Via The Appalling Strangeness, my attention is drawn to this over at Illiberal Conspiracy. I’m not going to fisk it – although it is eminently fiskable – as The Nameless Libertarian has already done a fine job of dissecting its awfulness.
No, there’s something else that I want to add here. As someone who does not have children, I am something of a disinterested and objective observer. To my eyes, Sam Bumby is an example of the education we see today. I have all too often had to deal with the output of modern education in the workplace – the poor levels of literacy and numeracy being only part; the poor standard of critical thinking is, perhaps, worse.
When I was sixteen (the age of the author of the piece) I knew it all, too. As I grew older and reached adulthood, I realised that perhaps I didn’t know as much as I thought I did. I, too, was indoctrinated. Fortunately, I’ve managed to throw off those shackles – although it took seeing the Labour Party in power for me to finally realise just how dire was my mistake.
On reading Bumby’s output (and inwardly squirming at the unthinking propaganda unsullied by facts, reason or logic) I am reminded of an incident some thirty-odd years ago when I was a little younger than he is today. We were set some English language homework that involved carrying out a critique. In my youthful enthusiasm for the task, I wrote “this is a load of old rubbish!” Ah, the folly of youth, eh? When it came back following marking; scribbled in red ink in the margin was the comment: “So is this!”
So, when I read statements such as this one:
It sounds to me just like an idea to privatise the school system, an idea which allows any idiot with a ton of money to influence and indoctrinate youngsters with their own opinions.
I desperately want to get out a red pen and scribble in the margin; “Like the idiot who wrote this, for example?”
Sam Bumby has failed to comprehend a basic principle; education is the responsibility of parents, not the state. Parents, not the state know what is in the best interests of their childrens’ education. The state is merely a provider – and given the output I have observed; not a very good one.
So, having read Sam’s essay and being a generous sort, I’ll give it 4/10 – could do better.
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Update: Tory Totty also comments.
I agree with you wholeheartedly.
.-= My last blog ..‘Bully’ PM “attacked furniture” =-.
“When it came back following marking; scribbled in red ink in the margin was the comment: “So is this!””
No teacher would be allowed to do that, these days.
And THAT is why there are Sam Bumbys everywhere you look. Coddled, indulged, never corrected.
Of course they think they know it all – they are now being told that they do!
.-= My last blog .."We’ve tried nothing and we’re fresh out of ideas!" =-.
Yes, more’s the pity. That it resonates nearly forty years later tells of its effectiveness.
When I went to grammar school my science master for the whole of one year wrote “Chinese” on my homework because of my atrocious handwriting. How I would have loved a word processor unfortunately not available for another twenty years. Agree with the last paragraph which is why I home educated the kids until I moved to France where it is infinitely better.
It is true that Teachers are not allowed to mark pupils’ work in this manner. However, when I studied the History of Education in England and Wales, I noted that one of the intents in introducing a universal education system was “to gentle the masses”. Using Church Schools as a means of social control, not too dissimilar to the output today. All knowing about their “yooman rites” but not responsibility or very much about their subjects either.
This next fortnight is “Fairtrade Fortnight” in Schools, having read and encouraged those pupils in my class (I only get to teach VERY occasionally now) to read the Adam Smith Institute report and argue both sides of the proposition. I justified it the the SLT as broadening their debating and research skills. I was consigned back to my Office…
Encouraging research and debate, the very thought!
Oh well, if anybody knows a School needing an IT and Mathematics Teacher…
I’ll get my coat!
TTFN 🙂
As I said over at The Appalling Strangeness, he is young and foolish, but what excuse do the majority of the commenters have for their ignorance and stupidity?
.-= My last blog ..Hat tip: Constantly Furious… =-.
A similar thought crossed my mind when reading them. Youth can be forgiven its foolishness – those commenters who told him that it was a “good post” when it was clearly nothing more than regurgitated bigotry, should know better.
4/10 is indeed generous.
.-= My last blog ..Can someone please gag George Osborne =-.