[Vision2020] "Deficiencies in Government Schools" A Rebuttal

[Carl Westberg]

Doug deserves some credit.  He's found a way to continue "dialogue" on this 
listserve.  By rehashing old , "lightly edited" Vision 2020 exchanges on his 
blog, with names changed to protect the innocent, he invites response.  Via 
Vision 2020.  Devilishly clever.  Must give him his due.                     
                                                                             
                                                                             
                                                                             
                               Carl Westberg Jr.


>From: DonaldH675@aol.com
>To: vision2020@moscow.com
>Subject: [Vision2020] "Deficiencies in Government Schools" A Rebuttal
>Date: Tue, 8 Jun 2004 04:48:06 EDT
>
>Visionaries:
>
>Doug Wilson's June 7th homily on public school deficiencies <dougwils.com>
>does not contain fresh material. Nonetheless, it is a source of continual
>astonishment to me that Doug pontificates as though his criticism of public
>education were:
>1.    Original;
>2.    Knowledge based;
>3.    Economically disinterested;
>4.    Not founded on false dichotomies
>5.    Not based on the Logos model of exclusivity in student selection
>
>While Doug provides an eight point laundry list of criticisms directed at
>public education I will limit myself to commenting (for the moment) on only 
>the
>first one.  Doug says:
>
>1.    "Rootless experimentalism in teaching methodologies: for example,
>private schools that use phonics have one hundred percent literacy coming 
>out of
>first grade. Whole language doesn't work well at all in teaching kids to 
>read,
>but it does work in creating a class of kids with learning disabilities. 
>These
>kids then need a special program. Which, incidentally, needs to be funded."
>
>Doug, as usual, does not cite any source to substantiate his claims nor 
>does
>he indicate with what authority he writes. For those interested in learning
>more about the phonics versus whole language reading debate the following
>websites are useful:
>http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~jar/Reading_Wars.html  and
>http://reading.indiana.edu/ieo/bibs/wholvsph.html
>
>Of course, Doug shaped the policy that prevents a child from attending 
>Logos
>School if she/he did have significant learning or physical challenges. The
>following material is taken from the Logos Elementary School Student/ 
>Parent
>Handbook, pg.27, 2002-2003 which I believe remains in effect.
>
>January 18, 1994
>Scope:  This policy applies to all students and teachers in all the
>classrooms of Logos School.
>Definitions:
>             Severe Learning Disability:  Any condition in a potential 
>student
>which would require a separate classroom, program, and staff in order to
>provide the educational services desired by the parents. E.g. Down’s 
>syndrome,
>deaf/mute, blind, etc.
>
>             Learning Disability:  Any condition in a potential student or
>student which does not require a separate classroom, program, and staff in 
>order
>to provide the education services desired by the parents.  E.g. 
>Hyperactivity,
>Attention Deficit Syndrome, dyslexia, etc.  For the purposes of this 
>policy,
>it is not important whether or not the condition was accurately diagnosed 
>and
>is a genuine learning disability.
>
>Guidelines:
>1.         Children with a severe learning disability will not be admitted 
>to
>Logos due to the lack of adequate staff, funding, and facilities.
>2.         Children who have been diagnosed as having a learning disability
>will be required to meet the same academic standards as all the other 
>children
>in their grade level.
>3.         Children who have been diagnosed as having a learning disability
>well be given as much individual instruction and encouragement as their
>classmates. "
>This loathsome statement not only reveals the stupendous ignorance and
>bigotry  [Downs Syndrome is a "learning disability"?????] of Wilson, Inc., 
>it is
>antithetical to Christian conduct and theology.  History offers many 
>examples of
>the rotten fruit resulting from policies of  intellectual and physical 
>elitism
>- none of them worthy of imitation except, apparently, at Logos. And yes,
>once again, we see that (at least partially) it's about money.  Surely, in 
>the
>twenty + years of Logos existence, it would have been possible to fund some
>programs for special education students, There was/is clearly no interest 
>in doing
>so.
>I publicly rebuke the men who developed this policy and the men who sustain
>it today.  Shame on all of you.  And, in particular, shame on you Doug 
>Wilson
>for presuming to lecture anyone on education, or come to think about it, 
>preach
>on Christian behavior.
>Rose Huskey
>Once you lose integrity everything else is easy.

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