Op-Ed: Education Funding,Effective Local Control,Stymied By Neocon DesignCorporate Purpose

Society has been overwhelmed by propaganda and malign intent by a group determined to delude and manipulate citizen understandings for their own political purposes. It is time for change.

(BEND, Ore.) - Local control of our schools, from grade one through Grad level, has been a basic American principle ever since Colonial days. Our founders placed control of education within the domain of every state for good reasons.

In general, "local control" has provided the close supervision and honored the preferences of those paying-the-bill through school funding via property taxes set by each state by its own voters.

"The little red schoolhouse", common then across the nation, provided purposeful community access to the basics of “readin’, writin’ and ‘rithmetic” for a number of generations --most of whom turned out quite well, thank you very much. (Ask any community-member!)

Built on the basic principle of a common school experience for all citizens-to-be in our communities, that first-beginnings for our democratic system has more than proven its worth: that very basic system organization rightfully became the worldwide mirror-principle reflecting what made America the home of the dramatic new approach to realities of education demanded in that time, for those reasons we then realized, and in ways workable at realistic and acceptable costs, too.

BUT the only certainty in life is CHANGE, as we’ve learned most painfully ever since the Civil War --the first major “wasting war” costing us dearly and dreadfully in far more serious issues and problems than the mere dollar-losses --themselves at the time setting world records for economic damages and decimations for our whole society.

In the 21st Century, now already nearing the end of its first decade (!), we must face the realization that what worked THEN for all of us NO LONGER can provide not only the major new funding demanded to keep pace with worldwide change, but also the very basic standards shaping and securing the much more diverse and demanding education now needed for every American child.

What has happened to our educational system in the past several decades, as the onrush into the 21st Century has taken place, is that both our conception of reality-needs and of the return-on-investment to be achieved via education for all have been overwhelmed by political propaganda and proven malign intent laid on us in every channel and every conceivable manner and method of communication by a determined group using their huge "noise machine" to delude and manipulate citizen understandings-- for their own political purposes.

They have even made us believe that "less can be more" by the kind, level, composition and process of funding manipulation they have imposed on our basic competitive-advantage/maker: the education system.

There can be little question of the long-proven effectiveness of America’s educational progress, from Colonial days until after World War II, with extremely obvious proof to be seen in every possible avenue, domain and level of achievement. Any comprehensive historical examination of the real public record for those decades will prove up precisely and very persuasively each and every area of human achievement, to which our people contributed higher-level after higher-level, all those years.

Of course we had our problems, absolutely unavoidable when millions worked with other millions in a nation of widespread developments in every area of life, running wildly and without as wise-and-comprehensive national level control as we should have put into place and used aggressively, too.

That’s the very definition of governance, as recognized all down through the centuries ever since the first republic-approach was set up, secured, and traditionalized in Roman days.

The most basic foundations of our American tradition demand that government "OF the people, BY the people, FOR the people" DO SOME THINGS possible in no other way.

That’s why roads, bridges, public safety, transportation and travel and postal service, education and national security and many, many other basic concerns are provided, maintained and managed by government, for the commonweal.

It has never worked and never will work, simply to leave these needs to the chance operations of "privatization" and "deregulation", in which governance essentially does nothing. This leads to the globalization now decimating developmental prospects for emerging nations deprived until now by the unprecedented share of world resources manipulated by early-emergers.

We either control our national responses to emerging trends worldwide --or they will control us, and reshape our entire lifestyle, inexorably and without mercy. What we can and must do is to put into place the changes which are completely obvious from examination of our past history.

So "what went wrong" and "who made it that way" must then become the immediate questions, as the most essential and important guide to how do we fix what went wrong?

We must redesign not only basic corporate formats and purposes, as now demanded for our own protection from present predation, but also other elements of our overwhelming modern "surround" shaping life at every level, for everyone, assuredly including our education system which is so fundamental in preparation of every new citizen.

The high-point of American progress is now universally recognized across the world by economists, historians, every academic-study area, and millions of plain citizens in every nation, as "The New Deal" and what it meant, then, to American life and to formation of "the American Dream".

That surely included solid home life and values, secure and protected job acquisition and continuance, human rights precisely spelled out in world-acclaimed historical documents, and mutually profitable working relations with most job providers.

But that pleasant picture aroused the antagonism of certain segments in our society who could not countenance any possible chance of diminution for their large share of what the American system was then providing for all.

So, they mounted a malign and intentional manipulation of every possible channel for information --the now-notorious right-wing "noise machine"-- and, with cognizance and, sometimes, cooperation from a mainly deluded and misinformed national press-and-media, managed to seduce, sabotage and overcome much of the American working force that had supported and extended "the New Deal", including the unions protecting workers from undue and sometimes desperate attack and despoliation.

Ever since, through successive political situations involving not only the Presidency but the domination of Congressional process and progress, these self-selected neocon manipulators have continued in contemptuous disregard of clearly-expressed national majorities demanding both change and redirection --in the face of overwhelming damage via further tax slashes for the very-rich and further funding/slashes in every succeeding New Deal-generated program or plan.

Thus we find ourselves fighting "the imperial Presidency", seeking empire building via still another wasting war; defying Congressional direction via offsetting Letters attached to legislation, blocking its application, and a bewildering, overwhelming constant-attack on our protective Constitutional rights and privileges --while slashing and slicing away any possible progressive project or plan offered by our elected Congressional representatives.

It becomes completely obvious what the first step in our now-demanded rehabilitation process must be, not only for education but across-the-board in all that America set out to become.

Documentation for every statement herein is contained in a working file kept since the late ‘70s. Its contents and the supporting books, clips, reports, studies and other documents are available for later access, but not while writer’s files from 50 years are in process of culling and clean-out.

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Henry Ruark January 18, 2008 5:58 pm (Pacific time)

N-N: You, sir, are totally misinformed if you think I'm your buddy. That's simple-minded word-play to express both superiority and hostility, and any thinking person will rapidly recognize both the tone and the technique --and consider its use one more way to recognize your continuing contempt for all-here and this channel.

Editor: I'm going to jump right in here, we can conclude that Henry and Jefferson are not buddies but this is where we start going off topic and it isn't going to be a fighting match anymore as I said in multiple comments last night. It is fine to disagree, but it is time for educated debates and the personal stuff is not going to be approved when it dips into the areas that begin causing problems. Thank you for working with me, all of you.

Jefferson January 17, 2008 5:55 pm (Pacific time)

Henry/SFI thanks for the warm thoughts buddy, and right back at ya...

Henry Ruark January 17, 2008 3:59 pm (Pacific time)

To all: Again N-N demeans the name and reputation of a great man, Allan Funt, known for his huge heart and empathy for others, demanded by his career via sound recorded interviews in the early days, then later ditto on video. BUT I miss any mention of meeting or message to Tim re ID-revelation, so must surely then conclude the big lie re retaliation cannot stand the examination now demanded. SO, just as Funt is dead, now N-N's remaining remnant of believability is, too. Goodby, N-N - Sound off anytime anywheres in the channel, keep all the records you wish, express any and all degrees of contempt and your own belief in your own claim of overwhelming superiority, mirroring the reality of what you are and what you do here, in your own words. No better proof of your own proven irrelevance could be provided, and none will be needed.

Jefferson January 17, 2008 1:18 pm (Pacific time)

An affirmative to all those self-answered inquiries SFI. My opinions are based on actual experience. Will always look forward to any further inquiry, legal or otherwise...have complete copies of all my posts and what promulgated those posts...I have often been referred as the Allen Funt of my social orbit...

Henry Ruark January 17, 2008 8:29 am (Pacific time)

To all: For any serious reader seeking solid explanation for such behaviors as we've experienced from N-N et al, I suggest close attention to: "Emotional Intelligence: Why it can matter more than IQ", by Daniel Goleman;ISBN 0-553-37506-7. Goleman et al discovered what is now root of many other more recent findings by leading cognitive scientists such as Pinker and Chomsky, "emotional intelligence", based on the amygdala, two small brain components controlling emotions. Sometimes, cognitive scientists have now proven, these overwhelm rational, reasonable thought and result in rapid-fire responses built on the age-old necessity of the body to fire-first and strongly, simply for survival. In some people, where the amgydala is either injured or otherwise disempowered (as sometimes occurs in "command and control environments"), this brings on rather wild, disjointed and unreasonable responses, fired rapidly via vocal or other channels, resulting in response later regretted, when it is too late. Note: Most writers soon learn about "emotional intelligence" and many take it into full cognizance when preparing their materials, especially if intended as professional consultation or published as specially informed opinion. That is also one of the main reasons for "byline signature" on many "in the media" items, thus guaranteeing for readers ethical responsibility and accountability, and insuring continuing credibilities. Just quick note for those with serious interest in how the mind works, where language fits as the absolutely essential tool it is for human communications, and how we all can improve by such knowledge. For others, might help to use the simple "mirror test", recommended by cognitive scientists: "Mentally confront yourself as if in the mirror, and if you are still proud of what you produce, use it --but sign it for responsibility and accountability to your receiving audience." (Quote condensed from longer explanatory sequence.)

Henry Ruark January 17, 2008 7:04 am (Pacific time)

To all: This is final invitation to N-N to stand up like a man, rather than a "girly boy", and ID-self for responsibility and accountability. Anyone seeking credibility here, unless acting out of contempt for all others, owes us all that decency and courtesy, on request, leading to believability. IF you really DO have fears of retaliation against self or others, explain why and what's at stake, confidentially, to Editor Tim. If you are prevented from so doing by a "higher authority:, simply refer Tim to them for authentication of your plea. If that is barred for any reason, you have no right to be speaking here as if you were free and independent citizen when you MUST act under their control. We trust Tim's integrity and will accept his statement that,indeed,you do deserve the sanctuary ("behind the tree") from which you snipe, demean and attack while others do not hesitate to "lay it on the line" in full public record. SO, if you are all those wonderful, deeply specially experienced, well-trained, mentally superior, and otherwise excellent persons you claim to be --NOW you can prove it all, without further risk --thus opening the way for your superior and superbly written and documented Op Eds, with full by-line, naturally. If, in fact, you are acting under orders and control from any other group, organization or agency, now you must prove that relationship to Tim, acting for all of us here. I can hardly wait or your confidential exchange with Tim, but you can be sure will NOT be holding my breath for that to occur, either... If you do not now see fit to accept, perhaps it might be fun-and-games to pull the string on your hidden-ID...we will see if so demanded. Where would that leave you ? Intriguing to contemplate, via multiple, various clues you have already furnished, purposely or by inadvertence. Entire incident offers great national story implications, especially with total collapse underway for longterm neocon empire-building while raiding national economy via continued crony capitalism and under full corporate control at key levels of governance.

Henry Ruark January 16, 2008 11:45 am (Pacific time)

N-N: Not to worry, your familiar tone and all its distortions entirely recongizable --and also sadly out of date. Were you ever NEA member ? Thought not... Were you ever union member, not necessarily in education ? Thought not... Did you ever serve on any school board, anywhere ? Thought not.. SO, given that lack of the reality forcing those who face up to everyday necessities in operating this system, from whence cometh your superior attitude and claim to inescapable understandings ? Classroom experience, sadly, does not fit one for full management experience in this field; thus whatever you now claim to inform your opinion must come from unavoidable personal interpretation,which to mean anything then reduces to whatever source-ID used, and inevitably demanding responsibility and full accountability for any possible credibility. I.e., kid, put up with ID or learn NEVER to expect your vapid over-mouthings to mean much to anyone serious about dialog, learning and truly democratic decision. "You lie in your teeth, sir", about qualifications, work and your professed professional experience; and the more you mouth-off the more certain that becomes for many of us. ("Quotes" from one of my Op Eds. Attack it if it triggers off anything for you, which memory should turn up if your memory still works.) Easy remedy, while it is still your choice, is to ID self to Editor, do your own Op Eds, and welcome real dialog in Comments on each one. Without that, sir, "you remain cur" (same source !) hiding behind tree, and I state that in the face of your increasing poorly-veiled threats and recent character assassination attempt. For the record, that is in process of report to authority in several locations, for what that may bring. I await your public and full apology for what is now well recognized as character-smear without reason, demonstrating personal/professional attack motivated by your malignant political-principle defense of differences too obvious for you to live with, without the striking-out displayed in your own words here constantly.

Jefferson January 16, 2008 11:00 am (Pacific time)

Oops! The below 9:59 post was mine.

Glen January 16, 2008 10:41 am (Pacific time)

While I disagree with a lot of what Thomas Friedman says, his book "The World is Flat" makes many good points. One which is germane to Hanks essay is that just when we should be doubling our investment in education (to compete with Indian and especially China) the Bush administration has cut educational funding. If Barbara Tuchman were alive today she would have more material to add to her classic book "The March of Folly."

Anonymous January 16, 2008 9:59 am (Pacific time)

There are many talented and respected researchers and activists who have carefully documented the “weird” activities which have taken place “in the name of education.” Any opposition to change agent activities in local schools has invariably been met with cries of “Prove your case, document your statements,” etc. Documentation, when presented, has been ignored and called incomplete. The classic response by the education establishment has been, “You’re taking that out of context!”—even when presented with an entire book which uses their own words to detail exactly what the “resisters” are claiming to be true. “Resisters”—usually parents—have been called every name in the book. Parents have been told for over thirty years, “You’re the only parent who has ever complained.” The media has been convinced to join in the attack upon common sense views, effectively discrediting the perspective of well-informed citizens. Note: At least Henry/SFI admitted that he was for bigger and bigger government...which means more and more money wasted by never ending boondoggles, but sadly, this will bring more government control which means less personal freedom (the aim of all those on the left is to control you 24/7, both physically and mentally). The NEA was a super organization when it started, even though it had some initial shortcomings, e.g. , it would not allow women membership nor men who taught in private schools. It became unionized in the early 20th century and that was an appropriate thing to do. Unions were a wonderful thing for literally centuries (western civilization), but they soon proved to be counterproductive. They have caused irreversible damage to our manufacturing industry, and for generations have steadily caused more and more harm to our public school students. Suffice, with Oregon nearly dead last in educational performance, we need to dissolve these unions. I personally am a big advocate for public education, but not how it exists today...our students (not all of course) are being injured by these school unions who are more interested about their survival, and nothing else!All the anti-union people want is to start by having teachers/administrators evaluated (yearly) to see that they are qualified and maintain qualified to teach our most valuable resource.

Henry Ruark January 16, 2008 6:18 am (Pacific time)

To all: Re "50 books" mention-above, please remember I've done three separate annual-report surveys in complex areas and issues, each running more than a decade, and each based on from 400 to 600 separate survey and full publication responses. All three were published in then-leading professional and technical journals, and all were paid assignments, NOT done "for free" --and all with full byline to guarantee readers responsibility and accountability, supporting credibilities already well established enough to reassure the critical editors involved. SO "50 books" is true; when time allows, will furnish list here, for YOUR own evaluation, paralleling mine own, if you wish to dig that deep... Per previous statement: "Truth can set you free, but you have to recognize it and appreciate it when found." AND protect it, too, when it is attacked...

Henry Ruark January 16, 2008 5:03 am (Pacific time)

To all: SSO let's get specific re N-N Comment. 1. "Founders intent", vry obviously since they are long departed, must come by interpretation by those with skills, abilities, demanding opportunities to study and report. My opinion here is shaped by several decades of reading in the major source-books for the period. To list those used, and to summarize working notes over that study, might require a small book. N-N is totally aware of that, which is why he phrased this one the way it is. Might ask which of some 50 books on list he has done in the same way, and where are his notes ? 2."What they said about union control", again very obviously, must also be a matter of interpretation since no such organizations had then been permitted in the later format and for the later purposes, in the Colonies, and only rudimentary formats had been begun in England. The Founders, above al, were true revolutionaries. Remember Franklin's admonition: "We must hang together, or we will surely hang separately ?" 3. "Primary teacher ?" -Only memory here, but believe that traces to Federalist Papers discussion of role demanded --and is one major root for the "common school" I described. 4. Re OrEdDept., they employ legal counsel and will be able to furnish their own complete statement. N-N surely knows this, and his use of attack re report he cites is still another example of avoiding the issue by shadow request demanding depth, time, and perhaps a book. IF he had asked my own opinion here, I would have answered "Seek the answers from the last 30 years of "legislative leadership", most especially those receiving large corporate campaign contributions." 5. "Limited" is always relevant to SOME evaluation, by somebody. What was "limited" then, as any realistic grasp of world developments ever since, does NOT fit NOW --if it did, we would not be fighting the intolerable problems we now face at every level and in every activity in this nation. 6. "Bigger and better" governance ? Yes, that we must have. See 5 above. "See also" Boston SUMMIT findings re the demanded redesign of corporate predation now so heavily involved in many of our problems. 7. Yep --several. Here will confine list to NDEA, with which I happen to be familiar: killed by neocon political pressure, with high costs across nation in complex educational projects started and left to wither on the vine and die from lack of funding. Currently, NCLB, so flawed in design (by intent, many now contend) that it demands a complete redesign and great change in use of tests, proven in this version to reward the test producers hugely while confusing and distorting the true consequences in every classroom. Might add the SCHIP health care program for millions of U.S. children, too --in process of slow strangulation by neocon demand for funding slashes. His final sentence is not only insulting, but also far off the realities. For most citizens, simple access to any daily newspaper will have supplied full detail on most of what I just covered...but you do have to read the reports, from authoritative sources rather than political hacks and shills, and then think a bit for yourselves. Which is why, here, we continue to insist on "see with own eyes" and then "use own brain" --rather than "Listen to ME !! ME!! ME !!" 'Nuff said ? You can see why N-N states his s...(stuff, that is !) the way he does...to demand time, attention, and much more detail than most can supply, or will bother to make clear and easy to follow. See upcoming Op Eds for still further revealing directions, and remember to "use own brain" on my stuff, too --and Comment here in good faith for anything further I can share.

Henry Ruark January 15, 2008 6:32 pm (Pacific time)

To all: If N-N has points, he's free to come out from behind tree and offer them (and HIS sources) in HIS OWN Op Ed --any time. So far, despite repeated (20 so far, this is 21) invitations, all we have from him is his sniping from tree-concealment. "Opinion" is built from many sources; this one from file started in 70s. Has he also kept file since then ? "Size" is relative in governance as in anything else in this world. "What they said" also varies with who is doing not only the reading but the interpretation of what the words mean - example: Christian values. He reads them differently than most of us, per admitted waterboarding involvement. "Limited"-then and now, most persons agree, is NOT the same level or even ratio to our population, or any other measure. In short, he's stuck in preFounder philosophy, with no way out, facing modern world with widely different demands and realities...which he can somehow never understand. If he did, he would NOT remain a neocon !! Here you pays your money and then think for yourselves --which I invite you to do, comparing what YOU know, feel, and understand NOW vs what he insists is "the real world". We await that Op Ed, N-N, and your whipping out from behind the tree to put it right out there on the public record for full evaluation, a la this one and my others, too, any time. Just furnish Editor with ID when ready... with byline as for anything else you wrote recently. Sources ? Got 'em in depth and detail, but not for the snipers behind the tree... For others, via request to Editor with ID -some delay until I can find time here, after upcoming both-eyes laser and scalpel surgery.

Jefferson January 15, 2008 3:29 pm (Pacific time)

People ask Henry/SFI to provide his sources as to the "Founders intent" re: public education!!! Ask him what they said about union control? Ask him about the government being involved as the primary teacher? Ask him why the state of Oregon is dead last in the nation as per a recent national performance evaluation? Ask him why the "Founders" were for limited government and those of his misinformation ilk advocate for big and bigger government? Ask him if he knows of any entitlement program that has gone away? Heck people, you can probably answer the above questions yourself if you had a good education...

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Op-Ed: Education Funding,
Effective Local Control,
Stymied By Neocon Design
Corporate Purpose

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