I have been trying to find an outlet for this discussion, and have placed a piece addressing the misleading pursuit of "miracle" charter schools. . .Rethinking Education "Miracles"
I also recently discussed the failure of the western commitment to rugged individualism. . .
I am alsways eager to receive feedback from this community. . .paul thomas

At some point, I have to hope that someone listens. . .The Obama administration isn't listening. . .We have had the same tired and misguided/misleading approach to schools since Reagan's corrupt A Nation at Risk. . .
See a new challenge to the accountability refrain:
Civil Rights Framework for Providing All Students an Opportunity to Learn through Reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act
Also:

Recently, I posted an Op-Ed of mine in the Greenville, SC, newspaper, The Greenville News. My piece challenged the conventional claims that we care about education and children, noting that child poverty in the US is disproportionate to other affluent countries. I continue to argue that schools are under the weight of social ills. . .
This past weekend, a colleague sent me a draft of a rebuttal Op-Ed that framed me as a "pessimist" and that characterizes me as someone claiming "schools do not matter". . .I responded to this colleague by strongly rejecting both claims against me. . .
This morning I find this at one of my favorite musical group's web site: Whatever It Takes Athens, GA. . .

Test scores aren't the most serious problem

My next book is being published soon in a series edited by Curry Malott; just a thanks to Curry and IAP, and FYI to all: Parental Choice? paul thomas

I have a new Op-Ed in The News (Greenville, SC) about our perceptions of "free" and "accountabilty." Read it here along with the comments. . . paul thomas

Most of the bureaucratic calls related to education ascribe accountability to schools and teachers, ignoring the powerful influence of children's lives on everything they do, including their educationa outcomes. . .Please consider this new study on health and student achievement linked at my poverty blog: http://livinglearninginpoverty.blogspot.com/2010/03/accountability-healt...
paul thomas

Was struck this morning by a new piece of mine just making "print" (available in the online Journal of Educational Controversy) concurrent with the passing of Howard Zinn. In the middle of the piece about teacher education and Greene, I turn to the work of Zinn: "Of Rocks and Hard Places—The Challenge of Maxine Greene’s Mystification in Teacher Education"

paul thomas

All, this is what it is like in 2010 in the Deep South. . .maybe in a perverse way people are so committed to their prejudices that they believe them "right" so they actually say these things. . .this is from a leading contender for GOVERNOR in the state of SC:
"My grandmother was not a highly educated woman, but she told me as a small child to quit feeding stray animals," Bauer told a Greenville-area crowd. "You know why? Because they breed.

Please consider submitting and announce this where you can; I am editing a new series with Sense (PDF attached for distribution):

Here is my newest Op-Ed, addressing the soaring rhetoric disguising business as usual at the Dept of Education: http://www.thestate.com/editorial-columns/story/1056960.html

Secretary of Education Duncan continues to be wrong and wrong: http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2009-09-23-duncan-education-refor.... The current administration maintains a commitment to failed accountability and testing paradigms that have never worked and will never work. Duncan's call for "urgency" continues the crisis rhetoric that has never worked and will never work. Critical educators must seek ways to enter this discourse and help all stakeholders in education understand that accountability/testing and urgency are prone to maintaining the status quo, not alleviating the burden of poverty that crippples children seeking education.

Secretary of Education Arne Duncan was on Face the Nation this morning. . .and the interview highlights the huge problem we all face as we call for significant school reform. . .Duncan was wrong on nearly everything he said and Bob Schieffer just smiled. . .Duncan called for national standards, as if making statements about narrow expectations for everyone can work, as if we haven't been saying this for a century. . .Charter schools that work for everyone, merit pay. . .NCLB just needs better funding!. . the mantras are stale and not based in any evidence we know about the facts of school. . .Will we ever experince a political leader who knows her/his field? Who will say what we know is accurate?. . .I am skeptical. . .School failures are a reflection of social failures. .