Education-The Shame of the Nation

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I am listening, for the second time today, to Jonathan Kozol’s absolutely brilliant speech on Alternative Radio on National Public Radio (NPR).

If you care about education in America at all, you should know about the work of this exceptional man.

The thrust of the speech is that apartheid is more alive and well than any time since the death of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. As absurd as it sounds, it is true, and shamefully so.

Another great point he makes is how high-stakes testing is corrupting and distorting curricula. Of course you know this, but he is so eloquent about it that it makes you think harder than you probably ever have about it.

I cannot do the speech justice. You can order a copy of it at the above link. Or you can call 1-444-1977.

Here are two other links, to a sites where you can learn more about Kozol (and you should):

Jonathan Kozol’s Homepage
Rethinking Schools

When you read or listen to Mr. Kozol, you will thank your lucky stars if you are a homeschool family.

Don’t expect him to bash teachers, though. He knows they usually trying to do an almost impossible job under terrible odds. He doesn’t bash administrators, either (that’s where we part company). But he sticks it to the real evildoers - the politicians who back the “No Child Left Unstressed” (”No Politician Left Unenriched”) debacle. Those hypocritical gasbags who talk about “school pride.”

I’m going back to listen some more. This man really knows what it’s like to speak truth to power.

Please learn more about him.