A Korean camera crew showed this photo-essay to me. I think they had a hard time understanding the number of police officers that created “safe passage” for students on their way to school in Chicago.
They came to interview me about how money affects the politics of education in the United States. The producer had a copy of The Death and Life of the Great American School System, translated into Korean. I gave him a copy of Reign of Error to take back to Korea. I asked whether there were any charter schools or vouchers in Korea. He said, “No. But there are alternative schools. The alternative schools are for children who misbehave.”
He asked me again and again to explain why political leaders were closing public schools. He found this concept incomprehensible.
Korea is one of the highest performing nations on international tests. It has the highest proportion of college graduates of any nation in the OECD.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Perhaps the for profit cram schools have something to do with the educational success in Korea. Here is an article about the system:http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324635904578639780253571520.html#articleTabs%3Darticle
“South” Korean, I assume.
Somehow I missed the photos of Rahm’s kids going to school on the first day. I’ll go back through the photos.
Rahm is actually in there – awkward moment attempting to forge bond with commoner 🙂
I think what John meant is that Rahm’s kids don’t walk a “safe passage” route because they are driven by car to one of the best private schools in the city.
Anyone know anything about the South Korean “alternative schools” referred to in Diane’s post?
I am not sure what the alternative schools are. The vast majority of Korean students do attend private tutoring academies, hagwons, where teachers earn as much as professional athletes.
I will find out about their alternative schools. The Seoul Ministry of Education has asked me to present on U.S. small schools and independents at their annual conference in October (based upon my new book, “Real Teachers.”
I will be bringing back plenty of stories! — Stuart Grauer
(I should add that, unfortunately, in the US, “alternative school” has a bit of a negative connotation as it does in Korea — hopefully that’s changing.)
The faces of the children and their parents are so full of woe, angst, resolution, maybe fear too. This is the first day of school. There should be happy faces on the children and their parents. It is disgusting what has been done. This can only get worse for these families.