> ----- Original Message -----

> Sent: Friday, May 09, 2003 3:55 PM

> Subject: [math-fun] Public education more harmful than Al Qaeda (350 line flame)

> Gene kindly forwards me copies of a newsletter by one Arthur Robinson, who
> rages against the American public school system, claiming that its failure
> to crank out scientifically literate graduates goes beyond mere incompetence
> and is, in fact, politically motivated sabotage of objective and
> quantitative thinking.
>
> I tended to ascribe this extreme view to Robinson's conservative politics
> and desire to promote his own extensive home-schooling curriculum.
>
> That was before I started helping some Los Altos kids with their homework.
>
> [much elided]

>
> Where is the outrage from scientifically literate parents? I guess they all
> home-school.
> --Bill Gosper

I'm one of those homeschoolers. It may not be the optimal education, but I much

prefer it to a public school system which leaves children ill-fitted to make correct

change in the grocery line, much less question their government or media.

It is my observation that the quality of public education has declined significantly in

recent years. I can't pin the blame on any individual or policy, I believe there are

several factors. One problem is that today, teaching is one of the least rewarding

ways in which a person can invest his intellectual resources, hence the profession

tends to draw less than stellar talent. Also, the prevailing laws prevent the proper

imposition of discipline on the student body, at best making it difficult for teachers

to maintain necessary order, sometimes leaving teachers at the mercy of the

students. Add into this mix the garbage that passes for curriculum in many public

schools, and you have a recipe for academic disaster. I have to believe that in the

policy and curriculum areas, there are some political influences which prevent

remedies that would be obvious to many.

On top of this, public schools expose children to unnecessary social problems.

Lack of discipline leads naturally to a youth culture in which bullying, drugs,

premarital sex, violence, and you name it flourish. Traditionally, when drug lords

target a community for infiltration, the first place they target is the public school.

I could go into gruesome detail, but why. You all know about Columbine and

other similar incidents; these are tragic, but symptomatic of even more tragic

systemic social problems with public education.

Historically, public education grew up after the Civil War, championed by such

reformers as Clara Barton. At that time, a good education was not generally

available, and the goals of public education, to avail every child of an adequate

education, was laudable. In those days, public educations was truly public,

being funded largely by the local community. Over the years, however, the

Federal government has become an increasingly overbearing presence in

public education, and communities have been trading away local control of their

children's education for Uncle Sam's almighty buck. If the trend continues, I

ultimately see public schools becoming essentially government institutions,

with conduct and education of the students being geared to the benefit of the

government, not of the student.

I expect that sooner or later, some influential liberal will argue that compulsory

public education is the answer to today's educational decline. There has been

a lot of time and money spent on trying to fix public schools, and we don't ever

seem to be able to do it. To my way of thinking, if public education is the problem,

more of it can't be the answer. It is interesting to note that compulsory public

education is the hallmark of totalitarian governments, vis Napoleonic France,

Nazi Germany, Communist Russia, etc ad infinitum. Government-funded

education does not have savory historical bedfellows.

</soapbox>

OK, back to math or fun or whatever.