Former ’60s ultra-radical turned far-right think-tanker Sol Stern, joins in the Ayers/Obama slime fest. Stern, who has been hired by the Manhattan Institute to witch-hunt for liberals & lefties in the public school arena, claims Bill Ayers’ education theories are akin to Stalin’s and tries to goad moderators into turning tonight’s debate away from the economy and onto Ayers. Is it too much to hope that one of the moderators of the two remaining debates will press Obama for a fuller accounting of his work with Bill Ayers on the Chicago Annenberg Challenge, and also ask Obama what he thinks of Ayers’s views on school reform?
It’s doubtful, but maybe McCain can pull a Palin and refuse to answer the questions directed at him and instead talk “straight to the American people” about education theories. That would be good for a laugh or two. Or perhaps when asked about his role in the Keating 5 scandal-- a much more relevant course of questioning in this debate on the economy-- he could take his cue from the McCarthy era and plead the 5th.
I just stumbled onto your blog...read your history on Wiki....SDS, Marxist/Leninist and all. My wife grew up in the USSR under the horrific evil and corruption that is socialism. So that's your idea of what we need in America?
ReplyDeleteWhat can I say?
Anon,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment. Let me correct you on a few things. First, you didn't read MY history. You read some version on Wiki posted by a group of Obama swift-boaters who are painting me as a "communist" "terrorist", etc...simply to undermine the Obama campaign. If you follow my blog you will see what my ideas are re. education and politics. Even in my most radical days 40 years ago, I was always most critical of Soviet gulag socialism and bureaucracy.
Bob Bennett himself said, "I investigated John McCain for a year and a half...and if there is one thing I am absolutely confident of, it is John McCain is an honest man. I recommended to the Senate Ethics Committee that he be cut out of the case, and there was no evidence against him." The investigation, which was led by Democrats, fully exonerated him. I can understand being concerned and defensive about false accusations--I'm here to find out from the source about what the small schools movement is all about--but it does your cause no good to make false accusations of your own.
ReplyDeleteClint,
ReplyDeleteI'm not making any "false accusations." I haven't accused Sen. McCain of anything. It was the U.S. SENATE ETHICS COMMITTEE. Remember? If it was a Democratic conspiracy, the Dems sure were stupid. 4 of the Keating 5 were Democrats and McCain got off easy with a charge of "poor judgement." If you think a senator condemned by his peers for poor judgement in a banking scandal would make a better president at this time in history--by all means, vote for McCain. BTW, latest reports show that Keating is still partnering with McCain's wife to this very day.
Now what was it you wanted to know about Small Schools exactly?
You wrote: "Or perhaps when asked about his role in the Keating 5 scandal-- a much more relevant course of questioning in this debate on the economy-- he could take his cue from the McCarthy era and plead the 5th." That suggests he did something for which he'd have to take the 5th. But he didn't. According to the investigator himself, McCain shouldn't have even been one of the five investigated, and the report itself, written by Democrats, stated that his "actions were not improper nor attended with gross negligence and did not reach the level of requiring institutional action against him....Senator McCain has violated no law of the United States or specific Rule of the United States Senate." So yes, implying that he would have some reason to take the 5th does come off as a false accusation. To McCain's credit, he has said it was just the possible appearance of impropriety that he found personally embarrassing and wished he hadn't done.
ReplyDeleteAs for Keating still partnering with Cindy McCain, how does concern about that square with telling others not to be concerned about Obama's having worked with William Ayers on the CAC? Does Daley's admonition that someone should be judged by his whole life apply to Ayers, but not Keating?
Now, Small Schools. I've read through the descriptions of them and some articles, and on the face of it, not only do I not see, institutionally, any problem with them, I'd have to say I support them. I grew up in an area where high schools routinely have over a thousand students, if not graduate more than that every year. It strikes me as supremely stupid.
But, ahem, size isn't always all that matters. The curriculum obviously does as as well. Specifically I'm keying on this from the Small Schools site: "A coherent focus and philosophy of education, and a curriculum that is integrated around that focus." What focus and philosophy of education is that? The principal, teachers, and parents, as the site also says is a critical component of the small schools approach? Or someone else's philosophy and focus? That's my question: Who determines what that philosophy of education and focus are, and what are they?
Thanks,
Clint
Clint,
ReplyDeleteTrue, I was being rhetorical. It's what bloggers do. Taking the 5th was tongue in cheek. That was more about ducking questions ala Palin. I know what Bennett said. I've also read McCain's own press sec.'s book, Lipstick on a Pig, where she goes into deatail about McCain's relationship with the crook Keating, who helped bring down banks and destroyed thousands of people's lives.
I'm not defending what Ayers did 40 years ago. In fact, if you read your history, you will learn that I led the fight within the student movement, against the Weatherman line. But that's for another day. The difference is that Ayers' connection is irrelevant to this election. It's a swiftboat issue, unlike McCain's ongoing relationship with Keating and financial swindlers like him. But Obama has never brought that up. He's too polite.
As for small schools curriculum, in most cases the educators who are creating the small school choose a curricular focus in order to tap into student interest, ie. school of the arts, law & government, environmental studies, art and architecture. The core curriculum still exists (math, English, Social Studies, Sciences) but it's integrated around the school's focus. Kids opt in based on interest--not prereqs. Schools are non-selective. There's much more. Go to smallschools.com and read my latest book.