Local Control, Local Control, Local Control

That's right: if you say it repeatedly, like a mantra, its meaninglessness becomes apparent.

"Local control," alongside projecting what taxpayers will not pay, is the biggest club used to bludgeon a consistent process of educational improvement out of our schools. And at this juncture, in citing the real issue again--the need for a sound process of consistent, continual, educational improvement in every school, whether rural, suburban, or urban--let me just add a clarification to yesterday's column. Here on Isle Storm, we DO have school committee members who try to operate under this premise. It's just that those individuals are stymied at every turn by 1) higher administrators throughout the state who does not insist on consistent, functional processes and 2) the school committee members who simply do not understand their roles.

We live in a global economy, where our students need the same skill set as students in China or India to succeed. The truth is, the U.S. spends more per pupil, with much worse results, than much of the rest of the world in educating our students. You'd think this alone would be enough to cause us to seriously re-think the structure of our educational system, but alas, not so. As a people, Americans love to hold onto myths and traditions, even when they hurt us. We'd be so much better served by expending more energy saving our cultural myths and traditions, and jettisoning those practical traditions that, founded during the colonial era are, well, simply no longer practical.

Such as "local control" of our schools.

Let's imagine what real local control might look like. If we REALLY wanted local control of our schools, you'd imagine that the principals in our buildings would be strong and respected leaders: this is hardly ever the case in Maine, as both the principals, their governing boards, and higher administrators bow instead before the too-many superintendents we have. If we REALLY wanted local control, we'd have an active Parent-Teachers Association, with parents engaged at every level at their children's education (not just as sports boosters). Again, because many rural Maine communities are natural resource and blue collar based economies, trying desperately to hold onto economies that are slipping into the ocean, we don't have that, either. And last but not least: if we REALLY wanted local control, the local PTA and other groups would actively support the principals in finding alternative local and national funding sources to support the education our kids really need; rather than allowing the property tax base to circumscribe and make unequal the education our kids get.

The truth is, we don't really want local control--which means taking a lot of responsibility as active citizens. We want the memory of that little white schoolhouse sitting in our little white downtowns. Of course, those went away as school populations in Maine began to decrease in size, and as everyone recognized the need for consolidated facilities. But the memory is powerful even though the reality is gone; and now we cling to its vestiges as though they might bring back that day before the fish were gone.

The twin bludgeons of local control and taxes are leaving our childrens' education beaten, bruised, and weakened.

Whenver I have an idea like this that I know is truly right on, it is usually confirmed by the same notions popping up somewhere in the national media. No great idea is ever alone. To read more about how the myth of "local control" is hurting education across the U.S., you can read "First, Kill All the School Boards" in this month's Atlantic Monthly. Thanks to Jen for the reference.