The Herald-Sun has a must-read editorial that summarizes a discussion between panelists at the 2011 State of Durham’s Economy breakfast. So, what was the editor’s takeaway?
The point — one of thousands along the line of argument about how to fix education in Durham — is that Durham’s economy is keenly affected by and interested in education in Durham, which is a double-edged sword in the war for jobs. Business leaders offer resources and partnerships to the schools, which are valuable. They also offer an example that simply doesn’t work for public schools, which cannot choose their students.
And that’s why Durham’s economic leaders may look closely at education, but educators shouldn’t spend too much time looking back.
This is why traditional public schools in Durham (and elsewhere) will continue to fail. Schools and businesses are labor-intensive enterprises that are subject to the same rules of human behavior. The two institutions may not be able to apply the rules in the same way, to the same degree, or for identical ends, but it is a mistake to believe that public education operates in a separate, mystical realm.
