[Vision2020] Health Education: A Conspiracy? A bit off the subject now though
Joe Campbell
philosopher.joe at gmail.com
Fri Nov 26 07:31:18 PST 2010
Thanks for the initial post, Wayne, and for your comments as well as those
from Deb and especially Sue.
I agree with Sue and would like to add that it won't do much good stemming
the anti-educational tide if we blame teachers for failing to do their jobs
amidst the dwindling resources. In my own case, I'm willing to admit that
I've done a less effective job teaching logic to college students precisely
because when I first started teaching logic at WSU the classes were limited
to 40 students per class; now I have over 160 students in a single class and
it is likely to get worse. This year I have two graduate students to assist
me but likely in the near future the MA program will be cut and I'll have
undergraduate "readers" instead. Again, I don't see how reports of my
"failures" will increase public support for my efforts.
Also, I think it is a mistake to think that a lack of logic or critical
thinking skills is at fault. My own view is that the fault lies with the
increase in private education and isolationism but my guess is that most
private schools teach as much or more logic and critical thinking as they do
in public schools. Logic is analogous to computer hardware; even the best is
only as good as the input. As they say, "garbage in, garbage out" but also
quality in, quality out. What counts as garbage and what counts as quality?
That's where things get tricky. What counts as evidence? What counts as
sound reasoning? Some answers are easy: empirical findings, classical logic,
and mathematics. But that alone won't get you far. Unfortunately, after that
point we start doing philosophy, where reasonable disagreement is par for
the course. If the answers were easy, we'd all agree. But we don't, so
they're not.
On Thu, Nov 25, 2010 at 12:53 PM, Sue Hovey <suehovey at moscow.com> wrote:
> Wayne,
>
> I’m sure you have the data to support your claims in paras 4 through 7,
> else you could be counted the left wing equivalent of those right wing
> pundits who utter “facts” as they pull them from somewhere to accentuate
> their contentions.
>
> I do not remember who taught me to think critically. I suspect it was my
> parents because they raised a brood of kids who believed a sentence
> unfinished if it didn’t end with “why.” And I must confess my early
> education prior to credentialing was such a long time ago that I certainly
> couldn’t produce hard data one would need to verify my claim. Nevertheless,
> and what is most important, is that teachers today do know and teach
> critical thinking. If you think not, I would suggest you ask to be invited
> into Kristine Petterson’s history class, Molly Pannkuk’s 6th grade, Gretchen
> Wissner’s Extended Learning offerings, Rachel Aiello’s special education
> class at the Junior High (critical thinking skills are not limited to those
> with superior vocabularies and a knowledge of epistemology.) And this is
> just the short list. There are many other teachers here in Moscow and in
> schools in this area who understand why critical thinking is an important
> pedagogical skill, and they do teach students to use it. I can think of
> teachers in Genesee, Troy, Potlatch, and throughout Idaho whose repertoire
> includes critical thinking, reflection, teaching strategies, and content. I
> treasure the times I have been privileged to collaborate with them. The
> thing that astounds me today is why teachers in Idaho continue to do it
> given the lack of support they get from school boards, (our local board is
> a really good example,) state policy makers, and in some cases, the general
> public. Lucky for them parents continue to support their children’s
> teachers.
>
> An aside. We have a granddaughter who has been taught to think critically
> about issues (a skill she learned in school,) and most of the time her
> conclusions appear mostly logical to me. Even so, she loves Sarah Palin. I
> plan to leave her out of my will.
>
> Sue Hovey
>
>
>
> *From:* Art Deco <deco at moscow.com>
> *Sent:* Thursday, November 25, 2010 10:11 AM
> *To:* Vision 2020 <vision2020 at moscow.com>
> *Subject:* Re: [Vision2020] Health Education: A Conspiracy?
>
> Deb,
>
> These kind of anti-science, anti-knowledge utterings by some of the
> right-wing pundits/wanna-be leaders are not new. I do not find it
> surprising that many of the electorate choose to believe them without
> question. Simplicity of outlook/explanation for most of the electorate is
> generally much more preferable, right or wrong, almost always the latter.
>
> No intellectual effort is needed to adopt easy solutions, no effort is
> needed to try to understand the probabilities, methods, theories involved --
> that takes real effort and time away from more instantly and or more
> gratifying activities available.
>
> However, we differ a little. The lack of critical thinking ability,
> especially understanding modern logic, epistemology, and the probabilistic
> nature of claimed knowledge by a large majority of the population represents
> a gross failure of modern Elem-High-Coll education, public and private.
>
> Nor is there an easy, even likely solution.
>
> Even if local school boards wished to include such training (highly
> doubtful, since many members lack or understand the value of these skills
> themselves), where would the knowledgeable personnel to teach such subjects
> come from?
>
> No offense meant, but there the majority of teachers seem to be ignorant of
> even the basics of these subjects, most likely because the curricula for
> obtaining a teaching credential does not require nor encourage the
> acquisition of such skills in most credential granting programs. This is
> unlikely to change, because as you pointed out, a critical thinking
> population would be a formidable threat to the established political,
> religious, and economic powers-that-presently-be.
>
> w.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> *From:* deb <debismith at moscow.com>
> *To:* Art Deco <deco at moscow.com> ; Vision 2020 <vision2020 at moscow.com>
> *Sent:* Wednesday, November 24, 2010 6:02 PM
> *Subject:* Re: [Vision2020] Health Education: A Conspiracy?
>
> Thanks, Wayne.
> Sadly, I'm afraid the Palin supporters are just too *deliberately* stupid
> to get it, and you are preaching to the choir. Her supporters can support
> her even after: her "abstinence" policies lead to her own daughter having an
> out-of-wedlock child, her daughter and prospective son-in-law became a
> laughingstock in the tabloids, her cynical use (and lately zero mention) of
> her disabled child, her misuse of public funds, her revenge use of Alaska
> law enforcement offices, and her idiotic proclamations which have no factual
> grounds and very little coherence. But "face-time" is what it's about.
> Little Bristol on "Dancing with the Stars", Mom having a talk show, people
> tuning in to see ALL SARAH<ALL DAY< ALL REAL!!!! on the Stoopid Toob that
> has become television.....Any publicity is good publicity, and an eager
> nation recognizes this incredibily shallow, selfish, ridiculous moron as a
> PLAYER in the Fields of Power....
>
> Just goes to show how "dumbed down" at least a portion of the populace
> actually is. Of course, getting rid of public schools can really assist in
> this effort, as a thinking public is a dangerous public.
> If we don't send them to real school, they can't learn critical thinking.
> If they can't think critically, they will support anything that sounds like
> it will benefit them, even if it's a damn lie. Huzzah for those who want
> something for nothing, those who cynically exploit the feeble minded, and
> the people who don't stand up against this crap. They are likely to win this
> round, if not the war.....*Hurry, hurry, hurry! Don't miss it! This way to
> the fabulous EGRESS!* *There's still one born every minute.....*
>
> Debi R-S, even more cynical and sarcastic this week than last.......
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> *From:* Art Deco <deco at moscow.com>
> *To:* Vision 2020 <vision2020 at moscow.com>
> *Sent:* Wednesday, November 24, 2010 7:26 PM
> *Subject:* [Vision2020] Health Education: A Conspiracy?
>
> Palin's reckless views on obesity
> By *Roland S. Martin*, CNN Senior Political Contributor
> *STORY HIGHLIGHTS*
>
> - Roland Martin says Sarah Palin slammed Michelle Obama's "Let's Move"
> anti-obesity campaign
> - He says Obama's site says obesity tripled in 30 years, diabetes in
> kids is up
> - He says a group of generals told Congress increasingly people are too
> overweight to serve
> - Martin: Palin's comments show she is reckless about the nation's
> health
>
> *RELATED TOPICS*
>
> - Michelle Obama <http://topics.cnn.com/topics/Michelle_Obama>
> - Obesity <http://topics.cnn.com/topics/Obesity>
> - Child Nutrition <http://topics.cnn.com/topics/Child_Nutrition>
> - Sarah Palin <http://topics.cnn.com/topics/Sarah_Palin>
>
> *Editor's note:Roland Martin <http://www.rolandsmartin.com//> is a
> syndicated columnist and author of "The First: President Barack Obama's Road
> to the White House." He is a commentator for TV One Cable network and host
> of a Sunday morning news show. *
>
> *(CNN)* -- It's clear that we can't go 24 hours without Sarah Palin saying
> something so stupid that it defies logic, but leave it to the Kim Kardashian
> of politics to find something wrong with first lady Michelle Obama's effort
> to curb obesity in America's kids.
>
> In a radio interview on Wednesday with conservative talker Laura Ingraham,
> Palin took dead aim at the first lady's "Let's Move" initiative, which is
> all about getting children active and involved in exercise and healthy
> eating.
>
> In the wacky world of Wasilla's finest, Palin tries to cast the effort to
> fight obesity as part of Michelle Obama's "different worldview."
>
> Here is a portion of the transcript from HuffingtonPost.com: "Take her
> anti-obesity thing that she is on. She is on this kick, right. What she is
> telling us is she cannot trust parents to make decisions for their own
> children, for their own families in what we should eat.
>
> "And I know I'm going to be again criticized for bringing this up, but
> instead of a government thinking that they need to take over and make
> decisions for us according to some politician or politician's wife
> priorities, just leave us alone, get off our back and allow us as
> individuals to exercise our own God-given rights to make our own decisions
> and then our country gets back on the right track."
>
> Hmmm. "Let's Move" is Obama's "kick?" Maybe someone should kick Sarah Palin
> so she can understand how devastating obesity is to the future of the United
> States.
>
> According to the first lady's "Let's Move" website:
>
> *•* Obesity rates among children have tripled in the last three decades,
> and one in three children are obese.
>
> *•* One-third of all children born after 2000 will suffer from diabetes.
>
> *•* Children are less active today than at any other time in American
> history, spending 7.5 hours a day watching TV, playing video games or simply
> involved in efforts that don't require movement.
>
> *•* Obesity is contributing to the vast increase in hypertension among
> Americans.
>
> Now, since Palin is always talking about our nation's military and how we
> have to honor them and show them love and affection, let's listen to what a
> group of generals said a few months ago about obesity and America's national
> defense.
>
> A study released in April by Mission: Readiness, a nonprofit group of more
> than 150 retired generals and admirals, concluded that 27 percent of 18- to
> 24-year-olds are too fat to join the military.
>
> The culprit? Junk food and too much fat in school lunches.
>
> Said the study: "Today, otherwise excellent recruiting prospects, some of
> them with generations of sterling military service in their family history,
> are being turned away because they are just too overweight. Our standards
> are high because we clearly cannot have people in our command who are not up
> to the job. Too many lives depend on it."
>
> In testimony before Congress, the former head of the California Army
> National Guard, retired U.S. Army Major Gen. Paul Monroe, said that "80
> percent of children who were overweight between the ages of 10 to 15 were
> obese by age 25."
>
> He and other military leaders want Congress to enact a massive child
> nutrition bill to remove all junk food and high-calorie beverages from
> schools, improve nutrition standards in schools, upgrade school menus and,
> the group said, "help develop new school-based strategies, based on
> research, that help parents and children adopt healthier lifelong eating and
> exercise habits."
>
> Monroe testified: "In 1946, Congress passed the National School Lunch Act
> as a matter of national security. In the past, retired admirals and generals
> have stood up to make it clear that America is only as healthy as our
> nation's children. Childhood obesity is now undermining our national
> security and we need to start turning it around today."
>
> So, Sarah Palin, are you going to also rip into this decorated American and
> say that he and 150 other military leaders are dead wrong?
>
> I recently sat down with Michelle Obama for a prime time special on TV One
> cable network dedicated to her "Let's Move" initiative. It was startling to
> listen to her talk about the horrible statistics and the shape we'll be in
> in the future, figuratively and literally.
>
> "The crisis that we're facing around childhood obesity hits everything,"
> Obama said. "It's about education, what our kids are learning about
> nutrition in the schools, the quality of the food in the schools. It's about
> our neighborhood development. How are neighborhoods designed?
>
> "Are our kids -- do they have access to safe places to play? Are we
> structuring communities in a way that facilitates healthy living? Are there
> accessible and affordable healthy foods in our communities? And it's about
> economic opportunity as well, because if folks can't afford to put food on
> the table, then they're eating what they can.
>
> "So this is one of those issues that requires us to talk about a little bit
> of everything. And it makes us look at ourselves a little more closely and
> it makes us look at the broader society. So we're beginning to understand
> this is a threat."
>
> This latest broadside by Palin shows how reckless and ridiculous she is.
>
> Libertarians and far right conservative Republicans are always talking
> about government intrusion into our lives, but when we look at clean water,
> air quality and food supply, thank God for governmental standards.
>
> Don't think for a second I'm not paying attention. I've increased my health
> awareness, am changing my diet and working out more to lose weight, and am
> pushing family members to do the same. That's really the whole point of
> Michelle Obama's "Let's Move."
>
> Any Republican with common sense should see that Sarah Palin poses an
> immediate threat to the future of this country. She proves that every time
> she opens her mouth.
>
> Sarah, for the benefit of the nation, stick a fork in it.
>
> *The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Roland
> Martin.*
>
>
> Find this article at:
>
> http://www.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/11/24/martin.michelle.obama.palin/index.html?hpt=T2
>
> _____________________________________________________
> Wayne A. Fox
> 1009 Karen Lane
> PO Box 9421
> Moscow, ID 83843
>
> waf at moscow.com
> 208 882-7975
>
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