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(rèn)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(xué)為一些出類拔萃的學(xué)生實施一份特殊的教學(xué)大綱竟被視為不民主，結(jié)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(dāng)孟菲斯的一所很好的私立學(xué)校不久前停辦時，一些有識之士極力主張公立學(xué)校系統(tǒng)接管該校，從而培養(yǎng)才智高的學(xué)生；他們還主張該校要規(guī)定入學(xué)要求，為有興趣又有接受能力的優(yōu)秀學(xué)生制訂高標(biāo)準(zhǔn)的教學(xué)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(yīng)班上的中等水平。好學(xué)生受不到挑戰(zhàn)，對學(xué)習(xí)感到厭倦。懶散的學(xué)生卻能混得到及格的分?jǐn)?shù)。沒有為優(yōu)秀學(xué)生開設(shè)的高水平課程，沒有一個所有學(xué)生都必須達(dá)到的標(biāo)準(zhǔn)，反而被認(rèn)為是民主。
