Critical Questions Democrats Must Ask About School Choice

[eridani]

http://www.ourfuture.org/blog-entry/2012072812/critical-questions-democrats-must-ask-about-school-choice

By Jeff Bryant

Left-leaning people everywhere recently got a hoot when the Texas Republican Party declared its opposition to the teaching of "Higher Order Thinking Skills," including "critical thinking skills," in public schools. Although a party spokesperson later back-peddled from that statement -- saying that including "critical thinking skills" in their declaration was a "mistake" -- there's little doubt that what these Republicans object to most is any sort of education that would challenge "fixed beliefs" and "authority."

Frankly, I don't see what Republicans are so worried about. Because when it comes to the subject of education, there's very little evidence that critical thinking is widespread these days, especially among the people who Republicans are supposed to worry about most -- Democrats.

Exhibit A in Democrats' inability to think critically about school policies is the recent rush by many in the party's leadership to embrace "parent trigger" laws. These are measures that allow a majority of 50 +1 parents to shut down a local school and provide an alternative that usually involves turning the school over to a private management company, instituting a privately operated charter, or getting vouchers to send children to private schools.

[eppur_se_muova]

1. 50% + 1 ? Hell, that's not even good enough to get a bill through the Senate ! nt