A reader writes about his experience at an international conference:
Last May I had the privilege to be invited to the Van Leer Education conference in Jerusalem with outstanding educational leaders from across the globe. Award winning Teachers, Principals, University Professors and Director Generals/Heads of State were there to discuss the topic “Regulation and Trust”.
As the receipient of the “New York State Outstanding Educator Award” from the School Administrators Assoc. of New York (SAANYS) I was invited to represent our state.
It was very clear that the other countries that were there were vey concerned about the adverse effects of our Race to the Top policies.
It was very clear from the discussion that the other nations were aganist the over use of high stakes testing and felt it was inappropriate to tie these tests to teacher evaluations. These regulations were seen as the cause for mistrust and not helpful in bringing meaningful learning experiencing to children.
The other countries that were there wanted nothing to do with “Race to the Top”. Representatives from Finland described how they have found great success with less regulations,no high stakes testing and an informal evaluation process. Everything opposite of “Race to the Top” .After hearing my colleagues from across the globe I don’t believe that Arne Duncan and his Race to the Top policies would be accepted by any other nation.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
The world community has much to fear in the prospects of Americans becoming any stupider.
Absolutely!
Duncan, Gates and Obama…their education policies (or public school destruction) are the shame of our nation.
As is the whole oligarchic slant in our government, which no longer represents the average person.
Agreed!
And yet they are in the process of setting the agenda in Europe also. Just look at England and their academies and national education morphing. We are the “Destroyers of Worlds.” We did it with the financial world and now the educational world. Why not it is all a part of world domination and all the cookies for the very elite and that is way above 1% as 1% is $300,000/year and that is not a player. It is the super rich that control the game worldwide. Duncan and Obama are shameful and a tragic joke on the democratic party and the country as a whole. You can buy and sell almost anyone now for a “Few Dollars More.”
AGREE!!
Linda,
To add to your important comment, their education policies are the tip of the iceberg of shame of the nation. The current government has no concern whatsoever for the citizens of this nation. The list of protections and support in place for citizens in every
industrialized nation outside of the US is long.
It is a disgrace that our government continues to take high taxes from the working coass witfh little in return….oh, I forgot, the best health care coverage has to be scaled back to avoid the cadillac tax.
The military industrial complex is driving the country, along with a governemnt owned by corporate, A government for the corporations, by the corporations, and of the
corporations,
The economic takeover of public education is a piece of a much larger and frightening picture,
Yes, Madame La Farge…”a much larger frightening picture” is correct. Read Revelations in the Bible. Things are lining up. Thank you for your comment.
That would be Revelation. It has no “s.”
Thank you Joanna. The point still being, read it!
No thanks! No need to read well over 2,000 year old desert tribal myths for seeing the world as it is today.
This is my favorite text of Revelation.
http://www.thebricktestament.com/revelation/
Yep, we’re a fascistic oligarchical plutocracy or is it a fascistic plutocratic oligarchy.
From Wiki: “Throughout history, oligarchies have been tyrannical (relying on public obedience and/or oppression to exist) or relatively benign. Aristotle pioneered the use of the term as a synonym for rule by the rich,[4] for which the exact term is plutocracy, but oligarchy is not always a rule by wealth, as oligarchs can simply be a privileged group, and do not have to be connected by bloodlines as in a monarchy.”
I’ll leave up to you to decide, but he is one person’s take on the current state of affairs: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1iXXKmq58g
Thank you for posting this.
George Carlin said it all and so well.
What are we gonna do about it?
No one agrees with this Race to the Top.
Duncan and his CUTSIE PHRASE are full of Bull.
Parents. your children are being used for experiments!!
We have got to stop this madness!
neanderthal100: in the interests of accuracy, using an English-to-English dictionary—Race to the Top = Dash for the Cash; Race to the Bottom.
Love It!!
Race to the Top = Dash for the Cash = Crash to the Stash
From what I’ve read it seems as though GERM is trying to spread its tentacles throughout the world. Australia and New Zealand, as well as Spain. I think I read there were major demonstrations in Mexico. This is an evil empire and I do not trust any of them. As my brother has taught me, as sick as this is, “the rich never have enough money”.
Duncan, Obama and Gates are all trying to do the same thing: privatize public education and destroy the unions. Why did Obama not stand up to Scott Walker in Wisconsin last year? He wants to protect the corporations, for whom he works. The U.S. will continue to spend trillions on the military to protect the corporate interests around the globe while ignoring human needs in America. Will Obama’s drones strike us down if we dare to protest? Where is the outrage?
VT:
Well put!
Where is the outrage? Bush was horrible, but it’s snowballed under Obama. Obama was picked to destroy social security and medicare, chosen to do what the Democrats would never let a Republican do. He is referred to as a socialist when he is the furthest thing from a socialist.
Just note his nomination of Penny Pritzker for secretary of commerce. She has the stain of so many of the issues destroying this country on her hands: closing of Superior Bank, foreclosures, labor issues: treatment of workers and picketers at hyatt Hotel, off shore accounts, tax reduction and preferential treatment. Pritzker put Obama on the map financially….she saw the limitless advantage for corporate with his background. Now she is contributing and raising funds for a $35 million dollar home in Hawaii for the Obamas.
Working Amereicans get off the devices, shut off the reality tv, it’s intended to keep you from waking up. It’s time. We need to take back this country.
The two things I have learned from Race to the Top: 1. states should be very careful when accepting federal money (it’s like accepting money from your parents when you are an adult–expect some autonomy to be lost).
2. Never trust legislation with a catchy title
Swacker: I can appreciate if you are not a believer, but no need to rude.
“Representatives from Finland described how they have found great success with less regulations…”
Less regulation … it’s like a dream … just imagine, being able freely teach without worry.
…able TO …
Flerp: the same applies to you. No need to be rude or offensive.