Leadership Series: Competition Works

The departing head of the New York City public school system, Mr. Joel Klein, posted a commentary in the Wall Street Journal dealing with his experience and lessons learned on this job. It is way too important to not be read. You can read the entire, brief article at: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704104104575622800493796156.html?mod=WSJ_Opinion_LEADTop

You may have noticed that TheFundamentals is directing some attention to the needed and long overdue changes in our poor performing public schools. This is not to diminish our focus on fiscal, personal and financial responsibility matters. However, the horror show that has now become commonplace in major urban areas involving politicians, teacher unions and poor performing public schools has a profound impact on America’s competitiveness and deficit/debt situation. But those are symptoms; the problem is the failure of these schools for the urban youngsters who don’t have choices. TheFundamentals remains committed to its theme of personal and financial responsibility and fiscal sanity. It just so happens that there is profound linkage between these two principles: the fundamentals of all children getting an opportunity to improve their general Welfare and balanced budgets, wealth and job creation.

Misguided policies that are now accepted wisdom by a large portion of the population and are used by one of America's two major political parties to encourage, promote and tolerate the appropriateness of teachers forming unions to advance their self serving agenda over the very purpose of their being; coupled with their blaring and continual demand for more public money to finance their self serving agenda, needs to be fully disclosed and then discarded once and for all.

It appears that there is a chance that America can grasp this opportunity to do away with these misguided policies. Teachers unions must be dissolved where education outcomes are not attained. Competition into school districts must be implemented where kids are now forced to settle for a crappy education. The competition comes from parents being able to use public moneys to send their kids to performing schools.

There is nothing in this world like the contagion of good competition. It seems to terrify many (AFT, AFL-CIO and NEA) but it sure develops the human spirit and the human condition. What do you think the Chinese would do with nonperforming teachers demanding more pay, more pensions and more days off?

Here are a few straight forward comments, taken from the above article, written by Mr. Klein (TheFundamentals comments are in the parentheses):

• It's now proven that a child who does poorly with one teacher could have done very well with another. (So much for the teachers blaming the parents)

• …we were told that education isn't a business. Maybe so, but whether it's health care, education or any other service, poorly-structured, non accountable delivery systems cost a fortune and don't work (In a few concise words, Mr. Klein has just described the entire causal relationship that is the backing for the all the remedial themes of TheFundamentals)

• Competition works (no one could say it more concisely; competition is the answer to Americas horrific bubbles in government spending, health care and education. Competition terrifies government employees and teachers and the unions they form to keep competition away)

• We must stop protecting ineffective teachers….(Why is this just not done?)

• Every school has to be one to which we'd send our own kids. We are not remotely close to that today. (Not much more to say after digesting this indictment of large portions of America’s education system)

Mr. Klein is 64 years old. He’s a lawyer. He is also a Democrat (we think) and a refugee from Clinton’s white house. We are in absolute awe of his ability to overcome these obstacles. (Aside: we are, of course, just kidding.)

What is he? Well, after reading his comments, he is the hope of tens of thousands of kids who are ignored every day of every week by the NEA, the AFT and the political party that caters to them.

He is also a leader. May we say it again with emphasis. MR. KLEIN IS A LEADER. And that is why we dedicate this Leadership Series essay to him.

TheFundamentals hopes that Mr. Klein will take on all these miscreants in his new job. He has the credentials, the moxie, the cojones and, hopefully, the will to save these kids. If that is his mission, and we sure hope it is, he deserves our support in a big way!