Smart people doing dumb things — education edition
Here’s a smart look at how smart people do really dumb things when it comes to school reform. It was written by Larry Cuban, a former superintendent of Arlington Public Schools for seven years, a former high school social studies teacher for 14 years and professor emeritus of education at Stanford University, where he has taught for more than 20 years. This was first published on his blog about school reform and classroom practice.By Larry Cuban
Why do smart people do dumb things? Examples are legion. Recall President Clinton and Monica Lewinsky. Or Central Intelligence Agency Director David Petraeus resigning over an extra-marital affair. Or shrewd investors in Bernard Madoff’s company losing their financial shirts.
Switch to education and consider El Paso (TX) Superintendent Lorenzo Garcia who went to jail for inflating student test scores and giving a no-bid contract to his mistress.
OK, Larry, you made your point. People with smarts, power, and position caved in to their impulses. They did dumb things.
Actually, I want to go beyond that self-evident point made elsewhere and say that very