Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Schools Aren’t Just Supposed to Mass Produce Workers? | Truth in American Education

Schools Aren’t Just Supposed to Mass Produce Workers? | Truth in American Education:


Schools Aren’t Just Supposed to Mass Produce Workers?

The mantra of advocate of the Common Core and many education reformers has been an emphasis on “career readiness.”  Then you have data collection going on in schools to be shared with the Department of Labor and it all begins to seem rather Orwellian.  I’m personally concerned that such an emphasis on STEM could lead to a deficiency in other subjects.
I know that Suzy majoring in underwater basket weaving isn’t going to prepare her for a career, but there’s got to be more to education than preparing for a career.
Jay P. Greene shares my concern:
Why do people bother trying to justify art in terms of math and reading achievement?  Math educators don’t try to frame their accomplishments in terms of reading or vice versa.  Why do people in art try to frame the benefits of their field in terms of other subjects?
The problem is that a good number of  policymakers, pundits, and others who control the