Albert Einstein said: “We can’t solve problems at the same level of consciousness at which we created them.” Yet this is exactly what we do in our efforts at educational reform. There continue to be dueling reports about whether charter schools work any better for underprivileged kids than the regular school system. From what I can tell, this is only a discussion about the best form of palliative care.
I go back and forth on why we do what we do with our children and their education. Is it a desire for social and economic control by our oligarchs? Is it greed? Is it a lack of imagination? A combination, or something else entirely?
This affects us all and I’d love to hear your thoughts.
I was one of those kids who convinced themselves during their early school days that they were not talented in the fine arts. I have spent much of the recent past trying to undo this damage. Betty Edwards and her book, “Drawing On The Right Side Of The Brain” helped a lot but I’ve got a long way to go. I hope people won’t regard it as bragging when I say that I WAS a triple threat in the dramatic arts. This has made for a complex relationship to the world of art.
One thing I am clear about is that a market economy is supposed to direct its resources to their most productive use. The British economist, Lionel Robbins, said “Economics is the study of the use of scarce resources which have alternative uses.” Which is why I’m confused as to how the City of New York, through the Department of Cultural Affairs was able to take the $10 million renovation/facelift for El Museo del Barrio and turn it into a $45 million project.
Among the reasons I care is because the program I worked for, Boys & Girls Harbor, is housed in that building. At a time when all sorts of services to children and the poor were being cut , this project proceeded apace. Additionally, as part of some agreement, the minority children served by this program were apparently to be relegated to using a side entrance. I was one of the few people to raise hell about this obvious and symbolic message.
I kind of get it. The property is on Fifth Avenue, there aren’t that many opportunities for politicians to attend ribbon cuttings in this economy, and I’m sure the budget process wouldn’t have allowed the additional $35 million to be used for something like schools, literacy programs, food pantries, etc. I just wonder why there weren’t more people watching, asking questions, and as confused as I am about this Nation’s priorities. You know, scarce resources, alternative and most productive uses?
