Latest News and Comment from Education

Friday, September 14, 2012

Did Public Schools Fail David Brooks? | MyFDL

Did Public Schools Fail David Brooks? | MyFDL:


Did Public Schools Fail David Brooks?

David Brooks lectures at a podiumBrooks knows education? Not so much. (photo: Miller Center / flickr)
Readers of his column on the Chicago public school strike will no doubt be asking this question as they wade through this morass of error of fact and logic. Brooks starts the piece by telling readers:
Modern nations have two economies, which exist side by side. Economy I is the tradable sector. This includes companies that make goods like planes, steel and pharmaceuticals. These companies face intense global competition and are compelled to constantly innovate and streamline. They’ve spent the last few decades figuring out ways to make more products with fewer workers.
Economy II is made up of organizations that do not face such intense global competition. They often fall into government-dominated sectors like health care, education, prisons and homeland