A CULTIVATION
A rather lengthy article appeared in the Des Moines Register on the efforts the Des Moines Public Schools are making in improving k-12 education. They have apparently had various committees working on this project for a lengthy period of time. Being a criminal defense attorney who has a clear understanding of the level of education of much of our population from daily contact at the courthouse, I can only applaud any effort in increasing our general level of learning.
The article broke down the five areas, or I should say five cultivations, to be addressed in this five year improvement plan:
1. cultivating equity and excellence
2. cultivating well-being
3. cultivating transformative talent
4. cultivating organizational effectiveness
5. cultivating community and collaboration
There must have been and continues to be a vast effort within the Des Moines Public Schools in search of educational improvement which, of course, must be applauded. I do have one suggestion however: teach them a syllogism. I can't recall if I have ever, and I mean ever, come across a defendant who had any knowledge of or had ever heard the term "syllogism".
As Aristotle said around 350 BC or so: "All men are mortal. Socrates is a man. Therefore, Socrates is mortal." One could bring that forward a couple of thousand years and add to it: "People who commit crimes are criminals. I committed a crime. Therefore I am a criminal." See how easy that is and one has to admit that knowing what a syllogism is and how to construct one might not be such a bad thing for our children to know. Or how about logical fallacies such as "false dilemma" where the claim is there are only two options in a given situation when there may be many such as "America: Love it or leave it" or "Are you a Republican or a Democrat".
I'm sorry, but cultivating equity and excellence or well-being doesn't cut it. First, what do you mean by cultivating? Second, once you agree on what it is, how does it apply? Third, what do you consider equity, excellence, or well-being? Fourth, once you have come to some agreement on these terms how do you measure them? Fifth, are the students and their families presumed to have the same idea of what these things are? Not a word about syllogisms or false dilemmas.
I say, let's forget all this cultivating but rather teach these kids a few things they can use in their adult lives, things which actually may be of a benefit to them as they try to navigate the world they live in, and therefore, enhance their well-being.
Richard E H Phelps II
Mingo
