-=> Quoting Dan Triplett to Michael Martinez <=-
 DT> MICHAEL MARTINEZ spoke of Re: Ivan Illich to DAN TRIPLETT on 08-14-96
 
 MM> -=> Quoting Dan Triplett to Michael Martinez <=-
 
 MM> DT> If we  simply left things up to parents with no laws governing
 MM> DT> their parental  responsibility children would be put at serious
 MM> DT> risk.  
 
 MM>No, only a small handful of children who have lousy parents.  Most
 MM>parents aren't lousy.  We're here on Earth, aren't we?  We survived
 MM>tens of thousands of years, with no laws, different laws, opposing
 MM>laws, changed laws ...
 DT> So then you are saying in the interest of the total freedom of others 
 DT> it's ok with you if any number of children are put at serious risk,
There's always going to be children at risk.  There's children at risk
right now.  It's a fact.  Don't jeopardize the many to try to change
something for the few which will never change.
 MM> DT> Regarding school  attendance, without laws some parents would
 MM> DT> neglect to send their kids  to school.
 MM> 
 MM>That's a good thing, not a bad thing!
 DT> How is it a good thing that children would be neglected?
							    ^^^ neglected
to be SENT TO SCHOOL.  Not overall neglection.
 MM> DT>I say to you that we have
 MM> DT> one of the  best educational systems in the world today.
 MM> 
 MM>Does that mean it's good, or merely the best of something that's
 MM>shoddy to start with?
 DT> ~~~~~~
 DT> It's exactly this kind of language that will alienate those in
 DT> education  that you would like to have listen to you.  When you say
 DT> that our  current system is shoddy you turn off the ears of many
 DT> teachers, myself  included, instead of getting them to listen.  When
 DT> people begin to cut  down the educational system teachers take it
 DT> personal. 
You shouldn't take it personally.  It's not your fault that it's shoddy.
It's the fault of the people who make the policies, and the fault of
the thrust of American and European thinking which for the last couple
hundred years.  You're doing the best you can, I'm sure. But it's within
these shoddy constraints.  So let's eliminate the constraints and the
worthless thrust of things... 
 DT> I should mention that such language is not appropriate for this forum 
 DT> and if you care to dialogue further regarding Illich I hope you will 
 DT> keep those remarks to yourself.   
I think you're overreacting, and misinterpreting me.  I don't think 
teachers are bad.  I think the policies are.
-michael
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