This is the period I have characterized as the Pedagogy of the Absurd.
And this month there were no shortage of examples, in fact it was hard
to pick a winner (loser).
Here are some examples for dishonorable mention:
The Republican minority of the Fairfax County Virginia Board of
Education who, having won selection of phonics programs as part of
several approved for use by schools in the county have now petitioned
the governor to force all the schools in the county to use only the
phonics programs. When they were criticized for being partisan they said
that they had offered to let the Democrats on the Board sign the
petition.
The Los Angeles Board of Education for requiring teachers in schools
choosing Open Court (from a dismal set of choices) to sign a contract
agreeing to continue its use for five years. This same board recently
announced it will hire teachers with only a high school diploma.
But the September Award for Absurdity of the month goes to:
George W. Bush for his key presidential campaign slogan, "Phonics
Works!" (August 30,2000) As part of his pledge to support local control
of education he is promising to take federal support from schools that
don't use the right phonics programs and give it to parents as vouchers
so they can send their kids to schools that do.
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