Comments on y-intercept blog: School Monopolies and Monoculturism

First, my comments on public schools are really a ...

2008-07-17T03:26:00.000-06:00

First, my comments on public schools are really a reaction to the perception that public schools are the primary source of diversity. I put up a link to a podcast by Neal McClusky arguing that a primary driving force behind the establishment of public schools was to set up a common culture and a common language.

The main reason for this post is that most of the dichotomies pushed forward are false dichotomies. The politically minded often try to frame debates with statements like "I am for tolerance and my opponents are intolerant," or, "I am for multiculturism while my opponent is monocultural."

This type of argument is really nothing more than labeling.

Neither issues work as foundational issues for a society. Both issues lead immediately to paradox. In many cases they lead to cycles of action and reaction, or to nihilism.

The Netherlands realize that the Muslim voting block might someday rise and take over their country. The action of hyper-tolerance leads to a choice of nihilism or reaction.

I see that Lost Professor is interested in Spanish and Portuguese.

Neither languages would have existed if it were not for rebellion against the Moors and the Reconquista.

The classical liberal ideal is that people and groups should be free up to the point where their freedom impinges on the freedom of others.

Hmmm, here with this writing I am actually not so ...

2008-07-16T08:00:00.000-06:00

Hmmm, here with this writing I am actually not so much in agreement.

For instance, in the Netherlands long considered to be extremely tolerant of immigrants, and highly tolerant of practically anything, and the main reason I suppose is for trade and trade alone. However, recently this very tolerant culture has relented against a backlash of Muslim immigrants who are extremely intolerant to the already established tolerance of different beliefs and ways of carrying oneself. So yes, perhaps a tolerant government is for a time tolerant of individual prejudice, but in the Netherlands I would argue that this paradox or what have you is on the decline, as the Dutch are attempting to educate these new immigrants that if they don't like the Dutch way of life, a bastion of tolerance, then they might as well pack up and leave.

As for monoculturalism being caused by public schools I must disagree, and I'm not entirely sure how you came to this reasoning. I would contend that public schools contribute no more than any other school institution. I will however point out the song by Pete Seeger "Little Boxes" as a prime example of the standardization of American values and forcing the so called "American Dream" on citizens as if it were the only acceptable way to live life. Despite the conformity that schools bring about, they do without a doubt highlight standard cultural values, as all schools should. I contend that public schools propagate monoculturalism no more than a private school at any rate. Again, I agree that there is an attempt to force conformity to societal ideals, but I fail to see how you come up with the idea that public schools create monoculturalism. I might be more apt to agree with you if you felt that colleges promote monoculturalism, but it would have to be a strong argument, to contradict more than just conforming to societal ideals.

Some friendly disagreement for you.
Whoops! My apologies I got carried away and wrote far more than was necessary.

In fact, to become a state Utah was required to de...

2008-07-15T17:52:00.000-06:00

In fact, to become a state Utah was required to develop a public education program. Educators that came from out of state to establish the new bureaucracy freely admitted to colleagues that they were going to Utah to re-educate Mormon kids. Some were so bold as to say their mission was to destroy Mormon culture over a generation. They wanted to bring Utahns into the mainstream.

Today the educational industrial complex works not to culturalize kids into the American mainstream, but to remake the American mainstream in the image of a different world view.

And elitist 'intellectuals' wonder why the public holds them in such low regard.