oh ouch

4. I reject the false “credentialism” of the protected education industry. I’ll bet I could walk into virtually class room and perform at least as well as 80-90% of the teachers up to Algebra 2. I’ll bet America is full of Masters of Chemistry and Physics who could outperform many others in your industry. (I’m assuming you are a member of America’s biggest protected industry/priesthood). I’ll bet I could perform this well in class of 30 to boot. I don’t need an “Education Masters” to know that such a masters is about fulfilling a Union contract clause, and not about Educating Children.

-Extreme Wisdom

You gotta’ love someone who writes off an email response with this as one of the points to the questioning along this track, “What credentials, official or unofficial, do you possess that make you an expert in education?” Athough “1. I’m a parent ….” is a sufficient, though devalued, reason to be able to judge the education that is being handed to America by its public school system.

The school system elite has indeed turned itself into a form of priesthood, but I think this is part of a larger problem of ‘Big Brother’ activity that has taken over more than just the educational sector.

There are some challenges to being a classroom teacher that a person off the street, though knowledgeable in the subject, could not so blithely handle. I wouldn’t downplay that, myself, but I do believe there is a point in defying the attempts to shut down pertinent opinion with the demand for “credentials”. There is just so much that isn’t, and can’t be, credentialed in the education and raising of a child. The Education Bureaucracy, with the likes of NEA, has overstepped its bounds for a long time now. Probably that explains the reason for its arrogance….

And it all boils down to just who is the Public Education sector accountable to, anyway? As Americans we have been losing sight of the fact that we are a government for, by, and of the People. That is captial P People! And it shows whenever we allow the “credentialed” elite the power to cow us into submission while they think to sally forth unquestioned.

I appreciate it when I see the American spirit in individuals such as Bruno Behrend, who speak up. Whether by blog, or by letter to the editor, or in public hearings, or by contacting the legislature…or whatever venue is used to exercise our rights as citizens to air opinion and require accountability.

Update:
LaShawn Barber suggests the same thing in another topic, her post encouraging discussion of South Dakota’s abortion ban.

2) For pro-life readers, based on Roe and the Constitution, lay out your argument supporting the ban on abortion and how you might defend it before the Supreme Court.

Materials: Roe v. Wade and the Constitution

You don’t have to be a lawyer to answer these questions. It may surprise you to know that “regular people” should be able to articulate their opinions on these issues. The goal is to stimulate a discussion about laws challenging Roe.