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Sunday, July 22, 2012

Public Education Is Not a Business « Diane Ravitch's blog

Public Education Is Not a Business « Diane Ravitch's blog:


Public Education Is Not a Business

I have posted a number of comments on the subject of whether, when and how schools are like businesses. This reader says that public education is not a business.
Of course, it is important to understand that the purpose of the accountability measures and the choice policies is to get us all in the habit of thinking we are shoppers, consumers of education services that compete for our children and our dollars.
Parents are supposed to take the school letter grades and go shopping. They are supposed to teach the teacher evaluations and ask for a different teacher. This is supposed to reform schools and make kids smarter somehow. But the real purpose is to get us to view our public services and public goods with a consumer mentality. You