Who Is Snookering Who About OBE
According to the Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Department of Education Director Ray Simon and Willard Daggett recently addressed 1,500 teachers and principals concerning Smart Step, Huckabee's new program. (May 2, 2000, "Teachers told to get up to speed")
People should be aware that Willard Daggett is self described in fliers as an "Eminent Outcome Based Reformer and Implementer. . .Shaping America's Future Through Outcome-Based Education" and has traveled across the nation as a featured speaker with William Spady, who coined the term OBE. Many of us oppose OBE because it promotes government controlled schools with no grades, no competition, and fuzzy standards.
The May 2 Democrat-Gazette called Daggett a consultant to the state Education Department, and printed l02 lines summarizing Daggett's remarks at this Smart Step summit. Simon is quoted as saying, "We'll use national experts in the fields of assessment and standards." Evidently Daggett is the main expert.
However, the Governor said in a letter dated April 2, 2000, "I am still emphatically opposed to OBE and will continue to ensure that the state is not mandating OBE to the schools."
People have been led to believe that Daggett is only heading up Character Education. In fact, the Governor's office recently said in a letter, "William Daggett is helping the Department of Education compile a model character education. . . . Daggett will have no influence over any issue or subject that is mandated to schools from the state." From your paper's article, it appears Daggett will have unbelievable influence.
Have the liberals in the DOE and legislature snookered the Governor, or is the Governor trying to snooker his supporters? Many people would really like to know.
Debbie Pelley
Jonesboro, Arkansas 72401
Printed in Arkansas newspapers May, 2000
LeetToEd7WhoIsSnookeringWhoAboutOBE
"Daghuck"