Deborah Meier, Libertarian?
Robert Pondiscio of Democracy Prep writes again to Deborah Meier today.
Dear Deborah,
One of the joys of sharing this space with you is how often you surprise me, acknowledging last week, for example, that in some ways you are "exceedingly conservative." Who'd have thought it? One of the fascinations of education for me is the ways in which policy and practice can challenge our ideologies. My liberal credentials were in pretty good order until I became a South Bronx schoolteacher. As I have argued since, progressive means may not be the best way to achieve progressive ends.
One of the joys of sharing this space with you is how often you surprise me, acknowledging last week, for example, that in some ways you are "exceedingly conservative." Who'd have thought it? One of the fascinations of education for me is the ways in which policy and practice can challenge our ideologies. My liberal credentials were in pretty good order until I became a South Bronx schoolteacher. As I have argued since, progressive means may not be the best way to achieve progressive ends.
An education manifesto crossed my desk last week and perhaps yours, too. As I read the following words, I thought you might agree with them: "To some, accountability means government-imposed standards and testing, like the Common Core State Standards, which advocates believe will ensure that every child receives at least a minimally acceptable education. Although well-intentioned, their faith is misplaced," the missive continued.
"True accountability comes not from top-down regulations but from parents financially empowered to exit schools that fail to meet their child's needs. Parental choice, coupled with freedom for educators, creates the incentives and opportunities that spur quality. The compelled conformity fostered by centralized standards and tests stifles the very diversity that gives consumer choice its