Spunky Homeschool

Pathway to Socialism

Jun. 10, 2006 at 9:58 AM

A few days ago, I posted on how an idea evolves into an institution. There is no place more obvious than in the government run schools; where bad ideas become national strategies and possibly even the law of the land. The latest idea is "choosing a major" for high schoolers.

As legislators try to curb high school dropout rates, a new trend has emerged: Several states are forcing high schoolers to get a jump-start on their futures by declaring majors.Florida is the most recent state to hop on the trend.

Governor Jeb Bush signed a bill Monday requiring high school students declare a "major area of interest" in order to graduate. The measure is just one part of Governor Bush's sweeping educational-reform program, A++ Plan for Education.

South Carolina already has implemented a plan, Personal Pathways to Success that requires students to declare a major from a career cluster. Even though the plan has no data proving it's success Inez Tenenbaum, state superintendent of education for South Carolina believes other states would "benefit from following South Carolina and Forida's lead."

See what I mean about bad ideas becoming institutions.

Most other states are implement various forms of what Florida calls "Ready to Work". When it was introduced in my state, Michigan, it was known as School-to-Work. But whatever they call this bad idea, it's just a matter of time before all 50 states have a credentialing system in place. This isn't a "Personal Pathway to Success", it's the state's "Pathway to Socialism."

Don't be fooled into thinking this reform package won't affect homeschoolers either. It will.

For those that believe that public education can be reformed, keep in mind, so do a few others. And they're doing their best to reform them. The schools are agents in the best interest of the state, not educators in the best interest of the child. It's none of the state's business what my child wants to be when they grow up!

For more information on where this is all headed, you can read.

Pick Your Major
Teach to the Test, Please

For those who have been reading my blog for a while, this may be old news. But I feel it is necessary to keep informing new people who happen to stumble across my blog what's going on in education reform. So what do you think of the government's "good idea"?

(HT: Anne)

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4 Comments and Trackbacks

posted by anyachristine on Jun. 10, 2006 at 11:03 AM

North Carolina has joined the move toward high schoolers choosing their majors. In the last year, when we were trying to decide whether to homeschool or send our son to high school, we went to a few meetings at the local high school. It was all quite confusing. They were to choose from four different areas (career track, community college track, university track or vocational diploma). Then, the courses that they chose to take (as a 9th grader) were to reflect the career that they intended to pursue. I guess some 9th graders may know what career path to pursue, but our son has no idea. Well, he has some ideas...actually several ideas on what he may want to pursue, but he definitely has not narrowed down the search to one or two areas.
Could be a reason NOT to move to NC ;)

Christy :)

posted by WalkInFaith on Jun. 10, 2006 at 8:46 PM

I remember way back when I was in high school they did something similar but the child was much less involved as a participant in choosing anything. It was pretty much decided for you whether or not you were college material or vocation material. Knowing I wasn't going to a university (my family had no way of making that happen and my own academic prowess didn't merit glowing scholarships) I was personally in favor of the vocational track for myself. However, it didn't make me feel special to know that faculty felt I was a book failure and only a worker.

Eh, I still hold the opinion that having a trade is far more important and useful than "higher education" in America. In fact I'd like to see a return of vocational training in public schools. It, like art and music education, has all but disappeared in curriclums across the states. Having a good trade or at least the beginning grasp of one is something high school graduates are sorely lacking, and it shows in the workforce of every community. Having a college/university degree is wonderful but then not knowing what to do with it, or worse, not having anything you can do with it afterward is a solid waste of time, money, and spirit. But, I digress.

Having the state force a decision on children that age is another way of "teaching to the test" by creating specific "tests"... and in the end it's all to make the schools and states come out looking better and appear to be working harder. It's an old house with a new coat of paint.

posted by on Jun. 12, 2006 at 10:09 AM

Don't you just love the vocabulary choices ("Personal Pathways...") for the latest labels that scam parents and their children into believing that these institutions are sincere and genuinely wanting to help "guide" them to great success...reminds me of some the slick corporate lawyers I once worked for........nauseous anyone?
;-)
Harriette


Edited by jacobsacademy on Jun. 12, 2006 at 7:10 AM

posted by Lachen (http://1starfish.blogspot.com/) on Jun. 14, 2006 at 1:21 AM

Considering I wanted to be a prima ballerina (was an apprentice dancer and this was my whole like between 14-18) when I was in high school, thank GOD this lovely little idiotic idea was not around then...

Talk about mechanizing the future objectives and occupational future of our children before that true future even dawns on the horizon.

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