Pendidikan Masyarakat di Luar Sekolah, apa kabar?

Di tengah geliat dinamika peningkatan dan penyesuaian kapasitas masyarakat baik individu maupun komunal. Penyelenggaraan pendidikan bagi masyarakat di luar sekolah (out of school community) nampak berbanding negatif dengan keberadaan institusi pemerintah yang bertanggung jawab terhadap pengelolaan yang dikenal dengan pendidikan nonformal dan informal sekarang ini. Institusi pemerintah di tingkat pusat yang membantu mentri pendidikan untuk urusan pendidikan bagi masyarakat di luar sekolah ini sekarang dinamakan Direktorat Jenderal Pendidikan Anak Usia Dini, (Pendidikan) Nonformal dan Informal (PAUDNI), Kementrian Pendidikan Nasional.

Sejarah awal institusi yang menaungi bidang pendidikan di masyarakat selain pendidikan formal di sekolah ini bermula dari pembentukan Departemen Pendidikan Masyarakat tanggal 1 Juni 1946. Departemen ini merupakan unit kementrian pendidikan saat itu yang bertanggung jawab dalam memenuhi tiga kebutuhan, yaitu: pemberantasan buta huruf, penyelenggaraan kursus keterampilan dan pengembangan perpustakaan masyarakat. Ketiga kebutuhan ini merupakan prioritas utama yang dirasakan oleh masyarakat dan bangsa Indonesia yang baru merdeka. Seperti disadari saat itu, pencapaian pendidikan dasar seperti kecakapan baca-tulis-hitung, begitu juga keterampilan ‘kerja’ kebanyakan masyarakat masih sangat rendah. Sedangkan perpustakaan sebagai ‘lumbung pengetahuan’ diharapkan mampu menyegarkan pengetahuan dan kapasitas masyarakat setiap saat.

Selama sepuluh tahun terakhir, perubahan semakin tidak dapat dihindari terhadap institusi yang mengelola pendidikan di masyarakat ini. Ketika kabinet pembangunan era orde baru, tanggung jawab pendidikan di masyarakat yang dinamakan pendidikan luar sekolah (PLS) berada satu atap dengan kegiatan pemberdayaan pemuda dan pendidikan olah raga yakni di bawah Direktorat Jenderal Pendidikan Luar Sekolah, Pemuda dan Olahraga (PLSPO).

Di awal era reformasi, pengelolaan PLS dipisahkan dari pemberdayaan pemuda dan pendidikan olah raga sejalan dengan penetapan Kementrian Negara Pemuda dan Olahraga. Bahkan tidak cukup itu saja, sejalan dengan pemberlakukan UU Nomor 20 tahun 2003 tentang Sistem Pendidikan Nasional (Sisdiknas) penggunaan nama PLS pun disesuaikan menjadi pendidikan nonformal (PNF) termasuk Informal, maka kemudian resmi ditetapkan Dirjen Pendidikan Nonformal dan informal (PNFI).

Perkembangan berikutnya dalam satu tahun terakhir, masih didasari oleh UU Sisdiknas yang sama, Dirjen PNFI sebagai institusi pemerintah yang mengelola sumber daya, personil dan anggaran termasuk menyusun kebijakan PNF kembali disesuaikan menjadi Ditjen PAUDNI. Perubahan ini ditengarai sebagai perujudan prioritas dan keinginan pemerintah untuk urusan PNF agar lebih fokus pada pendidikan anak usia dini (PAUD). Kenyataan di masyarakat pada saat awal kelahiran Ditjen PAUDNI ini, hampir semua tenaga akademisi, praktisi dan personil PNF getol dengan penuh semangat mengusung dan menggerakkan beragam program PAUD, berbeda dengan urusan pendidikan nonformal dan informal.

Padahal apabila melihat muatan UU Sisdiknas terutama kategori pendidikan nonformal secara khusus, terdapat jelas delapan kategori yaitu pendidikan kecakapan hidup, pendidikan anak usia dini, pendidikan kepemudaan pendidikan pemberdayaan perempuan, pendidikan keaksaraan, pendidikan keterampilan dan pelatihan kerja, serta pendidikan kesetaraan. Semua itu, tidak termasuk satu kategori pendidikan lain yang ditujukan untuk mengembangkan kemampuan peserta didik.

Sehingga apabila sekarang ditetapkan PAUDNI, sebagian masyarakat menduga, siapa tahu kelak di kemudian hari akan dijumpai dirjen pendidikan kecakapan hidup nonformal dan informal (PKHNI), pendidikan kepemudaan nonformal dan informal (PKNI), pendidikan pemberdayaan perempuan nonformal dan informal (P3NI), pendidikan keaksaraan nonformal dan informal (PakNI), pendidikan keterampilan dan pelatihan kerja nonformal dan informal (PKPKNI), serta pendidikan kesetaraan nonformal dan informal (PSNI).
Nampak bahwa pengelolaan pendidikan masyarakat di luar sekolah masih belum optimal setidaknya masih dirasakan ada kesan pertarungan politis yang melatarbelakangi kepentingan untuk mencerdaskan kehidupan bangsa dilihat dari dua paradigma pendidikan formal scholastic dengan paradigma hakekat pendidikan seumur hidup.

Kewajiban belajar merupakan salah satu dari ujud nyata dan bukan tujuan dari Education for All (EFA) itu sendiri. Sehingga tugas pemerintah belum selesai sekalipun telah menuntaskan kewajiban pendidikan dasar sembilan tahun bagi seluruh rakyatnya. Serupa dengan pencapaian derajat keaksaraan masyarakat, tugas pemerintah untuk membebaskan ‘illiteracy’ belum berakhir sekalipun derajat melek huruf ini sudah tidak digunakan sebagai variabel dalam kalkulasi indeks pendidikan dalam laporan tahunan badan PBB untuk pembangunan atau UNDP. Laporan tahunan ini mengurutkan seluruh negara berdasarkan peringkat indeks pembangunan manusia, dan sejak tahun 2010 tidak lagi menghitung angka melek huruf suatu negara.

Spektrum pendidikan bagi masyarakat di luar sekolah mencakup hampir seluruh segi pengembangan kapasitas seseorang dan masyarakat secara massal. Kapasitas ini meliputi penguasaan pengetahuan, keterampilan dan sikap yang dibutuhkan sepanjang seseorang menjalani kehidupan serta berinteraksi di tengah masyarakat. Ternyata pula, spektrum pendidikan bagi masyarakat ini memiliki kemasan beragam mulai dari kegiatan sosialisasi, penyuluhan, bimbingan, hingga konseling dimana menyediakan ruang interaksi pembelajaran antara sumber belajar dan peserta belajar.

Relasi pembelajaran yang dialami oleh masyarakat di luar sekolah mencakup proses yang direncanakan secara sengaja oleh nara sumber termasuk provider, sebagaimana kegiatan pendidikan pada umumnya yang juga didasari kesengajaan peserta untuk belajar. Akan tetapi, sering pula relasi pembelajaran ini menyediakan kesempatan yang tidak disengaja oleh peserta belajar, seperti dalam contoh: kampanye tertib lalu lintas, promosi produk baru hingga sosialisasi kebijakan publik, dimana peserta tidak menyadari keterlibatan sejak awal, berbeda dengan keterlibatan peserta dalam kursus atau pelatihan yang secara sadar dan sengaja dipilih.

Spektrum yang ditawarkan oleh relasi pembelajaran serta urgensi kebutuhan muatan belajar masyarakat di luar sekolah telah menciptakan dukungan dimensi pelaku dan penyedia pendidikan untuk masyarakat. Oleh karena itu, tugas dan intervensi pemerintah dalam bentuk regulasi pendidikan untuk menyelenggarakan kegiatan pendidikan bagi masyarakat di luar sekolah perlu melibatkan pelaku sekaligus institusi penyelenggara baik itu lembaga masyarakat, lembaga pemerintah hingga lembaga swasta.

Dalam menyikapi masalah pelaksanaan dan dukungan praktek pendidikan di masyarakat luar sekolah, sudah tepat jika dapat ditetapkan regulator, eksekutor dan provider dengan menyederhanakan dan merampingkan duplikasi peran institusi yang berkepentingan untuk meningkatkan pengetahuan, mengembangkan kecakapan dan sikap baru. Dan jika benar, urgensi peningkatan kapasitas diri seseorang dan masyarakat secara komunal adalah tanggung jawab pemerintah di bidang pendidikan dan bukan hanya praktek formal di sekolah semata. Maka, penghargaan yang sangat tinggi diberikan jika kesadaran untuk mendidik masyarakat di luar sekolah menjadi keprihatinan akademisi, dan praktisi yang menggeluti paradigma formal scholastic.

Standar Kompetensi VS Kompetensi Dasar

Sudah sejak lama saya dipancing untuk membandingkan makna dan mempertanyakan lebih lanjut kata; standar kompetensi (SK) dan kompetensi dasar (KD). Kedua kata ini muncul seiring dengan penggunaan Kurikulum 2004 di tataran pendidikan terutama jalur formal di sekolah. Di kemudian hari praktek jalur pendidikan nonformal mengadopsi dua kata tersebut.

Alih-alih mengumpulkan referensi dan jawaban atas penggunaan SK dan KD, ternyata jawaban yang diinginkan tidak kunjung datang. Penggunaan kedua kata tersebut semakin meluas dan dianggap turunan penyempurnaan atas kekurangan Kurikulum 1974. Penyempurnaan tersebut di kalangan pendidik terutama jalur formal adalah penyesuaian istilah Tujuan Instruksional Umum (TIU) dan Tujuan Instruksional Khusus (TIK). SK merupakan padanan TIU dan KD merupakan padanan TIK. Asal muasal pemilihan padanan baru dari TIU dan TIK ini hanya institusi yang mengembangkan dan menyusun kurikulum pendidikan nasional yang lebih tahu, dan ini bukan merupakan perhatian di sini.

Judul tulisan ini sengaja mempertentangkan atau lebih tepat mempertanyakan SK dengan KD sebagaimana gagasan yang selalu melintas di benak, dimaksudkan selain menyakini kejelasan makna juga untuk turut menyumbangkan sedikit perhatian bagi praktek pendidikan di bumi pertiwi.

Membalik-balik lembaran Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia (KBBI) yang diterbitkan Balai Pustaka, kompetensi dituliskan sebagai kata benda yang menunjukkan kewenangan (kekuasaan) untuk menentukan (memutuskan) sesuatu. Sementara kata sifat dari kompetensi adalah kompeten yang memiliki arti: 1. Cakap (mengetahui); 2. Berwenang; berkuasa (memutuskan, menentukan) sesuatu. Penggunaan kata kompetensi dalam kurikulum dan turunannya termasuk Rencana Program Pembelajaran (RPP, dulu dikenal dengan Satuan Pelajaran) memang bisa dipahami jika hendak menunjukkan tujuan setiap akhir pembelajaran adalah menjadikan peserta didik kompeten.

Giliran pemakaian kata standar pada SK dan dasar pada KD, saya sedikit mengernyitkan kening. Standar sebagai kata benda dalam KBBI memiliki dua kategori dan kategori kedua yang mewakili makna dan sesuai dengan maksud penulisan ini. Kata standar menunjuk pada ukuran tertentu yang dipakai sebagai patokan. Sementara dari sepuluh makna kata dasar sebagai kata benda, salah satu menunjukkan arti alas; fundamen yang berarti dalah patokan juga.

Standar adalah kata yang merujuk pada ketentuan yang menjadi dasar atau pegangan untuk melakukan sesuatu, lihat juga arti patokan dalam KBBI. Sehingga standar yang berarti juga baku yang merujuk sebagai dasar; acuan; fundamen atau landasan. Oleh karena itu, standar kompetensi pada hakekatnya dalam konteks kegiatan belajar mengajar adalah dasar termasuk acuan hasil belajar peserta didik. Lalu mengapa tidak dinamakan kompetensi standar?

Kalau melihat struktur pembentukan kata Bahasa Indonesia Diterangkan Menerangkan (DM) maka penulisan kompetensi standar adalah lebih sesuai dan tepat bandingkan dengan penulisan kompetensi dasar dan bukan dasar kompetensi.

Sambil berharap pendidikan mengejawantahkan tujuan berbangsa dan bernegara, saya berpikir apakah kerancuan makna dalam memilih dan menempatkan kata SK dan KD adalah bagian kisruh pendidikan di tanah air?

Hikmah Hari Keluarga

Sejak tiga hari menjelang perayaan hari keluarga, puluhan spanduk berwarna putih dan logo BKKBN berwarna biru dipasang di kedua sisi jalan menyambut kedatangan setiap orang sekitar satu kilometer menjelang kota Lembang di bagian utara Bandung. Tentu saja, kemeriahan ini sengaja diadakan terutama untuk menyambut tamu undangan Hari Keluarga ke-18 tahun 2011.

Mendekati perayaan puncak hari keluarga, kepadatan arus lalu lintas semakin bertambah bahkan hingga sabtu malam sekitar pukul sepuluh kendaraan tamu belum berkurang menyesak sepanjang dua jalur jalan yang menghubungkan Kota Bandung dengan Kota Subang. Jalan ini saat pergantian hari menjelang dini hari tetap riuh, apalagi jalan ini di saat normal merupakan lintasan ‘rolling’ biker kota Bandung. Penjual penganan ringan dan makanan berat lain seolah mendapat limpahan rizki sepanjang malam.

Ketika minggu beranjak siang, jalan menuju utara kota Bandung ini kembali padat, menjelang tengah hari volume kendaraan roda empat yang melintas tidak sebanding dengan kapasitas jalan sepanjang 15 KM. Mulai dari terminal Ledeng yang bertepatan di pintu gerbang UPI (dulu IKIP Bandung) kendaraan roda empat merayap padat. Jalur alternatif ke arah Lembang melalui Desa – Wisata Bunga – Cihideung tak berdaya menyerap limpahan sejumlah kendaraan berplat nomor dari luar kota dengan varian rata-rata di atas 1.800 cc, baik sedan atau pun MPV.

Kepadatan arus kendaraan ke utara ini hampir tidak pernah dijumpai pada hari kerja biasa termasuk akhir pekan. Kepadatan arus tiga hari menjelang hari keluarga ini hanya dapat diimbangi oleh kepadatan di saat hari lebaran dan tahun baru, dimana waktu tempuh mencapai 3-4 kali waktu normal. Bagi pengguna roda dua, kepadatan arus kendaraan roda empat ini harus ditembus dengan keterampilan manuver memilih ruang kosong di antara antrian mobil dari beragam merek hampir semua merupakan keluaran lima tahun terakhir.

Sejak pintu gerbang masuk utama UPI selepas daerah panorama, pengendara roda dua saja tak bisa bergerak bebas, jalur jalan dari bawah ke atas oleh pengemudi mobil dibuat melebar hingga empat alur hingga pintu gerbang belakang UPI. Selepas pertigaan Sersan Bajuri, bukan hanya pengendara roda dua, pengemudi roda empat pun berebut ruang kosong seperti bahu jalan sehingga di beberapa titik ruas jalan menjadi dua alur. Kepadatan ditambah oleh kendaraan yang melintas dan menyeberang baik masuk maupun ke luar dari sejumlah tempat di pinggir jalan setia budi sampai batas kota. Selepas batas kota pun, kepadatan terus merambat hingga lembang, sejumlah kendaraan besar seperti truk dari lembang harus dialihkan petugas kepolisian menggunakan jalan alternatif.

Magnitude dari peringatan hari keluarga ini tidak hanya kemacetan panjang, lama jarak tempuh Bandung – Lembang, atau puluhan kibaran baliho. Ketiganya secara ekonomis dapat dikalkulasi dan memberikan kontribusi atas omzet perniagaan, belum termasuk meningkatkan tingkat hunian hotel di kawasan bandung dan lembang sebagai tuan tumah. Perhelatan tingkat nasional seperti ini dapat meningkatkan dinamika ekonomi suatu daerah, karena hampir semua perhatian dan tenaga difokuskan dalam mendukung kelancaran dan mengusung citra penyelenggara. Akan tetapi, setelah perhelatan berakhir semua perhatian dan energi yang telah dicurahkan ibarat mencapai titik kulminasi berangsur menurun.

Kebijakan dan upaya memantapkan program kependudukan dan keluarga berencana nasional tidak berakhir seiring perhelatan usai. Tanggung jawab pemerintah, swasta dan masyarakat mewujudkan keluarga kecil bahagia sejahtera sebagai keluarga harapan bangsa tidak dapat diserahkan pada mekanisme ‘balikan’ seiring kepadatan kendaraan yang berkurang setelah sejumlah rangkaian kegiatan menjelang hari keluarga ini ditutup.

Sebagian pengguna jalan yang merasakan dampak kepadatan lalu lintas akibat keramaian menjelang peringatan hari keluarga, hanya sempat berpikir apakah kemacetan ini akan semakin sering dialami atau cukup sekali ini? Sebagai keluarga kecil, apakah kebahagiaan dalam menggunakan jalan tanpa macet akan menjadi kenyataan dalam lima tahun? Dan kapan kesejahteraan dapat diraih sebelum harapan sebagai keluarga Indonesia dipenuhi? Bagi orang awam, saya belum memperoleh hikmah pembelajaran dari rangkaian peringatan menjelang hari keluarga tahun 2011.

Pendidikan dalam dinamika Pembangunan

Secara umum pembangunan itu sendiri multifaced – terdapat banyak wajah dan dimensi (Pranoto,2007:10). Sehingga pembangunan bukan hanya berkaitan dengan pengembangan fisik atau saran dan prasarana, melainkan juga nonfisik, seperti mentalitas, pandangan kolektif masyarakat, dan seterusnya. Keadaan ini tidak mengenal besar atau kecil cakupan daerah, jauh maupun dekat, begitu pula dengan pembangunan di wilayah perdesaan. Pembangunan perdesaan seperti disampaikan Barbara Baird Israel (1974:14) is the resultant of many interacting forces. Education must be one of them – education taking many forms and touching many people. Pendidikan yang diperlukan bagi pembangunan tidak terkecuali bagi pelaksanaan di perdesaan adalah berorientasi pada ‘hard competence’ dan ‘soft competence’ (Cynthia, Gafur dan Dedi, 2008:12) berorientasi pada pengetahuan, ketrampilan dan keahlian, juga memperhatikan inisiatif, kreativitas dan inovasi.

Sementara itu pula teori pengembangan sumber daya manusia (SDM) dalam pembangunan (Tjokroamidjojo dan Mustopadidjaja,1984:44) memandang peningkatan mutu sumber daya manusia (SDM) merupakan kunci kemajuan ekonomi dan kestabilan social yang memberikan implikasi peningkatan ’human capital stock” dengan mengambil prioritas kepada usaha meningkatkan mutu pendidikan, kesehatan dan gizi. Perbaikan mutu SDM akan menumbuhkan inisiatif-inisiatif dan sikap kewirausahaan yang turut menumbuhkan pula lapangan-lapangan kerja baru, dengan demikian produktivitas nasional akan meningkat. Lebih lanjut pandangan Tom Wylie (O’Hagan, 1999:181) having human capital is what makes the difference and the way to increase the stock of a country’s intellectual and skill assets is to improve education. Begitu pula Conny Semiawan (1993:16) menekankan kepentingan human capital formation atau Djudju Sudjana (1991:18) human development and creative planning approach.

Memperhatikan unsur-unsur struktur perdesaan progesif (Wirjomidjojo dan Sudjanadi, 1974:10-11) yang meliputi market towns, jalan-jalan perdesaan, local verification trials, penyuluhan dan fasilitas kredit. Semua itu mempersyaratkan (Mangunwijaya,1985:8-9) bukan hanya sekedar memenuhi jumlah penduduk berpendidikan dasar, pemberantasan buta huruf, melainkan juga mengembangkan daya saing dan penguasaan sains dan teknologi, dan (Shane,1984:82-83) memenuhi ketrampilan disebabkan timbulnya teknososial baru. Bahkan menurut Mintorogo dan Sedarmayanti (1992:14) diperlukan juga self integrity, intellegence, appearance, health, skill, knowledge, emotional control, attitude, character and role. Sehingga sejak lama menurut Rogers A. Kaufman (1972:10) the product of education is no less than the achievement of these minimal skills, knowledges, and attitudes. The behavior and achievements of learners as they function as citizens determines whether the product has been achieved. Jika pendidikan formal di sekolah memiliki kendala dalam membangun peran yang diperlukan oleh masyarakat, terdapat other modes of education (Hagan,1999:4) seperti Community Education or out-of-school education that aim to provide illiterate adults, to assist working adults to be more productive in their business, and to reduce the development discrepancies between urban and rural areas (Djojonegoro,1997:153-154).

Pendidikan manakala diartikan Ki Hajar Dewantara (Saefudin dan Solahudin, 2009:32) sebagai upaya tuntunan agar segala kekuatan yang ada dalam kehidupan seseorang itu menjadi sumber kebahagiaan dirinya sendiri maupun sebagai anggota masyarakat. Sementara itu, pembangunan perdesaan berkenaan dengan modernisasi perdesaan (Schoorl, 1982:242) yang mementingkan perubahan sistem budaya, cita-cita dan pola perbuatan tradisional dan lembaga yang ada memerlukan tambahnya kontak, informasi dan kemampuan penyerapan. Dengan kata lain menurut W. Edwards Deming (1986:466) supply of knowledge in any field can be increased by education. Sistem budaya, cita-cita dan pola perbuatan baru merupakan muatan dari pendidikan yang memiliki sumbangan besar dalam menjembatani antara potensi masyarakat perdesaan dalam menyerap perubahan dan melakukan penyesuaian diri.
Di lain pihak, tugas pembangunan adalah menyelenggarakan perubahan (Bryan dan Luoise, 1987:139). Sehingga proses pembangunan yang diselenggarakan di wilayah perdesaan misalnya melibatkan berbagai dimensi di dalam masyarakat dan perubahan di dalamnya. Perubahan di mana pun dan dalam dimensi apa pun pasti akan menghadirkan implikasi-implikasi tertentu diikuti benturan nilai lama dan nilai baru (Shahab,2007:5). Untuk itu menurut Zubaedi dalam mencermati dimensi-dimensi perubahan sosial pada masyarakat perdesaan perlu dibangun penyesuaian diri dari anggota suatu masyarakat secara penuh kesadaran sehingga lahir social change, cultural change, sociocultural adaptation and adjustment yang menjadi bagian dari perubahan kebudayaan secara umum yang mencakup kesenian, ilmu pengetahuan dan teknologi (Shahab, 2007:9).

Pendidikan sebagai salah satu moda pembangun kesadaran bagi anggota masyarakat untuk menyesuaikan diri terhadap perubahan tidak saja mengandalkan upaya formal seperti sekolah, melainkan juga perlu melibatkan pendidikan nonformal. Pertimbangan ini menjadi krusial setelah menyadari perubahan di tengah masyarakat bersifat continuum, dan penyesuaian diri terhadap perubahan membutuhkan upaya perluasan waktu dan tempat belajar tidak berlangsung ketika seseorang menjadi 'school population'.
Karakteristik yang dicirikan dan dipahami sebagai masyarakat perdesaan harus mampu dilengkapi dengan upaya tuntunan agar upaya, hasil pembangunan dan proyeksi perubahan yang diperkirakan dapat memberikan manfaat serta keuntungan positif. Oleh karena itu, selama berlangsung pembangunan dan perubahan dalam masyarakat perdesaan, tuntunan peran dan kedudukan yang dikemas dalam upaya pendidikan adalah mutlak diperlukan; bukan pendidikan formal semata, melainkan upaya pendidikan masyarakat. Banyak istilah dan batasan yang memiliki arti sepadan seperti pendidikan masyarakat, pendidikan luar sekolah, pendidikan non formal, pendidikan berkelanjutan.

Below are some comments on Show-And-Tell Time: He's promised to bring change to Washington, but does Obama's calculus include D.C.'s awful schools? Written By Evan Thomas and Pat Wingert | NEWSWEEK Published Nov 22, 2008 From the magazine issue dated Dec 1, 2008
Original article please visit: http://www.newsweek.com/id/170362

These comments are intended to figure out whether school education either school teacher in USA are still facing problematic that required proper solution delivered by Obama's cabinet. That so, we can learn similar case within Indonesian School Education environment.

Posted By: thinker09 @ 01/11/2009 7:47:50 PM
Professions demand proof of knowledge; teaching does not. Once a teacher gets past "registration" teh tenure system is applied.
As a pre-service teacher educator, I'll tell you that even with all the "research" that goes on in education, the real trick is helping children become self-directed learners and moving "authoritive, controlling and power-seeking" teachers to the sidelines. Most researchers rivet on teachers because there is a the notion that a child cannot teach him/herself. I've seen 4 year olds teach themselves to read and to perform multi-digit division. I've seen children, working in the right conditions teach themselves an entire year's curriculum in 10 weeks; however the well-prepared adult on hand only guided interactions and showed students how to interpret natural feedback. This adult didn't relay on power, authority or control. The educator aided the child to teach him or herself. Schooling systems and processes have over-complicated the most innate homo sapien sapien traits - to observe, to symbolize, to abstract the event or findings and to apply them later--to learn.
Most children are natural learners and need little else than an intellectually-emotionally supportive and trusted environment. When adults start treating children like "knowledge entrepreneurs" (entrepreneur as defined by Robert W. MacDonald, the children can and will build their own human capital/capabilities. When textbooks and "cutsey, child-fun" websites and activities are replaced by authentic/practical items and ideas and fact-checked information, then children will learn what needs to be learned. Anyone who deals with an lower SES urban children knows they have figured out really fast how to survival and succeed in their "real" life.
Teachers need to discover in "pre-service" training to recognize the natural and powerful abilities to learn and not a list of pedagogical strategies, techniques, 'programs' and schooling processes. Watching children learn, watching an 18 month-old figure out how to climb stairs) is more useful to any adult assisting children to learn than sitting through 280 hours of lecture, "learning activities" and reading 'theory'. Get out of a child's way, set up a responsive support system and learning will occur.*

Posted By: munie200212533 @ 12/18/2008 10:10:22 PM Teaching is not a profession because teachers are members of a union. To be considered as a member of a profession, its members must hold paramount the interest of the public. Learned professions such as medicine, law, dentistry and engineering practice before the public and are accountable to the public for their performance --- and are subjected to professional discipline and removal from practice if they are incompetent.. Teachers unions protect their members regardless of their competence. Accountablity for performance is the main problem in our public school system.*


Posted By: munie200212533 @ 12/18/2008 9:57:23 PM
Teach*

Posted By: Academic Crusin @ 11/27/2008 2:36:26 AM
Hire,Train,Support and motivate ! Tone,vision,organization and team spirit. Coach and guide to develop higher level thinking skills and it's not about teaching to a test.School climate and listen to the ones that see it differently for objectivity and problem solving solutions.*

Posted By: seriousabouteducation @ 11/25/2008 6:32:55 PM
The fundamental question in this article is: what do teachers need to do a good job? No one is better equipped than Linda Darling-Hammond to provide national leadership on addressing this question and making serious change in our schools. Dr. Darling-Hammond knows that real accountability that promotes good teaching has to be based on high quality assessments of both students and teachers. She has developed these assessments and has studied them. Accountability has to have ???stakes??? and interventions that school staff will respond to. And Dr. Darling-Hammond knows that even the best accountability system cannot work if teachers are not first provided with the real skills and opportunities to plan and improve that good teaching requires. She knows how to build a system that not only can terminate those who are not qualified, but that can make sure that the vast majority of teachers are as prepared and qualified as our students deserve. I was saddened by some of the inaccurate representations in this article, and am very pleased that Linda Darling-Hammond has a significant role in planning the national direction for our schools.*

Posted By: seriousabouteducation @ 11/25/2008 6:02:28 PM
The fund*

Posted By: bdhotwheel @ 11/25/2008 2:04:13 PM
Obama will probably get some liberal fat cat to donate some money to fix up the school that his daughters will be going to and liberal sheep will say hooray! But what about the other schools in the area? I bet he leaves them out to dry like a typical polititian!*

Posted By: Gerrit Jones-Rooy @ 11/25/2008 12:36:33 PM ademeyer- It is true that teachers have difficult times because kids from uneducated families enter the school system far behind their peers. This does not mean however that they are a lost cause.
My classroom of 2nd graders started out on the kindergarten level in reading and left on the 3rd grade level. THE BIGGEST VARIABLE IN A CLASSROOM IS THE TEACHER. The simple fact is that some of the teachers in low income schools are miserable, and the data ins our DC schools reflects that. In order to produce real change and show real growth, new teachers are necessary and bad ones need to be shown the door. Michelle Rea's proposal to allows teachers to opt into a potential $130 dollars a year while removing the right of tenure could promote an influx of new teachers and the new ideas that come with them, while at the same time giving DC the much needed authority to fire those who cannot perform.
I know first hand that all kids CAN BE EDUCATED regardless of the family that they come from, and the idea that they are a lost cause because of who gave birth to them is simply finding a scapegoat for a problem that we have yet to find the guts to solve. We need to give Michelle Rea a chance, and I hope that our future President supports that.*

Posted By: Gerrit Jones-Rooy @ 11/25/2008 12:35:59 PM
ademeyer- It is true that teachers have difficult times because kids from uneducated families enter the school system far behind their peers. This does not mean however that they are a lost cause.
My classroom of 2nd graders started out on the kindergarten level in reading and left on the 3rd grade level. THE BIGGEST VARIABLE IN A CLASSROOM IS THE TEACHER. The simple fact is that some of the teachers in low income schools are miserable, and the data ins our DC schools reflects that. In order to produce real change and show real growth, new teachers are necessary and bad ones need to be shown the door. Michelle Rea's proposal to allows teachers to opt into a potential $130 dollars a year while removing the right of tenure could promote an influx of new teachers and the new ideas that come with them, while at the same time giving DC the much needed authority to fire those who cannot perform.
I know first hand that all kids CAN BE EDUCATED regardless of the family that they come from, and the idea that they are a lost cause because of who gave birth to them is simply finding a scapegoat for a problem that we have yet to find the guts to solve. We need to give Michelle Rea a chance, and I hope that our future President supports that.

Posted By: ademeyer @ 11/25/2008 4:27:11 PM
Bless you for having the talent to be a good teacher. If you had been my mentor or professor, I might have gone into teaching after finishing my certification. I interned in a middle class school system here in Maine and I still found it depressing. I think the system as a whole is broken, but I don't think firing individual teachers is necessarily the solution. I read another story in Time about the conditions these inner city teachers work in, and I think something needs to be done first to improve these general working conditions Thanks for reply, by the way. You probably know more than I do.*

Posted By: ademeyer @ 11/25/2008 11:53:00 AM
Who is hiring these bad teachers? Its just as easy to say Principals should be held accountable for hiring incompetent employees. Besides, new teachers in our state have a probationary period before they are actually hired - principals should be able to decide during that period if the teacher is competent. I don't think the biggest problem is bad teachers, the biggest problem is the dysfunctional families that produce these kids.

Posted By: reinadelaz @ 11/25/2008 1:45:52 PM
The biggest problem is the failure of administrators, teachers and parents to stop pointing fingers and start teaching what needs to be taught! Also, throwing money at the problem hasn't worked for 40 years, and it won't work now!

Posted By: bdhotwheel @ 11/25/2008 2:14:43 PM
Most of the blame also goes to parents that dump their children on the educators instead of being the real role models for their children. A lot of people are having children that are not fit to be parents!*

Posted By: Treyboy @ 11/25/2008 11:44:16 AM
Just remember that the goal is to educate these children and help them to be globally competitive. The goal of education is NOT to have a jobs program for adults. If the parent(s) don't care and the teacher is not qualified, there is no amount of money that will help.*

Posted By: sieg6529 @ 11/25/2008 10:59:08 AM
Teacher's unions are not always bad. In some of the more rural states, they're the only thing keeping the teachers' salary above the poverty line. My old high school just now raised the minimum starting salary for a college-educated teacher to $30K, and only because of union pressure. Trying to categorize unions as always bad or always good is a very simplistic way to look at the situation. It may be abused some of the time, or even most of the time, but they are necessary in certain areas.

Posted By: bdhotwheel @ 11/25/2008 2:11:54 PM
They suck here in California. Their liberal agenda almost brought gay marriage into the curriculum in our public schools. The stupid union poured money into the No on Prop 8 fund when they had no business choosing sides! So unions are a big problem and that is why many teachers here choose private schools. They pay better and are not tied to the liberal agendas.

Posted By: octola @ 11/29/2008 3:23:13 PM
No teacher in his/her right mind would choose private school in CA. The pay is MUCH worse, and they are often tied to conservative agendas because many are religious schools. ps. They had just as much business choosing sides on gay marriage as you did.*

Posted By: modanofan @ 11/25/2008 10:49:18 AM
I am sick and tired of hearing our educators claim "it's for the children'" when what they really are saying is that "it's better for our political and financial positions." This is the same group of people that have seen to it that college costs have risen over 50% in the last few years. Teachers are as greedy as everyone else and they do it all in the name of the children. Unions serve well only when the product they presume to create is continually improved. Don't think we can say that about our education system as a whole.*

Posted By: informedbyteachers @ 11/25/2008 7:47:41 AM
No doubt much needs to be done to transform the Washington DC public schools. President-elect Obama???s selection of Linda Darling-Hammond to head his education transition team sends a strong signal that he is serious about reforming the teaching profession in the District and across the nation. Counter to the perception of some Washington insiders, Darling-Hammond is one of the nation???s most accomplished education researchers who actually has designed and implemented important reforms in teaching and learning. She has created several charter schools in California that serve as professional development sites for preparing teachers for high need schools. She has called for the closing down of poor schools of education and streamlining teacher certification while helping create more rigorous 21st century teacher tests. She has led efforts to improve No Child Left Behind and the current, old-school, standardized tests in order to better measure higher-order skills that our students will need to compete in the global economy. When she has critiqued NCLB it has been to suggest improving its assessments and fixing its accountability provisions, not abandoning the law or its focus on student data and outcomes. For over 20 years she has been in the forefront of crafting new ways to pay teachers for performance while creating school working conditions that give teachers the opportunity to teach effectively. President-elect Obama can do no better by selecting Dr. Darling-Hammond to lead the transformation of teaching, the profession that makes all others possible.*

Posted By: informedbyteachers @ 11/25/2008 7:34:20 AM
No doubt much needs to be done to transform the Washington DC public schools. President-elect Obama???s selection of Linda Darling-Hammond to head his education transition team sends a strong signal that he is serious about reforming the teaching profession ??? in the District and across the nation. Counter to the perception of some Washington insiders, Darling-Hammond is one of the nation???s most accomplished education researchers who actually has designed and implemented important reforms in teaching and learning. She has created charter schools in California that serve as professional development sites for preparing teachers for high need schools. She has called for the closing down of poor schools of education and streamlining teacher certification while helping create more rigorous 21st century teacher tests. She has led efforts to improve No Child Left Behind and the current, old-school, standardized tests in order to better measure higher-order skills that our students will need to compete in the global economy. When she has critiqued NCLB it has been to suggest improving its assessments and fixing its accountability provisions, not abandoning the law or its focus on student data and outcomes. For over 20 years she has been in the forefront of crafting new, relevant, and valid ways to pay teachers for performance while creating school working conditions that give teachers the opportunity to teach effectively. President-elect Obama can do no better by selecting Dr. Darling-Hammond to lead the transformation of teaching ??? the profession that makes all others possible.*

Posted By: Dr. Write @ 11/25/2008 6:59:40 AM
What is amazing to me, as someone with a doctorate in education, is that reform and accountability are now synonomous with standardized testing. Standardized, fill-in-the bubble testing is not a reform and does not equate with either teaching OR learning. If this were the case, it would be more in evidence in the private schools to which Pesident-elect Obama and other members of the ruling class send their children for a fine edcuation. Linda Darling-Hammond knows and understands this, which is why she is so scary to "reformers" like Michelle Rhee. Testing is easy; teaching, learning and real accountability for them are hard, time-consuming and expensive, just like private school education! Denise Stavis Levine, PhD*

Posted By: blondelogic @ 11/25/2008 12:02:35 AM
"He my child but he problem not my fault. Dey you fault - you da teacha, right?"
Hmmmm.

Posted By: 40YearR @ 11/25/2008 1:12:33 AM
You might have revealed more problems than you intended.+

Posted By: Academic Crusin @ 11/27/2008 3:57:47 AM
Call Ringling Brothers and send in the clowns ! That one made me laugh ! Every survival kit needs a sense of humor. "I'm not doing this homework and you can't make me !" "I'll be at your mama's house before the bus pulls over the curb !" You think to long,you may think wrong. Mom and the teacher standing on the porch and the teacher had his books. Butter bing,butter bang and what a surprise ! Uh oh,it's a rodeo !*

Posted By: tfteacher @ 11/24/2008 10:28:36 PM
Just stop. Stop blaming the teachers. It's not our fault. Hell, the measures we use to compare the U.S. to the rest of the world are screwed up! You realize that we compare ALL our students to only the TOP students in other countries, right? The comparison is not apt.

Please, universal healthcare, preschool, and parental commitment to the education of their children is the fix; not firing all the teachers!*

Posted By: mlisman2 @ 11/24/2008 8:40:12 PM
If conservatives could craft a position (without standardized testing-which accomplishes nothing) whereby the good teachers themselves cannot be arbitrarily cast aside, then they may find the teachers joining their numbers.
This is drivel, and the kind of "adults-first" mentality that keeps the worst schools from improving. The only people that care about teachers' tenure is teachers, and it has nothing to do with kids' success. What other profession has "tenure" and is immune from performance reviews?*

Posted By: fmikieo @ 11/24/2008 8:25:59 PM
People, have we already forgotten the good that unions have brought every working man and woman? Because of them, we have fair working conditions, reasonable job protections and even the opportunity to retire if we plan wisely. Study your history-without unions, we'd work 100 hour workweeks in deplorable conditions until we dropped dead at the ripe old age of 50. These were the existing conditions that necessitated the people to come together and form a more direct method of political representation.
Besides, the greatest determinant to a child's success in school has never been either the school or the teacher, but rather the socioeconomic background from which he or she finds themselves.
What the right doesn't understand concerning the issue of tenure is how easily any teacher, good or bad, can be dismissed for either not placating the most powerful of parents or by unfortunate politics. If conservatives could craft a position (without standardized testing-which accomplishes nothing) whereby the good teachers themselves cannot be arbitrarily cast aside, then they may find the teachers joining their numbers.o

Posted By: reinadelaz @ 11/25/2008 1:49:48 PM
Unions? We also have a failed auto industry. If the test has the right questions, what is wrong with teaching the test?*

Posted By: mlisman2 @ 11/24/2008 8:02:50 PM
As much as Obama might want to support Rhee's experiment, it would be highly imprudent for him to publicly and squarely speak out against the teacher tenure, as Rhee calls it, the "holy grain of teachers' unions." Moreover, his support would be moral at best, which would not go that far in fighting what as already become a national union issue; a few ill-advised words from the new president would do much more harm than good.*

Posted By: neoconx @ 11/24/2008 4:15:19 PM
the government hires 3 people to do the work of every 1 person in the private sector, and we're still more efficient , even with the government taking half our money. the only things that tear down our efficiency are the unions, because they are as lazy and corrupt as the government. the new president is beholden to larger government and unions. it's simple arithmetic: subtraction from the middle class bank accounts.*

Posted By: Lee Holmes @ 11/24/2008 1:34:56 PM
Obama can only do this if he takes on the powerful Teachers Unions. After all,why does Detriot[especially CHRYSLER],build such ''awful''cars,while the non-union manufacturers get props for manufacturing a decent ,cheaper,more gas efficient product? Obama,as he sends his kids off to a glitzy DC private school,will have to ponder this.,lest he become another in the long line of ''For Me,But Not For Thee'' types of characters.*

Posted By: Dan_Sample @ 11/23/2008 11:51:39 PM
What about making students accountable? Oh no, we can't have too many dropouts or schools will be punished by NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND!! What about making families accountable for school attendance? The students of inner city schools have "NO HOPE" in the looks of their eyes. Offer them job and money for achievement. I have examined the resume and papers of Linda Darling-Hammond. She is exceptional.*

Posted By: Dan_Sample @ 11/23/2008 11:45:16 PM
What about making students accountable.?..oh oh be careful we cant increase dropouts!! What about making families accountable?....Kids today are more intrested in Entertainment than Achievement....I have examined the resume and papers of Linda Darling-Hammond. Exceptional!!*

Posted By: sarx478 @ 11/23/2008 9:44:11 PM
Let's clarify some issues, shall we?
First and foremost, I commend President and Mrs. Obama for taking the time to decide what school their daughters should attend while they reside at the White House. Caring parents do take the time to decide which school their children should attend, whether its public or private. Second, the educational system is regulated by the state not the federal government. The only obligations that the federal government has to the schools is provinding funds for the Title I and Special Education (IDEA) programs. Therefore, any school budget crisis is handled through the state and district level. Finally, I do understand Chancellor Rhee's position of trying to keep educators who are effective versus those who are not effective. Yet, we need to keep in mind that every state and school district has their own evaluation of the teaching profession. There isn't a universal teacher evaluation form. However, I do disagree in giving merit pay to educators based on students test scores. The reason being that there many students with different learning disabilities or health impairments, who receive instructions in the general education setting, may reach a plateau in their academic achievement and not meet the NCLB requirement for proficiency. Does the instructor deserve to be punish if the student with specific learning disabilites or health impairments doesn't meet NCLB requirements? If that's the case, why not punish the educational administrators who are paid the "big bucks" for their school or district for failing to meet the NCLB requirement. By the way, all educational administrators including Chancellor Rhee should walk through varies classrooms at least twice a week and speak to the instructors - especially around lunch time- to hear their concerns. They are in "trenches" day in and day out.
Chancellor Rhee's method of "Divide and Conquer" will eventually lead to her dismissal. I have seen it too many times with varies administrators whom I have worked for throughout my career. Its best to united your staff and community under a common goal. Division only causes more problems than provide solutions.
What we as Americans should focus is preparing our "future leaders of America" to compete on the world's stage. We are the most diverse nation in the world and yet we don't push for multiligualism and appreciation for multiculturalism. "UNITED WE STAND, DIVIDED WE FALL".o

Posted By: octola @ 11/29/2008 3:31:10 PM
If merit pay is instituted, teachers will fight for the highest students, and won't want to teach the average and low kids. The schools will be rewarded for pushing out the lower kids (sending them to the alternative school or letting them drop out )so they don't lower test scores. I received a bonus once as a 9th grade teacher. The money should have gone to the junior high teachers who taught the students for the 2 years before they came to me!+

Posted By: 40YearR @ 11/29/2008 6:14:49 PM
I'm all for merit pay. From the several I know who went into teaching because they knew they could never be fired, and two most conscientious administrators who worked up through classrooms, I think that weeding out the sloths would be more effective, and eliminate one of the legs of that failure system.
To all you good, conscientious ones, we're behind you and grateful.*

Posted By: Efav @ 11/23/2008 1:58:51 PM
The authors say, "If he backs Rhee's proposal, he will send a powerful signal to struggling inner-city schools that reform is possible. If he fudges or says nothing, it will be a signal that little will change for the poor and mostly black children in the capital's nearly dysfunctional apparatus."
It sounds like they've made up their minds that the Chancellor is right and anyone who disagrees is wrong and that Obama better get with the program if he wants to be successful.
Perhaps the authors are not familiar with how unpopular the Chancellor is becoming in DC for her heavy-handed ways that are not improving the situation and seem to be making it worse. Here are a few examples from recent Washington Post articles:

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/dc/2008/11/rhee_more_principals_facing_th.html

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/21/AR2008112103222.html

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/21/AR2008112103225.html?tid=informbox

Perhaps the authors also don???t know that Obama???s success comes from being a community organizer, bringing disparate people together, inspiring hope, mutual responsibility and mutual accomplishment.
Chancellor Rhee seems to be the opposite ??? a community disorganizer, who operates independently and imperiously, alienating people at all levels and inspiring fear and distrust.
Here is a classic Rhee quote: ???I think if there is one thing I have learned over the last 15 months it???s that cooperation, collaboration and consensus-building are way overrated,??? she told the Aspen Institute???s education summit at the Mayflower Hotel. http://voices.washingtonpost.com/dc/2008/09/rhee_who_needs_consensus.html
The same article points out that she has called herself a ???benevolent dictator???
Does any of this sound like something Obama would encourage?*

Posted By: nikki_smith @ 11/22/2008 4:30:18 PM
Only about 12 percent of DC 8th grader can read proficiently, while just 8 percent are proficient in math. About 60 percent of DC students finish their high school diploma. Impressive numbers for the capital of the Free World, don't you think? It's no surprise the Obamas selected a private institute for their girls - most DC parents probably would. I just hope the new president doesn't overlook the public school crisis in his new town. http://www.whgmag.com/index.php/377-obamas-choose-private-school-no-surprise-thereo

Posted By: Doc Howl @ 11/23/2008 3:18:35 PM
I was unaware that Obama had been elected mayor of Washington DC.+

Posted By: Floridave @ 11/23/2008 4:36:03 PM
He couldn't cut it as mayor of DC. They prefer the higher quality candidates like Marion Barry.#

Public Education, Then and Now
By Ben Boychuk
Posted July 14, 2000


America's struggle for freedom officially began with the shot heard 'round the world. But even before the muskets fired and cannons roared in Lexington, it was the education and learning of the Founders that helped guide America to the blessings of liberty.

Today, Americans know that education and learning are in danger. What Noah Webster called the "object of the first consequence" for all governments, routinely ranks at the top of voter concerns in poll after poll.

What to do? The conventional wisdom in Washington is that the myriad problems facing America's public schools today — from poor test scores to stopped-up toilets — are best solved by the federal government. For more than 30 years, centralizers and spenders have promised improvements.

Meanwhile, scores stagnate, curricula slide, and worst of all, entire generations of children fall behind. In the great tradition of America's free press and free speech, investor Ted Forstmann wants a renewed debate about the importance of education and the best ways to secure a better future for every child.

Forstmann is set to spend $20 million of his own money on television commercials to get this message out. For some, the truth will hurt. His message: "America's government-run public-school monopoly is failing our children."

Forstmann has already spent millions, with WalMart heir John Walton, to help the kids who have suffered most under that monopoly. When their Children's Scholarship Fund offered 40,000 private scholarships earlier this year for "at risk" kids, 1.25 million families applied.

Despite Forstmann's efforts, the education establishment has singled him out for savage criticism. Education Secretary Richard Riley accuses Forstmann of trying to "systematically downgrade and demonize" the schools. "A person who has a public voice ought to be using that voice to improve public education," Riley told the Associated Press.

Riley and his cohorts have it backward. In fact, Forstmann is giving voice to a public swamped by lies from special interests, educators, and politicians who see the system as a job protection racket only incidentally interested in children. Riley wouldn't be attacking Forstmann if he didn't fear the truth of his message.

Forstmann's effort to inspire debate and meaningful reform mirrors the Founding Fathers — every one of whom saw education as the real promise and bulwark of a free nation.

The ideals of that generation flowed directly from their learning and reading. Each and every founder raised his "public voice" to advocate universal education. From Washington and Franklin to Adams and Jefferson, every one offered his ideas about the state of education and the best ways to build an informed citizenry — from the lowliest mechanic's son to the most exalted Harvard grad.

As Jefferson wrote of his Virginia education plan in a letter to his friend George Wythe, "The tax which will be paid for the purpose of education is not more than the thousandth part of what will be paid to kings, priests and nobles who will rise up among us if we leave the people in ignorance."

Jefferson was by no means alone. George Washington called for a national university in his First Inaugural Address. John Adams asked his son in Europe to collect books and ideas for republican schools. James Madison tracked the education efforts in Kentucky and praised innovations and challenging curricula there. They agreed with Noah Webster that, "Knowledge, joined with a keen sense of liberty and a watchful Jealousy, will guard our constitutions."

Even before there was a Constitution, the young republic passed the first national education law on July 13, 1787. The Northwest Ordinance was written to govern United States territory north of the Ohio River. It read, in part: "Religion, morality, and knowledge being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged."

Such language — so high in aspiration — welcomed debate, innovation, entrepreneurship and local efforts to educate the citizenry.

Contrast the Founders' view with more recent innovations, such as the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. A relic of the Great Society, the ESEA was intended to improve the education of poor and disadvantaged kids. What it did, in fact, was extend the web of federal law and the red tape of centralized bureaucracy with almost no accountability. After 35 years and more than $125 billion of federal aid, the poor and disadvantaged are still lagging behind.

It's finally dawning on people that almost a century of progressive educational theories and nearly four decades of federal meddling in the public schools is enough. But the answer is not to separate education from the control of the people. Our national interest in free government depends on an educated citizenry.

When Forstmann's ads hit the airwaves, remember their real purpose: An ignorant people cannot be free. It is the duty of every citizen to be vigilant and make sure government serves the people — not the other way around.

Original site please visit: https://www.claremont.org/publications/precepts/id.113/precept_detail.asp

Department of Education must be abolished
Posted: December 07, 2004
1:00 am Eastern

By Devvy Kidd
© 2009 WorldNetDaily.com



The federal Department of Education was made a part of the president's Cabinet by new world order facilitator Jimmy Carter. Prior to that, America had the finest education system in the world. In 1980, Ronald Reagan promised that, if elected, he would get this unconstitutional department abolished.

That promise was abandoned after his election. While campaigning for his doomed-to-lose bid for the presidency, Bob Dole said on Sept. 9, 1996, while in Georgia, "We're going to cut out the Department of Education." At that time, the GOP presidential platform read, in part:

Our formula is as simple as it is sweeping: The federal government has no constitutional authority to be involved in school curricula or to control jobs in the workplace. That is why we will abolish the Department of Education, end federal meddling in our schools, and promote family choice at all levels of learning.

We therefore call for prompt repeal of the Goals 2000 program and the School-To-Work Act of 1994, which put new federal controls, as well as unfunded mandates, on the States. We further urge that federal attempts to impose outcome- or performance-based education on local schools be ended.

Of course, just the opposite has taken place and, in fact, the goals for creating the "New Communist Man" was given a huge boost with President Bush's deceptive "No Child Left Behind" program. As for the repeal of the School-To-Work Act of 1994, Council of Foreign Relations kingpin Henry Hyde explained it this way:

When carried to its logical extreme, it chooses careers for every American worker. Children's careers will be chosen for them by Workforce Development Boards and federal agencies at the earliest possible age ...

Statewide Workforce Development Boards have formed to study which labor skills are needed in each state to determine "human resources" training requirements. Of course, this will decide also where these human resources will reside.

Chilling to say the least – and it gets worse when one reads President Bush's Executive Order, signed June 20, 2001, titled "21st Century Workforce Initiative." The blueprint for forced labor is now being implemented quietly while parents and politicians scream, "More money for education." Essentially they are asking to pay for the rope to hang their own children.

Most Americans believe "communism is dead," but nothing could be further from the truth and one of the major goals of the propagators of global communist tyranny has always been to get control of America's education system. What better way to reach "the unwashed masses" than through a federal department of education? The tenth plank of the "Communist Manifesto" reads: "Free education for all children in public schools," and this is one of the highest goals of communitarians. Jeri Lynn Ball, author of "Masters of Seduction" explains:

The communitarian efforts to take over the American education system began in 1918 after World War I. Early in the 20th century, John Dewey, "the father of Progressive Education," worked with internationalists to transform America into a communitarian society.

Dewey held that the basic goal of education is the eradication of the child's individualistic traits and "the development of a spirit of social cooperation and community life." Dewey did not want the child to think at all, but to learn to live and work within the narrow, primitive bounds of communitarian vocabulary and thought patterns.

According to the testimony of Norman Dodd, the staff director of the 1953 Congressional Special Committee to Investigate the Tax-Exempt Foundations, the minutes of the Carnegie Foundation revealed that the trustees of the Foundation decided right after World War I that they "must control education in the United States."

They joined together with the Rockefeller Foundation and created a plan to take control of domestic and international education. Dodd interviewed and Rowan Gaither, president of the Ford Foundation and discovered how he operated the foundation under strict instructions and orders "to the effect that we should make every effort to so alter life in the United States that we can be comfortably merged with the Soviet Union."

The federal Department of Education is unconstitutional. Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution does not authorize Congress to legislate education within the independent, sovereign states who are themselves a "Republican form of government." There is only one solution to stopping the brainwashing of America's children and that is for the states of the Union to completely sever any relationship with the federal Department of Education.

Most Americans don't have the financial resources to put their children in private or Christian schools and because so many mothers have been forced into the workplace to basically work to pay taxes, they can't homeschool. However, the people of the states can do the same thing the great folks down in Tennessee did over their fight against a state income tax: Put the heat on the state house and their state legislatures.

The federal Department of Education must be booted out of the states. Public schools must return to educating children with the basics and stop all social engineering and communitarian indoctrination. To continue down the same path of tossing trillions of dollars at the federal Department of Education is to guarantee transforming America's precious children into the "New Communist Man." We the people must stop this madness.




Devvy Kidd authored the booklet, "Why A Bankrupt America and Blind Loyalty," which has over 2 million copies in distribution. She has been a guest more than 1,600 times on radio shows, run for Congress twice and is a highly sought after public speaker. To learn more about Devvy, please visit her website.

Further detail please visit: http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=41802