Why Mess With Success - Public Education Reform Book Critique

By Ethan Powell

Dr Ravitch has little to offer as an alternative to these reforms. That's what all the failed reform efforts have themselves tried to do!

There is no quality research that supports either notion. Ravitch's book should be mandatory reading for legislators, school boards, superintendents, principals and Presidents.

A bit of my background that may help frame my comments: I'm a family physician that raised four children (all now adults) with my wife. My wife has been a teacher since 1974, teaching (and loving) middle school for the last 15 years. I disagree with several of Dr Ravitch's points, and think she somewhat glosses over key nuances within certain topics (the success of KIPP, Green Dot and other charter networks, how they've tried to address issues of creaming, the massive systemic reform that's underway in New Orleans). As such, the arguments within her book should be taken for what they are - the singular world view of an individual, who while thoughtful, experienced, and well-informed about her topic, is also prone to the biases and whims we all are. From President Obama on down, everyone with power over the system seems to be ignoring the signs of disaster, as if to say, "I've made up my mind, so don't bother me with the facts." If you want to know why public school teachers are feeling extremely frustrated, this book will tell you everything you need to know. Only someone with Diane Ravitch's historical perspective could so clearly and compellingly explain the reasons we are at this juncture in public education now in this country. Her knowledge of educational history and her inside participation in the decisions that have shaped public policy on education reads like a mystery. Piece by piece and bit by bit, Ravitch takes apart the standardized-testing logic that has developed as part of NCLB. She reveals that states have lowered the bar without telling the public so that students' scores appear to make great leaps from year to year when, in fact, they are actually stagnant or in decline. Throughout the book, Ravitch repeats and recycles many of the same facts, analysis, and conclusions, over and over, again and again. Of course, it makes sense to "remind" or "refresh" readers when making a new connection to earlier material in a text, but that's not the problem. It only prepares a future generation of folks that know how to darken in little circles. But I think the evidence is that testing can come much closer than Diane Ravitch admits. From my point of view this is a straw man. It is charged with terrific emotion, not in the words themselves but through the conclusions that it drives home to the discerning reader through her always palpable expertise and almost conversational narrative style. Ravitch's latest book is magnificent.

Teachers are the low men on the totem pole in education, but always pointed to as the main problem in education. Diane Ravitch is well aware of this system, and knows the steps best needed to reach our highest levels of quality education. And turn those pages you will, because if a non-fiction book about education can possibly be a page turner, this is the best candidate yet for that designation. My wife, the middle school teacher, says that one of her goals with every student is to make them into a lifelong learner.

On page 11 she refers to Adam Smith's "invisible hand" as "some unknown force." In fact Hayek described it in excruciating detail and Vernon Smith showed how it works experimentally. Thank you, Diane Ravitch, for having the good sense, the commonsense and the courage to speak the truth about education. It is not the organization of the schools that is at fault for the ignorance we deplore, but the lack of sound educational values.

About the Author:

And she backs up her positions - old and new - with convincing data and perceptive analysis. PORTABLE GAS BBQ GRILLS.