This week, the web site of the National Center for Policy Analysis posted
George Leef’s review of The War Against Excellence
by Cheri Pierson Yecke, a former Minnesota education official. Yecke’s
premise is that middle schools are now dominated by educators who have
infused the systems with misguided liberal beliefs. For example, the
mindsest questions the value of individualism and wants to rid the
system of competition. “Yecke,” Leef wrote, “is not optimistic about a
quick reversal back to school cultures where academic achievement is
emphasized; the egalitarian mindset is too widespread.” Meantime, on
Monday, Lindalyn Kakadelis joined WUNC’s “State of Things” to discuss
recent headlines over school consolidation. In Charlotte, unhappy
parents led an unsuccessful effort to split apart the Charlotte public
system, and in Orange County, consideration is being given to merging
the Chapel Hill/Carrboro and Orange County systems.