Everyone has won and all must have prizes-The education crisis continues

Over at Drudge there was a link to an article entitled, Oberlin students want to abolish midterms and any grades below C.

Moi, I was born too soon. I admit to being four years of goofing off other than in my major subject. The agitation that would have made me do even less work would have seen me play my part. Well no, I would have just enjoyed the fruits of other peoples' labors.

At Oberlin (where else?) the little Social Justice Warriors are so tired from their labors, they want a pass from they are actually there for because it pales in comparison to the mission of not hanging out with white people and other important stuff.

My desire to be at the opening of any keg or some other diversion meant that I was not learning something else. Was that a good idea? From my immediate post college employment prospects, no. Did I miss anything important? I found philosophy classes interesting, but not even to make effort and regret that. My brush with sociology is such that though there were some earnest and honest practioners, it is of little worth to the society and there are many, many snake oil salesmen in that non-discipline.

The truth of the matter is, yeah I could pull it together to get the C average, but the school would have been within reason if they had tossed me out as wasted space.

Now are the Social Justice kids doing something so vital that grades should not be awarded for the successful completion of the course of study. The young lady or young man may be doing important work

If that is so, why go to college at all if it means so little?

There has got to be somewhere else they can be coddled so they can get on with the real work of societal improvement.

No matter what FiveThirtyEight says, Pre-K is great, Just ask mom and dad

On January 5, Andrew Flowers posted Is Pre-K All It's Cracked Up To Be on the FiveThirtyEight quant website.Like any FiveThirtyEight article, it is well written and looks at both sides thoughtfully and does not get the big picture.  I mean the really big picture.

The best thing for mom and dad when considering education, is how much free time it gives them.  This does not mean they do not love their kids, it's that interacting with them is a lot of work.  Parents love the children.  They oft work long hours and move to boring places so the offspring will have a better chance.

No matter how much love they might have, the system works.  If it could be proved that the current system is harmful to the kids, and a regime of home instruction an hour a day would make them smarter, there would be no groundswell for closing the schools.

All that extra time spent with the juniors and juniorettes by the stay at home mom or dad, would not be welcome.  My parents loved me, but I drove my mom crazy.

The national mania for education is such that candidates have to talk about it, but they're not really talking about education.

Winter Camp and panem et circenses

There is little to say about the Yale and Missouri tantrums.  One might find it odd that the football players protest whatever spurious controversy has upset the noirs of privilege when the fellows are being horribly used as unpaid labor.

It's not like all the lads are going into the NFL with huge bonuses other than a few of the real stars.  There's a little notoriety now and then graduation and scrambling for a job with no useful skill.

I know little about college or pro football.  Since I hit adolescence, sports has seemed to me something people obsessed about who need something to occupy them in the time they have until death relieves them of ever having to try and think.  Sort of Oprah or the View for guys.

As I went to a Papist institution back in the day, I can attest that college is winter camp with different names for the office of counselor.  Back then, there was some rigor, but I managed to pull out the gentleman's C, well, C-.

I never cease to be amazed at how little the tykes know.  I had an interaction with a proud honors grad from a well regarded state school.  A poli-sci major, they not only had never read de Tocqueville, the name itself drew a blank.*

There is no reason to keep this charade going, but do not waste time calling for reform.  There is too much money percolating up.  The only thing that can grind this to a halt if the obstreperous graduates inability to pay leads to mass pauperism.  It is devoutly to be wished, and may be happening in slow motion.

In fact, I suspect behind calls to make college tuition free and keep the scam going.

There is no education going on in this country.  If you doubt me, ask a recent bachelor to define education and listen to him make something up.  Heck, my fellow citizen, Most of you can't give it.

Now to the case of the Thug woman Click, she has issued an apology.

Yesterday was an historic day at MU—full of emotion and confusion. I have reviewed and reflected upon the video of me that is circulating, and have written this statement to offer both apology and context for my actions. I have reached out to the journalists involved to offer my sincere apologies and to express regret over my actions. I regret the language and strategies I used, and sincerely apologize to the MU campus community, and journalists at large, for my behavior, and also for the way my actions have shifted attention away from the students’ campaign for justice. 

From this experience I have learned about humanity and humility. When I apologized to one of the reporters in a phone call this afternoon, he accepted my apology. I believe he is doing a difficult job, and I am grateful to have had the opportunity to speak with him. His dignity also speaks well to the Journalism program at MU. Again, I wish to express my sincere apology for my actions on Carnahan Quad yesterday.”

Actually, it wasn't a bad mea culpa.  Usually, in our country the apology goes along the "if anyone feels offended" line and never admits wrongdoing.  This was not one of them.  Is it sincere or fear for the sinecure?

*I do not know a country where there is in general less intellectual independence and less freedom of discussion than in America... In America the majority builds an impregnable wall around the process of thinking.

...
The Inquisition was never able to prevent the circulation in Spain of books opposed to the religion of the majority. The majestic rule of the majority does better in the United States; it has removed even the thought of publishing them.

     -De Toqueville, Democracy in America (1835)

President proposes expanding day care

The American system of day care that begins almost at birth for some and continues usually up to age 17 or 18 for those perfectly dependent will be extended a couple of years if the president has his way.

The president has suggested free tuition for community college.  Now some who might not have thought it wise to continue a less than stellar academic life may be tempted to take up space in another womb.  With luck and pluck, some may flourish there.

Here at tvoh, we've known some people who have benefitted from the institution.  Will making it free ruin it?  We shall see.

Indoctrination in New Bedford-Alma Del Mar Charter School is an early intervention re-education camp

On December 13, 2014 in New Bedford, MA a group of scholars, reacting to injustice, protested by chanting and holding signs.  

And what university did this corps of “scholars” attend.  Ah, this advanced group was not post-secondary.  Rather, they are second graders from the Alma Del Mar Charter School.

One has to admit to being impressed.  At their age, to be so enlightened is a gift few possess.  All I remember was that my contemporaries and I thought mostly about escaping the clutches of our pedagogues.  Then again, in second grade, I didn’t consider myself a scholar.

The Boston Globe reported;

“According to Will Gardner, the school’s founder and executive director, a “handful” of the school’s students requested to hold the protest after a lesson on citizenship and the First Amendment, in which topics in the media, including the August death of 18-year-old Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., were discussed.

The students from Shabrina Guerrier’s class asked the head of school, Emily Stainer, if they could hold the protest.”

Mr. Gardner also said the teacher made clear; “was very clear with the scholars that this was not to be an antipolice event in any way,”

Mr. Gardner used the word scholars* without irony.  There is a video in which he comes across as a bit smarmy.

The Globe also reported that; “The students from Shabrina Guerrier’s class asked the head of school, Emily Stainer, if they could hold the protest.”

Now I’m going out on a limb and guess that Shabrina’s class heard a story that may not have been completely evenhanded.  It is not likely a kid that age will want to do that unless prodded a tad.

Mr. Gardner should stop using the word Scholars and maybe use a more apt term, “Young Pioneers.”

George Borden, a local policeman whose daughter was a protesting scholar was under-amused.

“I don’t think 7-year-olds can come up with the idea to go out and protest on the street,” said Borden, whose daughter Alana was among the students on the sidewalk.

Ah, but Mr. Borden, don’t you see, you are not a scholar.

There are two sides to every story and maybe Officer Wilson should have been indicted.  I was not in the class at Alma Del Mar and cannot say if Scholar-Leader Gurrier was or was not truly even-handed.  My experience, as a kid and a parent makes me a doubter.

Somehow an invitation found its way into Officer Borden’s daughter’s backpack:

“Join us for a peaceful protest in New Bedford to stand up for justice for Michael Brown and Eric Garner and to protest against the unjust systems that allow police officers to kill Black  men and boys with immunity”

This had to be a miracle as Scholar Gardner claimed “The school did not issue any kind of invitation to any protest.”

*When Gardner uses the term “scholar” maybe “snowflake” would be more accurate.

With all the money spent on education, why is everybody so stupid?

Yesterday, on the car radio I'm listening with all my heart (not) to the news that the two parties are disagreeing about the interest rate for student loans. It's 3 something percent and could double. Oh my gosh, can't these solons be compassionate? Can't they solve anything? Well, no. The whole debate is a joke. The interest rate is a minor annoyance in the scheme of things. Little Brad or Heather spends four years at a nice school studying philosophy. It has been a rewarding experience. Something may have been learned, the brewery industry has been kept healthy. After the graduation ceremony when the relatives have all gushed, it's back to the room with the Muppet decor that they grew up in. If you can't get work that will pay off the $150thou what does a few percent on the debt really matter. Don't get me wrong, there is value to studying the soft majors, but not at any price. Besides, remember the Wizard of Oz granting a degree. You don't need it to actually be a philosopher. That's why Socrates never had to rip up all those please give letters from his alma mater. He was his alma mater. Let's call this bill what it really is, The Let's Keep the Faculty in Clover Relief Bill. Update, From the Huffer, Number Of PhD Recipients Using Food Stamps Surged During Recession.