Jim Cowardin commented on the recent Gadfly story concerning Paul Hill's testimony to the Ohio Senate Education Committee.
I am sure this gentleman is extremely qualified to give this testimony, and he is, I am also sure, working hard on his research and analysis. But why do we keep talking about the peripheral issues, such as funding and organization of schools and social issues, when
the real issue is instruction and its results on students day-to-day. I have followed discussions by Edexcellence.net and the many good, intelligent people associated with it for some time. I admire them for eloquence and clear thinking and writing about the things they write about. However, too much time is spent on the tangential issues. It is all about instruction, and it escapes me no end why so little time is spent on this issue, which is the heart of the matter. It is like talking about medicine and discussing the color of the paint on the walls of the offices, while ignoring the medications that
would cure the disease.