Dare we look at the data?

Yesterday I looked at the dismal situation in public schools just a little bit. We see the   When looking at our school system we could look at the data from, say, the past sixty years.  That might be painful if we would look at ALL the data.  I said ysterday, among other things, “normally we tear down and build new.”.  Sometimes our new buildings are better, sometimes worse in one or more ways.  The issue is that we humans tend to fix only a few things.

• The “back to the 3Rs” folks want to fix content.  
• The technology folks want better technology.
• Others want better prepared teachers.
• Others want to relegate special needs kids to schools just for them.
• Yet others want the special needs kids mainstreamed with all the other kids.
• Some want sports to be downplayed or eliminated.
• Others want the arts downplayed or eliminated.

Isn’t that interesting?  

Experienced folks want to look at all the above and the need to teach people to think, and think critically.  Others demand accountability at all levels, including the parents or home situation.  Many of the oligarchy (the ultra-rich who run the country) would like advanced education only available to the worthy (usually meaning their own sons and daughters).  
I contend that the data shows that none of these approaches work.  But all of these concerns must be addressed intelligently, based on data and not merely anecdotal evidence.  Plus many more concerns as well.

The data?  Yes, the data that shows that whenever one or two of the above approaches is tried, it fails.  There is no magic bullet that, once fired accurately will fix the school system once and for all.  (We’ll examine “once and for all” tomorrow.)

Some other part of the system fouls up the fix when only one or two things are fixed.  Don’t believe me?  Check our history since, say, 1950.  We have fixed lots of onesies and twosies.  Nothing has stayed fixed, and in many cases things got worse.  And we have not addressed the issue of funding yet.

Thinking, and checking the data, and thinking critically, and referring to the data again and again and again suggests the only set of processes that could fix our current system, or even invent one that works for all the public.