A Member of Your School Board Gives an Impassioned Speech

question 32

Essay

A member of your school board gives an impassioned speech regarding the need for "a dollar's worth of learning for every dollar spent." "The children of today are rarely challenged," he asserts."We need to promote accelerated programs." For the next hour,he outlines a plan to introduce algebra in the sixth grade,physics in the seventh grade,reading in the preschool,and skipping grades for any student who scores at the 60th percentile on the State standardized achievement test.Some people in the audience look skeptical,others show strong displeasure,but a surprising number appear to agree with the sentiments expressed.
-In your opinion,in what ways can educational systems become more effective without developing moral dilemmas for children?

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Definitions:

Hallucinations

Perceptions in a conscious and awake state in the absence of external stimuli which have qualities of real perception, often related to visual, auditory, or other sensory experiences.

Delusions

Strongly held false beliefs not influenced by rational argument or evidence, often symptomatic of psychiatric disorders.

Incoherence

The quality of being illogical, unclear, or difficult to understand.

Psychotherapy

A treatment technique in which a therapist uses psychological methods to help a person change behavior and overcome problems in desired ways.