Educational Colonialism

It is my hope that my sons Jakob and Theo would want to go to the school I started -- Science Leadership Academy -- or a school like SLA that has an inquiry-driven, project-based, modern-schooling approach to learning.

I admit -- much of the vision of SLA, both in how we originally conceived of the idea and in how we continue to evolve today is, for me, based on what I want for my own children.

I say this because there are a lot of powerful folks right now who are advocating for a pedagogy that they do not want for their own children. Some of these powerful people are running networks of schools that have a pedagogical approach that is directly counter to the educational approach they pay for for their own children. Moreover, these same powerful people tend to get upset when asked about the disconnect, saying that that question is off limits.

I don't think it is.

I think we should ask why people of power advocate for one thing for their own children and something else for other people's children, especially when those other children come from a lower rung on the socio-economic scale or when those children come from traditionally disenfranchised members of our society. I think that's a very dangerous thing not to question.

Because we've done this before in America, and when we did that to the Native Americans, it did damage that has effects today.

To me, when you ensure your own child has an arts-enriched, small-class size, deeply humanistic education and you advocate that those families who have fewer economic resources than you have should sit straight in their chairs and do what they are told while doubling and tripling up on rote memorization and test prep, you are guilty of educational colonialism.

And it's time we start calling that what it is.

 

 

 

Follow Chris Lehmann on Twitter: www.twitter.com/chrislehmann

Comments

[Moses Redd]

01:01 PM on 09/13/2012

I totally agree with the opinion of the author: we need to ask these questions and expect answers. However, I have one point of clarification. The author suggests that we "did" set up a vastly different education system for Native Americans but as teacher on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota until very recently, I can attest to the fact that we are still doing this today. Our students deserve better than this.

[DMaxMJ]

10:05 PM on 09/12/2012

We need these questions to be asked frequently and in every forum and format possible. There is a reason that the gifted, experienced and dedicated public school educators and the schools they work in are being restricted and restrained.

[FreireTeacher]

07:22 PM on 08/01/2012

Thank you, sir, for this piece. Thank you so much. This really hits the nail straight on the head and explains precisely why I have so many issues with many Charter school networks, including a former employer--KIPP. The message these educators send is that one type of education is right for their kids, but another one entirely is right for students of a low SES. Your comparison of present day "reform" efforts to schools for native Americans strikes this history teacher as a particularly salient point. It's starting to look eerily similar, but your post gives me hope that educators/school leaders are beginning to acknowledge and (hopefully) address this problem.

[Ogg-the-bear]

01:24 AM on 07/31/2012

Its also called class warfare.

[Archie Chen]

04:50 AM on 09/13/2012

Of course it's class warfare. The upper class using their wealth and power waging war on the poor and defenseless lower and middle classes.

Wait, that's not class warfare...that's class slaughter.

[RBLnyc]

10:56 PM on 07/30/2012

I've written prior to this on other website blogs how I see the two Obama girls at a Quaker owned private school.... while the White House, Arne Duncan (ugh) and others representing the Educrats advocate nothing but the 'Race' to top(?) and other test madness...it's time for the teachers and parents who know what Teaching and Learning can and should be to stand together....Here in NYC, education has been usurped by what Diane Ravitch refers to the BBC (Billionaire's Boys Club); we have Bloomberg (another resounding "ugh"), and corporate interests (mostly male/the 1%'ers), Pearson (the test FOR profit company who have devised worthless test questions)... such a shame

[Sharon Schmidt]

09:26 PM on 07/27/2012

See also a transcript and video of Chicago parent, writer, and lawyer Matt Farmer speaking at the May 23 Chicago Teachers Union rally. He imagines how he would cross examine a Chicago board of education member whose children attended the Chicago Lab School, the same school Mayor Emanual's children attend.

The beginning follows, then the link to our website:

"Good Afternoon, CTU...

"In June 2011, I was listening to WBEZ public radio. Education reporter Linda Lutton was conducting an interview with billionaire Board of Education member Penny Priztker about public education in Chicago. Toward the end of that interview Linda asked Mrs. Pritzker to compare the educational experiences her children had in grade school and in high school to what she was seeing the average Chicago Public School student receive today. . . and Mrs. Priztker ran from that question and didn’t answer it.

"Instead, here’s what she said. She wanted to talk about what CPS students were entitled to—quote 'get the skills in math, in reading, and in science so that they can be productive members of today’s workforce.'

Farmer goes on to brilliantly cross examine Priztker. See: http://www.substancenews.net/articles.php?page=3314

Sincerely,
Sharon Schmidt, editor Substance

[Live4literacy]

09:00 AM on 07/27/2012

Yes, please ask Obama, Emmanuel, GATES, The Bushes, Michelle Rhee et. al. why their children deserve small class sizes, highly qualified degreed educators, no high stakes tests to fund their schools or pay their teachers, no curriculum developed by a non-educator, and a full complement of art, music, language, p.e., science, and extracurriculars? If it's not good enough for their kids, it's definitely not good enough for ours, yet, we continue to allow the testing ad nauseum, the closing of our neighborhhod schools (and don't get me started on how damaging it is to move kids year after year), the cutting of our public school funding, and the inclusion of Teach for A While people?

[Shawn1966]

06:56 PM on 07/27/2012

It's very simple, they "deserve" it because their parents are willing to pay for it. It is the same reason that a few people "deserve" to drive a BMW (or any other luxury car) and most people have to have to settle for something more economical. Is it fair? No, but life isn't fair. I am not sure what you mean by "the inclusion of Teach for A While people"?

[Susanh11]

06:59 PM on 07/31/2012

I think the writer is referring to Teach for America. Although many TfM members are highly educated and well-meaning, they do not have much training or experience.

[LearnMe]

08:35 AM on 07/27/2012

Non-standardized-test-based learning and assessment is not just better (though it is) but harder and more complicated. Americans prefer easy and simple solutions, which is fine when they work, but they mostly don't. What's good for the goose is good for the gander, unless the gander chooses otherwise; nobody likes to be imposed on, whether they know it or not.
http://learnmeproject.com/2010/12/01/the-rigor/
http://learnmeproject.com/