Those Pesky Boards, (again)
My blog has been silent, as I have been reading (and attending meetings).
A major point I am grappling with is why does the Minister seem so determined to close schools on such flimsy grounds. What does the Minister mean when he says he wants "sustainable schools"? It is clear that current educational outcomes (a word document) are being thrust aside in this quest for "sustainable schools".
One of the books that I read, "When Schools Compete", by Fiske & Ladd, makes some interesting points about those pesky school boards.
When the board is bad, the school suffers. Pupils leave for other schools and the school is at risk of closing.
When the board is good, the school prospers: Space for pupils is limited, and pupils near the school can struggle to gain entrance.
Under these circumstances schools can swell and shrink, and even close. Parents will travel past their natural school to get to other 'better' choices.
Disadvantaged people would seem to suffer the most, as they have to make extreme sacrifices in an effort to overcome these problems.
I think that any organisation trying to manage this responsibly must be tearing their hair out. Perhaps "sustainability" means resolution of these administrative problems?
12:47:43 PM 
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