tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10004193.post2247335998195057222..comments2024-03-27T20:39:56.082-05:00Comments on Educational Equity, Politics & Policy in Texas: Education for Sanity and a Reason for HopeAngela Valenzuelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16377527828841110131noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10004193.post-80210897495765470822008-03-07T17:02:00.000-06:002008-03-07T17:02:00.000-06:00I read your essay on the need for Education for Sa...I read your essay on the need for Education for Sanity and completely agree with what you said. However, it seems the solutions are much too vague to be of any clear value for the general public. For instance while altruistic, your three lessons do not give much information. Lesson one: it is one thing to say that social conflict is not an inevitable product of human nature, but what do we do with that bit of information except file it away as nice to know, since we actually have known this all along and although we are currently war, in social conflict, there has been historic time where war was not happening. We are so conditioned to think it has always and constantly been with us. Lesson two: that ethics and morality, the commitment to decency is again a vague bit of advice. What do you mean? How do we enhance the public’s ethics and morality. What do these notions mean to the public-at-large. I would bet there are a million different views as to what these ideas mean. Shall we become dogmatic about what they mean? What ought we to do with the power-corrupted leaders, realistically speaking? As a population we have a political system that in order for us to stay rational, we must follow our own laws and political conventions (rules) to deal with corruption in politics. Third lesson: How shall these tipping points and groundswells and upheavals be instigated? Revamping high school history courses must be approved by school boards and state education administrations. It is not a matter of just going in and making sweeping, although altruistic, changes. Again the system gets in the way of grand progress. How long ought the process to take, our lifetime, two lifetimes? <BR/><BR/>Education is the only way to effect the kinds of changes you are giving voice to, but it is no easy matter. Giving voice may be the first baby step, but more radical action is obviously required to light the fire for change. The No Child Left Behind Act has put a real damper on education and overcoming the incessant testing requirements does not allow much time for the winds of change to take place.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com