanese nuke plants OT: POL:

>That was once true, and only marginally so.  The US public school
>system was patterned very directly on that of the one found in Prussia.
 > The openly and unabashedly stated goal of the Prussian system  was to
>produce the most docile, regimented, channeled, and *controllable*
>citizen possible.  This is a matter of historical record - please look
>it up and see for yourself.

>The openly stated goal of the architects of the system we know today
>was to produce MINIMALLY literate stock for work in factories with just
>enough ability to read, write, and do arithmetic.  Read the works of men
>such as John Dewey.  They put it in black and white for the world to see.

>The notion of what "minimally literate" was different in those days,
>the standard being higher than it is today in real terms.  Today the
>focus is placed on teaching to the standardized test, an abomination and
>crime against the children of any nation including ours.

>"When I was a teacher starting back in 83 "

>I was still able to pretty well blow off
>most of the standard curriculum in favor of my vastly superior fare.
>Today I would not be able to do it for any of a few reasons including
>the threat of losing my position, possibly being criminally charged, and
>the fact that the "standards" that have been foisted upon the kids are
>so stupidly and worthlessly stringent, there is absolutely no time to
>stray from the script with which the teacher is provided.  Loss of even
>a day's scripted vomitus places the students at risk of not passing
>their standardized, cookie cutter tests.  The kids are placed under
>tremendous pressures and it is not healthy for them in any measure or
>respect.

My question to you is,  Am I the only one that is a little concerned that 
Andy was
ever alowed to teach?  Has there been any follow up to make sure these kids
were not damaged from the exposure?

Robert Ehrenberger
Shelbyville, Mo.
eforge at centurytel.net