Our school "system"[s]

["William K. Medlin" <dev-plan@moscow.com>]

Prof. Probasco: Your wide ranging 'diatribe' (2-14) that would 
scuttle the world's first and most successful mass public education 
system certainly deserves attention! It would take reams and careful 
research, though, to respond properly to all of your charges. The 
'system' took two centuries to build and is, admittedly, in trouble 
in many respects. Your generalizations relate to the total system and 
can't be taken that seriously since you don't document anything (is 
this responsible?), and since every social institution has flaws -- 
from government, to law enforcement, to churches, to families, etc.-- 
and these all interact. As one who mentors weekly in our public 
schools I can attest to some excellent classrooms, but also to 
children who have real problems, as in reading (20% at elementary 
level), and who need help, not criticism. Teaching is not the problem 
-- the child brings deficiencies of one kind or another -- one 
teacher has to do it all.
	In later years, social and cultural influences outside 
schooling have much to do with impediments to cognitive and emotional 
progress in classroom settings where teachers "manage" between 20 and 
30 kids. Individual attention? How, when? The mass media, street 
cultures, family disorganization, drug habits (about one half of high 
schoolers engage in some substance abuse), and excessive sports 
"mania" can also distract and undermine a learning ethic (have you 
seen the data on MSD children?). There are similar reports across the 
nation. Many studies conducted on inner city schools document a 
pathology of social and psychological dysfunctions debilitating 
classroom settings. Have you ever visited such schools, like in 
Detroit (go to the Jefferson-Mack area), Chicago, Los Angeles? In a 
word, children are products of different cultural mixes which defy 
simple treatment. Educational practitioners don't have all the tools.
	Agreed: Grade sequences make little sense in view of the many 
variables that account for children's development. But financial 
"constraints" (really these are social and political) over the past 
200 years prevent effective individualization of instruction. Tutored 
children (the wealthy) do very well; so would most other kids. Some 
home schooling is excellent, some poor.
	"Mickey mouse" courses in colleges of education? Yes, there 
are too many. Pointing the finger, which many do, doesn't change 
anything. What evidence is there that vouchers would solve such 
practices? The professional pool is only so big, and the "great 
professions" recruit and reward far beyond what society wants to do 
for school teachers or for classroom assistance (not fads, gimmicks 
or even technology -- the instructional person is the key variable) 
-- on that we also agree.
	The Florida voucher system is failing because school boards 
of most of the "better schools" won't open their doors to the 
unwanted. In Milwaukee, there is some progress largely due to 
political leadership, superior organization, and a healthy social 
ethic. Charter schools seem to be the best use of tax dollars to 
encourage parents and communities to restructure and bring more 
accountability to bear. Constitutional issues remain formidable 
obstacles to a full voucher system and I'll defend my Bill of Rights. 
How many communities have the skills to create a charter school?  Our 
future labor force will have to draw on ALL youth, not just some. 
Whose responsibility? Tradition and state laws say it is a public 
trust. Should we now destroy that?
	I side with Rep. Trail on rejecting the voucher route as 
either a cure or a feasible alternative. Let's all try, based on good 
data and goodwill. Anything is possible with leadership, creativity 
and devotion. Ken Medlin



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