It is always a pleasure to see guest columnist Rod Paramoure in the MDJ. I don't recall ever disagreeing with anything he has written. And I heartily applaud his latest opus ("Save our 'failing' schools from federal takeover," Monday's MDJ).
I only have one quibble with his excellent column on education - the omission of any mention of IQ, the 500-pound gorilla that is in any room where the forensics of education take place. It is the thing that accounts for the intractable "gap" that the loony lefties are determined to close.
IQ is hugely important. It is by far the largest single determinant of success in school, and in life. It is immutable, written in stone, and for that reason, the mere mention of it in polite company is PC poison; taboo. The rare times when the subject is broached, it is usually posited that family structure and financial situations dictate success in school, or even IQ scores. The opposite is true. It is a chicken/egg argument.
It would be just so wonderful if we could all be Steven Hawkings, or Michelangelos, or Mozarts. We can't. IQ prevents it. However, there's a place and a reason for every person on earth. Every student needs to have the best chance at success his community is able to offer. Education is highly important, but it is not rocket science. People were learning very well 100 years ago from teachers who knew their subjects, but who also had autonomy over their domains. If they simply had the power to eject troublesome students, their overall product would see an immediate rise in the test scores of the remaining students.
The fear of the 500-pound gorilla, otherwise known as Political Correctness, is moving the entire Christian, Western Civilization towards faceless, powerless, spineless and uniform obeisance to the all-knowing, all-powerful State. It's a tired act that has been done to death in Russia, Cuba, China, and despite its hideousness, is soon coming to our town.
Harry Hagan
West Cobb
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What you're speaking to was one of the unexpected discoveries of Mr. Johnson's 'Great Society' which set forth with the goal of ensuring that every American would be a success. We've now spent fifty years trying to make up that success gap through social engineering. All we've accomplished is to destroy the public school system and rob several generations of American school children of a first class education. All in the name of equality and political correctness.
Our Man in Powder Springs
I merely maintain that IQ is a guide that should not be unPC to discuss in open forae.
I very well understand that the white agerage IQ is 100. Asian is 106. It is the averages of some other groups that causes the problems. The problem is the ceaseless attempt to close a gap that is unclosable.
What kind of IQ test does he feel should be used? Which edition? Which model?
Social Scientists and Psychologists have been debating the validity of IQ tests since the turn of the last century. They are anything but "written in stone" indicators of intelligence or potential. "But," Mr Hagan will reply, "the social sciences are just filled with loony liberals."
The letter really seemed to tilt towards some kind of belief in eugenics - and we all know down what sad road that leads.
Perhaps the most troubling aspect of the letter rests in his idea that "things" were somehow better 100 years ago. Yes, what glorious times though were in Georgia...African Americans not allowed to receive anything beyond a primary education (if that), women being limited to domestic education, and the industrialist's factories being filled with 12 and 13 year old workers (that is until those pesky progressives came and ruined everything).
Oh wait, I get it...that was the point of the letter.
It really is pretty depressing.