Sidwell Friends School Needs a Change?

by Susan Ryan

The Education Intelligence Agency offered some advice for Change in their latest Communique. The advice is for the Sidwell Friends School, in light of our next President's educational policies.

How to Improve Sidwell Friends School Add a unionized workforce and a collective bargaining agreement.

The unionized workforce and contract details are "For the Kids"; as they say on the picket line.  Thanks to the power of the NEA, AFT and groups such as the Chicago Teachers Union [see Collin Hitt’s observations in the Capitol], the Illinois Loop illustrates What It Takes To Get Rid Of a Teacher Who Doesn't Teach.

Regarding some lunatics in charge of the classroom, we parents can only attempt to reassure our children and ourselves that it’s just this one school year and next year will be better. There’s a lesson in itself. But is that tolerance a positive cultivating exercise for our children?

It does appear that families are finding Right to Work states more appealing than Forced Unionism states such as NY, PA and Illinois, but never mind that. Here’s more from the Education Intelligence Agency for Sidwell Friends School:

Add geographic enrollment boundaries.

One of the NCLB reg 'solutions' is to allow students in failing schools (ala standardized testing), the option of attending a neighboring school district. In my rural home town (which is not failing), that option would involve a drive to a neighboring town. Maybe I missed the public transportation options for the families who don’t have the means or the time to make those drop offs and pick ups.

Apparently in a more urban domain, and for what it’s worth, Mayor Daley recognized the same problem back in 2004 with his Reconnaissance 2010 plans:

"A student should not have to travel half way across Chicago to find a high school that serves his needs and interests," Daley said.

More advice from the Education Intelligence Agency for Sidwell Friends:

Subtract weak teacher benefits.

My kids have had some gifted school teachers. The importance of their job makes me think they should be paid in kind. Union teacher contracts allow the worst to have the best of benefit protections.

From EIA:

Add diversity

The Obama girls, as opposed to Chelsea Clinton, will become part of the Sidwell School population’s racial minority. EIA reports that the DC public schools consist of 95% racial/ethnic minorities. Often homeschoolers hear a mantra from the teachers unions, that our children are denied such diversity as in the DC public schools.  Diversity in the classroom must always trump safety in the big scheme of things.

As an aside, our homeschooled boys just attained their black belts in Tae Kwon Do in a multi-ethnic academy led by their Korean born master teacher. We found the time and opportunity without them being locked (literally) into our local school system. Some Spotsylvania County, Virginia homeschoolers might also contest the main stream ‘socialization’ goals, but I digressed and shouldn’t divert agendas with facts. From EIA's Help List:

Subtract religion.The Quaker tradition is part of daily life at Sidwell Friends, including weekly worship meetings for all students, Quaker or not. This isn't very inclusive of the Catholics, Muslims, Hindus, Wiccans and animists among the student body. Religious beliefs should only be studied from an academic standpoint and never practiced within a school's walls.

Add to the curriculum.

Who needs reading, writing and arithmetic?

President Elect Obama's most determined educational policies are listed below:

1)  Barack Obama will reform No Child Left Behind

Obama and Biden believe teachers should not be forced to spend the academic year preparing students to fill in bubbles on standardized tests and he will improve the assessments used to track student progress to measure readiness for college.

NCLB won't go away, as many who value real education and local oversight wish it would.  Obama has determined that besides the onerous requirements (and questionable results) from this Bush/Kennedy finagled federal act, we should pump in more money.

It’s not the feds' job to involve themselves in education. Communities have figured that out, but those within the education industry complex win.

2)  Invest in early childhood education:

The Obama-Biden comprehensive "Zero to Five" plan will provide critical support to young children and their parents. And they will help states move toward voluntary, universal pre-school.

An all encompassing governmental 'education' plan for newborns to kindergarten age should send chills up a spine. But if it doesn’t, one should read the University of Chicago kudos for Irving Harris and his money. His significant contributions to his causes, such as ‘expert’ determination of infant and children’s mental health, changed public policy in Illinois and other states.

But let's just forget all of those mind-numbing details. Last issue of importance for the Obama administration:

3)  Make college affordable to all Americans.

Does that mean that those who don't need or want college should try it out on the taxpayer's dollar? Free is irresistible.  Maybe our representatives could consider universal college after budgeting the remedial education costs (after high school graduation) that higher education schools/taxpayers must finance.

So I’ll end with this July quote from candidate Obama relating to school choice vouchers:

Obama Tells Teachers Union He Opposes Vouchers

New York Sun ELIZABETH GREEN

"We need to focus on fixing and improving our public schools; not throwing our hands up and walking away from them," he said.

The Obama family should be satisfied with their elite and moneyed educational choice for their children. The rest of the citizenship who aren't quite so privileged can wonder about the decisions he will make as the chief federal policy maker for education.