SCHOOL FOR THOUGHT

Cui bono?

A recent comment to Math, Math, and More Math got me thinking. Mr. Wainscotting challenges us to try to figure out who has the most to gain from the bad math programs used in schools - the unions? the school boards? the faculties of education? the publishers? It’s a really good question, and I don’t have the answer.

Of course, there’s always the possibility that the bad math programs persist because of inertia, but I doubt this - because none of the usual suspects is a shrinking violet and so they would surely be speaking up if they didn’t like having bad math programs. So, I think we can conclude that all four suspects like the programs and benefit from them in some way.

Same thing goes for ideological conviction, by the way - there aren’t a whole lot of people who will follow their ideological convictions even though it means sacrificing their personal well-being.

So, back to Mr. Wainscotting’s question. I propose that we start a conversation and together try to tease out the truth here. Let’s take the four suspects one by one.

The unions:  Bad math programs generate more special education students requiring smaller classes = more union members

The school boards:  Bad math programs generate more special education students requiring smaller classes = more and bigger hierarchies

The faculties of education:  Bad math programs generate more special education students requiring more specially trained teachers = more professional development opportunities

The publishers:  Bad math programs generate parental discontent = need to constantly publish new teaching materials

Which of these has the most to gain? What have I forgotten? Let’s think this through together.