I have a boring and vague truth-lies-in-between position on the decline or otherwise of educational standards but I did enjoy Alastair Campbell's characteristically robust rejoinder to the annual cry of "dumbing-down":
To those who have received good (GCSE) results, I say well done for all the
hard work you put into it, and well done to your schools and teachers
for managing to teach you well despite all the space in your lives that
goes on social networking, fads, trends, clothes, and crap telly
programmes.
And understand that the reason the media questioning of your success increases with every rise in standards is that the vast bulk of newspaper editors, columnists, commentators, broadcast executives and senior broadcasters send their own kids to private schools, and their coverage of State schools is slanted to justify their own choices.
When their kids do well, it's because they are good caring parents and their kids are jolly bright. When you do well, it is because of dumbing down. It is called snobbery. And nonsense.
The number of people reaching the top of Mount Everest each year has increased dramatically over the last 60 years. Does this mean that climbing Everest has got easier?
Similarly, the numbers of professional brass musicians who can perform circular breathing (breathing in through the nose while simultaneously breathing out through the mouth) has increased significantly these last 20 years, and what once was rare is now commonplace. Has this skill suddenly got easier too?
Posted by: peter | August 27, 2009 at 04:03 PM