What is the great the illusion of education? How do both the Left and the Right perpetuate myths that harm the most vulnerable participants in the system- the students? In this episode, EconTalk host Russ Roberts welcomes author Fredrik de Boer to discuss his book, The Cult of Smart.
A terrific conversation ensues, featuring areas of both agreement and disagreement between Roberts and de Boer. Now we’d like to know what you think. Use the prompts below and share your answer in the comments, or use them to start your own conversation offline.
1- What are the different myths that the Left and the Right lean on with regard to education, according to de Boer? What do they have in common, and how do they diverge?
2- Roberts pushes de Boer, suggesting he gets close to saying schools achieve nothing. How does he respond? What does de Boer mean when he says that different schools make no difference?
3- De Boer asks a trenchant question: To what extent is educational mobility even desirable? How would you answer this question?
4- In discussing the “monolith” of American K12 education, Roberts and de Boer talk about the role of standards. Why does de Boer insist it’s a mistake to measure gains in learning? To what extent do you agree that standards are the opposite of innovation in education?
5- Both Roberts and de Boer emphasize their concern for those at the bottom- whether income distribution or academic achievement. Compare their suggestions regarding how best to help those with the lowest academic achievement. Who’s more convincing? What do you think can be done to help those at the bottom?
READER COMMENTS
Terry Miller
Dec 17 2020 at 11:08am
If we adopt de Boer’s leveling approach, in effect chopping the top off of educational opportunities (gifted and talented programs) and the income distribution (source of most investment capital), where does the innovation come from that is necessary for future progress? Or do we just stop history now?
Les Holcomb
Dec 21 2020 at 11:28am
I am really excited about reading their views. I’ve done alot of volunteer stuff with kids from K-12 all with differing needs. On a more general level I had to sadly watch the head of the Department of Education and POTUS taking out or reducing billion dollars lines out of the Dept of Education and the Department of Agriculture Budgets (food for families of school children from the lowest income households). Since then there there have been no functional Federal Budgets just contioning resolutions approved by both sides of the aisle, plus making the new agreed-upon levels paid out 3-4 months late. The latest stuff has been moving out the the Disproportionate Share Hospital funds to “somewhere else”, as well as the Graduate Medical Education education funds which includes all Graduate Medical Education for Physicians, as well as credentialling foreign trained physicians at a time when we are having an increased number of phycicians and medical specialists leaving practice. Any thoughts about that?
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