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As an interesting side note, this argument has been particularly welcomed by the political right in the US. Makes me wonder if there isn't the possibility of a political convergence in the US? (e.g. OWS and the Tea Party coming together. If only they didn't hate each other so much...). (a post-democratic revolution?) -greg On Mon, Mar 12, 2012 at 7:05 AM, Andy Blunden <ablunden@mira.net> wrote: > Wow! That article breathes fire! Great writing, Peter. Education > Departments in my country as in others have been obliged to copy the US > system! Presumably political leaders that only ever learnt when to put > their hands up and how to tick boxes want a population trained in this way > of life. But seriously, is decentralisation the way to go? Is idiotic > education policies the result of "big government" or just bad government? > Or is this just a polemical stance, like "show me a good reason for having > an Education Department, then"? > > Andy > > > Anthony Barra wrote: > >> This dispatch on US education reform and the powers that be landed on my >> Facebook page last night: "Why the Ed Department should be reconceived - >> or abolished" - by Peter Smagorinsky >> >> http://www.washingtonpost.com/**blogs/answer-sheet/post/why-** >> the-ed-department-should-be-**reconceived--or-abolished/** >> 2012/03/09/gIQAHfdB5R_blog.**html<http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/why-the-ed-department-should-be-reconceived--or-abolished/2012/03/09/gIQAHfdB5R_blog.html> >> >> An educator on education policy, in the public sphere! More of this >> please. >> >> One excerpt: >> >> "Instead of having a highly centralized administration powered by money >> >> >>> contributed by textbook publishers and other entrepreneurs cashing in on >>> the lucrative enterprise of educational materials production, I would >>> have >>> a *highly distributed approach*** in which most decision-making is local >>> and includes — and indeed, relies on — the perspective of teachers. >>> >>> Presently, there’s little reason for practicing teachers to< >>> http://www.washingtonpost.**com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/** >>> five-ways-school-reform-is-**hurting-teacher-quality/2012/** >>> 03/08/gIQAHUMK3R_blog.html<http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/five-ways-school-reform-is-hurting-teacher-quality/2012/03/08/gIQAHUMK3R_blog.html> >>> >**keep up with the latest ideas emerging from credible sources, or to >>> engage >>> in the process of producing those ideas and becoming credible sources >>> themselves. The approach that I suggest would lend urgency to the need >>> for >>> teachers to be informed in order to make sound decisions. It would place >>> a >>> premium on being a reflective practitioner who is attentive to classroom >>> processes and student learning, because such observations would become >>> part >>> of the broader school conversation about how to best educate the students >>> who attend the school." >>> >>> >>> >> ***emphasis added* because I (as a citizen, not just educator) would love >> to hear more about this especially. >> >> Anthony >> ______________________________**____________ >> _____ >> xmca mailing list >> xmca@weber.ucsd.edu >> http://dss.ucsd.edu/mailman/**listinfo/xmca<http://dss.ucsd.edu/mailman/listinfo/xmca> >> >> >> >> > > -- > ------------------------------**------------------------------** > ------------ > *Andy Blunden* > Joint Editor MCA: http://www.tandfonline.com/**toc/hmca20/18/1<http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/hmca20/18/1> > Home Page: http://home.mira.net/~andy/ > Book: http://www.amazon.com/gp/**product/1608461459/<http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1608461459/> > > > ______________________________**____________ > _____ > xmca mailing list > xmca@weber.ucsd.edu > http://dss.ucsd.edu/mailman/**listinfo/xmca<http://dss.ucsd.edu/mailman/listinfo/xmca> > -- Gregory A. Thompson, Ph.D. Sanford I. Berman Post-Doctoral Scholar Laboratory of Comparative Human Cognition Department of Communication University of California, San Diego __________________________________________ _____ xmca mailing list xmca@weber.ucsd.edu http://dss.ucsd.edu/mailman/listinfo/xmca