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OpinionJanuary 11, 1996

Many critics of this writer's efforts to illuminate the issues at stake in Missouri's educational "reform" process have tried to portray me and other critics as partisan, right-wing "extremists." It is therefore noteworthy for a lifelong Democrat, Jefferson City banker Sam Cook, to come forth with comments on the proposed academic performance standards to be voted on next week by the State Board of Education. ...

Many critics of this writer's efforts to illuminate the issues at stake in Missouri's educational "reform" process have tried to portray me and other critics as partisan, right-wing "extremists." It is therefore noteworthy for a lifelong Democrat, Jefferson City banker Sam Cook, to come forth with comments on the proposed academic performance standards to be voted on next week by the State Board of Education. Herewith, excerpts from comments by Mr. Cook, long a pillar of Missouri's Democratic establishment, a former member of the board of curators of the University of Missouri and a distinguished gentleman:

"I have seen some carefully developed statements about the need for students to apply knowledge rather than simply possess knowledge. I ask you to reject that defense of the new standards -- it is educationese. Already statements are being made that the new standards will 'ensure that our students are nationally and internationally competitive.' In short, I can see the headlines now -- New World Class Standards Will Ensure That Our Students Are Nationally and Internationally Competitive!

"Please do not fall into the political quagmire of declaring victory over a challenge so daunting as providing quality education for all of the children in Missouri simply by sending out news releases and issuing political rhetoric. What ... may be billed by educational leaders as a quantum leap forward may indeed be a backward step if reliance is given to the new, vague Show-Me standards as a means of improving public education."

Next, with courageous bluntness, Sam Cook lists "among the most serious ... problems for which we seek solutions. I suggest they are basic and known to all of us, although it takes some courage to express them publicly:

"1) Among the many dedicated, effective teachers, there are too many unqualified teachers in many classrooms throughout the state. We have learned that until standards for licensure for teachers are raised to a higher level by your board, we can be certain that some poorly prepared teachers will inhabit our classrooms.

"2) Elementary and secondary students are without a sound foundation in what we have always referred to as 'the three Rs', and in the past decade or so, we added an 'S' for science.

"3) The curriculum in many elementary and secondary schools is watered down, dull and parochial. Students in many instances are permitted to elect from the curriculum without guidance. ...

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"In short, the requirements set by the state board of education need to be as rigorous as possible. It is possible to define with considerable specificity the subject matter that the state board expects students to master. As a member of the University of Missouri Board of Curators, I watched the faculty ... develop such expectations in clear, understandable language. ...

"We have also learned that schools must emphasize an academic agenda and de-emphasize social agendas. ... We should spend our time designing a system that will provide rigorous academic courses that are intellectually exciting and stay out of social engineering."

Indicting examples of the standards he faults for being "process-oriented instead of results-oriented, in addition to being soft and vague", Mr. Cook concludes:

"Finally, the vagueness of the Show-Me Standards will permit all kinds of subjectivity in the interpretation and enforcement of them. Because of the vagueness, it will put much control at the state level. ... The Show Me Standards will provide for enforcement by the men and women of the state [education] department, which means that they can interpret the standards subjectively, and this is not a healthy condition if the state board wants true reform and higher standards to be met by local school districts.

Referring to Gov. Mel Carnahan's statement last fall that he opposes outcome-based education and the abolition of individual grading, and which affirms the need for " correct answers to objective questions," Mr. Cook has a question for the board:

"There is seemingly some discrepancy from what the governor has said and what is going to become the rule of law by the state board of education. Isn't it interesting the governor felt constrained to make his above statements separate from the statements issued by the Show Me Standards in an attempt to clarify the meaning for the public? Surely there is a message in all of this. ...

"Standards should be specific enough to ensure that they can be interpreted and understood by reasonable people. The standards before you don't meet that test. Second, the proposed standards will have the net effect of increasing the bureaucracy so as to provide control and interpretation from above. This is a terrible mistake, in my judgment. ..."

~Peter Kinder is the associate publisher of the Southeast Missourian and a state senator from Cape Girardeau.

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