Customer Reviews

Education Myths: What Special Interest Groups Want You to Believe About Our Schools--And Why It Isn't So

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(12)

 

 

Public school spending per pupil, adjusting for inflation, has soared in recent decades, while student performance has stagnated. This central and uncomfortable fact is the essence of the crisis in American public education today- a collapse in the productivity of spending.

Defenders of the status-quo, when forced to address this problem at all, trot out a series of comfortable myths. Greene's book methodically demolishes each of them, while also providing a roadmap to genuine improvement. An important book for anyone wishing to come to grips with the real and phantom challenges facing public education today.

"Education Myths" is one of those "love it or hate it" books. Liberals who have bought into these myths will despise the "reality checks" Greene gives while conservatives will applaud his meticulous debunking of them. Are schools underfunded? Are teachers underpaid? Do smaller class sizes raise student achievement? Does teacher credentialing result in better performance? Do vouchers work? Greene reviews the research on these and other "hot button" issues to demonstrate that the conventional wisdom is very often wrong.

If ever an institution needed input from someone working outside the standard paradigm, public education is it. To many people, it is obvious the system is not working well, yet suggestions from anyone who is not part of the system are automatically dismissed. Jay Greene is an established and well-respected researcher of education issues, whose only agenda is to elevate the quality of public and professional debate about education. This book addresses a basic problem facing those who wish to improve our schools: many assumptions about education have never been tested in a scientific manner, and many have no basis in fact. Often these untested assumptions form the rationale for expensive programs that consume much time and money with little result. In some cases, blind acceptance by the public of untrue "facts" prevents consideration of novel approaches. Greene has analyzed the research related to several crucial issues and pointed out that while some of it is worth considering, much of it is of little or no value. This book suggests a fresh framework for inquiry into the problems that plague our schools and frustrate everyone who wishes to see good education available for all children.

And that one key myth is that the critics of the Powers that Be in education are, to quote one of the reviewers below, "right-wing" propagandists. Indeed, given the unfortunate political polarization of education policy in America, perhaps this book's greatest liability is the endorsement from Jeb Bush that appears on its cover.

For the most part, Jay Greene backs his claims up with references to specific studies, and one indication that he isn't distorting the data is that his critics haven't found fault with his data. The one exception I found was in his discussion of the Special Education Myth, in which he simply asserts that "any growth in neurological disorders caused by increased numbers of low-birth-weight babies has been more than offset by improvements in the prevention of such disorders in other areas, such as improved prenatal medicine, safe child car seats, and reductions in exposure to lead paint."

Greene does argue, convincingly, that the growth in special ed numbers is largely due to financially-motivated re-classifications. And, if students are generally less teachable than they used to be, it may be more because of teaching failures in the lower grades. But can we be sure that incoming kindergartners aren't less (or more) teachable than they used to be? It would be interesting to survey veteran kindergarten teachers--ones who've remained in the same schools for 20-30 years.

It would also be nice if Greene had included some of the myths that inform current teaching practices and curriculum choices--though these could fill a whole nother book.

These concerns aside, this is a hugely important book that convincingly debunks most of our most debilitating myths--and the left-wing and (yes!) right-wing assumptions that sustain them.

Education Myths by Jay Greene is an excellent discussion of the most important topics in education policy today. The work is much more than a survey of current research. Greene has participated in several major studies while at the Manhattan Institute on such topics as vouchers, true graduation rates, and teaching democratic participation in our society. Greene's intimacy with the policy details comes through in each topic.

The book is fast and punchy, and it is a true joy to read. Greene is definitely willing to take on the status quo and promote change.

I enjoyed Education Myths so much that I have already bought a half dozen copies for friends, and I expect you will probably do the same.

I cannot wait for the sequel. What's next? Education Solutions!

I care deeply about the education of America's youth. I have worked with an illiterate fifth grader and second graders who did not know a dime from a quarter. High school education rates are currently around 70% with that number around 50% for Hispanics and blacks. Clearly there are problems in the world of public education. Unfortunately, while many have correctly diagnosed a problem in public education too often the wrong cure has been prescribed. "Education Myths" by Jay Greene addresses many of the ineffective cures currently in vogue throughout the country.

The book is full of hard hitting and vitally important facts. For example, dollars spent per student have doubled from $4,479 dollars per year in 1971 to $8,745 per year in 1999. (All numbers have been adjusted for inflation) Yet during this time period scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress test have been flat. Simply throwing more money into the current arena without first correcting major systemic problems would be a major mistake.

This book is a must read for anyone concerned with public education in America.

Education Myths" reviews 18 widely held beliefs, unmasking self-interests that block improvement while bleeding the nations' taxpayers.

Greene begins by tracking education spending/pupil from the end of WWII to '01-'02, in '01-'02 dollars. The initial figure was $1,214, rising to $4,479 in '71-'72, and ending up at $8,745. During the '71-'72 - '01-'02 period, pupil achievement measured by the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) rose only 3 to 5 points on a 250-300 point scale. Thus, more money does not equate to more achievement, in any sort of useful manner.

Greene then goes on to refute the common "excuses" for lagging performance - special education draining away funds and social problems like poverty, before going on to address the most expensive myth of all - reducing class size improves pupil performance. Other myths addressed that are of particular interest include the value of teacher certification, the value of increased teach pay (along with its corollary - teachers are underpaid), and the case that charter schools drain needed funds from public schools - thereby hurting them (actually the evidence shows that they benefit from the competition).

An important work, especially for school board members and legislators constantly assailed by sad stores about "if only we had more money . . .." Reality is that if educators returned to prior productivity levels we would save about $200 billion/year.

This book in itself was very educational... With three teachers in my immediate family, I am constantly surrounded with conversations concerning what's wrong with New York City's educational system with most of the blame going to lack of money and faulty family structure... This book has enlightened me and I recommend it not only to teachers but to everyone else because we all have a stake in the product of our educational system.

I was very excited to read this book. I am a teacher that is a bit disillusioned with some aspects of the traditional public school system and teachers' unions in particular. Seeing many of the myths got me even more excited! Greene was bringing up some very important issues that are worthy of considerable debate.

Then I read the book.

Let me tell you that this book is 100% biased. It read more like a bashing of the New York Times' Education section and Jonathon Kozol than it did a criticism of public sentiments about schools. The statistics used in this book are questionable and often from unreliable or biased sources. Other times he just plain lies to your face. One example is a graph that has a title that reads "Graduation Rates Haven't Declined" while the graph pictured shows a 3.1% decline. While that may not be a huge decline, the graph shows a pretty steady (if slow) decline in graduation rates. Other non-graph statistics are lies, too, but they are just less obvious.

He's also not a teacher. His criticisms of teachers (particularly in the "Teacher Pay" section) might be valid for some teachers, but certainly not for the majority. If he had even talked to a few teachers, he might know that.

At other times Greene presents a myth, explains it, and then presents a myth of his own design! In the Special Education section he argues that schools push for diagnoses for struggling students out of greed - because they then get more money from the state. I've never heard this before - most schools just want to make sure they are best servicing their students.

It's not all negative. Greene brings up some very good points and questions. Such as:
1.) School failure isn't just due to a lack of money or large class sizes
2.) We need more high-quality teachers
3.) It isn't right for poor teachers to be rewarded with raises and job security just because of how long they have taught
4.) College Teacher Ed programs are not as strong as they should be
5.) A Teacher with a Master's degree in Education is not necessarily better than someone without
6.) He also has some interesting insights into school choice


Unfortunately his bias and poor use of research and statistics renders this book a piece of garbage with a few bright spots. It's not worth sifting through the garbage. Save your time and effort for other books.

Jay P. Greene has an agenda: the beginning of a modern system of public education. Wake up America, we need change in Public Education and Greene is right on point. Some of his points can be offensive (to teachers), but sometimes the truth hurts. Everyone agrees there exists a problem, and when Greene asks the reader to look at the facts that lead to the roots in order to get to the solution, I am inspired that there is hope.

We all have agendas in life that govern the decisions we make from the time we wake to the time we sleep. Some of the agendas we choose in life are selfish and regressive for our great country. We can only hope that more are interested in progress. Greene is a true American who has put the progress of his country at the front of his agenda. "Education Myths" is clearly written from the hearts and minds of men who care and I look forward to reading more from Greene and others from his school of thought.