In defense of the sanctimonious women's studies set || First feminist blog on the internet

Fine for Me, But Not For Thee

Lauren

I’ll have you know that Indiana schools are failing, although Hoosiers report satisfaction regarding Indiana public K-12 schools. Many see room for improvement, of course, but I see room for improvement in many things, particularly the American government, the price of artisan cheese, the lack of windows in my office, and the inability for P&D’s catbox to empty itself.

A real post on school funding, performance, and perception would run pages long, so let me zero in and essentialize on an educational trend that irritates me to no end, as demonstrated by a recent survey completed in my home state.

About 55 percent of respondents said the quality of education in the state is good or excellent, 30 percent said it is fair, and only 7 percent said Indiana public education is poor. Respondents were more positive when it came to their own school districts — 64 percent evaluate their local public schools as good or excellent. About 69 percent of Indiana residents evaluated teachers as good or excellent.

Study after study shows (you’ll have to trust me here, I’m tanked for time, articles welcome) that people from Indianapolis to Sydney believe that public education is suffering… but not in their kids’ schools. Wherever that educational crisis is, it ain’t here in my lap and in my home. My kids are just fine. Real reform is for those Other Schools.

Ironically, a significant proportion of those in this study that believe that Indiana education is improving because of NCLB-related testing and curriculum, even though this belief in the quality of Our School can be charted for decades across the country.

Overwhelmingly, people are satisfied with the performance of their schools (there are always exceptions, see Kozol for your dose of outrage). Support for Bush-style school reform is a largely reactionary support for bringing up those Other Schools to “our” level, wherever that may be. Take into account that K-12 pedagogy and curriculum are completely foreign to most of the voting world and you get, drumroll please, No Child Left Behind.

To disappoint my tax-hatin’ readers, a majority of people report that they are willing to pay higher taxes to improve state education even if those taxes are tied up in the stupidity of property tax law. In Indiana and other middling states, the real issue is how to convince the formally educated to stick around and make good on that expense by getting a job at a salary that will benefit tax income within the state long-term instead of brain-draining out to the coastlines.

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In sort-of-but-not-really related news, many American cities are taking up with collection agencies to collect small debts up to a decade old. As more and more cities find themselves in a financial bind, they have the choice of raising taxes or collecting old debts. Watch out for those past library fines and parking tickets. You may find them on your credit rating.

6 thoughts on Fine for Me, But Not For Thee

  1. I see room for improvement in many things, particularly the American government, the price of artisan cheese, the lack of windows in my office, and the inability for P&D’s catbox to empty itself.

    One step at a time, Lauren. One step at a time.

  2. The phenom. of reporting things are fine in my backyward, but falling apart in general has a n ame — though it’s slipped my mind. Researchers say it’s a reflection particularly of USers tendency to want to present themselves happyhappy joyjoy successful and also because they feel that the efforts of individuals is what makes things work. Consequently, to complain about your own schools, your own marriage, your own physician, etc. is to point the finger at yourself as the failure. I’ll look it up if anyone’s interested.

  4. “In Indiana and other middling states, the real issue is how to convince the formally educated to stick around and make good on that expense by getting a job at a salary that will benefit tax income within the state long-term instead of brain-draining out to the coastlines.”

    Yep. I grew up in a small college town in Indiana, and almost none of the professors’ kids came back after college. The two exceptions I can think of wound up teaching at the college.

  5. In Indiana and other middling states, the real issue is how to convince the formally educated to stick around and make good on that expense by getting a job at a salary that will benefit tax income within the state long-term instead of brain-draining out to the coastlines.

    Agree—are you one of the willing with your new diploma and a job on the horizon? How should this be made more attractive to you and your peers?

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