One of the most destructive myths propagated by so-called education “reformers” is that fully funding public education is merely throwing away more money. The arguments go something like this: Money can’t solve everything, what we need is better accountability for students and teachers. Larger classes don’t matter if you have first-rate teachers. What has all this money gotten our schools so far? And so on and so on. It boils down to the old standby, “pull yourself by the bootstraps,” and has obstructed the effort to have an honest public debate about what is needed to help all students succeed.
In this excerpt from their new book, 50 Myths and Lies That Threaten America’s Public Schools: The Real Crisis in Education, education psychologist David C. Berliner and education professor Gene V. Glass dissect the propaganda and misinformation that has for too long sustained the “money doesn’t matter” fallacy.
The Secular Jurist 