L.A. School Problems
It is an occupational disorder among philosophers of education that they harp on one note in their criticisms/cures for their profession. The four notables in education who make the case for “choice” in The Times (“To Get Parents Involved, Put Choice Into L.A. Schools,” Op-Ed Page, April 4) are no exception. For with “choice” comes the freedom of teachers to teach, the willingness of students to learn, etc.
No doubt there is truth in their contention. But education is an immense, varied and distressingly human activity. It operates on theory and is a fertile ground for further “theoryfication.” He is a poor educator who does not have at least one pet theory. I have several. But I submit that the issue of student motivation is of a different order from questions of choice, magnet schools, class size, desegregation, etc. The differential between Asian-American and Mexican-American students in academic performance is consistent and striking, for instance.
But I also submit that student motivation, like youthful drug addiction, is a direct reflection of the level of youthful hopelessness. It is another measure of national health, systematically related to the 51% turnout for the national election last Nov. 8, for this was the great quadrennial health-test: Only half of the eligible voters think the system works.
If so, if the disaffection among school children is but a part of the national disaffection, then the problem is political and the indicated cure is political. We need to raise generations of children talking politics beginning with grade three. Sure, every child should be told that he or she can become President, but also told how terrible recent Presidents have been in the teacher’s opinion. Never mind that this violates all the canons of what constitutes textbook “civics” for the kids. What we look for is a return to a healthy participation in government on the theory that if the parents are deeply concerned with government, education will awaken and take care of itself.
DAVID ALAN MUNRO
Laguna Beach
(Munro is a retired professor of linguistics who has also taught at high school level.)
