Peter's defense of independent schools WAS brilliant, and I'm grappling wit=
h what you are getting at on this Labor Day weekend. As I read the logic of=
your question below, I am struck by the second portion of your argument. I=
will humbly suggest your assumptions may be unrealistic, and that is why y=
our question is difficult to answer.
If the government or a "proletarian revolution" undertakes a significant re=
distribution of income and wealth, then the meritocracy falls. Thus, the fu=
ture of democratic capitalism is in danger. You've read Gladwell's "Outlier=
s" and viewed the Dan Pink videos on intrinsic motivation. I would suggest =
that the rich are not the problem in this country. Certainly our Developmen=
t folks try to help them re-prioritize how they spend their money, but the =
accumulation of wealth has traditionally been good for the country and good=
for independent schools. The fact that there is a growing income gap that =
negatively impacts society is a serious problem in need of creative solutio=
ns, but we cannot blame the rich or hold them responsible for their own suc=
cesses because everybody else was not equally successful (unless, of course=
, they are breaking the law). Some of the rich have an acute sense of socia=
l justice, and therefore help to redistribute income through charitable con=
tributions to social programs, or gifts to our schools to support financial=
aid.=20
Given what I have said, and the rapidly expanding mess in public education,=
I suspect many independent schools have a bright future as long as Pat and=
the NAIS folks can keep government regulation at a distance. During the tw=
o worst economic years in recent history, the number of applications to our=
school increased (I suspect this was true at many schools). I would propos=
e that in these difficult times, the demand for a quality education at an i=
ndependent school has become more inelastic (trying to sidestep the issue o=
f tuition pricing).
To answer your question, yes. We will support whatever income distribution =
reforms come down the pike because they will not upset the strength of a fr=
ee capitalist society, and thus the future of most independent schools is b=
right. Those who argue that charter schools, magnet schools, home schooling=
, and other alternatives to traditional public education will continue to g=
row indefinitely are missing the larger issue; that this nation has an obli=
gation to educate its citizens, and public educational reform will come eve=
ntually. At that time, it's hard to say what public education (notice I don=
't use the word "schools") will look like, but our campuses will be the mos=
t established and reputable houses of learning in the marketplace, so the m=
eritocracy will continue to gravitate to us. Think positively!
Happy Labor Day,
Joel
--=20
Joel Backon
Director of Academic Technology / History
Choate Rosemary Hall
333 Christian St.
Wallingford, CT 06492
203-697-2514
On Sep 5, 2010, at 8:04 AM, Fred Bartels wrote:
> Peter,
>=20
> You provide a wonderfully brilliant defense of independent schools but it
> doesn't really answer my question.
>=20
> Let me rephrase the question.
>=20
> -Independent schools are funded primarily by the wealthy.
>=20
> -If income distribution needs to be corrected in order for our nation to =
get
> back on track, the wealthy will need to receive a much smaller piece of t=
he
> economic pie.
>=20
> -If the wealthy have significantly less income that will mean significant=
ly
> less money for independent schools.
>=20
> So the question is, will independent schools support a change in income
> distribution that helps the nation but financially hurts independent
> schools?
>=20
> Perhaps dipping into our cultural memes will help illustrate the heart of=
my
> question.
>=20
> Tolkien, in the Lord of the Rings, has Frodo freely offer the Ring to a
> number of the main characters. Gandalf, Galadriel, and Aragorn -all who
> embody values that would grace any independent school- are sorely tempted=
to
> take the Ring and use it to do good. In the end they choose not to be
> seduced by the power of the Ring. As Galadriel says, "I pass the test. I
> will diminish, and go into the West, and remain Galadriel."
>=20
> Fred
>=20
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