Comment posted on bloomberg.news
Stephen Krashen
Mark Bauerlein wants to add still another test to the already overwhelming load of tests the common core will inflict on American students: A literature test covering “best works of American civilization.” Bauerlein says it should feature questions “that will make students draw on Twain, Shakespeare, ancient myths, Edith Wharton and so on.” In other words, the test is designed for college English majors.
Bauerlein’s suggestion is sure to stimulate lots of debate over what the best works of American civilization are (should Shakespeare be considered American literature? Are ancient myths part of American civilization? Why include this author and not that one …?).
Such a debate is a fine way of distracting us from the larger questions: Should we have national standards and national tests when so much evidence shows that the biggest problem in American education is our high rate of child poverty? The common core standards will be enforced by tests, more testing than has ever been seen on this planet. Why are we allowing this, in light of the finding that there is no evidence that it will improve student achievement?
Original article: Mark Bauerlein, How to Keep All of Huck Finn in the Classroom
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-12-14/how-to-keep-all-of-huck-finn-in-the-classroom.html#disqus_thread
Stephen, you ask, why are we allowing this?
ReplyDeleteThe same reason we allow the NRA to make gun policy despite the "evidence." The country is suffering from a toxic mixture of greed, cowardice and apathy. The greedy corporations that sit on billions of dollars and use their power and money to buy politicians for their own, selfish purposes; the cowardice of so-called political leaders who allow the gun lobby or the standardized testing lobby or the insurance lobby dictate public policy; and the apathy of a people who are either too lazy or too tired from trying to keep their heads above water to care or do anything about it.