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Educational Standards
By John | April 9, 2010
The plea of some industry leaders in the U.S. for common educational standards smacks of more central planning and attempts to turn children into products of assembly line processes.
Yes, we need better education in this country. No, the answer is not more standardization. That does not mean we don’t need standards. We need individual standards – not collective standards that apply to all.
The fundamental problem with education in this country is that it is government run. Government bureaucrats make the wrong decisions for the wrong reasons.
That is not to say there is no solution. But, just like “No Child Left Behind”, and other similar central-planning inspired programs, government standards do more harm than good.
There is no place in a free society for standardized children. Let China produce litle robots. Let’s provide educational opportunities without sacrificing our most cherished asset: Freedom.
Alternatively, let’s establish educational standards with an eye towards specific objectives, like preparing students for high-tech, industrial jobs – like those offered by IBM. Those standards could be established by an independent, non-profit organization. Tests to measure performance relative to those standards could be administered by the same organization. Employers could be encouraged to support those standards in their hiring process. Properly publicized, these standards could carry weight with colleges as well.
In a free society, we need competition. If you don’t like the standards that exist, create your own. If you are right, that existing standards are inadequate, and if you create superior standards, yours should enjoy acceptance in the marketplace. By removing the selection of standards from the political process, you truly can make them relevant in the modern world.
But any standards, in a free society, must be voluntary. Not everyone wants to work for IBM. Not everyone should be prepared for a job at IBM. However, if someone does want to work for IBM, give him the opportunity to measure his educational performance relative to the standards he will encounter at IBM.
If the schools won’t teach to these independent standards, but if students and parents are made aware of the potential importance of these standards, someone will fill the gap and start preparing those students that desire to meet the standards. It’s a way of providing needed educational competition to government schools without asking their permission.
Topics: Commentary | 2 Comments »
May 13th, 2010 at 3:24 am
That’s So COOL…who knew ?
May 23rd, 2010 at 4:22 am
this post is very usefull thx!