A group of leading citizens, after reviewing public education, last week issued a report which went beyond simply calling for more - more money, more teachers, more of the same.  Not surprisingly most of the recommendations of  the Commission on the Skills of the American Workforce, backed by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, were immediately dismissed by public educators.  They apparently didn't even wait to study the report, consider the rationale for its proposals and at least give the appearance of a knowledgeable response.

Among the commission's recommendations is ending high school at 10th grade for most students.  This former high school teacher not only agrees but, more than 30 years ago, had his own daughter go directly from 10th grade to college, and subsequently earn a degree.  There is no evidence she missed anything by skipping 11th & 12th grades.  In fact, since, like many students, she hated public school, had she stayed within it her high school diploma might have capped her formal education career.

Other proposals call for state funding to replace local property taxes, currently being seriously considered in Pennsylvania, free pre-kindergarten, higher teacher pay but based on a merit system, permitting private contractors to operate schools, and altering the structure of teacher retirement systems.

Leading the opposition, as usual, are the two major teacher unions, the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers.  Of course the unions didn't object to ideas such as free pre-kindergarten which would require more money and create more jobs for teachers - read that more union members and union dues.  There are those who like to believe the NEA and AFT only represent union "bosses," but when it comes to ideas for serious changes in the present system, resistance is widespread.

For example, this is being written where the edition of the local paper announcing the commission's recommendations noted that all local educators who were surveyed opposed ideas such as that independent groups might contract to run schools, or that charter and/or for-profit schools might do better than traditional public schools.

As is common, the paper let establishment statements go unchallenged regardless of how little they related  to reality.  In one such instance a local school administrator said area schools "are functioning well and don't need such sweeping alterations." This despite the fact that student achievement in the largest local district places it near the bottom among the state's 501 districts.  Only 1.8% - nine districts - perform at a lower level.  This is "functioning well"? And if they can remedy matters, why don't they?

Which is why there are voices saying the system cannot be reformed, only be replaced.  Those in charge have no ideas of their own and dismiss those of anyone else.  Nor is this a recent or temporary condition.  Beginning with the first in-depth study in Chicago in the 1890s, it has been consistently found that the system fails the majority of the students it is supposed to educate. Commission member Bill Brock, former U.S. Labor Secretary and a longtime critic of the way public schools function, says the present system is "insane." 

At the same time during these 110 years there have been serious proposals for reforms.  They have all failed, or not even been attempted.  Still, there are those within the present system, like this local official, who say there is no problem, or, if there is, the current system can correct it (ignoring that it never does).

On the positive side even some Democratic leaders in Congress praised the recommendations and said they would be considered.  Unfortunately, they don't have a good track record of resisting teacher unions, perhaps their most influential constituents, or of passing effective education legislation, traditional or reform, on their own.
 
Sadly, for all their complaining about the failure and costs of the current school system,  the ability of the American public to tolerate the intolerable seems to be almost infinite. They can't even be bothered to vote in school board elections. Still, from 10,000 homeschoolers and no charter school students in 1980, to more than 3,000,000 in these two categories today, shows a growing portion of the public has had it with failure and false promises.