Educating to Compete in the "Global Economy": Creating Idiot Savantism
Guest post by Gerald Coles.
The U.S. needs an educational system that will "ensure our kids are ready to compete and ready to win" in the global economy, said Delaware governor Jack Markell when the National Governors Association and State Education Chiefs formally launched the Common Core State Standards, the new guiding light of American education.
Markell's call repeats the chief goal in the Standards' mission statement, as well as the imperatives corporate leaders have demanded of the nations schools. "The more states that adopt these . . . standards," insists Bill Gates, "the closer we will be to . . . becoming more competitive as a country." Similarly, Craig Barrett, former CEO of Intel Corporation, notes that the "standards are essential for producing" the "educated work force America needs to remain globally competitive.
It's a bipartisan vision shared by President Barack Obama and presidential contender Mitt Romney. "A complete and competitive education" is necessary so that "our kids can compete for the best jobs [and] America can out-