I agree there should be a loose coupling between state and local governance structures. The more space for citizens to define their futures democratically, the better. However, the state does have an active role to play in defining equity standards and the nature of 'public space' (I think I am correct in stating that citizens want to redefine their civic involvement in a more active way that shares policy creation with the politicians) to counter local bigotries that potentially could hijack local education and suppress local democratic and sustainable initiatives that may threaten local power structures., along with the provision of resources to 'have-not' areas. In a project with which I am involved, I have seen local curriculum and accountability initiatives heavily influenced by the corporatist thinking of 'partners', such as Xerox, at one end, and by progressive child development educationists, in another community where democratic structures actively encouraged community outreach involving teachers, parents, and community groups. I will note that the idea of contestation and difference does not bother me, in fact I would encourage it as a sign of a healthy local democracy. If bureaucrates and technocrats feel insecure, in the context, it likely means there are some creative things happening. My field work, however, led me to believe that this was less likely to occur where the corporatist technological model was prevalent. Too much secrecy and control. There is a space for the Canadian experiment with federated thinking as a way of dealing with differences, subject to minimal standards defined by the nation state.
BB ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ray Evans Harrell" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Christoph Reuss" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Monday, December 08, 2003 7:07 PM Subject: Re: [Futurework] Foul-up in education > I agree with Chris on this. There are many things that the National and > even International state can do around laws and equality but education is > always local and the smaller and more specific the better. > > REH > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Christoph Reuss" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Sent: Monday, December 08, 2003 5:49 PM > Subject: Re: [Futurework] Foul-up in education > > > > Keith Hudson wrote: > > > There'd be enough examples of good teachers in a state school who > > > could attract good students from discerning parents if they could be > > > released from the control of London. But the educationists have been > afraid > > > to try this so far because they know in the heart of hearts that there'd > be > > > an overall improvement. It'll happen one day -- perhaps still quite a > long > > > way off for you because Canada is not so highly centralised as England. > > ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ > > Here Keith is reaching the core of the issue. The problem is > centralization > > rather than "state" as such. But, you can have centralization in private > > corporations too --even more of it--, especially in large corporations. > > And guess where increasing privatization and merger-mania leads to ? > > So, even if private schools would be better than state schools as such, > > it's just a matter of time that private school corporations become > > vast and inefficient -- with the additional disadvantage of lacking > > democratic checks and balances. > > > > As with the scary NHS horror stories: > > The problem isn't "the state" but that poor Keith picked the wrong state. > > > > Chris > > > > > > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > > SpamWall: Mail to this addy is deleted unread unless it contains the > keyword > > "igve". > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Futurework mailing list > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > http://scribe.uwaterloo.ca/mailman/listinfo/futurework > > > _______________________________________________ > Futurework mailing list > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > http://scribe.uwaterloo.ca/mailman/listinfo/futurework _______________________________________________ Futurework mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://scribe.uwaterloo.ca/mailman/listinfo/futurework
