ED in ‘08 isn’t as agenda-driven as Bryan suggests.

This report is a look at how we have/haven’t worked toward solving the issues addressed in A Nation at Risk. At least read the Executive Summary and press release – it’s only 5 or so pages combined, and will clear up the misunderstanding.

To echo a statement above in this blog, I agree that ED in 08 could be an agenda for failure.

Sincerely,

Paromita S. Adhikari

Apology accepted.

Oh, my fault, Stephen – I thought you were Bryan Adams. Like every American who is right of center is the same to you, all Canadians are the same to me! Haha!

I did mention specifics: “retread of the same old tired agenda: more classes, more basic subjects, more testing, and bash the teachers’ unions.” All of these are in the report.

And I am well aware that a report is different from a summit. But they are part of the same astroturf initiative.

I’m not trying to antagonize you here purposely, but you’re wrong about quite a lot in this comment.

First, the report released by ED in ‘08 is a different thing than their Blogger Summit that will take place in the middle of May. Rush Limbaugh is not on the agenda for that event – nor would there be a good reason to have invited him.

You must be confusing him with Newt Gingrich. While both are right of center, they are, in fact, very different people with wholly different CVs.

You also didn’t address the specifics of the ED in ‘08 report – much like you didn’t mention any specifics in your last comment – despite having direct links to all three parts.

I appreciate talking about issues on which I differ with others, but I also expect those people to be informed and debating in good faith.

Those that stayed away made the right call. This report is nothing more than a retread of the same old tired agenda: more classes, more basic subjects, more testing, and bash the teachers’ unions.

Never mind that this agenda bears no resemblance to the policies being pursued by the nations that have better educational outcomes. The policy is ideologically sound, so it must be right.

The one part that the report got right was that the problems with education in the United States are politically based. Perhaps it’s time that the People With an Agenda stopped trying to indoctrinate the nation’s children, and let teachers and school districts get on with the task of teaching.

A focus on social equity, education based on student interests, local control, and high salaries for teachers: *these* are the things that other countries are doing. These play no part in the ED in 08 agenda. ED in 08 is an agenda for failure.