17 thoughts on “The Sabotage of Public Education”

  1. Go ahead and call me a bigot because I will never waste my time on anything that a Birther spreading QAnon nonsense has to say on education or any other serious subject. Such a person might have some glowing insights, but I will risk missing them based on the very high probability that the same intellect which parrots such bull has nothing worth the effort to offer. The fact that it is published by the likes of “The American Thinker” (LOL!) reinforces my bigotry against purveyors of nonsense.

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    1. RE: “Go ahead and call me a bigot”

      OK, you’re a bigot. One who preserves his own ignorance.

      For purposes of the Forum, however, there’s no point in attacking the person. You could have, as I did, look into the facts of the story and found something real to think or talk about. Instead your commentary pollutes the place.

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    2. Credibility is a terrible thing to waste. Some people waste theirs by spreading nonsense. Over and over again. So many opinions, so little time. I will continue to focus on those from people with at least some credibility.

      BTW, I knew you would enjoy the opportunity to write . . . “OK, you’re a bigot.”

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      1. RE: “Credibility is a terrible thing to waste. Some people waste theirs by spreading nonsense.”

        You should follow your own advice.

        Here, for example, you could have responded to the instant article as written. If it contains nonsense, you could have made the world a better place by pointing it out. Instead, you chose the path of a low-brow name caller, undermining your own credibility.

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          1. You’re welcome. Keep in mind, too, that Mr. Price is a participant in good standing on this blog. Attempts at character assassination can result in your comments being deleted. I recommend that you let others do their own research and reach their own conclusions in assessing materials posted here.

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          2. You both spread lies yet remain members in good standing on this blog. As does Paul (a little fiery) Jimmie, (quite irreverent at times) and Len (usually very well thought out opinions based in facts.) Even myself who gets tety when people try to sell fertilizer as fact.

            Which brings the statement, a favorite of yours, by the way, “So what”.

            We all know that BDP is a proponent against public education. He skewers stats and data to feed HIS narrative. Therefore, it is, IMO, bullshit.

            I take his bullshit personally because my daughter is a public school teacher. And a damned good one based on the respect she has earned from her peers and administrators in 8 short years.

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          3. You can take your threats of “moderation” and do you know what with them.

            I did not mention ANY poster by name. Nor respond to something that this person posted on this forum. I was discussing the known history of an author that you found in some dark corner of the internet. I made general statements about MY attitude towards the credibility of purveyors of Birther lies and dangerous conspiracy theories and the kind of effort I am willing to make when presented with materials they have produced.

            And, BTW, this “participant in good standing” has frequently slandered me and others with epithets such as “communist” and “pure evil” without getting you on your moderator high horse. We have seen this frequently from you – a very one-sided approach.

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          4. RE: “So what?”

            I wish to emphasize that Tidewater Forum is a discussion blog. In keeping with that concept, certain behaviors are inappropriate. For example, you call Mr. Price’s work “bullshit” but you don’t say why or how, or offer any alternative. You are certainly entitled to your opinion, but it contributes nothing to any kind of discussion when you offer it the way you have.

            I also have a strong objection to the practice of rejecting ideas solely because of the person who offers them, or the place where they are published. Such bigotry has no place in a forum dedicated to conversation and discussion.

            Do these explanations answer your question?

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          5. “I also have a strong objection to the practice of rejecting ideas solely because of the person who offers them, or the place where they are published.”

            Yet you do it regularly. With or without explanation, you dismiss articles not from your list of approved sources out of hand.

            Pot meet kettle.

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          6. I was gonna stay out of this until the ”moderation” bullshit.

            Irreverent warning: Paul giving people an appropriate heads-up about sourcing is completely acceptable. Getting your panties in a wad defending stupid is your “go-to” but that shouldn’t keep the grownups in the room from having conversations.

            IMHO.

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    3. I hope you will continue your uninformed criticism. Your readers will want to know more about what I’m actually saying. (May I suggest starting with Saving K-12, my book explaining why public schools are in decline.)

      By the way, the notion that I am a proponent against public education is too silly to discuss. In fact, I am for decades a very prominent proponent of public education done intelligently. That’s my forte, deconstructing all the unintelligent theories and methods now infecting our public schools.

      Robert W. Sweet, Jr., long-time president of The National Right to Read Foundation, reviewed me thus: “Bruce Price’s SAVING K-12 is a MUST read! It is precise, concise and powerful. Action is required…for the sake of our children, our grandchildren and the future of the American Republic!”

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      2. And yet you have spread Birther nonsense, various varieties of Qanon conspiracy garbage and label the ideas shared by the majority of people in this country as “communist” and “pure evil.” As I said, credibility is a terrible thing to waste and you have done a splendid job of wasting yours.

        In the past I have made the mistake of actually reading your rants about the private sector effort to improve our pedagogy – Common Core. I found nothing but silly and shallow ideological attacks almost totally removed from the reality of what the Common Core actually is. It was, with all due respect, the kind of mindless drivel one would expect from someone who sees EVERYTHING through the prism of malevolent conspiracies out to steal their freedom or their country.

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        2. As a matter of “substance”, since shortcuts like “bullshit” are frowned on, your reference to conspiracy spreading is spot on.

          The main problem with his book, which actually made a number of well considered and valid points was the malevolent intent he associated with the problems in our public education system.

          In it he describes a “creeping dumbness crippling the country,” contributing to a know-nothing population which can be “easily manipulated and controlled” by socialist leaders like Obama.

          Nuff said….

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      3. Your book plug aside (although I did notice the same demonizing of Dewey and the so-called Progressives in both) the comments were directed at your opinion piece in the stinker.

        When you equated DI with “common sense” and stated that it is “absolutely” the best educational model you made it difficult to take your position seriously. Since education models are, and always will be, a work in progress the question of “best” will always be elusive and subjective. I could post scholarly articles that debate both DI and the Operation Followthrough “findings”.

        Instead I’ll offer a short read that may educate and inform others on the forum.

        https://educationrealist.wordpress.com/2018/03/28/four-obvious-objections-to-direct-instruction/

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