The Miseducation of the Masses (Part 3): The System is Born

In part 3 of our series on the education system in the United States of America, we take a look at the continued influence of Foundations - mainly the ones started and funded by the Carnegie and Rockefeller.  We also discuss the Columbia Teachers College and their project, the Lincoln Experimental School.  Then we look at the effects of the Progressive Education Associations "Eight-Year Study" and how it started the concept of the segmented school curriculum.  And let's not forget the power of uniform textbooks - and how Harold Rugg (through the Columbia Teachers College) was so well funded that 5 million of his textbooks were distributed nationwide.  Eventually, in 1952, the Reece Committee started investigating Foundations and their influence on public life.  When their report was published in 1954, it was summarily ignored.  Why was it ignored? Because, a scathing indictment of the power of capitalists in the United States and how they were (and are) warping the public education system for their own benefit wasn't a report those capitalists wanted anyone to know about.  Sound familiar? [Click to Listen]

ISIS Terror Threat Comedy Hour

In this clip show, we take a look at how the Corporate Media (CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, etc.) have used ISIS (or ISIL or IS) as the new international 'boogie man' in order to amp up the feelings of terror on the public and justify more military action in the Middle East.  The result is eerily similar to the build up to the invasion of Iraq in 2003.  The rhetoric used in these clip would be hilarious, if the end result wasn't death and destruction. [Click to Listen]

The Miseducation of the Masses (Part 2): Rise of the Foundations!

In part 2 of our series on the education system in the United States of America, we take a look at how compulsory schooling was legislated into existence and then financed.  From 1889 to 1906 William Torrey Harris was the Commissioner of Education for the United States of America.  That is an uninterrupted, 17 year stretch in which he shaped the teaching philosophy and legislation of an entire nation.  During his tenure there was an average of one high school opened per day.  That is a massive education boom.  But, what was his philosophy of education? And, who was helping to subsidize this massive infrastructure of new buildings, textbooks and teacher training?  The noted humanitarians (sarcasm) John D. Rockefeller and Andrew Carnegie, to name just the two main wealthy white guys we take a look at in this episode.  We wrap up part 2 with some choice quotes from a 1913 Special Commission appointed by the 62nd Congress to investigate the entity know as a "Foundation", both as a business model and the power it wields within society.  Hint: It's not good and it hasn't gotten any better in the 101 years since this report. [Click to Listen]