Concerning our miserable failure: When you’re creating a Standard Group Story, repetition is very important.
Tuesday night, Charlie Rose spent half an hour with Niall Ferguson, the gloomy and frequently misinformed world-famous Harvard professor.
Eventually, it had to happen. Ferguson shrieked about American performance on international tests, with Charlie cheering him on:
FERGUSON (6/18/13): Let’s just look at education. We are failing, miserably, at the level of secondary education—high school education.As usual, Charlie interrupted before his guest could complete his thought about “the PISA study.” For that reason, we’re forced to work with what we have.
ROSE: Right.
FERGUSON: If you look at the PISA study—
ROSE: And these are institutions of education.
FERGUSON: Yes, right. That’s the most—surely, the most important institutions are our educational institutions.
ROSE: Right.
FERGUSON: And that’s where I think we have a major problem and that’s why social mobility is declining.
Set aside the question of social mobility. Is it true that results on the PISA show we are “failing, miserably” in secondary education?
This claim is part of a very familiar drumbeat. But is it actually true?
The PISA is one of three major international testing programs. Because it’s the one on which American students have scored least well, it’s the one which is routinely cited by the gloom machine.
So how about it? Did American students “fail miserably” on the most recent PISA tests, in 2009?
We’d have to say no, although math performance was poor. In reading, as we noted all last week, American students outperformed the average score of the 34 OECD nations. On a head to head basis, American students outperformed their counterparts in Germany, France, England, Italy and Spain.
In reading, American students outperformed the students in all the major European nations. Would anyone get any such impression from listening to people like Ferguson? But then, here’s what Hacker and Dreifus wrote in a recent high-profile piece in the New York Times, in which they specifically referenced the PISA:
“It is widely known that American students score well below their European and Asian peers in reading and math, an alarming shortfall in a competitive era.”
That gloomy claim is just baldly untrue. But so was this claim from a recent op-ed in the Washington Post:
“Is it surprising that Asian and Scandinavian countries, where teachers are well-compensated and treated with dignity, show higher levels of student achievement than the United States?”
With very few exceptions, American students outscore Norway, Sweden and Denmark (the Scandinavian countries) on international tests. The gloomy claim lodged in that passage was, in a word, untrue.
It’s amazing to see the way our basic understandings are created by repetition—especially by the repetition of claims which are false or misleading. Even more amazing is the way the liberal world simply accepts this process.
We simply don't care about public schools. No fact could be more clear.
Finally, Bob, it has to be said:
ReplyDeleteYou are wrong. We DO care.
The evidence is in. Claiming that the misstatements are due to a lack of concern is, by now, being too charitable.
They do care.
And what they care about is destroying the existing public education system.
These aren't mistakes. They are lies. And they aren't accidents from a lack of concern. They are calculated lies, designed with a purpose.
First, we convince you with our lies that the current system is broken. Then you will be ready to accept the wiping away of the public education system and the near-complete privatization of schools, which is our ultimate profit-driven goal.
THEY DO CARE!
There's a war against the real public schools, public school teachers and especially their unions. How dare those public employees belong to unions, the nerve of those uppity teachers. The billionaires' club wants to privatize our schools, hand them over to charter operators and to private schools via vouchers and above all, to destroy teacher unions. So we hear this false bumper sticker repeated over and over and over and over and over and over: to wit, the oft repeated mantra is "ourfailingschools." It's all morphed into one word, ourfailingschools, and it's repeated everywhere, unchallenged, as if it were gospel. It's a damn lie, our schools are not failing. The US has the highest child poverty rate (almost 24%) amongst the wealthy nations. So I would say that our society is failing the children, not the schools.
ReplyDeleteWe must treat teachers with dignity and better compensate them by busting their unions. Only then, can we treat them the way they deserve to be treated.
ReplyDeleteThe false statements pointed out by Bob serve both sides. As Anonymous pointed out, conservatives use them to attack public schools and to attack teachers' unions. But, liberals also use them to fight for greater spending on public schools and on education in general.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry, but no.
DeleteAs with everything which issues from your keyboard, that is a steaming crock of self-serving shit, David.
"The system is broken, throw more money at it," which you'd have us believe is the mantra of "liberals," is clearly not an argument but rather a caricature of one, meant to be bought by right-wing rubes such as yourself.
The lies most assuredly do not "serve both sides."
Here are a couple of examples where additional money went to education because we supposedly weren't keeping up.
DeleteBack in my student days I personally received a fair amount of money from the National Science Foundation because American science education allegedly wasn't keeping up with the Soviets. This was after the shock of Sputnik.
When my kids were in school, there was a federal program called SCIS to improve science education in the el-hi levels.
Sputnik? SPUTNIK?!?
DeleteCheck your calendar, Rip. Fifty years have passed.
DeleteI personally received a fair amount of money from the National Science Foundation because American science education allegedly wasn't keeping up with the Soviets. This was after the shock of Sputnik.
Money obviously wasted in your case, but more to the point, money also wasted in general. If only we could have advanced American science education without spending a dime, then the Russians wouldn't have beaten us to the moon.
Oh, wait.
Thanks, David, for giving us evidence that the liberal way (spending more money on education) worked to great effect, and we all know that the consevative way (high-stakes testing and charter schools) doesn't help at all. The tightly circular argument that the kids do better on tests doesn't convince anyone who actually teaches.
Deleteoakley sunglasses cheap, polo ralph lauren outlet, christian louboutin, burberry outlet, prada handbags, michael kors outlet, longchamp outlet, gucci outlet, coach outlet store online, kate spade handbags, louboutin, michael kors outlet, louis vuitton handbags, michael kors outlet, louis vuitton, coach outlet, burberry outlet, louis vuitton outlet, ray ban sunglasses, coach purses, nike shoes, michael kors outlet, polo ralph lauren, tory burch outlet, longchamp handbags, true religion jeans, louboutin shoes, louboutin outlet, air max, tiffany and co, louis vuitton outlet, ray ban sunglasses, louis vuitton outlet stores, jordan shoes, coach factory outlet, prada outlet, nike free, true religion jeans, tiffany and co, longchamp handbags, air max, michael kors outlet, oakley sunglasses, oakley sunglasses, michael kors outlet, chanel handbags, kate spade outlet
ReplyDeletereebok outlet, jimmy choo outlet, canada goose, new balance shoes, ghd, beats by dre, bottega veneta, ugg boots, celine handbags, north face outlet, instyler, valentino shoes, uggs outlet, nfl jerseys, birkin bag, soccer jerseys, asics running shoes, insanity workout, hollister, marc jacobs, mont blanc, soccer shoes, mac cosmetics, babyliss pro, ugg boots, rolex watches, chi flat iron, canada goose outlet, ugg, vans shoes, mcm handbags, abercrombie and fitch, p90x, nike roshe run, canada goose jackets, wedding dresses, giuseppe zanotti, ugg pas cher, canada goose, uggs outlet, north face jackets, ugg australia, nike huarache, longchamp, ugg boots, herve leger, ferragamo shoes, lululemon outlet
ReplyDeletemoncler, hollister, ray ban, karen millen, pandora charms, links of london, air max, converse shoes, wedding dresses, montre homme, pandora charms, lancel, louboutin, vans, parajumpers, thomas sabo, converse, ralph lauren, canada goose, baseball bats, oakley, hollister clothing store, hollister, pandora jewelry, canada goose, swarovski, moncler, rolex watches, iphone 6 cases, moncler, canada goose, coach outlet store online, juicy couture outlet, air max, swarovski crystal, moncler outlet, toms shoes, moncler, juicy couture outlet, moncler, moncler, timberland boots, canada goose uk, louis vuitton, supra shoes, ugg, gucci, ugg
ReplyDeletenike shoes, Cheap Jordans,Cheap Jordan Shoes,Cheap Air Max,Cheap Free Run Shoes,nike shoes,nike outlet,nike factory,nike store,nike factory outlet,nike outlet store,cheap nike shoes,nike sneakers, toms outlet, toms outlet,tom shoes,toms shoes outlet,tom shoes,toms wedges,cheap toms,toms.com, air jordan, air jordan,jordan shoes,cheap jordans,air jordans,jordan retro,air jordan shoes,jordans,jordan 11,jordan xx9,jordan 6,new jordans,retro jordans,jordan retro 11,jordan 5,air jordan 11,jordans for sale,jordan 4,jordan 1,jordan future,jordan 3,jordan 12,michael jordan shoes,air jordan retro, cheap jordans, cheap jordans,cheap jordan shoes,cheap jordan,cheap jordans for sale,jordans for cheap,jordan shoes,jordans,air jordan,jordan retro,jordan 11,jordan xx9,jordan 6,new jordans,air jordans,retro jordans,jordan retro 11,jordan 5,air jordan 11,jordans for sale,jordan 4,jordan 1,jordan future,jordan 3,jordan 12,michael jordan shoes,air jordan shoes,air jordan retro, jordan retro, jordan retro,jordan shoes,air jordan,air jordans,retro jordans,air jordan retro,jordans,jordan 11,jordan xx9,jordan 6,new jordans,cheap jordans,jordan retro 11,jordan 5,air jordan 11,jordans for sale,jordan 4,jordan 1,jordan future,jordan 3,jordan 12,michael jordan shoes,air jordan shoes, air max 90, air max 90,nike air max 90,air max 95,air max 2014,air max 2013,air max 1,nike air max,air max,nike air max 2014,airmax,nike air max 2013, air max 95, air max 95,nike air max 95,air max 90,nike air max 90,air max 2013,nike air max,air max,air max 2014,nike air max 2014,airmax,nike air max 2013, nike free 5.0, nike free 5.0, nike free trainer 5.0,nike free run 5.0,free running 2,nike free run,nike free,free running,nike running shoes,nike free trainer,free runs,free run 5.0, omega watches, omega watches,omega watch,replica watches,rolex watches,replica omega watches,rolex,watches for men,watches for women,rolex watches for sale,rolex replica,rolex watch,cartier watches,rolex submariner,fake rolex,rolex replica watches,replica rolex, ralph lauren outlet
ReplyDeleteralph lauren outlet,ralph lauren outlet online,polo ralph lauren outlet,polo ralph lauren outlet online,polo ralph lauren,ralph lauren,polo ralph,polo shirts,ralphlauren.com,polo outlet,ralph lauren polo, oakley sunglass, oakley sunglasses,cheap oakley,cheap oakley sunglasses,oakley sunglasses cheap,oakley outlet,oakley sunglasses outlet,oakley vault,oakleys,oakley.com,sunglasses outlet,cheap sunglasses,oakley prescription glasses,fake oakleys,oakley glasses,oakley store,fake oakley,oakley sale,cheap oakleys,discount oakley sunglasses, ray ban sunglasses, Ray Ban Sunglasses,Ray Ban Outlet,Ray Ban Sale,Cheap Ray Bans,Cheap Ray Ban Sunglasses,ray ban sunglasses outlet,ray ban,rayban,ray bans,ray-ban,raybans,ray ban wayfarer,ray-ban sunglasses,raybans.com,rayban sunglasses,cheap ray ban, burberry, burberry,burberry outlet,burberry outlet online,burberry factory outlet,burberry sale,burberry handbags, chanel bags, chanel bags,chanel handbags,chanel sunglasses,chanel outlet,chanel purses,chanel handbags official site, coach outlet store, coach outlet,coach outlet store,coach outlet store online,coach outlet stores,coach factory outlet,coach factory,coach factory online,coach factory outlet online,coach outlet online, chaussures louboutin, louboutin,louboutin pas cher,christian louboutin,louboutin chaussures,louboutin soldes,chaussure louboutin,chaussures louboutin,chaussure louboutin pas cher,louboutin france, sac michael kors, michael kors,sac michael kors,michael kors sac,michael kors pas cher,sac michael kors pas cher,michael kors france, north face outlet, north face outlet,the north face,north face,the north face outlet,north face jackets,north face jackets clearance,northface, yoga pants, yoga pants,lululemon,lululemon outlet,lululemon athletica,lululemon addict,lulu lemon,lulu.com,lululemon.com, beats by dre
ReplyDeletebeats by dre,beats headphones,beats audio,beats by dr dre,beats by dre headphones,dr dre,dre beats,beats by dr,dr dre beats,dre headphones,beats by dr. dre,cheap beats, ferragamo, ferragamo,salvatore ferragamo,ferragamo shoes,ferragamo outlet,salvatore ferragamo outlet,ferragamo belts,ferragamo belt,ferragamo outlet, nike blazer, nike blazer,blazer nike,nike blazer pas cher,Chaussures Nike Blazer,Nike Blazer Femme, nike air force, nike air force,air force,nike air force 1,nike air force one,air force one nike,air force 1,air force one, michael kors outlet, michael kors outlet,michael kors handbags,michael kors uk,michael kors,michael kors,michael kors bags, cheap jerseys, cheap jerseys,nfl jerseys,cheap nfl jerseys,jerseys from china,cheap jerseys from china, cheap nfl jerseys, NFL Jerseys,Nike NFL Jerseys,NBA Jerseys,Soccer Jersey,NHL Jerseys,Baseball Jerseys,Custom Jersey,Youth Jerseys,Women Jerseys,NCAA Jerseys,cheap jerseys,cheap nfl jerseys,basketball jerseys,jerseys,hockey jerseys, jerseys from china, jerseys from china,cheap jerseys from china,nfl jerseys,cheap jerseys,cheap nfl jerseys,jerseys,baseball jerseys,nba jerseys,hockey jerseys,basketball jerseys, burberry uk, burberry, timberland boots uk, timberland
ReplyDeletePorno, Porno izle, TĂĽrk Porno
ReplyDeletePorno, Porno izle, SikiĹź izle
Porno, Porno izle, SikiĹź izle, SikiĹź
Porno, Porno izle, SikiĹź izle, SikiĹź
Porno, Porno izle, SikiĹź izle, TĂĽrk porno
Porno izle, Porno, SikiĹź izle
Porno, Sex, Porno izle
Porno, Porno izle
Porno SikiĹź, Porno, Porno izle
Porno, Porno izle, SikiĹź izle
Porno, Porno Sex SikiĹź, Porno izle
Porno, Sikiş izle, Türk Porno, Kızlık Bozma
Porno, Sikişme izle, Türk Porno, Kızlık Bozma
TĂĽrk Porno izle, TĂĽrk Pornosu, TĂĽrk Sex, TĂĽrk SikiĹź
Porno Film izle, TĂĽrk Porno, SikiĹź
Porno izle, Porno video seyret