Sorry for not getting back to you on this one sooner.
What you say about elitism in education is spot on, and I imagine the words elitism and egalitarianism in the teaching profession you are likely to land a very hot potato in the lap. I am frankly appalled at the PC nonsense spouted - it doesn't work in athletics or science or even the arts and the same is true in education. The point I did want to make though is that elitism in education shouldn't mean that the less academically gifted be abandoned - rather that resources should be used more efficiently such as through vocational training - refusing to acknowledge differences in ability actually works against this goal.
Just to be clear - my comment mainly referred to elitism in general and in society. It is often the case that there are glass ceilings for people in public life and politics - unless they are truly exceptional, whilst others get ahead by knowing the right people and having the right background. Other professions are different - and will tend to promote talent and ditch the dross - this is where elitism works better - the issue is not whether we should have elites, but rather how they are selected - and I wanted to say that the more meritocratic a system is, the more we should rely on and encourage elitism - the less so, the more egalitarianism is required.
So going back to education, I think it is fair to say that there are differences across the system - where families with money can send their kids to the best schools who give them the improved facilities and (perhaps?) a more elitist ethos (good thing - as discussed) that gives them more chance to access the best universities and the best jobs. Thus an equally talented kid in a state school has to work that bit harder against a system run by wooly hand-wringing lefties who don't like the fact he or she wants to do better than everyone else. It is here where I think an egalitarian approach would be most appropriate - to level up the playing field a bit by accounting for different standards people face - does that make sense?
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timeasmymeasure
Re: A bit of a rant
Date: 2004-08-19 08:22 am (UTC)What you say about elitism in education is spot on, and I imagine the words elitism and egalitarianism in the teaching profession you are likely to land a very hot potato in the lap. I am frankly appalled at the PC nonsense spouted - it doesn't work in athletics or science or even the arts and the same is true in education. The point I did want to make though is that elitism in education shouldn't mean that the less academically gifted be abandoned - rather that resources should be used more efficiently such as through vocational training - refusing to acknowledge differences in ability actually works against this goal.
Just to be clear - my comment mainly referred to elitism in general and in society. It is often the case that there are glass ceilings for people in public life and politics - unless they are truly exceptional, whilst others get ahead by knowing the right people and having the right background. Other professions are different - and will tend to promote talent and ditch the dross - this is where elitism works better - the issue is not whether we should have elites, but rather how they are selected - and I wanted to say that the more meritocratic a system is, the more we should rely on and encourage elitism - the less so, the more egalitarianism is required.
So going back to education, I think it is fair to say that there are differences across the system - where families with money can send their kids to the best schools who give them the improved facilities and (perhaps?) a more elitist ethos (good thing - as discussed) that gives them more chance to access the best universities and the best jobs. Thus an equally talented kid in a state school has to work that bit harder against a system run by wooly hand-wringing lefties who don't like the fact he or she wants to do better than everyone else. It is here where I think an egalitarian approach would be most appropriate - to level up the playing field a bit by accounting for different standards people face - does that make sense?