Down with Either-Or!

"We should not do what THEY'RE proposing -- we should do what WE'RE proposing!"

I doubt it.

Republicans vs. Democrats, legislators vs. boards of education, education professionals vs. parents, teachers vs. administrators, politicians vs. professionals, this paradigm vs. that paradigm....

We probably should think VERY carefully before ever choosing EITHER this OR that.

I am fairly sure of the former as a global statement, but right now I am applying it to all discussions related to education.

Whether the discussion is curriculum, instruction, teacher evaluation, testing, funding, or discipline (Phooey on zero-tolerance policies!), we should be ever-so-leery of any entity that tries to force an either-or choice. There are too many variables within our world and within our student population to boil any issue down to A or B.

Why? Well, if we choose A, then those who would benefit from B suffer, and vice versa. We are involved in an enterprise that fails if collateral damage results from our action or inaction.

We are supposed to do what is best for every individual child. Generalities do not apply in education. We have failed the student who drops out. We have failed the student who graduates high school and cannot read at an adult level (exceptionalities aside). We have failed the student who leaves us having no idea what his strengths and aptitudes are--what he "brings to the table." We have failed the student who goes out into the world without the knowledge and skills necessary to be successful no matter what post-secondary path is chosen.

ANY discussions related to education must begin and end with flexibility, customizability. One size WILL NOT fit all.