"I know no safe depository of the ultimate powers of the society but the people themselves; and if we think them not enlightened enough to exercise their control with a wholesome discretion, the remedy is not to take it from them, but to inform their discretion by education. This is the true corrective of abuses of constitutional power." - Thomas Jefferson 1820

"There is a growing technology of testing that permits us now to do in nanoseconds things that we shouldn't be doing at all." - Dr. Gerald Bracey author of Rotten Apples in Education

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Saturday, August 3, 2013

Economics Assignment Questions Educational Local Control and Radical Far Right Wingers

What are your college students learning?  This is from an Economics Assignment at Lansing (MI) Community College :




What do you think the aim of these questions are?  Will these questions lead to true critical thinking or are they disguised as indoctrination?  Who are the present day radical far right wingers who are trying to transform countries into fascism?  In America, did those radical far right wingers cause the bankruptcy in Detroit, the failure of public/private partnerships using stimulus money (Solyndra and Fiskar), and the phony scandals of:
  • Benghazi
  • Data mining on select political groups from the IRS
Look at question 3.  Some would argue that control over education policy should be heavily controlled by local governing bodies, such as school districts.  Imagine that.  I don't know how Michigan law is written, but that's how school control is theoretically granted in the Missouri Constitution:

School board may adopt rules and regulations.
171.011. The school board of each school district in the state may make all needful rules and regulations for the organization, grading and government in the school district. The rules shall take effect when a copy of the rules, duly signed by order of the board, is deposited with the district clerk. The district clerk shall transmit forthwith a copy of the rules to the teachers employed in the schools. The rules may be amended or repealed in like manner.


Does the instructor believe local control is a "belief" rather than a granted power?   Does he/she agree with the current educational reform of the Federal government setting up educational public/private partnerships and rendering local school boards powerless?

Is the only job left for school districts to perform is that of paying for the mandates this partnership has dictated?  This is similar to the Common Core structure CCSSO and the NGA are imposing on state legislators.  The elites will take care of those pesky fascist right wingers (and any other groups) and dictate educational policy/development for your local school district and state.  It seems to me the fascists are the private trade organizations and the Federal government funding their organizations.

How would you answer the questions on this test?

We are in the process of determining whether this is teacher generated or from a book. 

4 comments:

  1. 1A)The only major difference between the 2 is that communism is honest, as nothing belongs to you, everything belongs to the state, where as socialism lies by stating your assets belong to you, when they truly do not, since they are subject to confiscation by the government when they deem it a necessity.

    1B)Though required by both forms, the enforcement, internment, or liquidation of dissenters required, is much harsher and of greater numbers by Marxist-Leninism, than that of traditional communism.

    1C)The major difference within current democracies is the ruling class is given an exemption to have wealth greater than the populace is allowed, whereas in the original text, all parties where to be completely equal.

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  2. 2A) Compartmentalization of authority had little to do with stifling economic growth of middle age Europe. The government, regardless of the type implemented, does not promote economic growth, but only impedes, either by restricting freedoms, or by excessive regulation, taxation, and/or control of the populous. Simply consolidation of authority into a single body or group, historically has resulted in worse conditions for the populace, which will always impede in economic growth.

    2B) The breakdown of the manorial system was caused by the population loss due to the black plague. With loss estimates between 30 to 50% of the population, the lords no longer had the power to exert the control necessary to maintain the system. This loss of power was due the fact that little population was available to tend the lords' lands. To feed the populace, farming was required on all available land to produce the food required to minimally sustain the population. After the enormous loss in human capital, food became abundant, and therefor the peasantry could leave the lord's manor, no longer dependent on them for food rations. The populace, no longer needing a restrictive overseer to feed them, left to venture out on their own. This was the beginning of a period of unprecedented economic growth known as The Renaissance.

    ReplyDelete
  3. 3A)Historically standardization has led the a less educated populace. Standardization has led to having knowledge that is unnecessary for an area's economy, and not having the necessary skills for it. Also those writing the standards tend to have little idea of the demands of a region. Historical evidence would be in the USSR. from the early 1910's the 1920's in a rush to modernize the country started by Czar Nicholas II, and continued though the Bolshevik revolution, agricultural skills were no longer taught, resulting in a lack of qualified hands to tend the fields to feed the population. Several starved to death in what was know as the Povolzhye famine. Though the region was devastated by a drought, irrigation techniques commonly used prior to the era, where no longer used due to the lack of knowledge of implementation. A more modern example would include current education system in the US. A survey taken of college professors in 2010 found that most professors found the student body lacking in the most basic knowledge of major subject. Most students required remedial classes to catch up with the curriculum.

    3B) Economic growth would increase due to increase knowledge in specific conditions of local economies that cannot be taught to the wider range of population, due to the specific needs of various regions cannot be determined by those unfamiliar with them.

    ReplyDelete
  4. It reads like it is teacher generated, partially because of how up-to-date it is, and the language being like talking points.
    It may be time to gather together to protest this crap on location.
    Also, I have this nagging feeling, states sovereignty has been abused (no kidding!) to affect the entire nation. Therefore we have a say in all local abuses we spot in other states, due to how they affect the nation, and zombie students who certainly move to other states like rays, until full sovereignty is restored. THAT would be a job! Hmmm, I guess local grass roots efforts are the answer after all? Certainly not in all cases! Michigan would be a good place to visit before Winter hits!

    ReplyDelete

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