tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21843852.post546244387502409411..comments2024-01-04T05:57:26.735-06:00Comments on Education Policy Blog: Hosted by the Forum on the Future of Public Education: Public education is in perilCraig A. Cunninghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18160288758906798678noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21843852.post-69230750035962172412008-02-24T19:14:00.000-06:002008-02-24T19:14:00.000-06:00One thing to add to this. The existence of school...One thing to add to this. The existence of school boards says little about real "democratic" participation. What matters are more pragmatic issues about how communities, widely defined, can affect what happens in their schools. School board members elected every few years do not usually real democratic participation make. <BR/><BR/>In fact, it may sometimes be true that having a single person (a mayor) in charge of the schools can make democratic engagement more possible. It is often easier to "target" a single visible person than a whole board of less visible people. <BR/><BR/>In any case, once you elect someone they immediately end up being battered by a range of pressures, few of which usually have to do with the community.<BR/><BR/>Furthermore, the bureaucracy of city schooling, especially, is pretty hard to affect. The fact that one is a school board member may not give one as much influence as you may think.<BR/><BR/>Real democratic participation comes when communities develop structures that allow them to put collective pressure at the key decision points in a district. <BR/><BR/>Finally, remember that schools in poor areas have few resources. You can be as democratic you like about food distribution in a room with no food. Everyone will still starve.Aaron Schutzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10667097977144954236noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21843852.post-17348500634700546382008-02-24T18:54:00.000-06:002008-02-24T18:54:00.000-06:00I'm delighted that Ken has taken the time to highl...I'm delighted that Ken has taken the time to highlight Ravitch's current positions. I don't know Diane personally though I've met her through friends as well as in a few professional interactions. She has always struck me in person and in writing as someone who says what she thinks (and she does think!) and welcomes you to do the same. So while I haven't always agreed with her positions, I have never had any reason to do anything but respect her work. And that's still true.<BR/><BR/>I've been loosely following Ravitch's shared blog with Debbie Meier ("Bridging Differences" http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/Bridging-Differences/). It's great to see two intelligent, sensible educators acknowledging freely where they agree and where they disagree. As Ken's post points out, there is something quite sense-less about the current attack on public schools. It does not surprise me that Ravitch would say so, but it's worth repeating because she is a respected figure with "conservative credentials."Barbara Stengelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00750720938489052189noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21843852.post-70089626404864198432008-02-24T14:47:00.000-06:002008-02-24T14:47:00.000-06:00I am crossposting this because I have been somewha...I am crossposting this because I have been somewhat lax in posting in recent months. I do periodically in y logging efforts write things that are relevant here, and if there are no objections I will on occasion crosspost here, as I have just done.<BR/><BR/>Peace.teacherkenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02225551101423123044noreply@blogger.com