Monthly Archives: November 2010

If The Aim Of Public Education Is To Provide Opportunity — How Should $150,000 Per Student Be Spent?

I love that idea from W. Edwards Deming that most every improvement we can wish for in this world depends upon our figuring out how to imagine and how to create better systems. Every system is built around an aim or mission. What does a community seek to accomplish when it willingly taxes itself to finance a system of public education? In Kettering, a K-12 education costs more than $150,000. There are fair questions a community needs to ponder: What is the purpose of this taxation? What is the common good that justifies this taxation? Continue reading

Posted in Special Reports | 2 Comments

Community Transcends The Left/Right Divide And Starts With Seeing The Big Picture

In response to a previous post, Rick writes, “Mike, you speak of authentic community. However, let’s face it, you and I can never be part of the same community. So does that mean the majority of an authentic community get … Continue reading

Posted in Special Reports | 6 Comments

Madeleine Albright’s Ideas For Solving Muslim / Non-Muslim Conflict Also Apply to U.S. Democracy

Madeleine Albright, writing in the Huffington Post, summarizes conclusions she and 18 other former foreign ministers made last month in a meeting in Madrid — concerning “the relationship between the West and the Muslim World.” Her words, concerning overcoming ignorance … Continue reading

Posted in Special Reports | 3 Comments