評論
打印
How is it that we in America have begun to lose this freedom, and how can we regain it forour nation's youth? I believe it has started slipping away from us because of three misunderstandings.
為什么我們在美國會開始失去這一自由呢？我們怎樣才能為我國的青年重新獲得這一自由呢？我認為這一自由之所以開始從我們身邊悄悄溜走是因為存在著以下三種誤解。
First, the misunderstanding of the meaning of democracy. The principal of a great Philadelphia high school is driven to cry for help in combating the notion that it is undemocratic to runa special program of studies for outstanding boys and girls. Again, when a good independent school in Memphis recently closed, some thoughtful citizens urged that it be taken over by the public school system and used for boys and girls of high ability, that it have entrance requirements and give an advanced program of studies to superior students who were interested and able to take it. The proposal was rejected because it was undemocratic! Thus, courses are geared to the middle of the class. The good student is unchallenged, bored. The loafer receives his passing grade. And the lack of an outstanding course for the outstanding student, the lack of a standard which a boy or girl must meet, passes for democracy.
第一種誤解是對民主含義的誤解。費城的一所名牌中學為一些出類拔萃的學生實施一份特殊的教學大綱竟被視為不民主，結果校長被迫大聲疾呼，要求人們一起來與這種觀念作斗爭。又如，當孟菲斯的一所很好的私立學校不久前停辦時，一些有識之士極力主張公立學校系統接管該校，從而培養才智高的學生；他們還主張該校要規定入學要求，為有興趣又有接受能力的優秀學生制訂高標準的教學大綱。這一提議竟遭到拒絕，理由是這樣做不民主！這樣一來，各門課程都去適應班上的中等水平。好學生受不到挑戰，對學習感到厭倦。懶散的學生卻能混得到及格的分數。沒有為優秀學生開設的高水平課程，沒有一個所有學生都必須達到的標準，反而被認為是民主。
