Wisconsin legislator tries to shift the dialogue on charter schools, gets schooled

[Scuba]

Here in Wisconsin, Assembly Bill 1 (AB 1) is a naked attempt to undermine our public schools while funneling education dollars to the Republican's friends charter schools.

My sister sent each of the members of the Assembly Committee on Education an email on the topic, the gist of which reads ...

These charter schools have at best no better a record than our public schools, and too many of them have a dismal performance record. Some of the failing charter schools have shut down without warning as owners abruptly leave the state, taking our tax dollars with them. In addition, we have no doubt that political ideology will play a prominent role in curriculum development and mandates.

Well, she got a response from one of the Committee members who wrote, in part ....

"... an overwhelming theme of communications to my office to this point is that most individuals simply share their points of contention with the bill. I would certainly appreciate hearing solutions offered for an equitable system to improve the performance of students at our persistently under-performing public schools and private schools in the Parental Choice Program. Feel free to share specific ideas via email or at the hearing."

My sister, wise woman that she is, let him have it ....

Dear Rep. Thiesfeldt;

We appreciate your prompt response to our concerns. You write that you would appreciate hearing solutions. While we're not educators, we can suggest some obvious solutions.

1. Recognize and acknowledge that our education problems weren't created overnight, and they won't be solved overnight. Quick fixes won't accomplish anything, especially since the roots of the problem are societal, and educators can't solve them; we have to address the societal problems.

2. Make K-12 education a field bright young people want to go into. That means first and foremost, treat educators as respected professionals, not the scapegoats for everything that's wrong with society (and not in their control). Provide full college scholarships to high-achieving high school students to major in education in exchange for a commitment to teach for a given number of years.

3. Provide mechanisms for adequate funding of public education. Our children are our future; why would we want to minimize the costs of something so critically important?

4. Recognize that some areas regarded by some as 'frills' are not frills. Don't cut funding for music, for example -- it involves simultaneously learning an entirely new language, higher-level math and the physics of sound in time and space. An avalanche of studies are demonstrating that children who study music and learn to play an instrument are gaining intellectual ability and self-discipline in all other areas as well. If legislators don't believe educators about this, ask neuroscientists.

5. Provide under-performing parents with support and guidance in parenting skills -- this should begin the day an infant is born and continue through the school years.

6. Establish family-friendly employment laws so that parents have the time and energy to provide a home environment in which their children can flourish.

7. Create and expand programs to ensure that children receive adequate nutrition, health care and a roof over their heads. How can they learn when they're hungry, sick and homeless?

8. Teach the public that 'elite' is not a dirty word. Americans once were proud to think of our country as elite -- the best in the world. We are rapidly losing ground globally to countries that emphasize and invest in education. If we think 'elite' is undesirable, how can we motivate our children to become the best they can be? They all want to become elite professional athletes because that earns status and recognition -- use the power of the media to which you have access to promote the position that intellectual achievement is the most exciting and worthwhile thing young people can aspire to. Create recognition and award programs for academic achievements that get as much attention and status as school athletics does.

America cannot thrive if the goal of education is teaching 'job skills.' We must teach children to think, question, experiment and contribute to the sum of human knowledge. We cannot survive as a nation of serfs and lords -- that day is long gone.

More here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/108413975

[WillyT]

1. Huge K & R !!! - Thank You !!!

[pacalo]

2. Your sister's letter is very impressive, Scuba!

Bravo!