http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wamc/local-wamc-910322.mp3
Albany, NY – "THE DEATH AND LIFE OF THE GREAT AMERICAN SCHOOL SYSTEM: HOW TESTING AND CHOICE ARE UNDERMINING EDUCATION"
Part Two: Race to the Top Competition; Parental Involvement; The Need For More School and Community Leadership -
Diane Ravitch writes that she used to be a strong supporter of school accountability and choice. But in recent years, it's become clear to her that these strategies are not working.
Dr. Ravitch is a Research Professor of Education at New York University and distinguished historian of American education. She has been a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution. And from 1991 to 1993, she was Assistant Secretary of Education and Counselor to then Secretary of Education Lamar Alexander during the President George H.W. Bush administration. Ravitch was appointed to the National Assessment Governing Board by the Clinton administration. She blogs for HuffingtonPost.com and EdWeek.org. She is the author or editor of over twenty books.
Diane Ravitch's newest book is "The Death and Life of the Great American School System: How Testing and Choice Are Undermining Education." It's published by Basic Books.
Last week, we got Ravitch's reaction to eight years under No Child Left Behind and plans for renewing it as the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. You can still hear that show. It's TBOOK #1034, online at this hyperlink: http://www.wamc.org/prog-tbook.html
This week, we talk with her about: the Race to the Top competition for federal dollars; parental involvement; and the need for greater community and school leadership.
Glenn Busby reports. (9:25)
PAKISTANI MADRASSAHS -
Madrassahs, or Islamic religious schools, have received lots of negative attention since the September 11 terrorist attacks in America nine years ago.
Some have been found to be linked to training centers for Al Qaeda. But for more than one-thousand years, Madrassahs have served an important role in providing schooling and sometimes a home for poor children.
World Vision's, Will Everett, visited a Madrassah in Pakistan recently, not far from the Afghan border, and brought back this story of a boy named Abdul.
Will Everett reports. (4:48)
BERLIN'S GERMAN LANGUAGE ONLY SCHOOL -
European governments are responding to attacks, violence, and riots with tighter rules and restrictions.
Debate is raging in Europe over whether governments should ban the full Islamic veil (or Burka) amid moves in France, Belgium and Spain to impose laws against the garment. France's Cabinet has approved a draft law to ban the Burka and its set to go before their parliament sometime this month.
Meanwhile, the latest poll in Europe shows that move is strongly supported by the UK, Italy, Spain and Germany. And Germany is our next stop.
Recently, developments there included a controversial test for Muslims who are applying for German citizenship. And one Berlin high school has made a German language only policy mandatory in the school yard. This debate is not unlike the one going on in the U.S. over bilingual education necessitated by the rapid influx of Spanish speaking immigrants.
Ben Fajzullin reports from Berlin. (4:39)