Comments on: The Terrible Power of Dumb Ideas

By: Crimson Wife

Crimson Wife — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 22:06:47 +0000

I know plenty of parents who wouldn't let their kids drive unless those children maintained at least a 3.0 average. But that should be parental prerogative not a government mandate…

By: Christen

Christen — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 19:38:01 +0000

i remember a college class debate about the legal drinking age. Should it be 18 or should it stay 21? A friend suggested everyone who gets a high school diploma should be allowed to buy alcohol-you've shown some intellect and perhaps could be responsible enough to handle alcohol. Perhaps an incentive to graduate?

By: Dan

Dan — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 05:19:26 +0000

Looks like you got your Craigs mixed up there. You started talking about Craig Barrett (Intel) then mention "Venter" (I assume you were thinking Craig Venter of human genome sequencing fame).

By: Maya Frost

Maya Frost — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 15:07:58 +0000

It's true that simple "obvious" solutions fail to take into account the complexity of the issues, but our biggest problem is that we try to turn everything into a policy for all rather than promoting a range of options to accommodate students with a variety of needs.

We have excellent tools for reducing the high school drop-out rate--including dual enrollment and an early GED--but we persist in pushing up the number of college-bound students by funneling them onto a track that all too often smothers rather than amplifies their greatest talents.

We're not failing because we don't have options--we're failing because we're wearing the Old School blinders when we need a far more inclusive AND expansive view of education.

By: john thompson

john thompson — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 17:59:27 +0000

August,

You're right also.

By: August

August — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:10:36 +0000

Hmmm. Friedman's idea doesn't sound all that much goofier than "Hey, let's use multiple choice tests as a way to improve schools and teaching."

By: john thompson

john thompson — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 23:31:57 +0000

Well said.

and Kevin, what did those Finns do to you?

By: palisadesk

palisadesk — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 22:08:22 +0000

The province of Ontario, Canada, tried to introduce a variant of this :
CBC story

but mercifully it got shouted down and the government backed off. It fails to address any of the real causes of the high dropout rate, which include poor elementary school preparation (literacy, numeracy), lack of diversified and technological or non-academic programs for students not college-bound, lack of English skills training for second language learners, and lack of flexibility in huge secondary schools that can't accommodate students who are working while going to school.