Deliberate Dumbing Down of America Public Education

A–147 A programmed sequence of contingencies may be needed. The technology has been most successful where behavior can be fairly easily specified and where appropriate contingencies can be constructed—for example, in child care, schools, and the management of retardates and institutionalized psychotics. The same principles are being applied, however, in the preparation of instructional materials at all educational levels, in psychotherapy beyond simple management, in urban design, and in many other fields of human behavior.... Appendix XXIV

Such a technology is ethically neutral....

It is not difficult to see what is wrong in most educational environments, and much has already been done to design materials which make learning as easy as possible.

In Part I of “Our Children: The Drones” I quoted some of the change agents and how they proposed to bring about the change in society and education. This next article will deal with actual enactment of the methods and programs, and how they are being promoted by the United States Department of Education through the National Diffusion Network. The first program I’m going to tell you about is the one that started what I now refer to as my “search for freedom and dignity” for myself, children, and teachers. The first program is known as The Exemplary Center for Reading Instruction. The word “reading” is a misnomer. This program is pure operant conditioning in the best tradition of B.F. Skinner. In 1978, I was working in a Title I program in Phoenix, Arizona. Our program was one of forty that had been selected as outstanding programs in the United States. The government was doing a three-year study on forty programs. The study was called the “Sustaining Effects Study.” I assumed that study was being done so our program and the other successful ones could be used as examples for the rest of the country. Our program was based on an individualized diagnostic program for each child. The child’s reading and math needs were determined and we were taught to remediate the specific needs in each child’s area of weakness, while trying to build on the child’s strong areas as well. We were proud to have been selected as one of the innovative programs in the nation. Part of our program also called for continuous training in our area of specialization. Mine was reading. I was also a member of the parent advisory committee. In early 1978, our principal, Title I supervisor, and assistant superintendent of schools for the district met with the Title I teachers and proposed a week-long workshop based on a mastery teaching and learning theory. Quite a sales pitch was given for the method and the director. My principal said he had known her for several years and that she was a personal friend of a prominent church and business leader in our community. Since his daughter was a personal friend of mine and he is highly respected as a church and community leader, this was a good selling point from my point of view. Another selling point was the limited cost of the workshop, and the training would include the Title I aides and some of the classroom teachers as well. The time arrived for the workshop, and substitute teachers were obtained for the teachers. The training session was held at the district office. Our trainer’s name was Mrs. Currington from Hawkins, Texas. We were to meet from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. every day, Monday through Friday. We were told that if we could not keep those hours and attend every day, not to attend the workshop.