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Sectionone:Education

1.Proverbs

1.Agraduationceremonyisaneventwherethecommencementspeakertellsthousands

ofstudentsdressedinidenticalcapsandgownsthatindividualityisthekeytosuccess.

2.Theprimarypurposeofaliberaleducationistomakeone'smindapleasantplacein

whichtospendone'stime.

3.Nextinimportancetofreedomandjusticeispopulareducation,withoutwhichneither

freedomnorjusticecanbepermanentlymaintained.

4.Theclassroom—notthetrench-isthefrontieroffreedomnowandforevermore.

5.Education'spurposeistoreplaceanemptymindwithanopenone.

6.Itisthepurposeofeducationtohelpusbecomeautonomous,creative,inquiring

peoplewhohavethewillandintelligencetocreateourowndestiny.

7.Yousee,realongoing,lifelongeducationdoesn'tanswerquestions;itprovokesthem.

8.Peoplewillpaymoretobeentertainedthaneducated.

9.themostimportantfunctionofeducationatanylevelistodevelopthepersonalityof

theindividualandthesignificanceofhislifetohimselfandtoothers.Thisisthebasic

architectureofalife;therestisornamentationanddecorationofthestructure.

10.Theessenceofoureffortstoseethateverychildhasachancemustbetoassureeach

asequalopportunity,nottobecomeequal,buttobecomedifferent-torealizewhatever

uniquepotentialofbody,mind,andspiritheorshepossesses.

11.Agreatteacherneverstrivestoexplainhisvision-hesimplyinvitesyoutostand

besidehimandseeforyourself.

12.Ifyoucanreadanddon',youareanilliteratebychoice.

2.DamagingResearch

AstudybyNationalParent-TeacherOrganizationrevealedthatintheaverageAmerican

school,eighteennegativesareidentifiedforeverypositivethatispointedout.TheWisconsin

studyrevealedthatwhenchildrenenterthefirstgrade,80percentofthemfeelprettygood

themselves,butbythetimetheygettothesixthgrade,only10percentofthemhavegood

self-images.

3.EducationandCitizenship

AnimportantaspectofeducationintheUnitedStatesistherelationshipbetween

educationandcitizenship.Throughoutitshistorythisnationhasemphasizedpublic

educationasameansoftransmittingdemocraticvalues,creatingequalityofopportunity,

andpreparingnewgenerationsofcitizenstofunctioninsociety.Inaddition,theschools

havebeenexpectedtohelpshapesocietyitself.Duringthe1950s,forexample,effortsto

combatracialsegregationfocusedontheschools.Later,whentheSovietUnionlaunchedthe

firstorbitingsatellite,Americanschoolsandcollegescameunderintensepressureandwere

offeredmanyincentivestoimprovetheirscienceandmathematicsprogramssothatthe

nationswouldnotfallbehindtheSovietUnioninscientificandtechnologicalcapabilities.

Educationisoftenviewedasatoolforsolvingsocialproblems,especiallysocialinequality.

Theschools,tisthought,cantransformyoungpeoplefromvastlydifferentbackgroundsinto

competent,upwardlymobileadults.Yetthesegoalsseemalmostimpossibletoattain.In

recentyears,infact,publiceducationhasbeenatthecenterofnumerouscontroversiesarising

fromthegapbetweentheidealandthereality.Partoftheproblemisthatdifferentgroupsin

societyhavedifferenthavedifferentexpectations.Somefeelthatchildrenshouldbetaught

basicjob-relatedskills;stillothersbelieveeducationshouldnotonlypreparechildrento

competeinsocietybutalsohelpthemmaintaintheirculturalidentity(and,inthecaseof

Hispanicchildren,theirlanguage).Ontheotherhand,policymakersconcernedwith

educationemphasizetheneedtoincreasethelevelofstudentachievementandtoimprove

parentsintheirchildren'seducation.

Somereformersandcriticshavecalledattentiontotheneedtolinkformalschoolingwith

programsdesignedtoaddresssocialproblems.SociologistCharlesMoscos,forexample,isa

leaderinthemovementtoexpandprogramslikethePeaceCorps,Vista,andOutwardBound

intoasystemofvoluntarynationalservice.Nationalservice,asMoscosdefinesit,would

entail“thefull-timeundertakingofpublicdutiesbyyoungpeoplewhetherascitizensoldiers

orcivilianservers-whoarepaidsubsistencewages”andserveforatleastoneyear.Inreturn

forthisperiodofservice,thevolunteerswouldreceiveassistanceinpayingforcollegeor

othereducationalexpenses.

Advocatesofnationalserviceandschool-to-workprogramsbelievethateducationdoesnot

havetobeconfinedtoformalschooling.Indevisingstrategiestoprovideopportunitiesfor

youngpeopletoservetheirsociety,theyemphasizetheeducationalvalueofcitizenship

experiencesgainedoutsidetheclassroom.Atthiswritingthereislittleindicationthatnational

servicewillbecomeaneweducationalinstitutionintheUnitedStates,althoughtheconceptis

steadilygainingsupportamongeducatorsandsocialcritics.

4.TheTeacher'sRole

Giventheundeniableimportanceofclassroomexperience,sociologistshavedonea

considerableamountofresearchonwhatgoesonintheclassroom.Oftentheystartfromthe

premisethat,alongwiththeinfluenceofpeers,students'experiencesintheclassroomareof

centralimportancetotheirlaterdevelopment.Onestudyexaminedtheimpactofasingle

first-gradeteacheronherstudents5subsequentadultstatus.Thesurprisingresultsofthisstudy

haveimportantimplications.Itisevidentthatgoodteacherscanmakeabigdifferencein

children'slives,afactthatgivesincreasedurgencytotheneedtoimprovethequalityof

primary-schoolteaching.ThereformscarriedoutbyeducationalleaderslikeJamesComer

suggestthatwhengoodteachingiscombinedwithhighlevelsofparentalinvolvementthe

resultscanbeevenmoredramatic.

Becausetheroleoftheteacheristochangethelearnerinsomeway,theteacher-student

relationshipisanimportantpartofeducation.Sociologistshavepointedoutthatthis

relationshipisasymmetricalorunbalanced,withtheteacherbeinginapositionof

authorityandthestudenthavinglittlechoicebuttopassivelyabsorbtheinformation

providedbytheteacher.Inotherwords,inconventionalclassroomsthereislittle

opportunityforthestudentstobecomeactivelyinvolvedinthelearningprocess.Onthe

otherhand,studentsoftendevelopstrategiesforundercuttingtheteacher'sauthority:

mentallywithdrawing,interrupting,andthelike.Hence,muchcurrentresearch

assumesthatstudentsandteachersinfluenceeachotherinsteadofassumingthatthe

influenceisalwaysinasingledirection.

5.EducationPhilosophy

ForthepastfiftyyearsourschoolshaveoperatedonthetheoriesofJohnDewey(1859-1953),

anAmericaneducatorandwriter.Deweybelievedhattheschoofsjobwastoenhancethe

naturaldevelopmentofthegrowingchild,ratherthantopourinformation,forwhichthechild

hadnocontext,intohimorher.IntheDeweysystem,thechildbecomestheactiveagentin

hisowneducation,ratherthanapassivereceptacleforfacts.

Consequently,Americanschoolsareveryenthusiasticaboutteaching”life

skills”-logicalthinking,analysis,creativeproblem-solving.Theactualcontentofthe

lessonsissecondarytotheprocess,whichissupposedtotrainthechildtobeableto

handlewhateverlifemaypresent,includingalltheunknownsofthefuture.Studentsand

teachersbothregardpurememorizationasanuncreativeandsomewhatvulgar.

Inadditionto“l(fā)ifeskills”,schoolsareassignedtosolvetheevergrowingstokeofsocial

problems.Racism,teenagepregnancy,alcoholism,druguse,recklessdriving,andsuicideare

justafewofthemodernproblemsthathaveappearedontheschoolcurriculum.

ThisallcontributestoahighdegreeofsocialawarenessinAmericanyoungsters.

6.StudentLife

Tothestudents,themostnotabledifferencebetweenelementaryschoolandthehigherlevels

isthatinjuniorhightheystart''changingclasses”.Thismeansthatratherthanspendingthe

dayinoneclassroom,theyswitchclassroomstomeettheirdifferentteachers.Thisgivesthem

threeorfourminutesbetweenclassesinthehallways,whereagreatdealoftheimportant

socialactionofhighschooltraditionallytakesplace.Studentshavelockersinthesehallways,

aroundwhichthycongregate.

Societyingeneraldoesnottakethebusinessofstudyingveryseriously.Schoolchildrenhave

agreatdealoffreetime,whichtheyareencouragedtofillwithextracurricular

activities—sports,clubs,cheerleading,scouts—supposedtoinculcatesuchqualitiesas

leadership,sportsmanship,abilitytoorganize,etc.thosewhodon'tbecomeengagedinsuch

activitiesorhaveafter\schooljobshaveplentyofopportunityto“hangout”,listentoteenager

music,andwatchtelevision.

Comparedtoothernations,Americanstudentsdonothavemuchhomework.Studiesalso

showthatAmericanparentshavelowerexpectationsfortheirchildren'ssuccessinschool

thanothernationalitiesdo.(Historically,therehasnotbeenmuchcorrelationbetween

Americanschoolsuccessandsuccessinlaterlife.)"He'sjustnotascholar"，theAmerican

parentsmightsay,contentthattheirsonisontheswimteamanddoesn'ttakedrugs.(Someof

theyoungdochoosetostudyhard,forreasonoftheirown,suchasdeterminingthattheroad

torichesliesthroughHarvardBusinessSchool.)

WhatAmericanschoolsdoeffectivelyteachisthecompetitivemethod.Ininnumerable

wayschildrenarepittedagainsteachother—whetherinclassroomdiscussion,spelling

bees,readinggroups,ortests.EveryclassroomisexpectedtoproduceascatteringofA's

andF's(teachersoftengradeA=exceIIent;B=good;C=average;D=poor;andF=failed).

AteacherwhogivesallA'slookstoosoft—sostudentsareawarethattheyarecompeting

forthelimitednumberoftopmarks.

Foreignstudentssometimesdon'tunderstandthatcopyingfromotherpeople'spapersorfrom

booksisconsideredwrongandtakenseriously.Here,itisimportanttoshowthatyouhave

doneyourownworkandaredisplayingyourownknowledge.Itismoreimportantthan

helpingyourfriendstopass,whomwethinkdonotdeservetopassunlesstheycanprovide

theirownanswers.Groupeffortgoesagainstthecompetitivegrain,andAmericanstudentsdo

notstudytogetherasmanyAsiansdo.ManyAsiansinthiscountryconsidertheirgroupstudy

habitsalargecontributortotheirschoolsuccess.

7.AdultEducation

AftercomplainingaboutmanyaspectsofAmericanlife,a40-year-oldwomanfromHong

Kongconcluded,uButwhereelsecouldsomeonemyagegobacktoschoolandgetadegree

insocialwork?Hereyoucanchangeyourwholelife,startanewbusiness,dowhatyoureally

wanttodo.”

Soatleasttothisperson,schoolrequirementsweren'tinhibiting.Andtomillionsofothers,

adulteducationisthepathtoanewcareer,orifnottoanewcareer,toanewoutlook.Schools

generallyencouragetheolderpersonwhowantstostartanew,andbesidesregularclasses,

scheduleeveningclassesinspecialprograms.Todaytherearesomanypeopleofretirement

ageincollegethatitisnolongerremarkable.

8.MoralRelativisminAmerican

ImprovingAmericaneducationrequiresnotdoingnewthingsbutdoing(andremembering)

somegoodoldthings.Atthetimeofournation'sfounding,ThomasJeffersonlistedthe

requirementsforasoundeducationintheReportoftheCommissionersfortheUniversityof

Virginia.InthislandmarkstatementonAmericaneducation,Jeffersonwroteofthe

importanceofeducationandwriting,andofreadinghistory,andgeography.Buthealso

emphasizedtheneed“toinstructthemassofourcitizensinthese,theirrights,interests,and

duties,asmenandcitizens.^^Jeffersonbelievededucationshouldaimattheimprovementof

bothone's"morals"and"faculties”.Thathasbeenthedominantviewoftheaimsof

Americaneducationforovertwocenturies.Butanumberofchanges,mostofthemunsound,

havedivertedschoolsfromthesegreatpursuits.AndthestoryofthelossoftheschooFs

originalmoralmissionexplainsagreatdeal.

Startingintheearlyseventies,“valuesclarification^^programsstartedturningupin

schoolsalloverAmerica.Accordingtothisphilosophy,theschoolswerenottotakepart

intheirtime-honoredtaskoftransmittingsoundmoralvalues;rather,theyweretoallow

thechildto“clarify”hisownvalues(whichadults,includingparents,hadno“rights”to

criticize).The“valuesclarification^^movementdidn'tclarifyvalues;itclarifiedwants

anddesires.Thisformofmoralrelativismsaid,ineffect,thatnosetofvalueswasright

orwrong;everybodyhadanequalrighttohisownvalues;andallvaluesweresubjective,

relative,andpersonal.Thisdestructiveviewtookholdwithavengeance.

In1985TheYorkTimespublishedanarticlequotingNewYorkareaeducators,inslavish

devotiontothisnewview,proclaiming,''Theydeliberatelyavoidtryingtotellstudentswhat

isethicallyrightandwrong."Thearticletoldofonecounselingsessioninvolvingfifteenhigh

schooljuniorsandseniors.Inthecourseofthatsessionastudentconcludedthatafellow

studenthadbeenfoolishtoreturnonethousanddollarsshefoundinapurseatschool.

Accordingtothearticle,whentheyoungstersaskedthecounselor'sopinion,uHetoldthemhe

believedthegirlhaddonetherightthing,butthat,ofcourse,hewouldnottrytoforcehis

valuesonthem.'IfIcomefromthepositionofwhatiswrong/heexplained,'thenI'mnot

theircounselor.'"

Onceuponatime,acounselorofferedcounselor,andheknewthatanadultdoesnotform

characterintheyoungbytakingastanceofneutralitytowardquestionsofrightandwrongor

bymerelyoffering“choices"or"options”.

Inresponsetothebeliefthatadultsandeducatorsshouldteachchildrensoundmorals,onecan

expectfromsomequartersindignantobjections(Fveheardoneversionofitexpressed

countlesstimesovertheyears):"Whoareyoutosaywhat'simportant?"or"Whosestandards

andjudgmentsdoweuse?”

Thecorrectresponse,itseemstome,is,iswereadytodoawaywithstandardsand

judgments?Isanyonegoingtoargueseriouslythatalifeofcheatingandswindlingisas

worthyasalifeofhonest,hardwork?Isanyone(withtheexceptionofsomeliterature

professorsatoureliteuniversities)goingtoargueseriouslytheintellectualcorollary,

thataMarvelcomicbookisasgoodasMacbeth?Unlesswearewillingtoembracesome

prettysillyposition,we'vegottoadmittheneedformoralandintellectualstandards.

Theproblemisthatsomepeopletendtoregardanyonewhowouldpronounceadefinitive

judgmentasanunsophisticatedPhilistineoraclosed-minded“elitist”tryingtoimposehis

viewoneverybodyelse.

Thetruthoftherealworldisthatwithoutstandardsandjudgments,therecanbeno

progress.Unlesswearepreparedtosayirrationalthings—thatnothingcanbeproven

morevaluablethananythingelseorthateverythingisequallyworthless—wemustask

thenormativequestion.Itmaycome,asasurprisetothosewhofellthattobe“progressive”

istobevalue-neutral.ButasMatthewArnoldsaid,“theworldisforwardedbyhavingits

attentionfixedonthebestthings^^andiftheworldcan'tdecidewhatthebestthingsare,at

leasttosomedegree,thenitfollowsthatprogress,andcharacter,isintrouble.Weshouldn't

bereluctanttodeclarethatsomethings,somelives,books,ideas,andvaluesarebetterthan

others.Itistheresponsibilityoftheschoolstoteachthesebetterthings.

Atonetime,weweren'tsoreluctanttoteachthem.Inthemid-nineteenthcentury,adiverse,

widespreadgroupofcrusadersbegantoworkforthepublicsupportofwhatwasthencalled

the“commonschool”,theforerunnerofthepublicschool.Theyweretobechargedwiththe

missionofschoolfeltthatthenationcouldfulfillitsdestinyonlyifeverynewgenerationwas

taughtthesevaluestogetherinacommoninstitution.

Theleadersofthecommonschoolmovementweremainlycitizenswhowereprominentin

theircommunities-businessmen,ministers,localcivicandgovernmentofficials.These

peoplesawtheschoolsasupholdersofstandardsofindividualmoralityandsmallincubators

ofcivicandpersonalvirtue;thefoundersofthepublicschoolshadfaiththatpubliceducation

couldteachgoodmoralandciviccharacterfromacommongroundofAmericanvalues.

Butinthepastquartercenturyorso,someoftheso-calledexpertsbecameexpertsofvalue

neutrality,andmoraleducationwasincreasinglyleftintheirhands.Thecommonsenseview

ofparentsandthepublic,thatschoolsshouldreinforceratherthanunderminethevaluesof

home,family,andcountry,wasincreasinglyrejected.

Therearethosetodaystillthatclaimwearenowtoodiverseanation,thatweconsistoftoo

manycompetingconvictionsandintereststoinstillcommonvalues.Theyarewrong.Of

courseweareadiversepeople.Wehavealwaysbeenadiversepeople.AndasMadisonwrote

inFederalistNo.10,thecompeting,balancinginterestsofadiversepeoplecanhelpensurethe

survivalofliberty.ButtherearevaluesthatallAmericancitizensshareandthatwe

shouldwantallAmericanstudentstoknowandtomaketheirown:honesty,fairness,

self-discipline,fidelitytotask,friends,andfamily,personalresponsibility,loveof

country,andbeliefintheprinciplesofliberty,equality,andthefreedomtopracticeone's

faith.Theexplicitteachingofthesevaluesisthelegacyofthecommonschools,anditisa

legacytowhichwemustreturn.

9.SchoolsShouldTeachValues

Peopleoftensaid,“Yes,weshouldteachthesevalues,buthowdoweteachthem?^^this

questiondeservesacandidresponse,onethatisn'tgivenoftenenough.Itisbyexposingour

childrentogoodcharacterandinvitingitsimitationthatwewilltransmittothemamoral

foundation.Thishappenswhenteachersandprincipals,bytheirwordsandactions,embody

soundconvictions.AsOxford'sMaryWarnockhaswritten,“Youcannotteachmorality

withoutbeingcommittedtomoralityyourself;andyoucannotbecommittedtomorality

yourselfwithoutholdingthatsomethingsarerightandotherswrong."ThetheologianMartin

Buberwrotethattheeducatorisdistinguishedfromallotherinfluences“byhiswilltotake

partinthestampingofcharacterandbyhisconsciousnessthatherepresentsintheeyesofthe

growingpersonacertainselectionofwhatis,theselectionofwhatis'right',ofwhatshould

be.”Itisinthiswill,Bubersays,inthisclearstandingforsomething,thatthe"vocationasan

educatorfindsitsfundamentalexpression.^^

Thereisnoescapingthefactthatyoungpeopleneedasexampleprincipalsandteachers

whoknowthedifferencebetweenrightandwrong,goodandbad,andwhothemselves

exemplifyhighmoralpurpose.

AsEducationSecretary,IvisitedaclassatWaterburyElementarySchoolinWaterbury,

Vermont,andaskedthestudents,uIsthisagoodschool?^^Theyanswered,<4Yes,thisisagood

school.Iaskedthem,uWhy?^^Amongotherthings,oneeight-year-oldsaid,t4Theprincipal

Mr.Riegel,makesgoodrulesandeverybodyobeysthem.^^SoIsaid,“Givemeanexample.^^

Andanotheranswered,uYoucan'tclimbonthepipesinthebathroom.Wedon'tclimbonthe

pipesandtheprincipaldoesn'teither.^^

Thisexampleisprobablytoosimpletopleasealotofpeoplewhowanttomakethetopicof

moraleducationdifficult,butthereissomethingprofoundintheanswerofthosechildren,

somethingeducationshouldpaymoreattentionto.Youcan'texpectchildrentotake

messagesaboutrulesormoralityseriouslyunlesstheyseeadultstakingthoserules

seriouslyintheirday-to-dayaffairs.Certainmustbesaid,certainlimitslaydown,and

certainexamplesset.Thereisnootherway.

Weshouldalsodoabetterjobatcurriculumselection.Theresearchshowsthatmost“values

education^^exercisesandseparatecoursesin“moralreasoning“tendnottoaffectchildren's

behavior;ifanything,theymayleavechildrenmorallyadrift.Wheretoturn?Ibelieveour

literatureandourhistoryarearichquarryofmoralliteracy.Weshouldminethatquarry.

Childrenshouldhaveattheirdisposalastockofexamplesillustratingwhatwebelievetobe

rightandwrong,goodandbad-examplesillustratingwhataremorallyrightandwrongcan

indeedbeknownandthatthereisadifference.

Whatkindofstories,historicalevents,andfamouslivesamItalkingabout?Ifwewantour

childrentoknowabouthonesty,weshouldteachthemaboutAbeLincolnwalkingthreemiles

toreturnsixcentsandconversely,aboutAesop'sshepherdboywhocriedwolfifwewant

themtoknowaboutcourage,weshouldteachthemaboutJoanofArc,Horatiusatthebridge,

andHarrietTubmanandtheUndergroundRailroad.Ifwewantthemtoknowabout

persistenceinthefaceofadversity,theyshouldknowaboutthevoyagesofColumbusandthe

characterofWashingtonduringtheCivilWar.Andouryoungestshouldbetoldaboutthe

LittleEngineThatCould.Ifwewantthemtoknowaboutrespectforthelaw,theyshould

understandwhySocratestoldCrito:"No,ImustsubmittothedecreeofAthens.^^Ifwewant

ourchildrentorespecttherightsofothers,theyshouldreadtheDeclarationofIndependence,

theBillofRights,theGettysburgAddress,andMartinLutherKing,Jr.'"Letterfrom

BirminghamFromtheBibletheyshouldknowaboutRuth'sloyaltytoNaomi,Joseph's

forgivenessofhisbrothers,Jonathan'sfriendshipwithDavid,theGoodSamaritan'skindness

towardastranger,andDavid'sclevernessandcourageinfacingGoliath.

Theseareonlyafewofthehundredsofexampleswecancallon.Andweneednotgetinto

issueslikenuclearwar,abortion,creationism,oreuthanasia.Thismaycomeasa

disappointmenttosomepeople,butthefactisthattheformationofcharacterinyoungpeople

iseducationallyataskdifferentfrom,andpriorto,thediscussionofthegreat,difficult

controversiesoftheday.Firstthingscomefirst.Weshouldteachvaluesthesamewaywe

teachotherthings:onestepatatime.Weshouldnotusethefactthattherearemanydifficult

andcontroversialmoralquestionsasanargumentagainstbasicinstructioninthesubject.

Afterall,wedonotargueagainstteachingphysicsbecauselaserphysicsisdifficult,against

teachingAmericanhistorybecausethereareheateddisputesabouttheFounders,intent.Every

fieldhasitscomplexitiesanditscontroversies.Andeveryfieldhasitsbasics,itsfundamentals.

Sotheyaretoowithformingcharacterandachievingmoralliteracy.Asanyparentknows,

teachingcharacterisadifficulttask.Butitisacrucialtask,becausewewantour

childrentobehealthy,happy,andsuccessfulbutdecent,strong,andgood.Noneofthis

happensautomatically;thereisnogenetictransmissionofvirtue.Ittakestheconscious,

committedeffortsofadults.Ittakescarefulattention.

10.CollegePressures

MainlyItrytoremindthattheroadaheadisalongoneandthatitwillhavemoreunexpected

turnsthantheythink.Therewillbeplentyoftimetochangejobs,changecareers,change

wholeattitudesandapproaches.Theydonnotwanttohearsuchliberatingnews.Theywanta

map—rightnow-thattheycanfollowunswervinglytocareersecurity,financialsecurity,

SocialSecurityand,presumably,aprepaidgrave.

WhatIwishforallstudentsissomereleasefromtheclammygripofthefuture.Iwish

themachancetosavoreachsegmentoftheireducationasanexperienceinitselfandnot

asagrimpreparationforthenextstep.Iwishthemtherighttoexperiment,totripand

fall,tolearnthatdefeatisasinstructiveasvictoryandisnottheendoftheworld.

Mywish,ofcourse,isnaive.Oneofthenationalgodsveneratedinourmedia—the

million-dollarathlete,thewealthyexecutive—andglorifiedinourpraiseofpossessions.

Inthepresenceofsuchapotentstatereligion,theyoungaregrowingupold.

Iseefourkindsofpressureworkingoncollegestudentstoday:economicpressure,

parentalpressure,peerpressure,andself-inducedpressure.Itiseasytolookaroundfor

villains—toblamethecollegesforchargingtoomuchmoney,theprofessorsforassigning

toomuchwork,theparentsforpushingtheirchildrentoofar,andthestudentsfor

drivingthemselvestoohard.Buttherearenovillains:onlyvictims.

“Inthelate1960s."onedeantoldme."ThetypicalquestionthatIgotfromstudentswas

'Whyistheresomuchsufferingintheworld'or'howIcanmakeacontribution??Todayit's

'DoyouthinkitwouldlookbetterforgettingintolawschoolifIdidadoublemajorinhistory

andpoliticalscience,orjustmajoredinoneofthem?^^^manyotherdeansconfirmedthis

pattern.Onesaid:"Theyaretryingtofindanedge—theintangiblesomethingthatwilllook

betteronpaperiftwostudentsareaboutequal.^^

Notetheemphasisonlookingbetter.Thetranscripthasbecomeasacreddocument,the

passporttosecurity.Howoneappearsonpaperismoreimportantthanhowoneappearsin

person.AisforAdmirableandBisforBorderline,eventhough,inYale'sofficialsystemof

grading,Ameans“excellent”andBmeans“verygood.^^Today,lookingverygoodisno

longergoodenough,especiallyforstudentswhohopetogoontolawschoolormedical

school.Theyknowthatentranceintothebetterschoolswillbeanentranceintothebetterlaw

firmsandbettermedicalpracticeswheretheywillmakealotofmoney.Theyalsoknowthat

theoddsareharsh.YaleLawSchool,forinstance,matriculates170studentsfromanapplicant

poolof3,700;Harvardenrolls550fromapoolof7,000.

It'sallverywellforthoseofuswhowritelettersofrecommendationforourstudentstost