Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Malcolm Gladwell's "Outliers," Education and What Politicians Can Do to Generate Success

Essentially, says Thomas Sowell, politicians can do nothing:
"This is not to say that nothing can be done. One of the most inspiring chapters in 'Outliers' is about a KIPP charter school serving minority students, whose academic performances far exceed those of other minority students, even though these students were selected by lottery, rather than on the basis of ability.

A lot could be done to support and expand such schools. But a crucial factor in the success of the KIPP schools is a commitment by the students and their parents to a demanding educational program. No politician or bureaucrat can create that.

Indeed, politicians and bureaucrats have done much that has had the net effect of spreading attitudes that undermine the prospects of using currently available opportunities.

If enough people read and ponder the implications of 'Outliers,' perhaps that can help begin the much needed process of turning around current counterproductive attitudes toward education and toward life."
KIPP succeeds in some samll part because of the discipline it imposes upon students, but the key to KIPP's successes lies largely in the committment of its students and their parents to get a solid education which will lead them out of poverty, but only on the legs of the student's efforts.

The government can do the former, imposing restrictions and regulations upon people, but only the committment and effort of individuals can lead to success. As the old saying goes, you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink.

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