Monday, October 29, 2012

Emperor Has No Clothes: Fairy Tales about Schools and the Economy | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

Emperor Has No Clothes: Fairy Tales about Schools and the Economy | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice:


Emperor Has No Clothes: Fairy Tales about Schools and the Economy


For those readers who may have forgotten the story line of the fairy tale, as I had, here it is:
A clothes-mad king who spent the coin of the realm on colorful fashions and changed suits every few hours heard of two weavers–really grifters out to con the king out of royal coins–who wove the most beautiful suits that were invisible to anyone serving the king those telling the monarch that they were unfit to serve him and the people.
So the king thought: if I had this invisible suit, I would find those men in my kingdom who should not be serving me, and, better yet, sort out the wise from the foolish. he then ordered that the invisible suit be woven immediately.
The two fake weavers received gold and silk from the king’s ministers and set up their looms, seemingly working day and night as they wove invisible clothes. Of course they put the gold and silk given to them in their trunks