Current Education Reform Needs a McCarthy Hearing
Before teaching The Crucible in my American literature courses during my two decades as a high school English teacher in rural Upstate South Carolina, I played the students R.E.M.s “Exhuming McCarthy,” which “makes an explicit parallel between the red-baiting of Joe McCarthy‘s time and the strengthening of the sense of American exceptionalism during the Reagan era, especially the Iran-Contra affair” (Wikipedia).
The song includes an audio from the McCarthy hearings, including this soundbite of Joseph Welch confronting Joe McCarthy: ”Let us not assassinate this lad further, Senator….You’ve done enough. Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last? Have you left no sense of decency?”
Popout—–
Part of The Crucible unit asked students to examine how societies continue to repeat the basic flaws of abusing power and oppressing powerless groups of people. Despite the lessons of the Witch Trials and the Red Scare/McCarthy Era (with the Japanese Internment in between), Americans seem hell-bent on doubling down on policies and practices that are authoritarian, hypocritical, and simply mean—especially if those policies can be
The song includes an audio from the McCarthy hearings, including this soundbite of Joseph Welch confronting Joe McCarthy: ”Let us not assassinate this lad further, Senator….You’ve done enough. Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last? Have you left no sense of decency?”
Popout—–
Part of The Crucible unit asked students to examine how societies continue to repeat the basic flaws of abusing power and oppressing powerless groups of people. Despite the lessons of the Witch Trials and the Red Scare/McCarthy Era (with the Japanese Internment in between), Americans seem hell-bent on doubling down on policies and practices that are authoritarian, hypocritical, and simply mean—especially if those policies can be
Ha, that’s a good one of #uoodc13
Under new management.
Who would’ve thought where you send your kids to school was THE issue
Education journalism at its finest. Apparently, a respected NY public school activist sends her daughter to a private high school. Probably some blowback for the achingly hilarious claim that Michelle Rhee is a “public school parent.”
Nevertheless, I’ve often wondered how prevailing “reformers” could make public school decisions while giving their own children the best. Is this a problem with Ms. Haimson?
No. I think there’s a huge difference. While she does indeed send her child to a private school now, she is not at
Nevertheless, I’ve often wondered how prevailing “reformers” could make public school decisions while giving their own children the best. Is this a problem with Ms. Haimson?
No. I think there’s a huge difference. While she does indeed send her child to a private school now, she is not at