Political indoctrination replacing academics as the mission of K-12 public education

Laurie Rogers, via a kind email:

What's the mission of any school district? Most parents seem to agree that it's academics. Schools should prepare students academically for postsecondary life - whether it's college, a trade, a career, the military or some other endeavor.

Alas, many public schools don't focus on college or career readiness, and their mission statements don't say they have to. Instead, other, more nebulous goals are their stated priorities, such as turning students into global citizens, "challenging" them, helping them develop "supportive relationships," and having them engage in "relevant, real-life applications."

"Equity" and "social justice" also are emphasized in many districts. Some districts have created new departments, applied for federal grants or hired $100,000+ personnel - supposedly to foster equity and social justice. But what's behind the terminology?

Actual equity and social justice entail providing ALL students with the academic skills they need to lead a productive postsecondary life. But in public education, the terms tend to be ambiguous and politically laden, focusing instead on perceived unfairness. In the typical social-justice curriculum, America frequently is portrayed as the bad guy.

Posted by Jim Zellmer at November 28, 2012 3:01 AM
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