Secretary of Education Arne Duncan’s children will attend the private University of Chicago Lab School, where his wife works.
Of course, everyone is free to send their children wherever they wish. What’s interesting about Duncan choosing this school is that it does not practice any of the policies that Duncan has promulgated. It is a progressive school, founded by John Dewey. No Common Core. No evaluation of teachers by test scores. No performance pay.
Duncan attended the prestigious University of Chicago Lab School. The teachers are unionized. President Obama sent his daughters there. Mayor Rahm Emanuel sends his children there.
Julie Vassilatos, a parent activist in Chicago, notes that Duncan has chosen a school that is free of any of Duncan’s influence. This is how she describes the Lab School:
Lab is an excellent, well-resourced private school with a rich arts curriculum, small classes, entire rooms devoted to holding musical instruments, a unionized teaching staff that you pretty much never hear anyone suggesting should be replaced by untrained temp workers, and not one single standardized test until students reach age 14.
In other words, Lab School has to date experienced not one ounce of influence from Arne Duncan’s Department of Ed. Not one ounce of impact from his policies.
Not.
One.
He’s choosing to keep his kids out of the system that requires nearly continuous standardized testing each year: three iterations of the PARCC, three of the NWEA MAP, the REACH Performance Tasks; the NAEP, TRC + DIBELS, mClass Math, and IDEL specially for littles; and EXPLORE, PLAN, COMPASS, and STAR for bigs.
I know, he’s told us, like a father, it’s okay. Our kids can do this. It’s what’s best. It’s challenging. What kind of message does it send our children if we object to a challenge? He’s gotten this narrative out far and wide, so that folks who don’t have kids in school now can often be seen saying things in newspaper comments sections like, “Why can’t these whiners just shut up and take the test?” or “What a bunch of weaklings! These kids and parents don’t have any spines anymore if they don’t want to take the test!”
You’ll note, in these kinds of comments sections, that it is always the test. As if there is one.
What those commenters don’t know is that the endless stream of tests, accompanying prep, and supporting curricula are low-quality dreck, and they have very little to do with actual learning. They do, however, have a lot to do with bubbling in bubbles and guessing what adults expect.
No, those commenters may not know how bad the situation is for public schools right now in terms of testing.
But Arne Duncan does. He crafted the testing policy and now calls it a civil right.
He’s choosing to keep his kids out of a system that spends so much time and money on testing that there’s little time left, and no money, for stuff that’s not on the tests: history, science, art, music.
If only Duncan wanted America’s children to have public schools with the same rich offerings as the Lab School. Public schools that didn’t have to waste time and money on endless bubble tests. Duncan knows what is best for his children, for Rahm’s children, and for the President’s children. Why isn’t it right for other people’s children? John Dewey founded the Lab School to see what was best for public education, not just for the children of elites.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Reblogged this on Crazy Normal – the Classroom Exposé and commented:
Arne Duncan’s children do NOT attend a school with Common Core and/or high stakes tests. In fact, Duncan attended the same school his children go to. Duncan supports education policies that are bad for 99.9% of America’s children but sends his own children to schools that do not follow any of HIS own policies. What is that called—hypocrisy, deceit, deception, dishonesty, fraud—I think?
The type is well known. Has been for a long time.
Just take an old dead French guy, for example, on the unintended praise by rheephormsters of those in favor of a “better education for all”:
“Hypocrisy is the homage vice pays to virtue.” [François de La Rochefoucauld]
Arne Duncan himself and his children. Bill Gates himself and his children. The children of Chris Christie. The children of Barack Obama.
What they advocate and mandate for OTHER PEOPLE’S CHILDREN they shun and avoid, and provide the opposite of, for THEIR OWN CHILDREN. And to a very large degree, they know they’re doing it but that’s not what they say in public.
How seriously should we take this vast chasm, consciously chosen, between words and deeds? Let a very dead and very old and very Greek guy lead the way:
“Hateful to me as the gates of Hades is that man who hides one thing in his heart and speaks another.”
Homer. Still going strong after millennia.
😎
This is not surprising. Guess he doesn’t want his children taking all those useless tests.
Diane:
Please begin your blog everyday with this entry. People should be reminded of this basic, fundamental truth about the scam going on in education policy. E v e r y d a y
Public education is to the Lab School as the 99% is to the ___________%? The only test you need to pass!
+1 +1 +1 +1
It’s all about choice. Duncan has a choice — and he’s doing everything he can to prevent the peons from having one.
Not stepping in your own doo doo is stepping in your own doo doo. But Duncan’s doo doo is the length of a basketball court deep.
Although it might be unreasonable to expect public schools to provide the same kind of educational environment of the Lab School or Sidwell, if Arne truly cared about American children, he could have pushed all schools in the direction of the best.
One of the biggest ironies of the present “reform” is the fact that almost all its leaders know what’s best for their own children and that is as far from “reform” as one can get. Shame, shame, shame.
Well other parents care about their children too and it is these parents who will deliver us from “reform.”
And it’s telling that so many great schools do not opt for any of the Duncan doo.
Do as I say, not as I do! I’m done pointing out the inconsistent truths of Arne Duncan. The real question is for the President: When, Mr. President, are you going to admit that the reform movement is a failure because it is really just a giant corporate reform scheme. You may have been fooled by the rhetoric Mr. President, but you are the leader and it is time for you to admit that you were wrong! Why does your friendship with Arne Duncan outweigh the good of our nation’s public school system? If Arne Duncan is really your friend, he will do all the things I just asked you about on his own. If you are going to just let this run its course until your term ends, you are a coward and your name will be infamous for everyone who values the public school systems or our nation.
“President, are you going to admit that the reform movement is a failure because it is really just a giant corporate reform scheme.”
NO!, NO! NO!
One can’t let the president off that easily. It has been his choice of policy and the person to implement it. He owns it.
And it’s not a “giant corporate reform scheme”.
That concept of “corporate reform” needs to be dropped as corporate is way to broad of a category to be meaningful. The term corporate* covers many individuals who are against the whole edudeformer and/or privateer agenda. Those reading this right now can look around themselves and realize they are surrounded by fine products produced by corporations, none of whom have anything whatsoever to do with the edudeformers and privateers. We are doing ourselves a grave, serious disservice by using “corporate reform” as the term to describe the assaults on public education.
Those assaults are being done by many individuals for whom the term “corporate” doesn’t apply, some who see multiple billion $$$ in sucking off the backs of students for whom the monies have been originally allocated. The assaults are carried out by many in position of authority like state department of education personnel who carry out the unjust laws promulgated by politicians who are paid handsomely by the privatizers and their lobbyists. The assaults are carried out by the vast majority of those working in public education, the district administrators, the school administrators and the teachers who are almost all worse than sheep in having no ability nor desire to stand up for what is right-chicken livered, yellow bellied poltroons all of them!
Harsh, damn right! I call out all you GAGAers, all you timid, fearful and courageless cowards who carry out the unjust, unethical and immoral educational malpractices. You, yes, you teachers and administrators who have done so are the ones I’m addressing.
Now have at it and blast away at me about jobs, livelihoods, bills to pay, etc. . . . It’s your conscience not mine!
*Definition of CORPORATE
1a : formed into an association and endowed by law with the rights and liabilities of an individual : incorporated
b : of or relating to a corporation <a plan to reorganize the corporate structure
c : of, relating to, or being the large corporations of a country or region considered as a unit
d : having qualities (as commercialism or lack of originality) associated with large corporations or attributed to their influence or control
2: of, relating to, or formed into a unified body of individuals <human law arises by the corporate action of a people
You’re right. It is the collusion of the government with corporations that is so offensive. When you have a government that incentivizes the destruction of public education, you have bad government. When you allow billionaires to insert themselves into public policy, you have bad government. That is why we have more of an oligarchy than a democracy, and we have bad policies from a bad government. The only hope for the people is to reduce the influence of the wealthy on policies that impact everyone.
Here is the link to that school. It looks wonderful!
http://www.ucls.uchicago.edu/admission/tuition/index.aspx
And I don’t see anything here about assessment upon assessment, inputting data online to label young children or that they are following the CCLS to get THEIR children “college and career ready”!!!! I can and have run my K and Pre-K classrooms as is described for Lab School as best I could with few resources. But now any public school teacher who would dare defy the reformers on behalf of early childhood research may find themselves with a U rating and out if a job. I’ve tried my best to keep away from the reformer program, but it’s getting harder as mandates come down from the DOE, the principal and the superintendent. Our children are suffering. Those who can, run to more “progressive” schools. The Duncan’s of the world DONT want OUR children educated …not really. They are only to know enough to follow orders and do the bidding of the 99%.
Nursery/Kindergarten
Walk into a Lab N/K classroom and you’ll notice how many different activities are going on at one time. This is the “negotiated curriculum” in action: teachers prepare an environment filled with possibilities and encourage choice, initiative, exploration, and collaboration. Behind it all is the teacher’s belief in the child’s capacity and motivation to figure out the world and the desire to represent his or her ideas. Children arrive at Lab’s doorstep eager to get involved. Teachers respond with programs that support this drive for understanding, autonomy, and competence.
Classrooms are designed so that a child can function as independently as possible, helping the child experience confidence and competence as she chooses what to do. Once the child has learned routines and how the room works, he is free to be in charge of time within those constructs. It is the child’s world in which to enjoy, explore, think, and play. In kindergarten the scope widens to include leaving the classroom for library, music, and physical education taught by specialists.
Whether acting out stories they’ve dictated, listening at story time, writing using invented spelling, or talking at “show and tell,” children are immersed in language and its many uses. Days are filled with mathematical thinking as children figure out how many days they’ve been in school or how to follow a recipe. Projects link language, science, and art media—paint, clay, music, movement—adding depth and breadth to a young mind’s understanding.
We should not and cannot wait for Duncan et al to do the “right thing.” They are our political opponents. They are not “misguided.” They know exactly what they want, and it is not good for us. They must be defeated, not persuaded.
“There’s class warfare, all right, but it’s my class, the rich class, that’s making war, and we’re winning.”
– Warren Buffett
We always see Republicans as the aggressors in most cases. Now many leading Democrats and joining with them to worship at the alter of business.
K I S S:
From online MW Dictionary:
Definition of HYPOCRITE
1: a person who puts on a false appearance of virtue or religion
2: a person who acts in contradiction to his or her stated beliefs or feelings
From thesarus.com:
noun person who pretends, is deceitful
bigot
charlatan
crook
impostor
phony
trickster
backslider
bluffer
casuist
cheat
deceiver
decoy
dissembler
dissimulator
fake
faker
four-flusher
fraud
hook
humbug
informer
malingerer
masquerader
mountebank
pharisee
playactor
poser
pretender
quack
smoothie
sophist
swindler
two-timer
attitudinizer
con artist
lip server
two-face
wolf in sheep’s clothing
From my brain:
duplicitous dipshit scum
Every one should ask themselves a simple question: “If I had the resources where would I send my children to school?” A vast majority will probably conclude “I will send my children to the best school I can find.” Then depending on the answer pass judgement on others who are well known to the public. Remember the right thing for you may not be the right thing for me.
Raj, here is another thought experiment. Try this in New York City. “If I had the resources, where would I want to live?” Unfortunately, there are not enough apartments on Central Park West and Fifth Avenue to accommodate the demand. You may prefer to live in Soho or Greenwich Village, but those apartments sell for 20-40 million. Public schools are a public responsibility in every neighborhood.
And here is another thought experiment: how many commenters here would send their own school-aged children to the traditional district school the Duncan residence is zoned for in Hyde Park / Kenwood? With a parent on staff at an elite private school nearby, and a 50% discount on tuition for faculty?
:crickets:
If I had the resources I will buy the $30 million apartment in Soho or Greenwich village.
Diane please do not obfuscate the obvious and also see Tim’s response below.
It’s not surprising that he, Obama, Emanuel chose a school like this. The question that needs to be asked is if this is the type of school they value why don’t their public school education policies reflect that and support that?
“Known to the public” is a little different than “appointed to lead the federal role in public education”.
His reforms are controversial and he hasn’t budged an inch since he was appointed. For all his talk about “data” I haven’t seen him change a single approach based on “data”.
It’s sure interesting that he’s been scolding us for 7 years on how great these reforms are yet he chooses a school that relies on none of them. In fact, isn’t this the school where someone in leadership wrote a public letter specifically opposing some “ed reform movement” reforms?
Also interesting that these teachers belong to one of those evil teachers unions yet because it’s an elite school that’s fine and dandy.
Your question assumes a false dichotomy, at there must necessarily be differences in the quality of schools, that winners and losers are inevitable in education. The reason that there are differences is that we have not done what was needed to prevent the differences from occurring, and that is the lie of choice. It diverts attention away from the basic question that should be asked which is how do we make sure that all schools have the resources needed to do the best they can for their students, and how do we make sure that all children can show up at school with their abilities to do the best they can unimpeded and unrestrained? Every school and every child should have what they need to fulfill their potential, other countries do that very well, why doesn’t America?
THat’s FINE, but then if you’re in charge of the education of all public school students in the US, you should model THEIR schools after the one that YOU send your kids to; don’t force them into situations that you wouldn’t want for your OWN kids, or for yourself! Hypocrite is a perfect word for these people. And let’s not forget Bill Gates, the kingmaker of Common Core, who sends his own kids to an exclusive private school in Seattle which does NOT use Common Core.
That said, I wouldn’t want my kids going to a “progressive” school either, because progressives are responsible for many of the problems in our schools today. Many “progressive” ideas, methodologies (such as collaborative and student-centered learning) and politically correct attitudes that are embraced by Common Core and its tentacles are exactly what makes the Common Core initiative so unacceptable to so many of us.
What is the matter with the traditional methods of education that were used decades ago? Somehow, we managed to put men on the moon, didn’t we! We must get back to basics and get rid of the social engineering and indoctrination of our children.
Everyone is well aware of that.
As yourself, ‘If I were an excellent school not employing any Duncan doo, would I ever in my right kind adopt any of it?’
Ask yourself
Yeah, it’s like many Japanese parents saying, “I want to send my Japanese students to International School instead of traditional Japanese public schools because I want my kids to do well in English, and interacting with students from western countries best serve student interest.”
Choice guaranteed if you have enough family income–high-five digits to 6-digits, and it will not disrupt the choices of others.
Watch sons and daughters of national/international diplomats or political celebrities grow up to be snobbish corporatists, sycophantic government ministry bureau, or gorilla-cookie fed reformers/elitists who will take a sole control of state/national politics in any endeavor.
Raj, the point is we all know what Duncan wants for his kids is the best money can buy. So why is he insisting that our children get nothing like the schools his children will attend? We did not have to spend billions on implementing the bogus CC standards and its attendant testing, on charter schools or for vouchers. Instead, he could have overseen a true transformation in every neighborhood school to ensure that each has a full arts, drama, dance, music, sports and technology programs. He could have directed the billions to be spent on smaller class sizes like the ones the children in Chicago Lab enjoy.That is the point Raj and I think you know that.
“What the best and wisest parent wants for his child, that must we want for all the children of the community. Anything less is unlovely, and left unchecked, destroys our democracy.”
–The founder of the school Duncan has selected for his kids
Now do you understand? The word you should be thinking of starts with an “h”.
I wouldn’t mind so much if he was sending his kids to a traditional prep or parochial school. But the Lab School is about the farthest you can get in philosophy and approach to what he is advocating for everyone else’s kids.
Raj, you miss the point and are off in the weeds again. The issue is Duncan’s hypocrisy and elitist actions. Rather you should ask, “If WE have resources, what is the best school WE can create. Individualism is not a strategy, it is our ruin. No democracy will survive a feudal America.
So let’s make the public schools better by funding them properly, that is government’s obligation according to most state constitutions. Let us also rid ourselves of the testing mania that has its roots in the eugenics movement. Even Duncan knows it is wrong.
Obviously, this gives the lie to the entirety of all things reformy. This is not about Arne’s “choice” as a parent, though I’m quite sure he’ll try to hide behind THAT, it’s about the fact that no elite private school anywhere would ever think of adopting the agenda that Arne et al have coerced America into accepting for their public schools, the same false agenda that is also being foisted upon parochial schools since no non elite stone will be left unturned in the pursuit of profits. While we may not currently be able to afford the number of art and music teachers that the lab school has per pupil, there’s no reason whatsoever that we can’t get rid of all the wasteful, burdensome things the lab school and other private schools would never do and use those funds to move toward the kind of education provided by the Lab School. If we further understand that inequitable funding for education is a scam, a place where the lie of austerity has been promulgated, then we can move towards a day where properly funding our schools is a top priority, not the first place to make cuts.
It is one thing to have the options and connections to be able to choose just about any educational “choice” available.
That is not the same thing as limiting and eliminating “choice” and forcing patently inferior “choices” on others.
For the few, well-connected and wealthy, “choice.” For the many, “choice but no voice” [thank you, Chiara!]. For the former, a luxury world-class learning environment for their children. For the children of the latter, shoddy and inferior options purchased at the Rheephorm 99¢ Store.
What does this look like in practice? On the ground?
This blog. 3-23-2014. “Common Core For Commoners, Not My School!”
[start]
This is an unintentionally hilarious story about Common Core in Tennessee. Dr. Candace McQueen has been dean of Lipscomb College’s school of education and also
the state’s’s chief cheerleader for Common Core. However, she was named headmistress of private Lipscomb Academy, and guess what? She will not have the school adopt the Common Core! Go figure.
[end]
Link: https://dianeravitch.net/2014/03/23/common-core-for-commoners-not-my-school/
I would say the “thought leaders” and enforcers and heavyweights of the self-styled “education reform” movement are shameless hypocrites—
But that would be assuming too much.
¿? Meaning, that they knew what “shame” and “hypocrisy” mean.
And if we bring up the inconvenient gap between rheephorm word and deed? Well, as Chris Christie likes to say, “I am tired of you people. What do you want??!?!?!”
Funny, though, we just had July 4th, and when the King of England said something similar it didn’t work out so well for him…
But things did get better for us.
Lakeside School for everyone. No exceptions. No excuses. Whatever it takes.
😎
God, I sure hope these teachers don’t have tenure or any other labor protections. Everyone knows that leads directly to “mediocrity”.
It’s vitally important middle class people be extremely economically insecure so they stay sharp and competitive in the 21st century!
Except for politicians headed for the revolving door. They get a soft, secure landing.
The Lab School is unionized. Wonder what Duncan thinks of that?
I thought I remembered this:
“Writing on the University of Chicago’s Lab School website two years ago, Magill noted, “Measuring outcomes through standardized testing and referring to those results as the evidence of learning and the bottom line is, in my opinion, misguided and, unfortunately, continues to be advocated under a new name and supported by the current [Obama] administration.”
While Magill could not be reached for direct comment on the specifics of the Chicago Teachers’ strike, his past writings on the school’s site suggest he might be supportive.
“I shudder to think of who would be attracted to teach in our public schools without unions,” Magill wrote on the school’s website in February 2009, adding that, even with unions, many teachers “have had no choice but to take on second jobs to make ends meet.“
Why wasn’t this expert listened to in the Obama Administration? Because Duncan came in with an ed reform “movement” agenda and then surrounded himself with people who agree with him?
http://inthesetimes.com/working/entry/13824/director_of_private_school_where_rahm_sends_his_kids_disagrees_on_standardi
No comment needed. The same hypocrisy his Assistant John King practiced in New York.
My children went to u schools, some of the best in Western New York, but I worked in the Buffalo Public schools. The disparities were obvious, from the amount of technology to student support services to class sizes to after school opportunities to enrichment activities. While the urban population needed more, they got less. No wonder the kids in the suburbs thrive, any issues are dwelt with swiftly and effectively.
My grandson has benefited from speech services from the time he was two, and this summer (before he starts kindergarten in September) he is in a special summer school program to bone up on his skills – a program which includes OT, speech, and resource. Students who are behind in their reading in first grade are enrolled in Reading Recovery, a one on one program guaranteed to improve skills.
Obviously the city needs program such as this, plus more, yet the personnel who works directly with the children are continually cut or the class sizes are too large to respond to individual needs.
I long for the kids in Buffalo to have the sort of education my kids had.
Shouldn’t Duncan feel the same way. He actually has the power to implement changes for the better. If he recognizes the Lab school as superior, shouldn’t he long for the same sort of experience for the children throughout our country. Why is he hoarding the good stuff for his own kids? Please, share the “wealth”. Don’t set up a program for the rest of us which punishes all involved.
Either Duncan is stingy or obtuse.
In the meantime – my grandchildren are left with the consequences of his actions. I hope they survive the experience. Many won’t.
Correction: My kids went to suburban schools
And I would send them to the same schools again if I could choose any school I wanted for my kids.
I think that if the “reformers” along with state governments keep sending large amounts of money to charters, the middle class suburban parents will start screaming if they are expected to make of the difference from the already high tax dollars they are paying.
The overclass says that what’s good for their children is just no plain good for ours . . .
Sociopaths know no shame.
Right!!!
Imagine if the Obama Administration had put the kind of energy they put into attacking public schools toward universal public preschool or public community colleges.
The first group of five year olds would be graduating and we’d be on the second or third round of graduates with an associates degree or a skilled trade entry.
Oh, well. We’ll always have VAM! 🙂 I’m sure it was well worth the effort.
This is the sad truth.
I don’t know much about him personally, but it did surprise me that he got someone to marry him, and procreate with him. Shocker that. Am I surprised he won’t send his kids to a no excuses charter school, or public school? Not in the least. Nope.
“The Public Lab School”
The laboratory school
For school reformer test
Is guided by the rule
That Skinner box is best
Any ideas on what job Arne will have next?
Maybe the Surgeon General?
Boom!
This is a link to an editorial that makes the case for testing that the article suggests is made by those with little understanding of education and what it ought to be about. The article encourages us to not be stupid about testing. The author can be ironic from time to time and perhaps she is being ironic here. Here is the link:
http://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2015/07/09/how-save-parcc-don-stupid/RBDpFdeCy5D8fVuxEUD2jK/story.html
The writer of this article, the editorial staff of the Boston Globe from where it comes and the editorial staffs of most papers I have access to seem to think that what Secretary Duncan is doing is what is best for the nation’s children. All this makes the job very difficult. It would give me no end of encouragement that there might be something to what the ed-reformers say if the ed-reformers with children educated their children the way they want to educate everyone else’s children.
Cordially,
J. D. Wilson, Jr.
This excellent private school educated Arne Duncan. Did this school shape the citizen he became? What if we were to evaluate this school on the damaging policies Arne Duncan champions for public schools. Should we consider Chicago Lab School a failing school?
Nicely done! I’d call that a stinging rebuke to Duncan’s hypocrisy.
Where is the media. Public School at it’s core is at risk.
This issue is troubling for me on so many levels. I am a kindergarten teacher in a school where 80% of the students have Latino/a heritage, and 99% live in poverty. My students come to me at varying levels of readiness, some speaking no English, and many with little background knowledge considered important for success in American schools. Since implementing the Common Core standards, my state has not mandated any standardized testing for kindergarten students. However, the pressure to have my kids reading Pinnell & Fountas level D books by the end of kindergarten is palpable. Our district directs us to teach “all the standards” not just ones graded on the report card. I do my very best to comply, and still have a classroom that is warm, inviting, full of wonder and investigation. I believe in the ideals of progressive education as espoused by John Dewey and the school to which Arne Duncan sends his children. Common Core standards are not in opposition to this, however, the idea that having these standards will somehow make every student meet them, and if they do not, it must be the teacher’s fault, is erroneous, misinformed, and just plain ignorant.
The corporate reformers, for which Duncan seems to have much affinity, would have you believe testing students, evaluating teachers effectiveness based on the scores, employing less experienced and qualified teachers, closing schools and turning them into for-profit charters, will ensure every child’s success. Show me your research, Duncan. Show me the records of success form this experiment in recent history.
Finally, I will quote Julian Vasquez Heilig, from the documentary “Defies Measurement”, (which I recommend everyone view http://www.shineonpro.com/). “We actually know how to do school reform. We do. All you have to do is to look on the other side of the tracks, the other side of the highway, the other side of the river. You do not have to go to Finland to see successful school reform. If you want to see what wealthy people do for their children, you see the arts, you see teachers who are highly qualified, you see beautiful schools, you know, schools that kids want to go to. The reason why we have failed at school reform is because we are trying to do school reform cheap for poor kids.” Bingo. Pay attention America!
This issue is troubling for me on so many levels. I am a kindergarten teacher in a school where 80% of the students have Latino/a heritage, and 99% live in poverty. My students come to me at varying levels of readiness, some speaking no English, and many with little background knowledge considered important for success in American schools. Since implementing the Common Core standards, my state has not mandated any standardized testing for kindergarten students. However, the pressure to have my kids reading Pinnell & Fountas level D books by the end of kindergarten is palpable. Our district directs us to teach “all the standards” not just ones graded on the report card. I do my very best to comply, and still have a classroom that is warm, inviting, full of wonder and investigation.
I believe in the ideals of progressive education as espoused by John Dewey and the school to which Arne Duncan sends his children. Common Core standards are not in opposition to this, however, the idea that having these standards will somehow make every student meet them, and if they do not, it must be the teacher’s fault, is erroneous, misinformed, and just plain ignorant. The corporate reformers, for which Duncan seems to have much affinity, would have you believe testing students, evaluating teachers effectiveness based on the scores, employing less experienced and qualified teachers, closing schools and turning them into for-profit charters, will ensure every child’s success. Show me your research, Duncan. Show me the records of success form this experiment in recent history.
Finally, I will quote Julian Vasquez Heilig, from the documentary Defies Measurement, (which I recommend everyone view http://www.shineonpro.com/). “We actually know how to do school reform. We do. All you have to do is to look on the other side of the tracks, the other side of the highway, the other side of the river. You do not have to go to Finland to see successful school reform. If you want to see what wealthy people do for their children, you see the arts, you see teachers who are highly qualified, you see beautiful schools, you know, schools that kids want to go to. The reason why we have failed at school reform is because we are trying to do school reform cheap for poor kids.” Bingo. Pay attention America!
How poignant to read this entry as my soon-to-be 11th grader is sprawled on the floor, prepping for the SAT (the old one, to fit it in before it’s replaced by the Coleman-influenced, who-knows-how-they’ll-score-it redesigned version). The irony is that after 8 years of completing state tests, regents, and entrance exams for the NY specialized high schools, he’s a pro. He knows the tests are all gamed, and it’s just a matter of figuring out the tricks inherent in this one. He’ll do fine. He also knows that this test, like the others, has nothing to do with, um, education.
Years ago, when I lived in Hyde Park, I knew a couple of the teachers and several families in the Lab community. What a wonderful school! Like so many commenters here, I mourn the missed opportunity to implement some of this school’s best practices in public schools that enroll students who are far less advantaged than the Lab community.
Bingo! I’m a high school teacher with 20 years of experience on both coasts and in public and independent schools. And I can categorically say that Dr. Ravitch has nailed the truth of this situation exactly! I just finished a contract teaching on an Indian reservation in AZ and lost at least a full month of instructional time (while
Being mandated to give up my preps
To proctor) meaningless standardized tests that served no clear purpose other than to frustrate teachers And demoralize the students (while undoubtedly making the testing companies richer).
And my response to all those who have nothing better to do than condemn public schools and educators is this: if the system being advanced and advocated by the corporate “reformers” is so great, then why do all of them send their kids to private schools where none of those “reforms” are
Imposed upon their kids? A thinly-disguised game of Moneyball and grand larceny if public money at the expense of not only our students but all of us as a nation.
follow the money and see if you don’t find arne duncan lurking somewhere in the bowels of the standardized testing industry
The Lab School is what, 5 or more sigma away from average in terms of parental educational level and SES? It probably chooses from a list of teacher applicants a mile long. It has very very little in common from a policy perspective with schools the DOE is concerned with. I’d send my kids there if the teachers were middling just to have them exposed to the other children at the school.
I’m no fan of Duncan but come on.
Schedule of Tuition 2015-2016 School Year
Grade Yearly Tuition Quarterly Tuition
Nursery
(Half Day)
$19,302 $6,434
Nursery – Grade 5
(Full Day) $27,384 $9,128
Grades 6 – 8 $29,328 $9,776
Grades 9 – 12 $30,618 $10,206
Some fees are included in the tuition figure. Fees cover snacks, classroom materials, activities, gym, high school publications, college placement materials, yearly camps and retreats, and graduation as appropriate by grade level.
Not included in the Schools’ stated tuition and fees are the cost of books, the purchase of gym clothes in grades 5–12, musical instrument rental and accessories, and photography supplies. Additional fees may also be required for departmental activities, field trips, and Advanced Placement Examinations. The total of these additional fees is dependent upon your student’s grade level and participation in available school programs and can range significantly.
Optional fees might include, but not be limited to, Extended Day programs; World Language Exchange programs; some athletic equipment for intramural and extramural sports; cafeteria meal plans; and History, Model UN, and Community Service conferences and field trips. Most incidental fees will be billed through the Schools’ billing partner, FACTS.
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