Non-Discriminatory Claws

As is often the case with my blog, something I read got me going. So, before you hear me out, you should read the article as well: http://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_3866254. There, now you hopefully understand that I am bothered by a law suit claiming discrimination on the basis of failing a test. I don't know enough about the test to determine if it was "fair" or asked questions that were legitimate, etc. But the gist of the article does not center around that. The gist of the complaint in the suit is that knowledge is discriminating. Duh. I thought that was the point. Does a test determine if the taker does or does not know the material? I thought that was the point. But wait, not all the students knew English or not at the same level anyway! Okay, so perhaps they need more instruction before being ready to "graduate." But its not their fault! They weren't born here, how can you hold them to the same standard as those born into English? And the complaints continue perhaps ad infinitum because most folks just don't like the dirty word "discrimination" these days and get all scared when it is applied to them. It is not discrimination that is bad, but the basis of said discrim. If we simply draw lines of value and demarcation upon false premises, we are wrongfully discriminatory. But at the heart of teaching is the inculcation of discrimination between right and wrong, good and bad, ugly and beautiful, and in many ways we could simply say developing proper "taste" in the student. I am not trying to enter into the politics that are behind this story (probably the motivating the writer to even write the article at all) but rather the constant abuse and misuse of the notion of discrimination. It is a good word; let's not be shy about it!

Is Labor's Love Lost?

My previous post today concerned itself with vacation, and I wondered aloud if we need vacation from school because we are so work oriented. If you have read Joseph Pieper's Leisure: the Basis of Culture then perhaps you are anticipating some of this, but should true learning be viewed as labor? I am not asking here if it should be "hard" or rigorous: to be true, good, beautiful learning it must be difficult. What I am asking is should our study be viewed as work or leisure? Is school to more closely compare with adults who are in the office or in their den? There are competing views here that make my job as an administrator challenging. On the one hand, everyone these days seems satisfied to view education in terms of productivity, measurable efficiency, and quantifiable ends (read, "product") which translates in my mind into viewing schools as factories, at least from management's point of view. On the other hand, many (most) parents today hit the ceiling if Johnny has any significant homework, standards, or work requirements. I suppose I should simply read our culture into this and know that just like John Sr. wants a job where he gets paid the most for the least amount of effort, so Johnny Jr. and his dad both want to see high test scores, brilliant progress, etc. with a minimum of personal cost in the classroom. So how does the first thoughts connect to the latter? What would it take to move moderns from viewing education as a "job" to a "vocation"? What all is involved in resolving these issues? Can you tell we are about to wrap up a long year? Someone guide me to the nearest hammock!

Is Summer Sensible?

Ahhh, summer vacation is coming soon. Here are the questions such a thing bring to my mind:

• Should a student take a break?
• Is it necessary that we take a break several months long every summer?
• Is there something about learning that demands we rest from the schedule of school?
• Is our need for a vacation (and believe me I feel the need like everyone else, I'm just overcoming my current physical exhaustion to be a little philosophical here) is this need rising from our view of learning as labor?
• If we moved away from notions of learning as labor or work, would that change the situation?
• Is our modern summer break derived from harvest necessities, and if so is it still legit?
• Is it even possible to contemplate the major culture shift it would require to move away from this seemingly entrenched schedule?

Just thinking out loud. I may follow up with some preliminary answers, but would love to hear from you as well.