Democracy and the common good
Dear friends and colleagues,
Well, it’s been nearly three months since I have written here. But I am about to change my ways.
I am debating/discussing structural vs cultural change with Harry Boyte on Bridging Differences. Tune in.
I am thinking a lot about math education since reading a pre-publication of Andrew Hacker’s The Math Myth. I can’t wait until it hits the stands.
I am taking note of all the ways we are privatizing our society and abandoning our belief in democracy, the “common good”, the public space, call it what you will. The New York Times (Nov 2nd) had a front page headline on the “Privatization of the Justice System.” We have always known it helps sway the judge and jury if you are rich, have top lawyers, etc. But this is about the many areas in which people often unwittingly agree to give up their right to ever see a judge and jury if they have a grievance, but are forced to use private arbitrators and cannot sign on to any class-action suit.
The more egalitarian our definition of citizenship the more concern there is by some about the “idea” of one person, one vote. Too many of the choices the privatizers are now suggesting open up more possibilities for some than others. The choice of going to a private school with a voucher is not actually a choice if you haven’t the means to Democracy and the common good | Deborah Meier on Education: