SCAM ALERT: Coleman as Perpetual Huckster
There's an allegory that is popular among lawyers called the allegory of the river. [1]
In this allegory, people find themselves near a river and confronted with a stream of babies floating helplessly by in the current. Many begin frantically to wade into the rushing water, saving as many babies as possible.
Then one walks away. The others are stunned and ask why this one person is abandoning the mission to rescue the babies floating down the river.
The one walking away says, "I am going upstream to find who is throwing the babies in and stop them."
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If David Coleman found himself among these people, he would be the one crafting (and selling) a strategy to
New Hope for Socio-Economic Integration
In this allegory, people find themselves near a river and confronted with a stream of babies floating helplessly by in the current. Many begin frantically to wade into the rushing water, saving as many babies as possible.
Then one walks away. The others are stunned and ask why this one person is abandoning the mission to rescue the babies floating down the river.
The one walking away says, "I am going upstream to find who is throwing the babies in and stop them."
•
If David Coleman found himself among these people, he would be the one crafting (and selling) a strategy to
New Hope for Socio-Economic Integration
Richard Kahlenberg’s “From All Walks of Life, New Hope for School Integration,” updates the evidence in favor of socio-economic integration as the best single way to improve outcomes for poor children. He also gives reason for measured hope that it can be expanded, perhaps replacing failed test-driven attempts to improve poor schools. I remain unconvinced, however, that Kahlenberg’s wisdom will be scaled up.
Kahlenberg summarizes research explaining that socio-economic integration works because it involves all three of the essential factors of effective schools. Low-income students in schools where less than 50% of students are eligible for free and reduced lunch are surrounded by peers that are academically engaged, have larger vocabularies, and who are less likely to disrupt class. They also benefit from a community of involved parents, and teachers with higher expectations.
Kahlenberg cites research showing that a school’s socio-economic status has as much influence on a student’s performance as his individual status. Another study found that the racial achievement gap is likely to be smaller when