Video: Condoleeza Rice & Joel Klein Talk Education

Watch or listen to this PBS NewsHour segment on the Council of Foreign Relations report on education issues. Anyone know who actually wrote the report? These things are usually ghosted by someone.

Comments

[Ann]

Thank you Mrs. Rice and Mr. Klein I respect your accomplishments and public service. Nevertheless, there are several points I would like to make.
1.) This problem has existed for at least 10 years. You are coming to this conclusion now? Actually the problem was exacerbated by the administrations for years, due to constant bombardment of the populace with nationalist sentiments (blind flag waving) such as "We are exceptional!" Why should you have to learn about the world if you are already exceptional? Has it ocurred to you that if you ralley uneducated masses with these sentiments you may end up with ethnocentrism, xenophobia and hate crimes?
2.) DOD has a severe problem with diversity, in particular above average minorities (many bi-or multi-lingual) are being run out, under the guise of "not being American" enought... (questioning is one sign of an education and I do not think that the Bush administration was fond of being questioned.) Why do you think some feel they have the right to even suggest one person is more American than another based on their life´s path? Could the bombardment with nationalistic one-liners have a play here?
3.) Many Ivy League Schools have discovered that STANDARD TESTING is NOT/NOT the best way to determine the class performance of a student. Most standard test, are more a test of English language, and punctuation skills vice thinking ability. Right there you will cut out above average thinkers (ESL students) with exceptional,foreign language, analytic and thinking abilities.
In summary, I agree with you overall assessment and find it as pressing as you do, however, it is a more complex cultural problem than as it is portrayed by you. It is not a finacing problem, we spend enough money on educational facilites, however we miss addressing the root problems which in my opinion are cultural.

P.S. I am not a Democrat, because looking at issues in a black and white manner, with notions of "My team has to Win" in my opinion would be simple minded.
Very Respectfully