Sunday's NY Times has an interview with Kozol which includes this exchange:
NYT: Do you not approve of private schools?
K: They starve the public school system of the presence of well-educated, politically effective parents to fight for equity for all kids.
NYT: Are you saying that parents who send their kids to private school are selfish?
K: I became a close friend of Harold Levy, the former chancellor of New York City public schools, and I found it difficult to condemn him for sending his kids to D*lt*n, even though I wished he had sent them to public school. I think having parents like Harold in the school system would create a stronger political force to make sure that all kids get treated decently.
I'll have more to say after reading the book but in the meantime I wonder if Interim Head read this interview. Last year, he seemingly used a New Yorker article about gift giving to parents as an excuse to get rid of gift giving to teachers at my school. I wonder if he will make a motion to dismantle the school because of negative words about the institution of private schools in a major New York publication.
6 comments:
Hmmm.. Listo needs to eat (and more importantly, Youthlarge does; the woman is a testament to the benefits of quality bacon) so I won't be too harsh. Hey, as long as the parents pay their taxes I can't hate them (or their running dog of capitalism grade school teachers). I also don't think kids should be used as experiments in social leveling. So while I don't much care for private schools I understand the need and desire for a quality education for one's brats (and having gone to a selective state school in England I'd be a real hypocrite if I blasted you and bowles). In my perfect world, private schools would become obsolete in the face of improved public schools. yeah right; that's going to happen. In the interim, all I can do is hope that your gift policy is reversed and that this year the parents whip round the hat for that lambretta you so richly deserve (or at least that elusive i-pod).
Weasel wrote:
I also don't think kids should be used as experiments in social leveling.
This is EXACTLY how I feel and I've never been able to say it so clearly. Thanks, Weasel.
Do you know about the fact that Interim took away discounts for faculty kids? Current kids are grandfathered in but new ones are out of luck (even in the same family!). I haven't written my snarky email to him yet (particularly about the fact that this hasn't been announced - I got it from a person who was told directly, though), but it's forming in my mind....
This development is huge for us (if we ever get the elusive embryo). I am opposed to public schools in New York because of the testing stuff. I refuse to allow my child to be subject to the threat of flunking because of one test, or to watch peers do the same. That said, we bought our apartment in the good school district just in case. And if there's no discount, that may be the only possible route. And that makes me bonkers.
Another thing:
"They starve the public school system of the presence of well-educated, politically effective parents to fight for equity for all kids."
That's the problem with liberals- most only seem to engage in social issues if they have a dog in the fight. The "what's in it for me?" concept is breathtaking in its shortsightness, psychotic narcissism, and failure to embrace the truth that there is a direct correlation between good public education for all and- oooh I don't know- people trapped by hurricanes not having a median income of $6,000 a year.
yeah, much as "politically effective" parents may be beneficial to some NY public schools, how would that really have any effect on the poorest areas of the country, where none of the parents have any political clout already and no influx of richer (let's call a spade a spade, here) parents would be forthcoming? i did like his point (i think made elsewhere in the interview) about all funding for schools coming from the national level and being distributed equally, or something that effect. but if we can't get universal healthcare, you can forget about soemthing like that.
jamie,
excellent point. but you don't even have to look at other poorer parts of the country to demonstrate your point. the public school up the block from my school is a great one because all the richies in the neighborhood have made it so.
this city has some pockets of amazing public schools mixed in amongst the ridiculously underfunded bad ones.
"i did like his point (i think made elsewhere in the interview) about all funding for schools coming from the national level and being distributed equally, or something that effect."
Isn't that what the "No Child Left Behind Act" kind of set out to do? I know it's a horrible program - but wasn't it meant to give schools equal opportunity at federal funding?
Post a Comment