initiative!
Freedom, Funding, and Accountability in Education by Patrice Maynard “Who says?!” was a main theme a stand and hold it firmly. of our workshop on the last weekend Gary Lamb then presented on of April this year. Twenty-four of us social threefolding and the interplay gathered in Hudson, New York, to among the three spheres and how explore burning issues facing educathey influence education. Pointing tion today. We counted nine other to the spiritual grounding of Walmajor events happening on the dorf Education and the urgent need same day, perhaps underscoring the for freedom in education at this recognition in those who came of time, Gary answered the question the importance of the assault we all Initiative group “Freedom and Funding in Education”: L to R, front: “Who says?” by directing us not to Val Mello, Jane Reid, Patrice Maynard, Chaddie Hughes; rear: Michael face in the world of education. The Lapointe, Gary Lamb, Gordon Edwards, Andrew Giligan who says now but to “Who should workshop participants were affilisay?” Answer? Educators! ated with nine schools from five states. Gary instructed on different kinds of funding stratEight participants were members of a “think tank” egies for education in the United States and carefully initiative group called “Freedom and Funding in Educadescribed why educational tax credits are the preferable tion.” We have been meeting for close to two years to solution to adequate funding that allows citizens and parwork together on the issues identified in the title of the ents to have a level playing field in choosing educational workshop. One of the objectives of the group is to build approaches for families; and for tax payers to choose a up a body of informed ideas to share with the world so portion of where their educational tax dollars will be dithat thinking can be realigned based on facts and obrected. He concluded with describing our image of the servation rather than on political and economically maFreedom and Funding in Education Think Tank, with its nipulated information. We do this with the understandtask and future plans. ing that thoughts are deeds, and they can be powerful in Abundant discussion times were left after each prere-directing of ideas and actions for education. sentation. One goal of the workshop was to enhance the Patrice Maynard presented on the Common Core think tank with experiences from different schools and State Standards (CCSS), and their impact on contempoindividuals, and begin to open up dialogue about these rary education. She raised the question: Who says these burning questions. Questions ranged widely and helped standards will help education? Who says children must the initiative group of eight in their discussions after the read by age five? Who says children need algebraic skill in workshop to forge new ideas of how to re-claim education kindergarten? In many cases the answer to “Who says?” for the cultural sphere. ends up being corporations and political machines! The afternoon was spent in two groups. Gary shared The controversies in all states about CCSS indicate his experiences with CAUSE NYS, a New York Statethe level of discomfort they cause many. The disheartbased activism group devoted to promoting education tax ening use of testing to “prove” things and further ecocredits and assisting advocates in the independent school nomic and political agendas that are not educational is community to get such legislation passed in New York. deeply hurtful, and most standards are not purposeful Patrice’s group focused on accountability and alternative of goals we would endorse. Measuring the CCSS against thinking to inspire new means to assess how and how the standards we hold as Waldorf Educators, wishing for much learning is taught and assimilated. There was dischildren to be received with reverence and love, Patrice cussion in these groups of the importance of longitudinal emphasized that it is more urgent than ever before to take studies because the results of Waldorf education are most 26 •
being human